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…
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…
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…
On February 13, 2026, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) presented its recommendations for the base amounts of the SDE++ scheme for 2026. In collaboration with TNO and DNV, the parameters for the upcoming subsidy round were established. For the bioenergy sector, the report provides important frameworks for scaling up green gas and the use of biomass…
Bioenergy is the largest source of renewable energy in the European Union. Bioenergy Europe's recently published 2025 Landscape Report shows that the sector contributes to the stability of the energy supply through low dependence on external energy sources, particularly in heat supply. The report analyzes the current state of the EU energy system based on…
The European Commission states in a new report that industrial capacity for advanced biofuels must increase by a factor of 30 by 2030 to meet climate goals. The publication emphasizes that the current focus on refinery capacity alone is insufficient; the entire economic chain surrounding the collection of bio-based feedstocks must be revised. Scaling up is essential for…
The biomass supplied from Malaysia to energy company RWE for co-firing in Dutch power plants meets current legal sustainability requirements. This is the conclusion of the Netherlands Emissions Authority (NEa) in a research report published Thursday. According to the regulator, this provides no legal basis for terminating subsidies or taking enforcement action. The research was…
In a recently published report, IEA Bioenergy concludes that the integration of biomass and hydrogen plays a crucial role in achieving climate goals. The analysis, titled "Biomass and Hydrogen: Allies for Net Zero," argues that these two energy carriers should not be viewed as competitors, but as complementary technologies that enhance the efficiency of renewable energy.
The hunger for computing power for AI and cloud services is putting enormous pressure on the energy grid. While governments struggle to integrate new data centers, a recent study in the journal Energies points a new way: by combining biomass, residual heat, and nature-inclusive design, the data center can transform from an "energy guzzler" into a useful neighbor. Data centers are the…
IEA Bioenergy published a new report on nitrogen flows from biomass combustion. The key point is that burning woody or agricultural waste streams handles nitrogen differently than fossil fuels. With biomass, a smaller portion of the nitrogen in the fuel is released as NOx. A significant portion remains in ash or is converted into harmless N2.
Global bioplastics production capacity is poised for a significant scale-up. By 2030, capacity is expected to grow from the current 2,31 million tons to approximately 4,69 million tons. This is according to the Bioplastics Market Development Update 2025, presented last week at the twentieth European Bioplastics Conference (EBC25) in Berlin.…
The call to halt nature loss is growing. Companies and policymakers want to know the impact of their choices on species and ecosystems. Life cycle assessment, known for its climate footprints, is now also promoting biodiversity. A new report from IEA Bioenergy Task 45 describes how this can be achieved and where the biggest obstacles lie. LCA is adding biodiversity. LCA is standardized...
In early October 2025, the European Bioeconomy Alliance and the German nova Institute published a joint expert paper. Their message is clear: using arable crops like grains, sugar, and oilseeds for energy and materials offers Europe benefits in terms of food security, biodiversity, agriculture, and climate. The European Commission is working on a new strategy for…
Biomass will remain the most important source of renewable energy in the Netherlands in 2024. According to the long-term statistics published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on September 8, biomass accounts for 34 percent of total renewable energy consumption. This is higher than wind and solar energy separately. These are preliminary figures included in the annual report Renewable...
A comprehensive report from IEA Bioenergy Task 37 paints a global picture of manure digestion. The publication, available online since September, concludes that manure can play an important role in the energy transition and the circular economy, but that its full utilization is hampered by financial and operational barriers. The report examines the approach in…
Biogas does more than just generate electricity and gas. A new report from IEA Bioenergy Task 37 shows that anaerobic digestion simultaneously contributes to climate change, nutrient cycling, clean water, and economic resilience. IEA Bioenergy identifies 53 sustainability impacts. The authors map fifty-three impacts. They organize them along five perspectives that together…
Imagine an aquarium with fine air bubbles constantly rising. In a photobioreactor, those bubbles do more than create an atmosphere; they introduce carbon dioxide into the water and remove oxygen. An Indonesian research team shows that smarter bubbling can significantly accelerate the growth of microalgae. The study was published on September 1, 2025, in…
A new open-access publication in Scientific Reports demonstrates a structured way to classify agricultural residues for biochar. The researchers combined measurements of the material with a decision model so that a fair comparison can be made. This is also relevant in the Netherlands, because the choice of the residue stream determines the yield...
