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 government is struggling with the task of both helping the industry become more sustainable and satisfying public opinion. It seems as if there are no winners in this situation – proponents think progress is too slow, policies too uncertain and subsidies insufficient, while opponents fear the impact of this growing market on the environment, biodiversity and availability of wood and food.
The criticism focuses primarily on subsidies granted to large companies to produce sustainable energy or products. There is a fear that old-growth forests are being cut down for biomass, which is in reality unfounded ( NEa concludes that bio-raw materials from Estonia are sustainable in the Netherlands ). However, biomass has now acquired a 'sharp edge', making it difficult to make progress towards sustainability. Nevertheless, biomass is one of the few raw materials we can use for this transition to sustainability.
Biomass comes not only from woody sources but also from agricultural residues and sludges. Globally, deforestation remains a problem ( Financial institutions fueled deforestation with nearly 300 billion euros, this coalition intervenes | Change Inc. ), primarily because we require a great deal of food and raw materials, although bioenergy is not cited as a cause. The use of biomass in bio-based construction, biofuels, and biomaterials has been commonplace for years. We find a lot of wood in our homes, for example in house construction, cabinets, tables, and chairs. When this wood is discarded and taken to the recycling center, it is often recycled into sheet material. Even the oil from the deep fryer can be converted into biofuel, while the organic waste from your bin could potentially be used to produce green gas for heating your home. These are just a few examples of how the market is already using biomass on a large scale and automatically choosing the most suitable applications.
The challenge lies in growing consumption and the fear of a shortage of raw materials. Is this justified, or are we actually on the right track ( sustainably managing forests for climate resilience )? In my opinion, the challenge lies in our consumption behavior. We want to have everything, and increasingly more, faster, and more often. We also prefer to use everything only once, because new is better. This week, research organization Global Footprint Network published a report showing that if everyone lived like the Netherlands, we would need four Earths. Adjusting our own behavior is therefore a prerequisite for a healthy and sustainable future. The easiest and fastest way is to first look at ourselves and consume less, rather than trying to make everything sustainable.
If we do have to use biomass, growing specific crops is a possible solution. These fast-growing crops can be harvested several times a year and require relatively little water. They can grow in soils that are not always suitable for agriculture, and often improve soil quality as well. Furthermore, they can be grown on poor soils such as former mining sites, where they not only provide employment and other social benefits, but also clean the soil, making agriculture possible again in the future. The ability to produce a consistent quality of bio raw materials and guarantee of quality and quantities also make it a very suitable raw material for the industry to use and invest in.
Despite these benefits, we see little progress in this regard. The current discussions surrounding biomass make it difficult for the government to place this in the right context, given the challenges it can entail. Yet I am convinced that growing specific biomass can benefit small local communities, give an impetus to the use of biomass as a raw material for industry and chemistry and, in addition to a sustainable raw material, we also create a sustainable industry.
Is this the 'egg of Columbus', I leave that to the reader, but it is low-hanging fruit and it would be a shame if we do not take action on it. And what could be more fun than looking for this egg with a whole group of people, so working together with governments, NGOs and industry to really shape this, I would say.
About the author
John Bouterse
Managing director Komercon BV and director of Platform Bio-Economie
John Bouterse is co-owner of Komercon BV, director of Platform Bio-Economy and member of various working groups that deal with various issues and policies regarding the use and sustainability of biomass. Based on his expertise, John works every day to give waste and biomass a new high-quality purpose and from this perspective he looks in these blogs at the special developments and possibilities that biomass offers and the challenges that come with it.
