Technology options for feeding 10 billion people Recycling agricultural, forestry & food wastes and residues for sustainable bioenergy and biomaterials Study Science and Technology Options Assessment Technology options for feeding 10 billion people Recycling agricultural, forestry & food wastes and residues for sustainable bioenergy and biomaterials Study IP/A/STOA/FWC/2008-096/Lot3/C1/SC6 - SC8 September 2013 PE 513.513 STOA - Science and Technology Options Assessment The STOA project ‘Technology options for feeding 10 billion people - Recycling agricultural, forestry and food wastes and residues for sustainable bioenergy and biomaterials’ was carried out by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP). AUTHORS Bettina Kretschmer, Project Leader; Claire Smith, Emma Watkins, Ben Allen, Allan Buckwell, Jane Desbarats, Daniel Kieve. RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR Lieve Van Woensel Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) Directorate for Impact Assessment and European Added Value Directorate General for Internal Policies, European Parliament Rue Wiertz 60 - RMD 00J012 B-1047 Brussels E-mail: [email protected] LINGUISTIC VERSIONS: Original: EN ABOUT THE PUBLISHER To contact STOA please write to [email protected] This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/stoa/ Manuscript completed in July 2013 Brussels, © European Union, 2013 DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy. CAT BA-03-13-490-EN-C DOI 10.2861/33176 ISBN 978-92-823-4734-8 Recycling agricultural, forestry & food wastes and residues for sustainable bioenergy and biomaterials Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine and review biorefinery technology options that exist to convert biomass in the form of agricultural crop and forestry residues and waste from the whole food chain into biomaterials and bioenergy. It assesses the technological options, including the sustainability of the processes involved. The study forms part of a bigger project commissioned by the European Parliament’s STOA (‘Science and Technology Options Assessment’) office under the heading of ‘Technology options for feeding 10 billion people’. Advanced biofuels and innovative bio-based pathways based on wastes and residues show considerable potential and should be further developed especially as Europe is already seen by some as having a lead in relevant technologies. However, there are also considerable uncertainties for investors and indeed all market participants and thus a major task is to ensure good transparency and better information concerning the availabilities of the waste and residue streams, the opportunities for processing, and the benefits to consumers. In addition, because, by definition, bio-based economic developments necessarily interact with ecosystems, there has to be visible assurance that the bio-products are indeed environmentally preferable with respect to GHG emissions, water, soil and biodiversity compared with their fossil-based counterparts. The conclusion is thus encouragement should be given to this sector, but with enhanced transparency of all aspects of its development, and with equally strong sustainability safeguards. STOA - Science and Technology Options Assessment The report should be cited as follows: Kretschmer, B, Smith, C, Watkins, E, Allen, B, Buckwell, A, Desbarats, J, Kieve, D (2013) Technology options for recycling agricultural, forestry and food wastes and residues for sustainable bioenergy and biomaterials. Report for the European Parliament, STOA, as part of the study ‘Technology Options for Feeding 10 Billion People’. IEEP: London. Corresponding author: Bettina Kretschmer ([email protected]) Acknowledgements: We are extremely grateful for additional research support by Floriana Pondichie; for support and guidance by David Baldock and Kaley Hart; and finally for the time offered by our interviewees (listed at the end of this report). This study is sponsored by the European Parliament’s STOA office under the specific service contract IP/A/STOA/FWC/2008-096/Lot3/C1 within the Framework Service Contract in 8 Lots for the provision of scientific consultancy for STOA, No. IP/A/STOA/FWC/2008-096. The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) is an independent not-for-profit institute. IEEP undertakes work for external sponsors in a range of policy areas. We also have our own research programmes and produce the Manual of European Environmental Policy (http://www.europeanenvironmentalpolicy.eu). For further information about IEEP, see our website at http://www.ieep.eu or contact any staff member. London Office 15 Queen Anne's Gate London, SW1H 9BU Tel: +44 (0) 20 7799 2244 Brussels Office Quai au Foin, 55 Hooikaai 55 B- 1000 Brussels Tel: +32 (0) 2738 7482 Recycling agricultural, forestry & food wastes and residues for sustainable bioenergy and biomaterials TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ACRONYMS AND GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................... 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 5 1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 GENERAL STUDY CONTEXT................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 DEFINING THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY.................................................................................................... 12 2 MOBILISING WASTE AND RESIDUE STREAMS FROM THE AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FOOD SECTORS.................................................................................................................................... 14 2.1 FOOD WASTE......................................................................................................................................... 15 2.2 AGRICULTURAL CROP RESIDUES........................................................................................................... 23 2.3 FORESTRY RESIDUES.............................................................................................................................. 31 2.4 SUMMARY OF ESTIMATES OF POTENTIAL FROM THE FOOD, FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURAL SECTORS .. ............................................................................................................................................................... 39 3 TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS TO CONVERT BIOMASS INTO BIOMATERIALS AND BIOENERGY AND STATE OF THE BIOREFINERY INDUSTRY.................................................. 42 3.1 TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS FOR CONVERTING BIOMASS TO BIOMATERIALS AND ENERGY....................... 43 3.2 THE BIOREFINERY INDUSTRY – CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK ......................................... 58 4 ASSESSING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF BIO-BASED PRODUCTS............................................ 82 4.1 RESOURCE EFFICIENT USE OF BIOMASS VIA CASCADING...................................................................... 85 4.2 REVIEW OF GREENHOUSE GAS LCAS ................................................................................................... 87 4.3 WIDER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................................... 99 4.4 SUMMARISING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS OF BIO-BASED PRODUCTS............................... 109 5 THE FUTURE FOR A BIO-BASED INDUSTRY IN EUROPE PROCESSING WASTES AND RESIDUES ................................................................................................................................................ 111 5.1 SWOT ANALYSIS OF A EUROPEAN BIO-REFINERY INDUSTRY BASED ON WASTES AND RESIDUES..... 112 5.2 IN CONCLUSION AND THE WAY FORWARD ........................................................................................ 117 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................. 124 ANNEX 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES POTENTIALS .. 137 BEE PROJECT REVIEW OF AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES...................................................................................... 137 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON AGRICULTURAL RESIDUE POTENTIALS....................................................... 138 ANNEX 2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON FORESTRY RESIDUES POTENTIALS .............. 141 BEE PROJECT REVIEW OF FORESTRY RESIDUES ............................................................................................... 141 SUMMARY OF EUWOOD RESULTS ON FOREST BIOMASS POTENTIALS ............................................................ 142 ANNEX 3 BIO-BASED PRODUCTS OVERVIEW .................................................................................. 145 ANNEX 4 WASTES AND RESIDUES: EXISTING USES, RISKS OF DIVERTING THOSE AND SAFEGUARDS REQUIRED...................................................................................................... 146 ANNEX 5 LIST OF INTERVIEWEES ......................................................................................................... 149 STOA - Science and Technology Options Assessment