The IEA Bioenergy Task 43 report provides a clear framework for organizing and interpreting biomass supply data. Results were compared in eight countries—Australia, Canada, Croatia, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United States—to understand the quantities of biomass available for bioenergy, biofuels, and bioproducts. This approach is important because data…
In 2024, the use of renewable energy in the Dutch transport sector increased significantly. The latest report from the Emissions Authority shows that companies collectively supplied 107 million gigajoules of sustainable energy, representing a CO₂ reduction of 4,5 megatons. That's almost XNUMX percent more than the previous year. Nevertheless, the total increase remained slightly…
A study from the University of Zagreb was recently published in the scientific journal Drvna Industrija, in which researchers investigated new methods for making wood pellets suitable as a coal substitute. The reason is clear: many power plants and industrial facilities still use coal, while climate goals demand rapid alternatives. Conventional wood pellets can help, but…
Biogas and biomethane are playing an increasingly important role in making the energy system more sustainable. They are extracted from organic waste and used as a renewable energy source. Methane, the main component, has a high energy content and can be efficiently converted into heat or electricity. At the same time, it requires careful handling, because if it is accidentally released, it has a…
Europe wants to move away from fossil fuels. The bioeconomy plays a key role in this transition: an economic model that runs on renewable biological resources such as crop residues, algae, wood and organic waste. But according to a new analysis by the European Environment Agency (EEA), the countries of the European Union together use almost twice as much biomass as…
Modern bioenergy plays a key role in the global energy transition. This is evident from the 2024 annual report of IEA Bioenergy, an international partnership under the umbrella of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The report emphasizes that the available biomass is limited and should therefore be focused on applications that yield the greatest climate benefits. However, the scaling up remains…
The Biogas Systems in Industry report by IEA Bioenergy Task 37 discusses how biogas can play a role in making industrial chains more sustainable. The research shows that fermentation of organic waste streams not only provides a renewable energy source, but also reduces dependence on fossil fuels. Especially sectors with a lot of organic waste, such as…
With the growth of solar and wind, the need for flexibility in the energy system is also growing. Bioenergy proves to be surprisingly versatile in that role, but is still far from being used everywhere. What is possible and what is needed to achieve this? Solar and wind provide clean energy, but not always when we need it.…
Without effective gas cleaning, there is no future for high-quality biofuels and biochemistry from biomass. This is evident from a new publication by IEA Bioenergy, which explains how crucial this step is within the gasification process. The study shows which techniques are available, where the challenges lie, and why gas cleaning is often decisive for success. From…
The sustainability of the shipping sector is slowly gaining momentum. Although the maritime sector accounts for around three percent of global CO₂ emissions, the transition to sustainable fuels is lagging far behind other sectors. However, there are opportunities, especially in the use of biofuels. A new report from IEA Bioenergy shows that these fuels…
A look at new research examining biohubs – and why they’re essential for a sustainable future. The energy transition is driving the need for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Biomass plays an important role in this, but to efficiently collect, process and distribute these resources, a smart logistics approach is needed.…
In a world increasingly dependent on renewable energy sources, biomass gasification offers a promising route to climate-positive hydrogen production. IEA Bioenergy Task 33 recently published a comprehensive report examining the opportunities and challenges of this technology. Hydrogen from biomass: a promising innovation Hydrogen is often seen as a…
Bioenergy can play a key role in the transition to sustainable energy, especially if it is deployed flexibly. But how do different countries view this? IEA Bioenergy asked its own experts. The energy transition requires an energy system that moves with the supply of sun and wind. Because these sources are not always available…
BIC Trend Report 2024-2025 highlights the importance of biomanufacturing for Europe’s future Europe is facing a major transition towards a more sustainable industry. According to the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) Trend Report 2024-2025, biomanufacturing can play a key role in this transition. Biomanufacturing uses biological feedstock to produce materials and chemicals and…
Interest in fibre hemp is growing steadily, mainly because of the valuable role it can play as a biobased building material. Building Balance, in collaboration with farmers, researchers and processors, has examined the developments and cultivation results of 2023 and 2024. The findings shed new light on the possibilities and challenges for hemp cultivation in the Netherlands. Hemp fibres…
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has published a new report on how bioenergy production can be better integrated into broader bioeconomy networks. Instead of using bio-resources for just one purpose, the report “Synergies for bioenergy supply chains in bioeconomy networks” advocates a system in which energy, materials and nutrients are combined more intelligently. Traditionally,…
A recent report from IEA Bioenergy Task 39 highlights the crucial role of advanced biofuels in reducing CO₂ emissions from the transport sector. The report, entitled “Monitoring the deployment of advanced biofuel demonstration facilities”, provides a comprehensive overview of the development and deployment of advanced biofuel facilities worldwide. Key findings: The report also highlights the…
