September 15-17, 2010, Linz/Austria

The market transformation towards modern, high-efficiency biomass heating presents enormous opportunities for local economic development, for decreasing energy costs and for climate and environment protection.
The 3-day international training seminar will provide information and know-how on local market development and technologies for automatic biomass heating, based on the experience in Austria. It will focus on small- and mid-scale projects, fuelled by wood pellets and wood chips, covering solutions for homes, smaller commercial/public buildings and district heating grids (up to a few hundred kW).

The seminar will offer interactive learning in an international group, educational site-visits and presentations by experts in biomass technologies, market development, forestry and environment.

The international training seminar is organised by the Energy Academy of the O.Ö. Energiesparverband, the energy agency of the state of Upper Austria. Upper Austria is a success story in high-efficiency biomass heating: more than 30 % of the heat demand are covered by clean, automatic biomass heating. Green heating has created more than 500 new jobs in Upper Austria in recent years. The "Energy Academy" offers more than 30 technical training seminars on sustainable energy annually.

Seminar Topics

• Success factors for developing a regional/local biomass heating market
• Technology overview (combustion, emissions), system designs
• Fuel standards and logistics (wood pellets, wood chips, log/cord wood)
• Business and financing models, marketing

As an international training seminar, the seminar will not cover country specific information, such as specific legal aspects or funding programmes.

Target Groups

The seminar targets at representatives of businesses, public bodies, institutions, NGOs etc. interested in developing a local/regional biomass heating market. The seminar is especially meant for persons from countries where the market for automatic biomass heating is in a starting phase.

What will the seminar offer?

• Practical hands-on information from people who have done it - learn from the best in biomass heating!
• A lively mix of presentations, technical site-visits and interactive learning in an international group
• 3 intensive days packed with information and know-how on the technologies, the economics and the marketing of biomass heating!
  
  
• Topics:
  • Elements of a successful local biomass market development (demand and supply)
  • Technical functioning of biomass boilers, combustion technologies & emission standards (including visit to test laboratory)
  • Fuels standards and logistics, quality issues, storage
  • Home heating with pellets, wood chips and logwood, heating systems for smaller commercial and public building, biomass district heating
  • Sustainable forestry issues
  • Business & financing models

The training team

• Experts of the O.Ö. Energiesparverband: The O.Ö. Energiesparverband as the state agency for renewable energy plays a crucial role in the biomass heating market development, for example by managing funding programmes and by carrying out promotional campaigns and training programmes. It also manages the Oekoenergie-Cluster, a network of 150 renewable energy and energy efficiency companies in Upper Austria, which also includes many of the European leading biomass boiler manufacturers. The O.Ö. Energiesparverband is also the organiser of the European Pellet Conference, the largest annual event on wood pellets in the world.
  
  
• Experts of Bioenergy 2020+: Bioenergy 2020+ is a world-wide leading research body in the field of energetic use of solid biomass and is specialised in small scale combustion appliances. A main activity is the development of innovative solutions for biomass heating appliances in cooperation with European equipment manufacturers.
  
  
• Experts of Dulas Ltd.: Dulas Ltd. are a world renowned renewable energy company offering professional services and training for clients wishing to implement renewable energy.
  
  
• Experts from companies offering biomass heating products and services

Time-Table

• Tuesday, September 14, 2010, 18.00: get-together & welcome
• Wednesday, September 15 – Friday, September 17, 2010: Training seminar & technical site-visits
• Saturday, September 18, 2010: Sightseeing (e.g. Salzburg or Vienna) - not included in the seminar fee
  
  further information see "Draft Program"
  
  
  
  

Practical Details