The eighth trialogue in cooperation with the academy project "Energy Systems of the Future" dealt with issues relating to a sustainable bioenergy strategy. Almost 60 participants spent a day discussing the potential of utilising biomass as an energy source for the energy transition and climate protection.

Bioenergy can be used in a variety of ways: as a biofuel in transport, for heating and to generate electricity. Another option is the capture of carbon dioxide from biofuel production plants or biomass power plants and its underground storage (BECCS). As the stored carbon dioxide was previously absorbed from the atmosphere by plants, this results in "negative emissions". Global climate protection scenarios indicate that the climate protection targets cannot be achieved without such negative emissions. However, the cultivation of biomass can result in greenhouse gas emissions that reduce the climate benefit. In addition, biomass is a limited resource that is used not only for energy supply, but also in the food and animal feed industry. If energy crops are not grown sustainably, they can also pollute the environment, soil and water.