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has published a new report that provides insight into the use of materials in the Dutch economy. This report, entitled 'Energetic versus non-energetic use of materials', shows how fossil and biotic raw materials are used and what the consequences are for the circular economy. Materials can be used in…
Green Chemistry, New Economy (GCNE) plays a crucial role in making the chemical industry more sustainable. This initiative helps companies transition to a circular economy, where fossil resources are replaced by renewable and circular alternatives. The GCNE Monitor 2024 report by TNO Vector outlines the challenges, opportunities and contribution of…
The application of CO2 utilization in ethanol production offers promising opportunities to reduce emissions and promote circular processes. Recent research by IEA Bioenergy presents several practical examples in which CO2 emissions are no longer considered as a waste product, but are reused in valuable applications. Sustainable applications of CO2 Ethanol production emits a significant amount of CO2…
Implementing a circular bioeconomy in the construction sector is a necessary strategy to address our global climate crisis. As each solution has practical and environmental limitations, it is clear that creating a material palette of renewable biogenic building materials will increase access to bio-based construction. Photosynthetic organisms, including marine biomass such as seaweed and…
Making the chemical sector and derived materials more sustainable is a crucial and urgent challenge to achieve the EU’s climate neutrality target by 2050. The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) and the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) have jointly commissioned a study by the nova Institute. This study focuses on the question of whether there is sufficient sustainable…
Bioenergy Europe releases 2024 Landscape Report Bioenergy Europe has released its 2024 Landscape Report, a comprehensive analysis of the role of bioenergy in Europe’s transition to a net-zero economy by 2050. The report provides key insights for policymakers and market players, highlighting the contributions of bioenergy to decarbonisation, energy independence and economic competitiveness. “The 2024 Landscape Report…
IEA Bioenergy has published a report on the implementation of bioenergy in the Netherlands. This report is based on data from the World Energy Balances and Renewables Information 2024 of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and includes additional information from the IEA Bioenergy Executive Committee, national experts and sources such as FAOstat and Eurostat. The report provides a…
Tackling emissions from land use change (LUC) is one of the biggest challenges in bioenergy programs. This is also true for Brazil’s RenovaBio policy, which is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels. New research, conducted as part of IEA Bioenergy Task 45, has tested the effectiveness of RenovaBio’s so-called ‘conversion-free’ criteria in…
Since 1 January 2024, EU member states are required to collect bio-waste separately under the Waste Framework Directive (WFD). However, current collection within the EU27 (plus Norway and the UK) is still stuck at only 5.112.788 tonnes per year, which is less than 26% of the theoretical potential. The vast majority of bio-waste (garden and food waste), which…
Net greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU) fell by 8% last year, marking a significant step towards climate neutrality. The sharp decline was mainly driven by reduced coal use, increased renewable energy sources and lower energy consumption across Europe, according to the latest estimates in the…
Professor Jack Saddler, co-author of an IEA Bioenergy report on the aviation sector, argues for the deployment of biofuels as the most viable route to carbon neutrality in aviation by 2. According to Saddler, governments will have a crucial role to play in achieving the targets. However, fully decarbonising the aviation sector will require significant investment, with the…
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its annual Renewables 2024 report, which analyses the current and expected use of renewable energy sources through 2030. While renewable fuels are crucial for a sustainable future and the energy transition, their share is growing more slowly than desired. According to the report, renewable fuels will account for only 2030% of global…
There are still many misconceptions about the use of biomass as a sustainable energy source. While biomass can play a crucial role in making our energy supply more sustainable, there is uncertainty about how it can be used efficiently and responsibly. According to the IEA Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme from 2023, it is possible to use biomass…
Biogenic CO2 will become increasingly important in the future as a replacement for fossil CO2 in the chemical and food industries, as a source of CO2 for Carbon Capture and Storage (for negative emissions) and as a renewable carbon source for carbon-based e-fuels or e-products. Purifying CO2-rich residual gas from biogas plants is a promising option to generate renewable CO2.
The Austrian Biomass Association (Österreichischer Biomasse-Verband), supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, has released a new report on the state of Austria's forests. The report, which takes an in-depth look at the impact of climate change on forest management, highlights the importance of bioenergy as a key component of the climate strategy. The study…
Climate change has more than doubled the risk of extreme wildfire conditions in Canada. In recent years, the area burned annually by wildfires in Canada has grown steadily, with an average increase of 330.000 hectares per decade. These more intense fire seasons require urgent measures to increase resilience to forest fires and at the same time create a sustainable and...
