EBA Conference 2016: Another successful edition in Ghent

The Third Conference of the European Biogas Association saw a record in participation and number of sessions.


More than 200 delegates gathered in Ghent, Belgium, on the 27-29 September to attend the latest edition of the EBA Conference. The programme, with contributions by a record number of 47 speakers, 19 exhibitors and 33 poster presenters, was attended by stakeholders coming from 29 different countries.
The event started with a plenary session on political affairs that counted with the interventions of high-level speakers from industry, academia and EU institutions alike, including the European Commission’s Vice-President Mr Jyrki Katainen, the Commission’s DG Energy’s Director Mrs Marie Donnelly and MEP Giovanni La Via, who then shared a panel discussion with EBA President Dr Jan Stambasky and Secretary General Susanna Pflüger.

Participants enjoyed then a surprise boat tour through the canals of Ghent, followed by a dinner at the refurbished Fish Market to conclude the first day of the event.

On the second day, the programme included three blocks of three sessions each, covering issues such as biogas and biomethane production, current and future markets, biomethane in transport and biorefineries and digestate. The last sessions were focused on power to gas, methane emissions production and sustainable raw materials before the final session on climate change. The closure of the Conference by Dr Stambasky highlighted the overall tone of optimism regarding the big potential of the sector and its ability to achieve it as expressed in the numerous sessions, and the need of having the appropriate legislative framework as an aide on place to make it possible.

To conclude the first part of the Conference, Dr Stambasky presented the First EBA Poster Award, received by Ms Lucy Culleton for her work titled “Underpinning green energy: Reference gas standards & methods for measurement of siloxanes in biogas”. Thanks to the great acceptance of this initiatives, also future EBA Conferences will hold the EBA Poster Award, looking to highlight the most innovative and best poster presented at the poster exhibition that runs parallel to the event.
On its third day, 56 participants to the Conference joined the Study Tour to the nearby AD facilities of Ivaco (Gistel) and Digrom (Ardooie), to learn about these local installations and their role in the Circular Economy.

EBA would like to thank all sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and participants who joined us in Ghent and made this the most successful edition of our Conference so far.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming you all to our next General Assembly (EBA Members only) and Workshop taking place in Brussels on 7-8 February 2017.