Our Publications

An overview of publications prepared by Biomass Research staff. Feel free to download any publications you might find useful.
If you have any questions about a publication or are looking for something else altogether, contact us!

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TitleDescriptionDownloadYear
Annual report for the year 2023 of the Platform for Bio-Economy (PBE)
Annual report prepared for the Platform for Bio-Economy (PBE), on the use and import of woody biomass for energy purposes in 2023. This report shows the Netherlands’ move towards more sustainable biomass options, such as wood shreds and chips.
Available in Dutch only.
17 Downloads
2024
OFVI poster: Kenyan soils benefiting most from bio-slurry and BECThe poster shows that bio-slurry and Bio-slurry Enriched Compost (BEC) enhance soil fertility and crop productivity in Kenya, particularly in areas with low organic matter or high acidity. These solutions support sustainable agriculture across 30% of the country’s land.
124 Downloads
2024
OFVI poster: feedstock influence on bio-slurry quality and methane yieldThe poster, created as part of the OFVI project, illustrates that combining cattle manure with maize stover enhances biogas production, while chicken manure and sisal pulp produce nutrient-rich bio-slurry.
124 Downloads
2024
OFVI report INC7: feedstock influence on bio-slurry quality in KenyaKenya generates 112 million tonnes of biomass residues annually, with two-thirds coming from animal manure. The highest biogas yields are achieved by mixing kitchen waste, sugar filter cake, and maize stover. Kitchen waste and chicken manure provide nitrogen, while fruit waste, banana stems, and coffee pulp supply potassium.
127 Downloads
2023
OFVI report INC5: literature review on best practices for bio-slurry and BECLiterature review assessing the potential nutrient and fertilizer value of bio-slurry and BEC under prevailing conditions in the project’s target countries: Kenya, Uganda, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Summaries and detailed overview of most prominent publications on bio-slurry and bio-slurry-enriched compost (BEC) application, composition, short-and-long-term effects on soils and crop growth.
118 Downloads
2023
HOOP presentation: evaluating and improving circular bioeconomy in cities and regionsResearch4Life presented in the HOOP webinar series. The presentation showed research results : an inventory of biowaste and Urban Waste Sludge (UWWS) streams in eight cities and regions, from collection, to treatment, and to post-treatment utilization. The outcome of the research allows cities to evaluate current waste management and to find solutions for novel circular processes from there.
119 Downloads
2024
OFVI ABC presentation Sahel meeting 2024 (FR)Slides from the OFVI consortium presentation held at the ABC Sahel meeting in Cotonou, Benin. The members of the OFVI consortium (Biomass Research, SNV, and DIBcoop), presented key achievements, plans for the upcoming years, and inputs from ABC partners and implementers.
206 Downloads
2024
BIOMOB conference presentation 2024Presentation by Biomass Research, at BioMob3, a strategy event on mobilising biomass feedstock in Europe, focusing on making green feedstocks available to replace fossil carbon in industry and transport in the context of the European Renewable Energy Directive (RED3). It addresses two key biofuel issues: food vs. fuel and indirect land use change (ILUC), concluding that existing agricultural systems could integrate biofuels as cover crops, offering benefits for soil health, the environment, and renewable feedstock production.
211 Downloads
2024
Annual report for the year 2022 of the Platform for Bio-Economy (PBE)Annual report prepared for the Platform for Bio-Economy (PBE), on the use and import of woody biomass for energy purposes in the Netherlands in 2022 including data on source, country of origin, form and sustainability certification.
209 Downloads
2023

IEA Bioenergy iLUC Report 2022
This report from the IEA Bioenergy study reviews narratives and methods used to project the effects of U.S. biofuel expansion, particularly after the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) of 2005. It examines studies on indirect impacts of increased corn use for ethanol, focusing on two main narratives. The trade and market response narrative links higher U.S. ethanol production to local shortages, rising prices, and ripple effects in global markets. The internal adjustment response narrative highlights domestic agricultural adjustments, such as increased corn planting, improved crop yields, and more efficient resource use, in response to biofuel production targets.
570 Downloads

2022

Valorisation of rural and urban biowaste HOOP Urban metabolism 2022

This presentation summarises Research 4 Life’s methodology for evaluating and promoting urban biowaste valorisation routes within the HOOP project. The focus is on municipal waste, including food waste, wood waste, and wastewater. It also provides some background information on urban metabolism and circular economy concepts, as well as the HOOP project and participating cities and regions.
598 Downloads

