The Netherlands can be climate neutral by 2050 without adjusting its economic structure. This is evident from new research by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL). The condition is that the production of bio raw materials and green hydrogen is significantly scaled up. The PBL calculated more than thirty techno-economic processes and concludes that postponing or excluding in advance…
The European Commission has approved a €900 million French scheme to support companies investing in the use of biomass and renewable hydrogen in energy and fuel production, to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition…
The European Commission has approved a €900 million French plan to support companies investing in the use of biomass and renewable hydrogen in energy and fuel production, to promote the transition to a net-zero economy in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The scheme was approved in…
The tax on natural gas is going up. The outgoing government is imposing a heavy energy tax on large-scale consumers in particular. In the Spring Memorandum, an increase of 22,4 percent was announced for the third, fourth and fifth brackets. An additional increase of 2030 percent will follow in 2,7. These are measures that should encourage major consumers to look for sustainable alternatives to natural gas. Hydrogen, for example, for which a separate reduced rate applies.
On April 12, the Council of the European Union adopted the overhaul of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). This new version of the legislation will promote renovation and encourage the replacement of old inefficient fossil fuels boilers with on-site renewables, including biomass. Bioenergy Europe considers the new EPBD is a good step forward in phasing…
On April 12, the Council of the European Union revised the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). accepted. This new version of the legislation will promote renovation and encourage the replacement of old, inefficient fossil fuel boilers with on-site renewable energy sources, including biomass. Bioenergy Europe considers the new EPBD as…
The demand for sustainable and circular alternatives to fossil raw materials offers opportunities for the European biobased industry. This also applies to Central and Eastern European countries, where the development of biobased activities has lagged behind that in Western Europe. Recently updated country reports on the biobased industry in Romania and Poland underline the enormous potential in these countries,…
A group of Brabant farmers who grow raw materials for biobased building materials are uniting in the new Growers Cooperative. According to the initiators, the establishment of this cooperative focused on biobased crops is a first in the Netherlands. "This sustainable way of growing can become an alternative revenue model for many agricultural entrepreneurs," says board member and farmer John Verberne of…
Staatsbosbeheer manages approximately 275.000 hectares of land for the Dutch company, of which approximately 100.000 hectares is FSC certified forest. We were founded exactly 125 years ago to bring poor 'waste' land to sustainable use. In other words, forest planting and its management. But we no longer produce wood alone. We also provide a living environment for people, plants and animals. Briefly summarized in three pillars: Protect, Experience and Utilize.
Last month, the US Department of Energy (DOE) updated its cornerstone study on the availability of sustainable biomass concluding “More than 1 billion tons of biomass production capacity is identified nationally, while meeting projected demands for food, feed, fiber, and exports. ” The report covers a range of possible feedstocks, not just woody biomass. At the…
If you are looking for bioaromatic samples (derived from sugar or lignin) to test in your products and/or if you could use application development support ranging from feasibility studies to prototype/pilot scale, BIO-CAPPP offers project SME innovation vouchers to support your innovations. BIO-CAPPP project partners VITO, Centexbel and TNO can…
The government will stimulate the cultivation of bio-based building materials as much as possible. Outgoing Minister Hugo de Jonge of Housing and Spatial Planning reminded the House of Representatives of this during a debate on circular construction. Member of Parliament Cor Pierik (BBB) demands more effort from the cabinet. 'Or growing raw materials for the construction of a new…
Last year we posted a series of interviews with people who work at companies that focus on bio-based raw materials. This year we are making a new series of interviews. In the Netherlands, many people work passionately with biomass as a raw material. They work on innovations, improve (production) processes or create policy for a fossil-free future. In this miniseries we highlight…
How many demands do you want to make on the lifeboat when the ship starts to sink? The recent political debate about bioenergy with CO2 storage (BECCS) reminded me of this cartoon. The Party for the Animals proposed banning sustainable biomass + CO2 storage for electricity production. Fortunately, the House of Representatives decided not to get rid of any tools...
Intercos SpA, global leader in research and development, production and marketing of cosmetics and skin care and hair and body care. Amarey, founded by the Illy family, an innovative start-up specialized in functional coffee-based products, announces a strategic partnership for research, innovation and development of cosmetic raw materials obtained with respect for…
The 2023 annual report provides a good picture of all activities and developments that the Green Gas Platform was involved with last year. Both in general terms and per expert group. It was an eventful year with a number of striking topics: a calculation error in the SDE++ subsidy for the category of small-scale mono-manure fermentation, uncertainty about...
The 2nd edition of the four-day Biobased Battle took place in March. 142 students from 7 different colleges in the Netherlands and Finland worked in multidisciplinary teams on corporate sustainability issues. The target? Presenting the best practical biobased solutions! The Biobased Battle 2024 is organized by Avans/MNEXT, HAN, HZ, Karelia, LAB, OAMK and…
After the Easter weekend it is very appropriate to tell a story about an egg and I thought of Columbus' egg, a symbol for finding a simple solution to a challenging problem. For decades we have been trying to replace fossil raw materials with biogenic alternatives, but the road to sustainability appears to be bumpier than expected.…
The down-to-earth English already figured it out: 'You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs'. It is no different with wood and trees: a healthy, thick tree is cut down to make a wooden table. And that change is sometimes, and for some people, a painful experience. Not surprising of course, especially when it comes to thick trees...
