Biomass and Electrification
Biomass and Electrification
Modern biomass heating, deployed sustainably and in the right segments, complements electrification by delivering dispatchable renewable heat, reducing peak electricity demand and supporting security of supply.
With the upcoming Heating and Cooling Strategy, the heat transition in the EU is entering a decisive period. Electrification, particularly heat pumps, will be indispensable for phasing out fossil fuels in buildings. However, the study on “The role of biomass for heating in widely electrified energy systems” by the Austrian research centre BEST – Bioenergy and Sustainable Technologies demonstrates that combining electrification with sustainable biomass heating delivers greater resilience and system efficiency across the EU’s diverse building stock and energy mixes.
Heating demand is highly seasonal. Renovation rates remain well below the levels assumed in many net zero pathways, and many existing buildings will continue to require higher flow temperatures for space heating and domestic hot water well into the 2040s.
In this context, modern biomass heating, deployed sustainably and in the right segments, complements electrification by delivering dispatchable renewable heat, reducing peak electricity demand and supporting security of supply.
What the study analyses
The report combines a qualitative assessment of bottlenecks in a rapidly electrifying energy system with a quantitative model of residential heating pathways in single and double family dwellings.
