WORLD BIOENERGY ASSOCIATION GN: Are you an educational institution, social enterprise, non-profit or private company? Describe your company. Karin: World Bioenergy Association (WBA) is an umbrella organization for bioenergy associations, companies and individuals supporting the sustainable development of bioenergy globally. It started 2008 in Jönköping (Sweden) by leaders of a group of national and regional associations. We are a non profit and a non governmental organization. WBA has 19 board members comprising one President and four Vice Presidents. The board sets the agenda for the organization. The agenda is executed by the Secretariat which sits in Stockholm, Sweden, led by the Executive Director. GN: How big is your company? Karin: In terms of manpower, WBA has 2 employees who work fulltime executing the activities of the organization. They are assisted by the President, the Vice Presidents and the Board. Apart from the Board, WBA has a project advisor, assistants and event managers who work voluntarily for some of the projects. The organization is truly global as our 190 members come from more than 50 countries and with various backgrounds.
Illustration of different ecological systems for biomass origins: short rotation forestry, corn and sugarcane and managed forestry (Photo by SLU)
The biogas plant in the municipality of Linköping, Sweden. Sweden is a world leader in upgrading and use of biomethane for transport. Biogas covers today 1% of the total road traffic in Sweden (Photo by Svensk Biogas)
GN: Describe your mission, vision and values. Karin: WBA aims to promote the sustainable use of bioenergy for mitigating climate change impacts of fossil fuels. We support various actors – associations, companies, institutions, individuals – working in the field of bioenergy. We see a future where bioenergy along with other renewables become the dominant energy source. A sustainable energy solution for the future generations is possible only if we show how bioenergy with other renewables can meet the energy demands of the local, national and regional energy needs. We actively work with knowledge transfer, technology transfer and capacity building as key aspects of promoting a sustainable future. GN: Where is this company headed? What’s your future expansion plans? Describe briefly your strategic goals (10 years to 20 years plan) Karin: The association is based in Stockholm, Sweden but our aim is to have a bioenergy association in every country in the world. The idea is to be the clearing house for everything that fits in bioenergy. These national associations become platforms for Bioenergy entrepreneurs, and their job is to educate leaders as well as to build networks in the different regions where bioenergy is available and/or used. We would like to see the companies and institutions involved in the whole supply chain offering jobs and building local businesses as well as global businesses. WBA is able to be serve as the hub to transfer both knowledge and technology in both directions on global level and serve with inspiration to even local needs.
World largest combined heat and power plant based on biomass owned by Fortum and Stockholm City started operation in 2016 in the middle of Stockholm, Sweden (Photo by Hans Ekestang)
ISSUE NO.004 RENEWABLE ENERGY
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