The holistic energy situation is a growing human population trapped on a planet with abundant solar energy, limited materials resources, an early twentieth century (energy) infrastructure and matching behaviors. A simplistic model indicates the need for a change on all accounts: stop population growth, harnessing solar in various forms including “biobased” ones, recycling materials, upgrading the energy infrastructure as well as our behaviors.

Bio-energy provides ~10% of global energy demand, largely by inefficient wood stoves in developing countries. Global sustainable biomass potentials are estimated between 100 and 700 EJ/year. So, bio-energy is the low hanging fruit for short term solutions for energy and materials resources. But ‘bio-energy’ does not have the same meaning and relevance worldwide[1], and the drivers for a Biobased Economy differ from location to location.

The concept of BE-Basic as a Netherlands-based public-private partnership [2] with a $ 180 million R&D programme, is geared to make “bio-renewables” a serious contributor to GDP, environment and resource security for Northern Europe. Apart from detailing BE-Basic’s concept and portfolio, I will discuss the following:

Issue 1 – the change is urgent yet needs resources and time

Issue 2 – we need a comprehensive strategy towards a biobased economy, with a reasonable and understandable trajectory.

The challenge will clearly be to introduce the biobased opportunities worldwide in such a way that it supports the country’s long term needs in environmental and climate terms as well as from an economic and resource security point of view. Lignocellulosic bioethanol is not necessarily the optimal answer.