Community-Led Biomass Utilization in Greece
In the Greek region of Karditsa, local communities have turned agricultural and forest residues into a biomass heating solution with community engagement. After rejecting a wind turbine project, farmers and residents partnered with the municipality to collect forestry and agricultural waste and use it as a local biomass fuel source to generate heat and energy for shared communal needs. This model highlights how grassroots initiatives can mobilise local resources for sustainable energy, increase community resilience, and strengthen local rural economies.
Lithuania’s Biomass Power and Combined Heat and Power Plants
In Lithuania, biomass is being used at scale to generate both heat and electricity for urban and rural populations. The Šiauliai Biomass Power Plant supplies heat to nearly half of the city of Šiauliai, demonstrating how wood chips and other biomass feedstocks can be converted into reliable energy, cutting reliance on fossil fuels and reducing carbon emissions. Likewise, the Gren Klaipėda Combined Heat and Power Plant uses biomass and waste to produce significant electrical and thermal energy outputs, underscoring the broader potential for bioenergy infrastructure in both rural and semi-urban areas.
Finland’s Large-Scale Biomass Cogeneration
The Alholmens Kraft Power Station in Finland represents one of the largest biomass cogeneration facilities in the world. Located in the Ostrobothnia region, this plant uses forest residues as the primary fuel source to generate both electrical power and district heating for local industry and communities. Such large-scale installations demonstrate how biomass can be integrated into industrial-scale clean energy systems, while also supporting rural job creation in fuel supply and plant operations. https://www.alholmenskraft.com/
Bioenergy’s Role Across the European Union
Across the EU, biomass continues to play a central role in rural and regional energy systems. Bioenergy accounted for almost 60 % of total renewable energy consumption, with biomass widely used for heat, electricity, and transport fuels, often sourced locally from agricultural residues, forest by-products, and energy crops. This broad adoption shows that bioenergy is a cornerstone of rural renewable strategies across many European countries, contributing both to energy security and rural economic development. https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/renewable-energy/bioenergy/biomass_en
Lessons for Sustainable Rural Biomass Development
These European examples from community-driven biomass mobilisation in Greece to industrialised cogeneration systems in Finland and Lithuania illustrate that biomass can serve multiple rural development goals. When biomass feedstocks are sustainably sourced and managed within local supply chains, communities can increase energy independence, create local economic opportunities, and reduce carbon emissions. The combination of local engagement, scalable technology, and supportive policy frameworks makes biomass a promising pathway for rural sustainable development across Europe.
These European best practices demonstrate that biomass energy, when rooted in local resources and community engagement, can become a powerful driver of sustainable rural development. Building on these lessons, the SUSRUD project aims to transfer, adapt, and scale such successful biomass-based approaches by empowering farmers, VET professionals, and rural communities with practical knowledge, skills, and real-world examples from across Europe.