NEWS
THE WORLD OF BIOMASS MET IN COPENHAGEN
F
or one week Copenhagen hosted the global biomass community at the 21st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition. More than 1800 attendees from 66 countries discussed the status and the future of biomass for energy, materials and further bioeconomy applications in 360 keynote, plenary, oral and 400 visual presentations. These figures, compared to last year, show an increase of 15% in total attendance and a 20% increase in exhibition space making the EU BC&E 2013 once again the most important and stimulating international key platforms in Europe for knowledge exchange on the latest scientific and industrial results, developments in policies and deployment in the biomass and bioenergy sector “The bioeconomy offers a unique opportunity for growth and job creation through the use of knowledge in many fields such as clean energy and biotechnology”, said Anders Eldrup, Conference General Chairman speaking at the closing session of the conference.
“Maximizing the efficiency of utilization of our biomass resources is fundamental in order to achieve a sustainable bioeconomy”, stated David Baxter, Technical Programme Chairman of the conference while introducing the main highlights of the EU BC&E 2013. Forest carbon stock in the US and EU have increased over recent
European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
decades providing additional biomass resources. Furthermore, developments in traditional markets such as that of pulp and paper create more opportunities for bioenergy. The biomass potential is still largely untapped, however the actual availability of biomass feedstock might be much lower than the theoretical potential and some questions still remain open mainly concerning environmental sustainability.
Many advanced conversion processes are now in the stage of a large industrial demonstration phase or even an early commercial phase, i.e. 2nd generation biofuels, bio-oil from pyrolysis and torrefaction. Now that confidence to reach a commercial size has been achieved the main challenge is reducing costs factors. For this reason strong policy support at a European level will be crucial.
www.conference-biomass.com
• news • news • news • news • news • news • news • PARSONS
BRINCKERHOFF WINS THREE NEW STRATEGIC BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENTAL FRAMEWORK AGREEMENTS ACROSS SCOTLAND Parsons Brinckerhoff, the global engineering consultancy, has strengthened its position in the Scottish building and environmental consultancy markets with the award of three new frameworks that will see it provide a range of specialist multi-disciplinary services across the country and, in particular, in Fife and Argyll & Bute. In Fife, Parsons Brinckerhoff has been selected under a multi-disciplinary framework for Fife Council to promote the development of brownfield sites. A multi-disciplinary team led by the company has also
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been chosen by Argyll & Bute Council to support the £30 million CHORD regeneration programme across the coastal towns of Campbeltown, Helensburgh, Oban, Rothesay and Dunoon. The Council has awarded the first work package to come out under the framework to Parsons Brinckerhoff. The company will deliver the £8.6m Dunoon Waterfront project involving refurbishment of the Queen’s Hall and improvements to the road layout and public realm around the building. For Scotland Excel, the umbrella body owned by all Scottish local authorities, the company has also been selected to provide project management, cost management, environmental engineering and geo- technical assessments to local authorities across Scotland for a wide range of projects.
PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 5
“Selection on these three frameworks has given a very strong boost to our activities in Scotland,” explains Brenda Jones, Associate Director at Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Glasgow office. “Although we are already working on a number of public sector building projects in Scotland, these new frameworks provide an opportunity for us to contribute to the sustainable development of Scotland’s infrastructure.”
The company is currently working on a range of building sector projects across Scotland including the refurbishment of Lews Castle in Stornoway; new schools for The Highland Council and Fife Council; and various projects for Strathclyde University, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and the Riverside Inverclyde Urban Regeneration Company. These new frameworks also build
on the company’s existing portfolio of environmental consultancy work in Scotland for private sector clients and local authorities.
THE FRAMEWORKS: Fife - the Planning
and Protective Services Consultancy Framework will last for two years, extendable to four, and be supported by local property agents, Ryden, for property market advice. Services provided will include project management, environmental and geotechnical engineering, masterplanning, civil engineering, quantity surveying and CDM Coordination.
Argyll & Bute – under the CHORD Programme Consultancy Framework, Parsons Brinckerhoff will provide port engineering, highways design, planning
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