Facts - The basis and objectives of AFO
In order to meet the targets of renewable energy use and goals in reduction of CO2 emissions, existing forest fuel potential must be mobilised. AFO project aims at activating the group of 12 million private forest owners that own 60 percent of the forests in Europe. 
Based on the annual net increment, 35% of the growth in the European forests is currently unutilized. When inaccessible forest areas (in terms of soil properties, topography or location) are excluded, this unused surplus forms sustainable and renewable annual forest fuel potential of 36 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe), or 238.6 Million cubic meters.
The AFO project will operate in selected target areas of the forested EU-countries possessing great shares of private forest ownership and vast reserves of unutilized wood fuel recources. The project aims to transfer knowledge and good practices from countries (Finland and Austria) where successful activation of Private Forest Owners has been achieved.
The aim is to identify and then help reduce the barriers for increased forest fuel supply and to create activation material to be later disseminated to the forest owners in the rest of the European Union. The overall objective of AFO is to promote and increase woodfuel supply at sub regional and local level. By activating the participation by private forest owners in forest fuel supply, e.g. by establishing exemplar forest fuel supply chains, the confidence of wood energy end users will be won and new markets for wood energy secured.
National targets for the proportion of renewable recources in energy production in the EU-27 countries, according to the 2008 climate package. AFO partner countries are highlighted with boxes and numbers.