Assessing Lignocellulosic Biomass Potentials From Forests and Industry

Lignocellulosic biomass from forests and forest industries represents a crucial resource for the bioeconomy. Many assessments have been carried out over the last decade to quantify biomass potentials from forests and forest industries. The results from these assessments are quite diverse because of varying definitions and assumptions. Here we report on a recent comprehensive assessment carried out in the frame of the S2Biom project for 37 countries in Europe. We present the methodology to estimate biomass from forests and the forest industries, with a specific effort to estimate forest biomass supply costs. A set of biomass potentials is presented, that offers flexibility to users to select biomass potentials according to specific requirements, information demands, and policy contexts. Results are presented at the regional level for different types of potentials and with associated costs to allow better insight into the composition of the potential. The associated S2Biom toolset and database allows users to select results based on own preferences and needs, thereby offering the most comprehensive assessment of forest biomass potentials currently available in Europe.