Innovative Bio-Based Products for a clean Transition (PDF)
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A new study conducted by the nova-Institute and commissioned by the Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi) unveils a significant surge in the European biorefinery sector, with forest-based biorefineries more than doubling their turnover to €6 billion since 2020. This remarkable growth underscores the rising demand for sustainable, bio-based alternatives to fossil-based products.
The research, focused on the pulp and paper industry that produce additional bio-based products which land on the market beyond pulp and paper, identifies a total of 143 biorefineries across Europe, with 126 currently operational and 17 in development. The largest number of biorefineries is in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Portugal and Austria. The study points to a bright future for biorefineries, with projected annual growth rates of up to 5% until 2050.
The products of these biorefineries provide sustainable solutions across various industries, from aviation to fashion, offering alternatives in materials, chemicals, fuels, food, and pharmaceuticals. Importantly, biorefineries contribute to Europe’s climate targets, with bio-based products already substituting over 3.1 megatons of CO2 emissions that would have been produced by fossil-based industries.
The study emphasises that these advancements are not replacing traditional pulp and paper-making activities but are creating new revenue streams and increasing resource efficiency, providing a pathway to sustainable economic growth.