2022

Fact sheet Urban metabolism HOOP

The HOOP project (Hub of Circular Cities bOOsting Platform) supports eight European cities and regions in developing their bioeconomy initiatives. This fact sheet presents Research 4 Life’s urban metabolism analysis of resource and waste flows in these jurisdictions and highlights opportunities for more efficient waste management. Currently, about 60% of biowaste in HOOP cities and regions is treated with composting or anaerobic digestion, while large amounts still end up in mixed waste streams. Improving waste separation is a key step towards improving biowaste valorisation in the circular economy.
641 Downloads

2022

Summary annual report 2020 from the Platform Bio-Economy (PBE)

Summary of the annual report from the Platform Bio-Economy (PBE) and Biomass Research about the use of woody biomass for energy production in the Netherlands.
619 Downloads

2022

Valorisation of rural and urban biowaste feedstocks technologies and production chains

Valorisation of rural and urban biowaste: feedstocks, technologies and production chains – a presentation for Bio energy and biomass held on 23 April 2021.
722 Downloads

2021

U.S. Corn Use for EthanolThe causal basis for many of the relationships in models used to estimate the indirect effects of U.S. biofuels on global agricultural markets has not been adequately established. This paper addresses this gap by examining causal interactions among corn market variables through which the indirect effects of U.S. corn use for ethanol would be transmitted.
1120 Downloads
2021
Variable demand as a means to more sustainable biofuels and biobased materialsBased on a survey, an expert workshop, and relevant literature, the effects of a variable biofuel demand approach are evaluated with respect to food security, agricultural productivity, detrimental land-use change, and feedstock competition with biobased chemicals and materials. Here we provide evidence that variable biofuel demand can enhance the synergistic development of agriculture, renewable biomass feedstocks and biofuels, but implementation faces several challenges.
1539 Downloads
2020
PBE Jaarrapportage 2019Annual report from the Platform Bio-Economy (PBE) and Biomass Research about the use of woody biomass for energy production in the Netherlands.
Available in Dutch only.

990 Downloads
2020
Report on expert workshop on variable demand for biofuelsThis IEA Bioenergy Task 43 report presents the results of a one-day Expert Workshop on “Variable demand as an avenue to sustainable first generation biofuels and biobased chemicals” that was held 3 December 2018 in The Hague (NL).
Read more about the project here.

1154 Downloads
2020
Mobilising Sustainable Supply Chains – Biogas CasesThis report is part of a broader IEA Bioenergy InterTask Project ‘Mobilising sustainable bioenergy supply chains’. It discusses: biogas production from organic residues, biogas production from the organic fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), use of oil palm residues, and co-digestion of agricultural residues (manure and substrates).
1390 Downloads
2020
Outline of a sustainable and efficient bioenergy policy frameworkA workshop, titled ‘Outline of a sustainable and efficient bioenergy policy framework’, was organised by IEA Bioenergy Task 43 on May 16, 2018 at the occasion of the 26th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition held in Copenhagen.
1120 Downloads
2020
Reststromen uit bos en houtverwerkende industrieThis report examines the question of how many woody residual flows in the Netherlands and surrounding countries are available for the production of bioenergy. This report utilizes existing public information sources, whereby calculations are worked out in an unambiguous manner. Calculations and results are presented in a transparent manner.
Available in Dutch only.

