Raw material demand and sourcing options for the development of a bio-based chemical industry in Europe. Part 2: Sourcing options

In this perspective it is shown that considerable amounts of fossil raw materials in the EU economy can be replaced by biomass by 2030 and 2050. Especially the additional demand from the chemical industry and part of the transportation fuels is investigated. Sufficient supply to accommodate the additional demand is achieved by a number of approaches: (i) by increasing the field yield of the main EU crops, including grassland; and (ii) by the application of biorefining technologies, which will enable efficient and economical use of biomass components for several purposes, for example, energy, animal feed, and chemical production. Especially the application of biorefinery technologies makes a broader crop choice possible, since all components present in the crop can be made to good use. It is concluded that in this way the EU can supply considerable amounts of its energy and raw material base, including the potential demand of the chemical industry, while at the same time decreasing its dependence on importing animal feed components from elsewhere. (c) 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd