A new study commissioned by Cepi shows rapid developments in Europe’s biorefinery sector. Their turnover has doubled in just 3 years, reaching EUR 6 billion.
Sep 25, 2024
Cepi, a leading research institute in Germany, highlights a significant surge in Europe’s wood-fiber-based biorefinery sector, with turnover doubling to EUR 6 billion within three years.
The new research identifies 143 biorefineries on the European continent, out of which 126 are operational and 17 are planned, in line with the results published in 2021. These facilities span 18 European countries, with the largest concentrations in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Portugal, and Austria.
The products of biorefineries are broadly green alternatives, mostly delivered by Europe’s large petrochemical sectors such as materials, chemicals, fuels and energy, food and feed, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The demand for these products is ramping up in industries like aviation and fashion willing to shift from fossil-based feedstocks to more sustainable products.
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Currently, biorefinery products correspond to 6% of the European pulp and paper sector’s total turnover. The study’s projections are based on the large number of investment plans identified by researchers, showing an increase in the emerging bio-based in the future, with an annual growth of up to 5% until 2050.
Commenting on the Biorefinery products, Jori Ringman, Director General, Cepi, said, ‘‘There is a lot more demand for products that are aligned with the planet. No other industry can bring together both the scale and the know-how when it comes to innovative bio-based products. For Europe, biorefineries present a promising growth potential, as only new technologies can readily help the European economy to grow. Bioeconomy, and in particular the pulp and paper industry biorefineries, are leading the way.”
These new ventures do not come as a replacement for traditional pulp and paper-making activities, but rather as a complement as they mobilize resources that were previously not used commercially. They represent a way for companies in the sector to invest and develop new revenue streams while increasing the efficient use of the resources.
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The biorefineries will have an impact on the EU’s capacity to reach its climate targets. These bio-based products have already substituted over 3.1 megatons of CO2, replacing fossil-based products, resulting in a significantly lower impact on the climate.
