Biobased materials are primarily discussed in Europe in the context of climate and circularity. The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) places a different emphasis in a new report. The trade association points out the value of these materials for defense, aerospace, and security, and thereby for Europe's strategic independence. Materials derived from biomass can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and foreign suppliers, while remaining usable in civilian markets.
From green chemistry to strategic autonomy
The shift has a clear cause. Since the war in Ukraine, and under pressure from uncertain security relations and faltering raw material supply chains, Europe is once again looking at its own industrial base. Until now, that discussion has focused primarily on energy, chips, and critical metals. BIC believes that biomass also belongs there, as part of a more resilient European industry.
The report revolves around the concept of dual use. These are technologies and materials that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. GPS, the internet, and composites once started as defense projects and later became commonplace. BIC expects that biobased materials and biotechnology can follow a similar path.
Four material flows with opportunities
BIC identifies four groups of biobased materials that are promising for defense. These include biobased polymers for vehicles, bio-based carbon fibers for drones and lightweight structures, natural fibers for textiles and uniforms, and lignin-based materials for energy storage. According to the organization, these are not distant prospects, as companies, raw material flows, and technical knowledge already exist for all four.
An example is bio-based polypropylene. Polypropylene is found in many vehicle parts, from dashboards and door panels to bumpers. The bio-based variant can be made from starch-rich crops, lignocellulose, and waste oil, and, according to BIC, has the same performance characteristics as the petroleum-based version. In military vehicles, an additional benefit is that weight savings facilitate transport, maintenance, and deployment.
Lignin is another material highlighted by BIC. This residue from the pulp and paper industry can serve as a raw material for bio-based carbon fibers and for hard carbon in battery anodes. This is important because Europe imports many battery materials while the demand for energy storage is increasing. Since 2021, Stora Enso has had a pilot line for Lignode, in which lignin from cellulose fiber production is converted into renewable hard carbon.
Textiles made from European fibers
A third route runs via textiles. Defence imposes strict requirements on clothing and protective equipment: wear-resistant, breathable, fire-resistant, and suitable for varying weather conditions. According to BIC, natural fibers such as flax, hemp, wool, nettle, and miscanthus could play a greater role in this. Europe currently imports large quantities of textile fibers and yarns. The report assumes an annual European consumption of 4,8 million tonnes of fibers and yarns, of which 58 percent is synthetic and 42 percent non-synthetic.
This is relevant for countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. In Northwest Europe, supply chains already exist around flax, hemp, paper, chemicals, and composites. The question is whether these can scale up quickly enough, and what role public procurement will play in this. BIC advocates for the explicit mention of biobased materials in European defense procurement regulations.
Defense as first customer
Defense can behave differently from the ordinary consumer market, and that is an important argument for BIC. In civilian markets, biobased materials often lose ground as soon as they are a few percent more expensive than fossil alternatives. In defense, performance, security of supply, and strategic availability carry more weight. As a result, the sector can act as the first major buyer and thus help to scale up new materials.
Consequently, not every biobased material is suitable for military use. The report also identifies the risks. Research with a civilian purpose can yield knowledge regarding security in the context of dual use, and this is particularly sensitive in the context of biotechnology. BIC therefore believes that clear agreements are needed regarding open science, intellectual property, international cooperation, and the protection of knowledge.
Biomanufacturing risks remaining underexposed
The attention of European policymakers is currently focused primarily on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and space, BIC notes. The biobased industry remains underexposed in that debate. The organization calls this a missed opportunity, because biomanufacturing can take place close to home, aligns with existing European industrial clusters, and can reduce dependence on imports.
The United States is further ahead on this point, according to the report. The U.S. Department of Defense distributed 34 grants with a total value of $60 million through the Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program, with scaling-up support up to $100 million. The applications range from bio-based solvents and fuels to PFAS-free lubricants and chemical building blocks.
With this report, BIC broadens the narrative surrounding biobased materials from sustainability to industrial policy and strategic autonomy. Whether Dutch knowledge institutions, chemical companies, agricultural supply chains, and material producers will focus on that market remains to be seen.
Source:
Bio-based Industries Consortium Report: Dual-use and the bio-based industries – a strategic opportunity for Europe
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