12 November marks the European Bioenergy Day 2026, the date from which the European Union could theoretically meet its energy needs until the end of the year using bioenergy alone, based on its annual contribution to the energy mix.

This milestone highlights the importance of sustainable bioenergy in Europe’s energy transition. From heating homes and supporting industrial production to strengthening energy security, bioenergy provides reliable, renewable energy while using locally available resources.

Throughout the 2026 European Bioenergy Day campaign, we are showcasing projects across the continent that demonstrate how bioenergy is already making a difference in people’s everyday lives. With more national stories still to come, here are some of the inspiring examples featured so far.

Renewable heat, tangible benefits for communities

Across Europe, communities are turning to biomass to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and provide reliable, affordable heating.

In Šiauliai, Lithuania, investments in biomass district heating have significantly reduced natural gas consumption, saving heat consumers an estimated €144 million between 2012 and 2024.

In Trhové Sviny, Czech Republic, local forests have been keeping the town warm for over 25 years. Since 1999, its biomass district heating network has expanded to serve around 450 apartments, family homes and public buildings, using local wood residues while supporting regional jobs and energy independence.

Meanwhile, in Botiza, Romania, a new biomass district heating system is planned to serve 954 residents, including 50 vulnerable households. The project shows how renewable heat can also benefit smaller rural communities and fight energy poverty.

In Austria, bioenergy is even helping put food on people’s tables. At Merschl Gartenbau, a family-run tomato producer near Vienna, a wood-chip heating plant supplies renewable warmth to greenhouses, while captured biogenic CO₂ is reused to support tomato growth.

Keeping European industries competitive

Bioenergy is also helping European businesses reduce fossil fuel consumption while maintaining reliable energy supplies.

In Finland, dairy producer Valio uses biomass-based steam production to replace fossil fuels in its manufacturing processes, while developing biogas solutions based on agricultural residues.

In Estonia, brewery Saku Õlletehas has invested in pellet boilers to cover its industrial heat demand, reducing its reported CO₂ emissions by 95%. Another project in Pärnu demonstrates industrial symbiosis, with wood-processing by-products supplying a nearby combined heat and power plant.

These initiatives illustrate how bioenergy can help European industries modernise their energy systems, strengthen local supply chains and reduce exposure to fossil fuel markets.

Innovation beyond energy production

The 2026 stories also demonstrate how bioenergy technologies are evolving to deliver  beyond conventional heating and electricity generation, creating new opportunities for resource efficiency and the circular bioeconomy.

In Dornbirn, Austria, EnergieWerk Ilg is taking bioenergy a step further by capturing CO₂ from its wood-fired combined heat and power plant. The carbon capture system is designed to recover around 3,700 tonnes of high-purity biogenic CO₂ annually, which can be used in industries such as food and beverages, replacing CO₂ from fossil sources.

Made in EU resource and know-how for a resilient future

Bioenergy remains the EU’s largest source of renewable energy and provides more than 80% of its renewable heating. Its ability to deliver storable, dispatchable energy makes it an important complement to other renewable technologies.

As Europe seeks to strengthen its energy security and industrial competitiveness, using domestic biomass resources efficiently offers opportunities to reduce fossil fuel consumption while supporting regional economies.

European Bioenergy Day 2026 celebrates the people, communities and businesses turning these opportunities into reality. From small villages to industrial facilities, the stories shared so far demonstrate that Europe’s energy transition is already taking shape through local solutions.

And the campaign is not over yet. More stories from across Europe will be published in the coming weeks, highlighting the many ways sustainable bioenergy contributes to our energy system and everyday lives.

Discover all the 2026 Bioenergy Day stories and follow the campaign