Brussels, 14th of December. The Biomethane Industrial Partnership publishes today the report “Feedstock production on marginal and contaminated land – An EU wide potential assessment”. The report was prepared by Task Force 3.2 and delves into the untapped potential of cultivating biomass on marginal lands and contaminated lands across Europe.
The Biomethane Industrial Partnership publishes today a report on feedstock potentials from marginal and contaminated lands. Task Force 3 underscores the necessity to secure sustainable biomass feedstock for a concerted effort to fuel additional biomethane production installations, vital for realizing the 35 bcm target set forth by the REPowerEU plan. The report, prepared by Task Force 3.2, delves into the untapped potential of cultivating biomass on marginal lands and contaminated lands across Europe. A dedicated webinar served as the platform for presenting the findings outlined in the report.
Marco Buffi, Scientific Project Officer at Joint Research Center, co-chair of Task Force 3 and leader of Task Force 3.2, shared his perspective, saying, “Sustainable biomass supply from marginal lands as severely degraded lands and contaminated areas is a key-player to provide additional feedstock for biomethane production to the recovery of biowaste and residues.”
Vincenzo Motola, Researcher at Joint Research Center, serving as a support role for the leadership of Task Force 3.2, stated: “Recovery of degraded and contaminated lands can offer multiple benefits to bioeconomy and decarbonization, in addition to biomethane production.”
While several biowaste streams remain untapped, the report emphasizes that their full potential alone cannot fulfill biofuel targets. Therefore, the cultivation of biomass on marginal and contaminated lands becomes crucial. This approach presents multiple advantages, including preservation of nature, carbon stock increase, and collection of sustainable non-food feedstock. However, challenges persist in defining and quantifying such lands, and the report aims to address them by reviewing existing definitions and giving recommendations. The report delves into challenges such as land availability, productivity, agronomic practices, and sustainability, particularly in relation to GHG emissions and carbon sinks, sustainable soils, biodiversity, water quality and quantity and rural and socioeconomic development. Acknowledging the impact of various policy instruments, the report calls for harmonization of regulations, particularly in light of the Common Agricultural Policy, the EU Green Deal, the Fit-for-55 package, the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive, and the Farm to Fork Strategy. Key opportunities identified by the report include the need for low ILUC-risk feedstock certification, the revision of RED II Annex IX, and a focus on Sustainable Carbon Cycles. These elements, when harmonized, can trigger new supply chains for advanced biofuels production and contribute significantly to achieving the REPowerEU target of 35 bcm biomethane by 2030.
The Biomethane Industrial Partnership Task Force 3 remains committed to fostering collaboration among stakeholders to overcome challenges and pave the way for a sustainable future in biomethane production.
For those who missed the webinar, the recording is now available for review.