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Abstract: The paper explains how bioenergy education and training is growing in Europe. Employment estimates are included for renewable energy in general, and bioenergy in particular, to highlight the need for a broadly based education and training programme that is essential to build a knowledgeable workforce that can drive Europe’s growing bioenergy sector. The paper reviews current provisions in bioenergy at Masters and PhD levels across the 27 members of the EU (EU27) plus Norway and Switzerland. This identifies a very active and expanding bioenergy education provision. 65 English-language Masters Courses in bioenergy (either focussing completely on bioenergy or with significant bioenergy content or specialisation) were identified. 231 providers of PhD studies in bioenergy were found. Masters Course offerings have grown rapidly across Europe during the last five years, but where data is available, enrolment has been quite low suggesting that there is an oversupply of courses and that course organisers are being optimistic in their projections. Existing provisions in Europe at Masters and PhD levels are clearly more than sufficient for short term needs, but further work is needed to evaluate the take-up rate and the content and focus of the provisions. To ensure talented graduates are attracted to these programmes, better promotion, stronger links with the research community and industry, and increased collaboration among course providers are needed. Short Courses of two to five days are an excellent way of meeting post-experience training needs but require further growth and development to serve the needs of the bioenergy community. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper contributes insights on differences in observed rates of substitution for fossil fuels across countries as measured by changes in the energy mix. If some countries are relatively slower in substituting for fossil fuels, climate change will be addressed less successfully. This paper specifically investigates the role of industrialisation and state-related institutions in the speed of energy substitution in 19 European countries from years 2011–2018 using panel data econometric methods, and has three main results. This paper finds evidence that (1) higher industrialisation levels in the economy increase the speed of energy substitution; (2) that changes in industrialisation levels, not the levels themselves, decrease the speed of energy substitution, but state-related institutions in support of green energy policy weaken this effect; and that (3) higher degrees of state control of the electricity sector slows down energy substitution, but state-related institutions in support of green energy policy likewise weaken this effect. These findings imply that higher industrialisation levels require more energy in absolute terms, implying greater energy portfolio diversification in order to satisfy such energy demand, and that a faster energy substitution can result from a more liberalised electricity sector. • A study on 19 European countries from years 2011–2018 using panel data. • Changes in industrialisation levels decelerates energy substitution. • More state control of the electricity sector decelerates energy substitution. • State-related institutions supporting green energy policies weaken these effects. • Higher industrialisation levels themselves however accelerate energy substitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]