The European Bioeconomy Alliance (EUBA) has released a new expert paper by the nova-Institute, titled “Benefits of Using First-Generation Biomass for Food, Fuels, Chemicals and Derived Materials in Europe.” The report concludes that first-generation agricultural biomass—such as cereals, sugar, and oilseed crops—offers significant advantages for food security, biodiversity, and climate mitigation. Allowing farmers to sell crops into multiple markets helps diversify income, reduce price exposure, and encourage investment in innovation and sustainable practices.
The study emphasizes that using food crops for bio-based energy and materials can actually strengthen food security, by improving market stability through protein-rich by-products and serving as an emergency food reserve in times of crisis. It further highlights that these crops are among the most efficient uses of land for producing starch, sugar, and oils, helping to minimize agricultural land use while promoting biodiversity protection. According to EUBA, first-generation biomass remains a cost-effective and scalable pathway to accelerate the EU’s industrial decarbonization and achieve net-zero targets for the chemical and fuel sectors.
