EU Biomass Use in a Net-Zero Economy

This new study by consultancy Material Economics is the first to model the EU’s 2050 demand for biomass feedstocks from all sectors and to compare this to a realistic biomass supply.

Most scenarios for a transition away from using fossil fuels foresee a large increase in biomass use. This report overviews the future demand and supply of bioresources in the EU, and envisages the optimal uses of bioresources in the transition to a net-zero economy.

Material Economics produced the new analysis in collaboration with the Energy Transitions Commission and European Forest Institute, funded by Climate-KIC, European Climate Foundation, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and Vinnova. The study finds that the optimal future for biomass use is highly targeted, prioritising the most valuable uses where the properties of biomass make it the greatest contributor to a net-zero economy; or where alternatives are likely to remain too expensive.