About the bio-based economy

The bio-based economy is an economy in which fossil raw materials, which are finite in their potential supply and have negative environmental impacts, are replaced by sustainable organic raw materials. It is one of the most promising economic developments for the near future. These raw materials are collectively called "bio-based raw materials”, "green raw materials" or "biomass".

So how does it work?

There are good opportunities in the energy and chemical sectors to switch from fossil to bio-based raw materials. The agro/food and paper sectors have of course been using bio-based raw materials as their core business for a long time. The energy sector has only really been doing this for a decade. The potential users of biomass have a joint interest in making optimal use of the biomass available in The Netherlands and other countries and in attracting sustainable, certified flows of biomass and derivatives to The Netherlands. Economies of scale and a wider application can reduce and share the total costs in the biomass supply chain, leading to an increasingly more competitive bio-based economy. In accordance with the principle of cascading the aim is to use biomass with a focus on its highest value usage. Users should optimize use of biomass as a raw material for various products in various sectors based on the quality of the biomass and the added value of the use. The remaining flows can then be used for lower-quality applications. In principle there is no waste in a bio-based economy.

How can the bio-based economy play an important role in energy transition?

The transition to renewable energy sources is an important aim of the Dutch government. In addition to preservation, there is a need to be less dependent on energy supplies from a limited number of (usually politically unstable) areas. If the Dutch government’s target of 14% renewable energy in 2020 is to be achieved, the use of biomass for energy production is essential. Biomass is the cheapest way of producing sustainable energy on a large scale and it also provides several decentralised energy solutions. Over the last few years Essent, as well as other energy companies in The Netherlands, has developed various projects for biomass co-firing with a view to meeting the Dutch renewable targets. In coming years the use of biomass and the development of innovative and efficient conversion techniques will play a prominent role in the achievement of the sustainability ambitions of the energy sector.

Read more about Essent’s take on the bio-based economy

Promoting the bio-based economy together with BE-Basic

The transition to a bio-based economy is an international development. To promote the bio-based economy the BE-Basic initiative was started. BE-basic stands for Bio-based Ecologically Balanced Sustainable Industrial Chemistry. It is an international public-private partnership, funded by the Dutch government, between universities, research institutes and industries, large and small in the field of sustainable chemistry and ecology. Essent has joined the BE-Basic partnership and takes a leading role in the Bio-based Economy. As part of BE-Basic, Essent, together with the agro, paper and chemical sectors, will look at the source and availability of biomass and the certification thereof. For instance, what kind of biomass flows are of interest to The Netherlands? Where exactly do they come from and how do we guarantee that this biomass really is sustainable (and does not compete with food supplies)? As part of BE-Basic, Essent intends to contribute to the most suitable certification method for all the sectors involved.