Current policies affecting the market penetration of biomaterials^*

TLDR

Policies supporting the bio‑based economy have focused on biomass for electricity and fuels, yet using biomass for materials offers greater greenhouse‑gas savings per kg feedstock and per hectare, a benefit that has received little policy attention and lacks comprehensive analysis. This paper provides an overview of current policy measures and investigates how they affect market penetration of biomaterials. The authors review existing policy measures and analyze their impact on biomaterial market penetration. © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract Policies aimed at supporting the bio‐based economy have so far centered on biomass use for electricity and fuels. But using biomass for the production of materials offers higher greenhouse gas savings than bioenergy per kg feedstock as well as per hectare. This has received comparatively little attention from policy‐makers; analyses of either existing or potential policy measures are almost entirely missing in this field. This paper by Barbara Hermann, M Carus, M Patel and K Blok, provides an overview of policy measures which are currently in place and investigates how they affect market penetration of biomaterials. © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd