Karin Haara

Since February, 2010, she is working as the Executive Director of the new World Bioenergy
Association. Whilst building up a new global organisation is a major challenge she really believes
that bioenergy is going to be one of the most important players globally in the field of
renewable energy.

She is born in Sweden and studied at KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm,
Sweden, and acquired her Master in Chemical Engineering. Since 1983 she has been working in the field of biomass and bioenergy, in the beginning as an energy consultant and after 1988 as a project manager for the Swedish Bioenergy Association. During this time she was involved in many different bioenergy projects such as promoting education and information, national and international conferences and lately also international bioenergy projects. Bioenergy is a widespread area and throughout her work she has been able to gain a better understanding of how the different bioenergy systems work and also of how to promote development.

After all, bioenergy isn't only about energy; it is also about fighting poverty in developing countries.