With the project COACH BioEnergy – co-funded by the European Commission – an innovative information and consultancy network for the growing bioenergy market was initiated in Central Europe. The project partners of six countries promoted sustainable energy production from biomass through the establishment of an extensive knowledge and consultancy network.

During the three years of the project we organized several conferences to reach our target groups (decision makers, farmers, engineers, municipal planners etc.) and provided newsletters regularly to keep them up to date on the latest news concerning bioenergy.

After finishing the study of regional energy strategy planning (RESP) in the ökoEnergieland region in May 2011 several measures are now going to be implemented as a result of the study. The initial situation within the (meanwhile) 16 communities regarding the utilization of renewable energy (especially based on biomass) has been very different. 2 Communities (Güssing and Strem) are already on a very successful way when it comes to energy self-sufficiency. In regular meetings the guidelines and objectives of RESP were presented by EEE to the stakeholders of the ökoEnergieland and then also to the public. Now the other communities are going to start with strategic measures.

The national policy conference organized by CBE project partner EEE took place on November 4^th 2011 in the Güssing Technology center. Numerous of interested regional and local politicians, entrepreneurs and stakeholders seized opportunity for information and updating in the scope of Austrian renewable energy policy.

Bioenergy is the main source for renewable energy in Austria. A sustainable utilization of the Austrian biomass potential of currently 200 PJ (peta joule) allows an increase up to 256 PJ in the year 2020 as indicated in the this chart (Austrian Energy Agency, “Vorstudie für einen nationalen Biomasseaktionsplan für Österreich”, 2006).