1165 Downloads
2020
Ethanol from sugar beet in The Netherlands: energy production and efficiencyProspects for ethanol production from sugar beet in The Netherlands have been analysed using measured production data from two experimental farms and literature on beet to ethanol conversion. The analyses include beet cultivation and harvesting, transport to the factory, conversion into ethanol and delivery of the ethanol to distribution points.
1702 Downloads
2017
Using Smallholder Farm and Household Data for Fertiliser Advisory ServicesThis report presents an overview of existing literature on farm size and composition, family conditions and other endowments and their relation to crop production. Specific attention is given to nutrient use, soil management and other elements of crop production in the study area.
1093 Downloads
2016
Netherlands position biobased economy FBR Biomass Research 2016This study evaluates developments in the Netherlands vis-à-vis similar developments in other countries in Europe. The main focus is on comparing policy, research and market developments in six countries in the North-west of the continent (the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom and Denmark).
2984 Downloads
2016
RESFARM Report database structure Biomass ResearchBiomass Research has been asked to develop a database structure plus data entry system under Work Package 3 (Data collection and analysis) which can be used by other project partners. The main aim of the database is to collect farm data in the three countries covered by the project, facilitating a uniform and efficient analysis. A mobile data entry module was developed to allow quick and efficient entry of answers that were given by the farmers in the specific countries and regions.
4642 Downloads
2016
The Agrics approachThis report describes the way Agrics supports their advice services by using available information on soils, crops, and weather. The main focus is on identifying existing knowledge and data sources and exploring potential ways to integrate them in the information flow and knowledge base needed for a successful development of Geodatics.
2610 Downloads
2015
Note on indirect land use effectThis note has been prepared at the request of the Commissie Duurzaamheidsvraagstukken Biomassa (Commission on Sustainability issues of Biomass; further referred to as CDB). CDB elaborates issues of sustainable biomass for bioenergy (mostly biofuels) production.
4442 Downloads
2015
IEA Bioenergy intertas -project synthesis report mobilizing sustainable bioenergy supply chains‘Mobilizing sustainable bioenergy supply chains’ is a project carried out in the period 2013-2016, with involvement of many IEA Bioenergy experts. The project analysed sustainable bioenergy production systems to determine the factors critical to their mobilisation through a series of case studies. This work focused on five globally strategically significant bioenergy supply chains representing major global biomes and potential primary and residue supplies.
1154 Downloads
2015
Survey bioeconomy reportThis report presents the outcome of a survey held amongst European countries, identifying policies, R&D activities and success stories of the Bioeconomy which has been defined as encompassing the production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into food, feed, biobased products and bioenergy.
2987 Downloads
2015
Leermiddelen GKCWhile a large number of initiatives are currently being developed in the Netherlands, there is a growing need for students who are familiar with the principles and practices of bio-based production chains. At the request of the GKC, Biomass Research has inventoried and described existing educational material and other material about the biobased economy that is suitable for education.
Available in Dutch only.

2421 Downloads
2014
‘Where next’ for European bioeconomy reportThis publication presents the latest thinking on the bioeconomy from the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research and the European Bioeconomy Panel. It is released on the occasion of the Bioeconomy Stakeholders’ Conference organised by the Italian Presidency of the European Union in Turin on 8-9 October 2014
2161 Downloads
2014
Cie Corbey 2014 Advies Verduurzaming VoedselsectorIn 2020 the food requirement will be 70% higher than now, while available land is limited. At the same time, the demand for biomass is increasing. Sustainability of the agricultural and food sectors is desperately needed. In the Advice on Sustainable Food Sector, the Corbey Committee offers the cabinet workable solutions for making land use more sustainable, making optimal use of biomass and reducing CO2 emissions.
Available in Dutch only.

2085 Downloads
2014
Impact of oil spills on mangroves NigeriaWhile deforestation and, more recently, crop production have been identified as major causes of carbon releases through changes in land cover, the debate on the contribution of fossil fuel production to land-based emissions is still on- going. This report determines the impact of oil production activities on mangroves in the Niger Delta by generating the best available estimates of oil discharge, and by assessing its impact on mangrove vegetation.
3277 Downloads
2014
Analysing the effect of biofuel expansion on land use in major producing countriesEstimates on impacts of biofuel production often use models with limited ability to incorporate changes in land use, notably cropping intensity. This review studies biofuel expansion between 2000 and 2010 in Brazil, the USA, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Mozambique, South Africa plus 27 EU member states.
2456 Downloads
2013
CE Delft Hoofdrapport De bodem in de bio economieThe impact on soils of further development of the biobased economy has been investigated. This study examines the effects on the organic matter content of soils, the nutrient requirements (NPK), water consumption, land use, ecotoxicity and climate balance, including soil effects for a total of 21 biomass supply chains.
Available in Dutch only.

2169 Downloads
2013
Bioethanol from sweet sorghum data checksInitiatives have been taken to initate bioethanol production form sweet sorghum in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Objectives are to help establish sustainable biomass for ethanol production and to support (preparations for) sustainable biofuel certification. This report evaluates data on land and crop cultivation and biomass conversion as these have been presented in project documents and compares them to other references.
2113 Downloads
2011
RE-Farms First Interim DeliverableThis report presents results of the project Impacts of Renewable Energy on European Farmers. It focuses on the (potential) role that on-farm generation of Renewable Energy in the EU-27 may play both in realisation of national and EU environmental targets as in (re)vitalising agriculture and rural economy in different regions of the Union.
3393 Downloads
2011
Corré et al Analysis renewable energy directive NUTS-2 reports GHG emissions biofuel cropsThe EC ‘Renewable Energy Directive’ (RED; EC, 2009) required national reports on the average greenhouse gas emissions from the cultivation of energy crops at NUTS-2 regional level. However, reporting calculation methods were not prescribed and therefore differences in reported emissions could be caused not only by differences in production systems, but also by differences in calculation methods. The aim of this analysis was to provide an overview of the methods and data used by individual countries and to evaluate the reported differences in emissions.
2147 Downloads
2011