Providing Insights into the Markets for Bio-Based Materials with BioMAT

Viktoriya Sturm (), Myrna van Leeuwen, Ana Gonzalez-Martinez, David Verhoog, Nicolas Hark and Niels de Beus
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Viktoriya Sturm: Thünen Institute of Market Analysis, Bundesallee 63, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Myrna van Leeuwen: Wageningen Economic Research, 2585 DB The Hague, The Netherlands
Ana Gonzalez-Martinez: Wageningen Economic Research, 2585 DB The Hague, The Netherlands
David Verhoog: Wageningen Economic Research, 2585 DB The Hague, The Netherlands
Nicolas Hark: nova-Institut GmbH, 50354 Hürth, Germany
Niels de Beus: nova-Institut GmbH, 50354 Hürth, Germany

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-25

Abstract: Knowledge-based policy making in the field of bio-based economy needs two elements: (i) a monitoring system for assessing the historical developments of bio-based industry and (ii) foresight capacities to provide prospects for the bio-based industry in the future and how it can contribute to achieving different targets. However, significant knowledge gaps in both areas exist, especially regarding the markets of bio-based materials in general and bio-based chemicals in particular. Against this background, a new consistent framework for the representation of the value chains of bio-based materials in the EU and its Member States is developed, i.e., BioMAT. This article aims to present the BioMAT database which (i) is used to track historical developments in the markets for bio-based chemicals and the demand for feedstocks and (ii) enables the construction of the BioMAT model to make future projections. The developed BioMAT database compilation procedure is described in detail. Results reveal that the production of bio-based chemicals in the EU reached 43 million tons or 14% of the total output volume of the organic chemical industry in 2018. The main application of bio-based chemicals is biofuels, followed by agrochemicals and surfactants. The main feedstocks are plant oils and starch.

Keywords: BioMAT; bio-based chemicals; material flow database; biomass use; bioeconomy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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