In her blog 'Climate Council Report sheds new light on biogenic CO₂' of June 17, Marieke van der Werf gave her view on the need for a new industry that removes CO₂ from the atmosphere in order to achieve climate goals. To achieve its ambitious climate goals, the Netherlands urgently needs technologies that effectively reduce CO₂…
In energy systems with an increasing share of variable energy sources such as solar and wind energy, bioenergy plays an increasingly important role, especially in regions where alternative renewable energy sources are difficult or expensive to supply. Climate-efficient and cost-effective flexibility of bioenergy is crucial. This flexibility not only plays a role in the supply of electricity, but also…
On Friday, June 7, Platform Bio-Economie presented the 12th edition of the annual report on the use of woody biomass in the Netherlands. It is very important that transparent and well-founded figures can be made available to government, the business community and ultimately to Dutch citizens in order to monitor developments in this domain...
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,…
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...
Many sectors see a role for bio-based materials in the energy and raw materials transition. However, there are still many uncertainties: about the extent to which the available amount of bio-raw materials will be sufficient for the growing demand in various sectors, what the role of bio-raw materials is in the transition, and about the environmental effects of the cultivation of non-food crops. Of…
Renewables 2023 is the IEA's main analysis on the sector, based on current policy and market developments. It forecasts the deployment of renewable energy technologies in electricity, transport and heat until 2028, while also examining key challenges facing the industry and identifying barriers to faster growth. At the COP28 conference…
The report conducts research into the biobased economy. It focuses on the use and application of bio raw materials per economic sector. The important basis of the Sustainability Framework is the SER report 'Biomass in Balance: A sustainability framework for high-quality use of bio raw materials. The SER report sets out the principles for the responsible use of bio-based raw materials with...
Bioenergy Europe's Landscape Statistical Report 2023 highlights the crucial role of bioenergy in the EU's renewable landscape. While renewable energy shows resilience, imported fossil fuels remain a concern, posing risks to energy security. Biomass leads as a sustainable alternative, with 10,2% of the EU's energy consumption. The report advocates bioenergy to…
Download the full report. It is expected that two of the most important features for bioenergy systems of the future are the ability to capture and store (or use) biogenic CO2 (BECCUS), in terms of inputs, shifting between different and varying outputs over time and place. It is important to see how these…
The IEA Bioenergy report was released in the context of the project 'Assessment of successes and lessons learned for the deployment of biofuels'. Cost-effective, reliable and sustainable feedstock supply chains are crucial for the successful development of advanced biofuels. Advanced biofuels will develop in an increasingly internationalized market with regard to…
Bioenergy Europe 2023 Statistical Report Biomass Supply and Policy Brief, published last week, presents the state of play in forest management and biomass feedstocks in the European Union. Europe's forests continue to grow, while almost 15% of total land use in the EU is unused and/or abandoned. Unused and abandoned lands…
The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) has published for the first time a Trend Report on how Europe can unleash the full potential of the bioeconomy, so that it can better contribute to the EU's green transition. In 2012, the world admired Europe as a global leader in launching the EU bioeconomy strategy. Nowadays we look…
Employment is growing despite crises and challenges, and the increasing use of industrial policy can create more localized supply chains, a new report shows. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates / Geneva, Switzerland, September 28, 2023 – Global renewable energy employment reached 2022 million in 13,7, an increase of one million since 2021 and a…
On Thursday, August 31, Platform Bio-Economie presented the 11th edition of the annual report on the use of woody biomass in the Netherlands. The Bio-Economy Platform believes it is very important that they can make transparent and well-founded figures available to government, the business community and ultimately to Dutch citizens in order to monitor developments in this…
More and more entrepreneurs are applying for subsidies for projects that contribute to a circular economy. The number of circular projects has never been as large as in 2021. The number increased by more than 30% compared to 2020. The projects mainly concern plastics, chemicals and building materials. This is evident from the annual RVO Circular Economy monitoring report.…
Biomass has been a much-discussed topic for years. For one person this is a solution for replacing a fossil raw material to make products or produce energy, for another the use of biomass is not negotiable at all. Rightly or wrongly, but what is the attitude of the Netherlands with regard to the use and…
With skyrocketing prices for gas, oil and electricity, the EU is facing a major energy crisis this winter, and many citizens are at risk of not being able to heat their homes. Today's debate on the EU's heat supply looks at affordability, sustainability and renewability, but now more than ever, energy security is at the heart of...
