Bioenergy Europe highlights key EU policy developments at Bioenergiapäivä 2026
Tampere, 19 October 2026 – Bioenergy Europe participated in Bioenergiapäivä 2026, Finland’s annual bioenergy gathering, organised by Bioenergia ry. The event brought together industry representatives, policymakers, and experts to discuss the changing energy and climate policy landscape and Europe’s bioenergy future.
During the opening session, Szabolcs Szalay, Policy Officer at Bioenergy Europe, delivered a presentation titled “Bioenergy in EU’s energy and climate policy in the 2030s”, examining the legislative developments that will shape the sector over the coming years.
His intervention focused on four key EU policy files: the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), the post-2030 Renewable Energy Directive (RED IV), the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Szalay outlined the opportunities and challenges these initiatives present for the European bioenergy sector, from recognising bio-based carbon removals and the role of renewables in industrial decarbonisation to the need for regulatory stability and proportionate sustainability requirements.
“The rules shaping bioenergy in the 2030s are being written today. We need a coherent and predictable EU framework that recognises sustainable bioenergy’s contribution to climate objectives and industrial competitiveness, while providing the certainty needed for investment,” declared Szabolcs Szalay, Policy Officer, Bioenergy Europe
The presentation emphasised the need for consistent EU legislation, avoiding unnecessary regulatory complexity and strengthening sustainable bioenergy’s position in Europe’s future energy mix.
Organised by Bioenergia ry, Bioenergiapäivä 2026 also explored the outlook for renewable fuels, the future of combined heat and power, biomass demand and the implications of climate and biodiversity policies for bioenergy production.
Bioenergy Europe’s participation reinforced the importance of continued dialogue between European and national stakeholders as the EU develops its post-2030 climate and energy framework.
During his visit to Tampere, Szabolcs Szalay also joined Erika Laajalahti from Bioenergia ry for a visit to Tampere Energia’s district heating system, one of Finland’s largest. The network spans about 600 kilometres and combines several energy sources, including biomass, industrial waste heat, waste-to-energy, and electric boilers. In 2025, 83% of the energy used for district heating was renewable, showing how bioenergy can work alongside other technologies to provide reliable heat while reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Read more about the event: https://www.bioenergia.fi/bioenergiapaiva2026/
