Programme manager
FNR - The Agency for Renewable Resources (Fachagentur Nachwachsense Rohstoffe e.V.)
Programme owner
BMELV - The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Programme
Renewable Resources
The Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR)
As the central co-ordinating agency in Germany, the Agency for Renewable Resources (Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V.), founded in 1993, is in charge with ensuring a practice-, problem- and result- oriented pool of activities for the promotion of renewable resources. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV), the main activity of FNR is the management of the R&D programme "Renewable Resources" and Market Introduction Programme on behalf of the Federal Government, and to assist the BMELV in all renewable resources related issues. In addition, FNR gathers processes and provides technical data from the fields of science and economy. This ensures a broad, diversified advisory and information service for industry, agriculture, administration and other interested agencies and persons.
Presently, 268 research, development and demonstration projects on renewable resources are being funded, 89 of them in the field of bioenergy. These projects tie up a total of about EUR 77 million of budget funds, the bioenergy projects about EUR 28 million or 36% of this.
FNR has 65 members which includes four Federal Ministries, 16 Laender ministries, and representatives of agricultural, industrial and economical associations and federations. As, due to the federal structure of Germany, renewable resources related activities take place on different levels and under different umbrellas, the membership structure of FNR ensures a smooth exchange and flow of information. FNR has around 50 employees wherein 16 persons working on bioenergy related activities.
The FNR services fall within the following main categories:
- contribution to the development and design of policy programmes and instruments
- providing an information and consulting service to target groups
- providing information about cost-effectiveness, efficiency and funding opportunities
- providing technical data from the fields of science and economy
Within the field of European activities, the FNR is a national and project coordinator of many network and research projects. These projects, funded by the energy and research programmes of the European Union, deal with different issues of better coordinating measures in the field of material and energetic use of renewable resources.
For general information: http://www.fnr.de (English version available)
Contact point:
Birger Kerckow/Karen Goerner
Agency for Renewable Resources
Hofplatz 1
18276 Guelzow, Germany
Tel. +49 3843 6930 125
Fax : +49 3843 6930 102
E-mail: b.kerckow@fnr.de or k.goerner@fnr.de
The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV)
Within the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (Bundesministerium fur Ernaehrung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz) is in charge of all matters related to consumer protection, food, agriculture, animal protection and green genetic engineering. BMELV is coordinating bioenergy research on the federal level. BMELV representatives will participate in the management board meetings and in setting policy and direction in the ERA-NET.
With its Renewable Resources Programme the BMELV supports research, development and demonstration projects. This has made it possible to develop high quality technological products based on renewable resources and to establish some of them on the markets. However, many of the projects have created the preconditions for a successful development in the bioenergy sector, for example biogas and biodiesel.
Since the year 2000, in the scope of the Market Introduction Programme "Biogenic Fuels and Lubricants" the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection has funded, for example, the establishment of own-use fuel stations for rapeseed oil and biodiesel.
The Federal Government has been lobbying for a reinforced usage of renewable resources since the 1980s. To achieve this, intensive research is necessary, as resources from the fields have to make up for fossil competitors for both, energetic and substantial usage.
By supporting research and market introduction, the Federal Government intends to:
- provide sustainable bioenergy as also end-products (coating, pigments and colours)
- credit the environment by ecological products
- strengthen the competitiveness of the German agriculture and forestry as well as related sectors
For more information: http://www.verbraucherministerium.de/ (English version available)
Contact point:
Dr. Katharina Böttcher
Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Wilhelmstrasse 54
10117 Berlin
Tel. +49 30 18 529 3879
Fax : +49 30 18 529 3185
E-mail: l5@bmelv.bund.de
02-09-10