Basics
How much biomass do
bio-based plastics need?
An update on the “Land use” debate and facts on
biomass use in general
I
n January, the nova-Institut biopolymer expert group pub-
lished updated data on the worldwide production of bi-
opolymers for the years 2018 and 2019 (see link below).
Agricultural experts from the nova-Institut have now also
completed an evaluation of the worldwide agricultural data
for 2018 (data for 2019 are not yet available). Based on the
insights from this new evaluation, it is now possible to up-
date the figures on biomass and land used for bio-based
polymers worldwide.
Figure 1 shows the biomass used for bio-based polymers
in 2018. In order to produce 3.4 million tonnes of bio-based
polymers with an average bio-based share of 43%, 4.3
million tonnes of biomass were used – including conversion
losses. The largest share of biomass comes from by-
products (46%), mainly glycerine from biodiesel production,
which is used for the production of bio-based epoxy resins.
Food crops for the production of e.g. PLA or bio-PE account
for a total of 37%. 9% is cellulose for cellulose acetate
and 8% is non-edible vegetable oils such as castor oil for
polyamides.
By contrast, chart 2 shows the biomass used worldwide
in 2018. The animal feed sector (including grazing land)
represents the largest share by far at 60%, followed by
bioenergy (16%, mainly wood), food (12%), material use
(10%, mainly wood for the construction industry) and
Fig. 1: 4,3 million tonnes biomass feedstock for 3,4 million tonnes
bio-based polymers (with a 43 % bio-based share) in 2018
1 % Edible plant oil
8%
Non-edible
Biopolymers
plant oil
0.034 %
9%
Cellulose
46 %
15 % Biogenic by-products
Sugars
21 %
Starch
50 bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/20] Vol. 15
Source:
Click here!
By:
Michael Carus,
Olaf Porc and
Raj Chinthapalli
nova-Institut
Hürth, Germany
biofuels (2%). Bio-based polymers, which currently account
for about 1% of the total polymer market, play practically no
role at all, at only 0.034%.
For the sake of completeness, Charts 3 and 4 show the
composition of the global biomass supply: 39% is harvested
agricultural biomass, 30% pasture grass, 19% wood and
13% is made up of used crop by-products. Cellulose (49%)
is the dominant type of biomass used, followed by sugar &
starch (24%), proteins (11%), oils and fats (4%) and other
biomass (12%), such as rubber. Readers interested in nova-
Institute’s methodology of calculating supply and demand
of biomass, we recommend the nova-Paper #7 – see link
below).
Finally, the question remains as to the area of agricultural
and plantation land that is required for the production of bio-
based polymers. The 0.034% (see above) share of biomass
used to produce bio-based polymers translates into an area
share of only 0.004%. This is due to the various factors:
high-yielding crops (like maize) are used for the production
of bio-based polymers leading to a high area efficiency; the
yields are not only used for polymer production but also
for animal feed (the protein share) and thus only a part is
allocated; and finally, because the biomass is a process by-
product that uses no land (such as glycerol).
Fig. 2: Worldwide biomass demand
2018, total: 12,3 billion tonnes
Biofuels
2%
Food
12 %
Bioenergy
16 %
Material
use 10 %
Feed
60 %
 Basics

Conclusion and outlook

Currently, the land and biomass required for bio-based
polymers do not play a relevant role compared to other 110 pages full
sectors and do not represent any relevant competition to color, paperback
ISBN 978-3-
other uses, in particular the food and feed sector. If 100% 9814981-1-0:
of the polymer demand were to be covered by biomass, Bioplastics
the situation would be different. However, this scenario is ISBN 978-3-
9814981-2-7:
highly unlikely, because new sources of renewable carbon
Biokunststoffe
will increasingly be used in the future, such as recycling, 2. überarbeitete
organic waste streams and the direct use of CO2. Moreover, Auflage
biofuels will gradually be replaced by electric mobility and
hydrogen, which would already release 2% of the biomass
currently used for biofuels. This means that, under realistic
scenarios, sufficient biomass will be available to meet
future demand for bio-based polymers without endangering
food safety. ‘Basics‘ book
on bioplastics
www.nova-institute.com | www.bio-based.eu/reports |
www.bio-based.eu/nova-papers/#novapaper7en

Fig. 3: Global biomass supply 2018 by sources,

total: 12,3 billion tonnes dry matter
This book, created and published by Polymedia
Publisher, maker of bioplastics MAGAZINE is
available in English and German language
Harvested
(German now in the second, revised edition).
residues
13 % The book is intended to offer a rapid and uncomplicated
introduction into the subject of bioplastics, and is aimed at all
Harvested interested readers, in particular those who have not yet had
agricultural the opportunity to dig deeply into the subject, such as students
Wood biomass
or those just joining this industry, and lay readers. It gives
19 % 39 %
an introduction to plastics and bioplastics, explains which
renewable resources can be used to produce bioplastics,
what types of bioplastic exist, and which ones are already on
the market. Further aspects, such as market development,
the agricultural land required, and waste disposal, are also
Grazed examined.
biomass
30 % An extensive index allows the reader to find specific aspects
quickly, and is complemented by a comprehensive literature
list and a guide to sources of additional information on the
Internet.
The author Michael Thielen is editor and publisher
Fig. 4: Global biomass supply in 2018 by biomass
constituents, total: 12,3 billion tonnes dry matter bioplastics MAGAZINE. He is a qualified machinery design
engineer with a degree in plastics technology from the RWTH
University in Aachen. He has written several books on the
subject of blow-moulding technology and disseminated his
Others knowledge of plastics in numerous presentations, seminars,
12 % guest lectures and teaching assignments.
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