Use of sustainably-sourced residue and waste streams for advanced biofuel production in the European Union: rural economic impacts and potential for job creation

This report highlights the significant economic and employment opportunity that exploitation of crop, forest and waste-derived residues could offer in the EU. There is currently uncertainty over the level of biofuel production that could be supported by such feedstocks, whether such biofuel production is economically feasible and in-turn the potential economic and job benefits that could arise if development of such fuels was supported.

NNFCC was engaged by the European Climate Foundation, supported by a group of industry and NGO interests to analyse the economic viability of using crop, forest and waste residues  as feedstocks for biofuel production utilising a range of advanced conversion technologies.  NNFCC further examined the potential economic benefits and job creation opportunities that could arise from exploiting these resources within the EU.  This analysis draws on parallel commissioned work by the International Council on Clean Transport to assess the amount of sustainably harvestable crop and forest residues and residual waste arisings in the EU that could be accessed for biofuel production without affecting other traditional markets.