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VITO, the Flemish institute for technological research, is an independent research centre in Flanders, Belgium. VITO conducts customer-oriented contract research and develops innovative products and processes in the field of energy, environment and materials. Protecting the environment and encouraging sustainable use of energy and raw materials is central to all our projects.
VITO’s unit ‘Energy Technology’ provides support to energy suppliers, appliance builders, end-users and governmental bodies in their search for rational use of energy, renewable energy sources and reducing CO2 emissions and other pollutants in stationary and transport applications. VITO has built up experience not only on the technical level, but also on other aspects related to the market introduction of new technologies and fuels (infrastructure, information, economics, policy, user acceptance,…).
For more than 10 years (since 1994) VITO is involved in biofuel-related projects. At first, the focus was on the vehicle aspect and the evaluation of fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions of vehicles running on biofuels (in comparison to conventional fuels or other alternatives). Afterwards aspects of market introduction, policy steering and sustainability of biofuels (LCA) were included. In parallel, technological research was conducted for the optimisation of existing production processes (like biodiesel) and the development of new processes (like bio-hydrogen).
In the past years VITO coordinated various projects on the subject of biofuels (and other alternative fuels), including
* ESTO study on trends in vehicle and fuel technologies (2002-2003),
* Flemish study on the potential and impact of biofuels in Flanders (2005-2006),CTIT (Asia Pro-Eco project, 2005-2006) on knowledge transfer of clean and renewable energies (including biofuels) to Indonesia and Vietnam,
* PREMIA, European FP6 specific support action for DG TREN, on the effectiveness of support measures for the introduction of biofuels and hydrogen (2004-2007). The project provided input to the revision of the Biofuels Directive at European level.
* BIOSES, project for Belgian Science Policy on the introduction of biofuels in Belgium, including the environmental, social and economic impact of various scenarios up to 2030. The project includes emission measurements on new vehicles operating on biofuels (& blends). Project duration: 2007-2010.
Moreover VITO is involved in other European projects, including Biofuel Cities (FP6, 2006-2009) on building a European Partnership of biofuel stakeholders and monitoring biofuel projects, ELOBIO (IEE, 2007-2010) on the impact of biofuel policies on other markets, BAP-DRIVER (IEE, 2007-2010) on the development of Biomass Action Plans in European member states.
In 2007, VITO started a PhD study on sustainability assessment of bio-energy pathways. Focus will be on the methodology to include various aspects of sustainability in the assessment (environmental, social, economic). Imported feedstock and biofuels - mainly from Latin America and South-East Asia - will be an important part of the study.
Since 2008 VITO participates in the IEA Bio-energy Task 40 group as National Task Leader for Belgium.
For more information, see also:
www.vito.be