Foster the demand and supply of sustainable bio-based energy and feedstock in relevant industries

Policy and regulation will be essential in fostering the demand and supply of sustainable bio-based energy and feedstock in relevant industries. Bio-based sources can provide a sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel-based feedstocks and fuels, and are often a ‘drop in’ solution, making them easy to adopt. Drop-in fuels are chemically identical to fossil fuels so can be used as a like-for-like replacement without the need for blending. Bio-based sources can include forms of woody biomass, agricultural residues or municipal solid waste. Bioenergy is a particularly critical energy source for decarbonizing cement and petrochemicals in BNEF’s Net Zero Scenario. Concerns about the increasing use of unsustainable biomass, and the resultant detrimental land-use change, could be alleviated by government regulation and the support of sustainable forest management. Policymakers should also find ways to prioritize the use of forestry waste and agricultural residues.