The overviews from the Dutch Sustainable Energy Association (NVDE) and BNNVARA show that biomass and bio-based resources are present in the election manifestos in a new way. The focus is clearly shifting from low-grade bulk combustion for power and heat to higher-value applications such as green gas, sustainable aviation fuels, and the use of bio-based resources in industry and the chemical industry. The NVDE matrices bundle the verbatim and summarized passages by party, while BNNVARA summarizes the broader themes.
Woody biomass, niche or reduction
Several parties in the NVDE matrix state that woody biomass for electricity is on the decline. Often, there's only room left in situations where no alternative exists, or as a raw material instead of fuel. The same tables also show a clear rejection of wood combustion, with formulations such as no biomass and discontinuing wood-fired biomass power plants. This confirms the perception that low-grade combustion is losing ground.
The strictest tone comes from parties that want to completely end the burning of wood or animal biomass and eliminate subsidies. In the BNNVARA party overviews, this is explicitly stated in BIJ1, and similar language can be found in the NVDE matrix from parties that consider wood burning undesirable.
Green gas and manure fermentation, growth with strict boundary conditions
Green gas is widely represented in the NVDE tables. Some parties are committed to scaling up, often with blending and deployment in sectors that are difficult to electrify. At the same time, the matrices specify clear preconditions, such as prioritizing mono-digestion of manure due to methane reduction and caution with blending plants that perpetuate the manure surplus. Other parties, however, voice sharp criticism of manure digesters and green gas from agricultural waste streams. The range thus ranges from scaling up to phasing out, depending on the origin and climate benefits.
Biofuels in mobility, careful in road traffic and emphasis on aviation
Regarding biofuels, the emphasis varies. In road transport, there are more frequent calls for strict sustainability assessments and a move away from conventional blending. For aviation, the NVDE matrix reveals that some parties want to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels. NVDE notes from the VVD that the share of SAF that is voluntarily blended should reach fourteen percent as quickly as possible, with an ambition of twenty percent by 2030. This is a summary from NVDE and reflects the political direction of the campaign.
The BNNVARA overview also reveals that parties have different approaches to biofuels and subsidies. While some parties find additional efforts acceptable under strict conditions, others want to end biomass subsidies. This shifts the discussion towards synthetic fuels, electrification, and fully-fledged alternatives.
Bio-based raw materials for industry and chemistry, higher in the value chain
Besides energy, the NVDE matrix frequently mentions the use of bio-based raw materials for materials and chemicals. This involves biobased and circular alternatives, and sustainable carbon instead of combustion. In the party's view, this aligns with a broader circular agenda that includes innovation and a green industrial policy.
What this says about the coming years
The political trend is clear: low-grade combustion is losing support, while there is more room and support for high-grade use under strict conditions.
The analysis by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) underscores that parties are making fundamentally different choices on these issues, which will determine the future. According to the PBL, the extent to which biomass is phased out or used for high-quality purposes directly influences the feasibility of climate goals and the necessary deployment of alternative, often more expensive, technologies such as carbon capture.
In short, the political debate on biomass has shifted from "whether" to "how, where, and under what strict sustainability conditions"—a crucial distinction for implementing climate and energy policy in the next cabinet term.
Sources:
NVDE: https://www.nvde.nl/overzicht-klimaat-en-energie-in-de-verkiezingsprogrammas
BNN-VARA: https://www.bnnvara.nl/artikelen/verkiezingen-en-klimaat-standpunten-partijen
PBL: https://www.pbl.nl/actueel/nieuws/pbl-partijen-maken-fundamenteel-andere-keuzes-in-klimaat-en-stikstofbeleid
