Publication of Biomass Strategy
On 10th August, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published the long-awaited
Biomass Strategy. The Strategy presents the government’s ambitions for how biomass will
be deployed to support the UK’s net zero transition. Sustainability of biomass, and how this
will be governed in the future is at the heart of the Strategy. There is also a focus on how the
available biomass should be used to best support the UK’s transition to net zero, with the
Strategy outlining the government’s principles for prioritising biomass use and considering
the interventions that may be needed to drive this transition.
The High Value Biorenewables Network and the Biomass Biorefinery Network, have been
working with the Carbon Recycling Network, and the Supergen Bioenergy Hub to engage
with policy makers during the development of the Strategy. Our collective’s policy fellow,
Joanna Sparks, said: “The Biomass Strategy is an ambitious document, and I am particularly
pleased with the commitment to sustainability and the acknowledgement that biomass will be
important for decarbonising many sectors. To deliver on the Strategy’s ambitions, action will
need to be taken to overcome barriers to deployment of feedstocks and technologies, to
drive biomass use in priority applications, and to implement the principles for improved
sustainability governance. The Strategy rightly highlights an ongoing role for research and
innovation to help unlock the potential of biomass for net zero, something which I believe our
BBSRC Networks and their members are well placed to support.”
Professor Ian Graham, Director of the High Value Biorenewables Network, commented: “The
new Biomass Strategy does an excellent job in highlighting the importance of non-energy
uses of biomass and laying down the challenge for us to be creative in the use of
engineering biology to develop new sustainable production platforms for chemicals and
materials, along with securing the long-term supply of biomass feedstock through, for
example, the continued development and expansion of multipurpose crops such as industrial
hemp.”
Professor Neil Bruce, Director of the Biomass Biorefinery Network, said: "The Biomass
Strategy is an important step forward on the path to breaking our dependence on fossil fuels
for the sustainable production of advanced fuels, chemicals and materials to meet our net
zero target using engineering biology and biorefining technologies."
Professor Nigel P Minton, Director of the Carbon Recycling Network, said: "The publication
of the Biomass Strategy is a welcome step forwards in helping shape our pathways to
circular economies. Recent advances in engineering biology and industrial biotechnology
approaches will have important roles in realising a sustainable industrial future."
