The Netherlands must quickly get to work on a national strategy for bio-based raw materials. This call comes from the Lecturers' Platform Biobased Economy, the Lecturers' Platform Applied Science, and the Federation of Bio-Economy Netherlands. In the position paper *Getting to Work with Bio-based Raw Materials*, they advocate for a coherent approach in which biomass is viewed not only as an energy source, but also as…
Biomass is emerging in a debate where the sector seemed to be fading into the background in recent years. Not through a call for new subsidies or additional co-firing, but in the discussion regarding security of supply and the question of how the Netherlands keeps its electricity system robust as pressure mounts. The reason for this is the renewed attention to existing…
Since March 17, companies and knowledge institutions have been able to submit a pre-registration for a new call for proposals within the MOOI scheme for carbon removal. Notably, the RVO explicitly mentions scope for long-term storage of CO2 in products, including storage of CO2 from air, water, or biogenic point sources, and storage of CO2 in materials consisting of biomass. …
A broad group of European industrial organizations wants biomethane to be given a stronger place in European Union policy. In a joint statement dated March 24, the signatories call on Brussels to involve biomethane more explicitly in energy security, industrial competitiveness, and climate policy. According to the organizations, biomethane can help to reduce the use of fossil natural gas…
Europe potentially has sufficient capacity to meet a large part of its own demand for renewable energy and bio-based raw materials. This is evident from a recent analysis reported by Hernieuwbarebrandstoffen.nl. The outcome provides more direction regarding the role of biomass within the energy transition. The discussion on biomass often focuses on availability. The analysis shows…
A European consortium is launching a large-scale project to demonstrate that organic food waste can serve as a raw material for high-quality plastics. Within the CIRCLE project, seventeen partners are working on an industrial biorefinery that converts food waste streams into lactic acid and polylactic acid PLA. The project has a budget of approximately 27 million euros and is supported…
The General Court of the European Union has rejected the objections of environmental organisations against the European rules on biomass. As a result, biomass will provisionally continue to count within the EU rules that determine which investments qualify as sustainable. This is an important signal for the bioeconomy, as the European Commission is allowed to continue its current course. The case was…
On 17 March, the Council of the EU adopted conclusions on the new European bioeconomy strategy. In doing so, the Member States express support for an approach in which competitiveness, sustainability, innovation, and investment are central. According to the Council, the bioeconomy must develop into a competitive and sustainable pillar of the European economy by 2040.
For a long time, lignin was primarily considered a troublesome component of wood. The substance has a complex structure and is therefore not easy to utilize for high-value applications. In materials research, that perception is shifting. Researchers are increasingly looking at lignin as a building block for bio-based materials with specific functions, for example in nanoparticles, fibers, and additives for plastics. That development stands…
Biomass is primarily known as a source of heat, fuels, and chemical building blocks. New research in Nature Communications reveals a different application. Researchers describe how diverse biomass streams can be converted into hard carbon, a material that can be used in the negative electrode of batteries. The study focuses on so-called hard carbon. That material applies…
The Netherlands produced a record 132 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity in 2025. New figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) show that renewable sources now account for 49 percent of total electricity production. Biomass remains a stable factor in this, contributing to security of supply and grid balance.
Bioscientist Vincent Eijsink of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences has received the 2026 Novonesis Biotechnology Prize. He is receiving this award for research that has clarified how tough biomass can be broken down much more efficiently. This insight is crucial for processing plant-based waste streams into biofuels, chemicals, and materials. A persistent mystery in…
The European bioeconomy continues to grow, but the transition from innovation to large-scale production remains challenging. This picture emerges from the 2025 Annual Report of the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC). The sector is expanding, attracting new members, and receiving increased attention in Brussels. At the same time, the question remains how new bio-based processes and…
The Netherlands is getting a national expertise center to help companies make new chemical substances and materials safer and more sustainable right from the start. TNO, the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment), the VNCI (Association of Netherlands Industry and Employers), and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management joined forces on March 2, 2026. The center will focus on the principle of Safe and Sustainable by Design…
On March 4, 2026, the European Commission presented the Industrial Accelerator Act. With this plan, Brussels aims to grow the manufacturing industry to 20 percent of European GDP within ten years. For the bioeconomy and chemical sectors, the proposal includes concrete instruments to facilitate the transition to sustainable raw materials. Faster construction...
The Better Biomass Board of Experts has decided to no longer accept Guarantees of Origin (GOs) as official transaction documents for biomethane. This measure applies to all biomethane with a production date from 1 January 2026 onwards. Traders and producers within the Better Biomass scheme must now use a specific transaction document from the certification scheme itself. The…
The European Commission will publish the first call for accreditation of certification bodies within the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) framework in April 2026. This step marks the start of the practical implementation of the European system for carbon removal certification, which was adopted last year. The schedule for the remainder of 2026 was shared on March 2,…
During the DeCarbon Copenhagen 2026 conference, held from February 24th to 26th, the role of biomass in European industrial sustainability was analyzed. The experts present concluded that biogenic carbon is essential for sectors where few technological alternatives are available. The conference brought together representatives from the biomass trade, heavy industry, and digital…
