The transition from reliance on fossil resources to biomass valorisation

In a future carbohydrate-based economy renewable feedstocks are bound to gradually replace fossil fuels of the present petro-based society. Life sciences and biotechnology are vital in addressing the growing global demands for crops for food, fodder, fibre and chemicals. As biomass has a limited food potential, development of a non-food agricultural industry for chemical applications has clear advantages. New feedstock opportunities vary significantly as to their potential impact in the market in terms of volume and timing to commercialisation. Development of biorefineries will mark the historic transition into a sustainable society in which biological feedstocks, processes and products constitute the main pillars of the economy.