As Portugal's government goes all out for oil and gas exploration in a world that is moving away from fossil fuels and into renewable sources of energy, the Biomass Algarve exhibition is launched on Firday in Loulé.
Expo Biomass Algarve is aimed at professionals involved in the heating of buildings and swimming pools and is hosted by NERA in the Industrial Zone of Loulé on Friday (14:30 to 18:30) and on Saturday (10:00 to 17h00).
Over the two days there will a display of equipment for distributors and installers of domestic and industrial boilers and other biomass systems.
Expo Biomass Algarve is for private consumers, hotel owners, municipal building operators and other those in charge of social and tourist facilities, as well as for researchers and associations involved in energy and forestry.
There is a seminar on Friday to discuss benefits, success stories, financing options and incentives for investment in biomass systems.
The promoters believe that forest biomass can bring added value to the Algarve region while increasing the sustainability of its forest systems, minimising fire hazards and compensating forest owners for environmental services to the community.
The exhibition and seminar are free and open to the general public with the opening session on Friday afternoon being a presentations by Vítor Neto, president of NERA, Valentina Calixto, Regional Director of Forestry and Nature Conservation, and Pedro Oliveira, a councillor from Loulé.
"Biomass for Energy in Portugal" by Roberto Piedade of the Biomass Centre for Energy; "Potentials of biomass use in the Algarve region," by Inês Duarte from CEABN/InBio; "Using biomass to heat municipal indoor pools in S. Brás de Alportel," by Filipe Sobral from São Brás de Alportel council; "Practical use of wood in chips," by Ricardo Diogo from Ambitrena; "Efficient use of heat exchangers for fireplaces," Nelson Sousa and Carlos Nunes from the University of the Algarve; "Regional investment - examples of biomass in Portalegre" by Diamantino Conceição of AREANATejo; "Support to enterprises in ‘Cresc ALGARVE2020’" by Sonia Sequeira from Cresc ALGARVE.
The second part will be a debate moderated by José Correia (Fomentinvest), with Hugo Barros from the University, José Oliveira from the Regional Agency for Energy and the Algarve Environment (AREAL), with delgates from the Forest Producers Association Serra do Cauldron (APFSC), the Forest Producers Association of Western Algarve (ASPAFLOBAL) and the Forest Producers Association of the Guadiana.
Earlier this week on Wednesday a campaign for organic farming saw 14 councils and 40 partners at the launch of a national information campaign on healthy and sustainable consumption, to promote organics as an alternative, to increase production and thus achieve lower prices.
Andrea Pereira from the Portuguese Organic Farming Association (Agrobio) said that "this is the biggest communication action for sustainable consumption and organic food ever made in Portugal."
Pereira said that reducing the distance between the consumer and the producer also reduces the shipping prices as "one of the reasons why the biological product is so expensive is that for the most part is imported."
In conjunction with the 14 municipalities involved and 40 partners, including producers, distributors and non-governmental organisations such as environmental Quercus, there will be a programme of activities in various parts of the country with workshops and talks to inform the public about organic food production.