Following its commitment to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, the EU is working tirelessly to respond to the climate crisis facing the entire world. In this context, the European Council and the European Parliament responded with enthusiasm to the European Commission's proposal to adopt the Renewable Energy Directive (REDIII), a fundamental instrument…
Assessment of requirements and opportunities for biomass lignocellulosic feedstocks In 2018, IEA Bioenergy Task 43 (Biomass Supply) launched an initiative to identify successful examples of biomass logistics and distribution points for bioenergy and the bioeconomy: bio-hubs. Pretreatments and densification at these bio-hubs make it possible to convert raw material flows from raw biomass into commodities…
The biomass annual report for 30 was presented and handed over on Thursday, June 2021, during the Business Meeting of Platform Bio-Economie. Jos Keurentjes, chairman of the Bio-Economie Platform, presented the first edition to Julie Fraiture, Economic Affairs & Climate, who received it on behalf of our client, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment. Both emphasized the importance of factual figures to…
Recent monitoring by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) shows that more and more government subsidies are going to circular projects. The flow of money increased from €236 million in 2018 to €295 million in 2020. In the study, they looked at projects from 23 Dutch and European subsidy schemes, ranging from MIT and DEI to…
GENEVA, April 4 – In 2010-2019, average annual global greenhouse gas emissions were at the highest levels in human history, but the growth rate has slowed. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1,5°C is unachievable. However, there is increasing evidence for climate action,…
According to the most recent statistics from Bioenergy Europe, considerably more forest area has been added. The forests are also growing fast, the 'forest density' is increasing. The Netherlands, together with Luxembourg, is a small player among the forest giants in the forest landscape. An additional forest the size of the municipality of Amsterdam The European forests are in…
IEA Bioenergy has just released its updated country reports, showing the trends of bioenergy in the IEA Bioenergy Member States up to 2019, looking at the role of bioenergy in the total energy supply (TES), in electricity consumption, total fuel/heat consumption and in transport energy consumption. The individual country reports are available as separate reports.…
Countries must stop using coal more quickly, otherwise climate goals will not be achieved. That is the conclusion of the international energy agency IEA on Tuesday. Reducing global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to net zero by 2050 is necessary to limit the long-term increase in global average temperatures to 1,5°C...
Independent research by Indufor refutes the claim of environmental organizations that biomass from Estonia does not meet sustainability requirements. This claim was made based on research conducted by SOMO. The energy companies that co-fire biomass were not involved in the SOMO research. They have therefore commissioned Indufor to verify whether this is really the case…
Everything you wanted to know about biomass but were afraid to ask In the social debate 'biomass' equates to 'wood pellets'. A debate that has a tendency to turn into an exchange of 'oh yes it is, oh no isn't' at that. This is doing a grave injusticeto biomass. There is more to it than that,…
Biomass is currently not in good shape as an option to contribute to climate goals. But in terms of CO2 emissions, biomass power plants are sometimes the least bad option for some types of fuel. This is evident from Steef Hanssen's dissertation. 'The debate about biomass has been killed,' says Steef Hanssen of the Environmental Sciences department. 'The consensus...
Scientists are observing changes in the Earth's climate in every region & across the whole climate system, says the IPCC's latest ClimateReport. The Working Group I contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report addresses the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change, bringing together the latest advances in climate science, and combining…
From IEA Bioenergy, a sustainable solution The scientific literature contains contrasting findings about the climate effects of forest bioenergy. A paper by IEA Bioenergy's Task 45 identifies the misconceptions that can lead to conclusions that exaggerate or underestimate its effects. This open-access article recently published in the Journal GCB Bioenergy is freely available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gcbb.12844. The…
Download the report 'Establishment chain requires more control' here
Download the dissertation 'Burning Biomass to Limit Global Warming' here
This manuscript is co-authored by employees (Keith L. Kline and Patrick Lamers) of the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, the manager and operator of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the US Department of Energy (DOE) under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308 and UT-Battelle, LLC, the manager and operator of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) under…
Download the 'World Energy Transitions Outlook' report here
Download the presentation 'Scenarios for a Climate Neutral Energy System' here
Download the report 'The use of woody biomass for energy production in the EU' here
Download the 'Biomass Market Update' report here
Download the report 'RVO Verification Protocol 2021' here
Download the report 'Chain of Custody Guidance' here
Download the report 'EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030' here
Download the report 'Global Bioenergy Statistics 2020' here
Download the 'Biomass Market Update' report here
Download the 'CCPI' report here
Read 'Biomass for energy'
Download the report 'Steam from bio boilers' here
Download the 'PBE Annual Report 2019' here
At the end of June 2020, the Bioraw Materials Steering Group published the National Bioraw Materials Roadmap; Towards a larger supply and better utilization.
Download the report here: 'Towards a sustainable energy system for the Netherlands in 2050'
