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What is being switched?It’s not just biofuels…“Many think of biomass mainly as a source for liquidfuel products such as ethanol and biodiesel. Butbiomass can also be converted to a multitude ofproducts we use every day. In fact, there are very fewproducts that are made today from a petroleum base,including paints, inks, adhesives, plastics and othervalue-added products, that cannot be produced frombiomass.”– David K. Garman, U.S. Under Secretary of Energyfor Energy, Science and Environment under George W.Bush 4“We have modest goals of replacing the wholepetrochemical industry and becoming a major sourceof energy.”– J. Craig Venter, founder Synthetic Genomics, Inc. 5A simple way to understand the proposed ambition ofthe new Biomass Economy is to glance at a list of fossilfueldependent products and services currently beingproduced. Then, imagine each sector switching to livingplant matter as a feedstock instead of the oil, coal andnatural gas associated with fossilized plant matter:Transport FuelsCurrently, over 72% of petroleum 6 ends up as liquid fuelsfor cars, trucks, airplanes and heating. Agrofuels (i.e.,biofuels) such as ethanol and biodiesel mark just thebeginning of converting the liquid fuel market tobiomass. Some next-generation agrofuels arehydrocarbons that have the same chemical properties asgasoline and jet fuel.ElectricityCoal, natural gas and petroleum are currently responsiblefor 67% of global electricity production. 7 However, cofiringcoal with biomass is on the increase and there is amove to burn woodchips, vegetable oils and municipalwaste as the fuel for electricity production. Meanwhile,nano-cellulose and synthetic bacteria are beinginvestigated to make electric current from living cells –turning biomass to electricity without the need forturbines.Chemicals and PlasticsCurrently around 10% of global petroleum reserves areconverted into plastics and petrochemicals. 8 However, tohedge against rising petroleum prices and to green theirpublic image, large chemical companies such as DuPontare setting ambitious targets for biomass feedstocks suchas sugar and maize for the production of bioplastics,textiles, fine and bulk chemicals.FertilizerGlobal fertilizer production is an intensive user of naturalgas. Proponents of biochar (carbonized biomass) claimthat they have a bio-based replacement for improving soilfertility, which can be produced on an industrial scale.The New Biomassters 3
Illustration: the Beehive CollectiveETC Group 4 www.etcgroup.org
Page 2 and 3: “Whoever produces abundant biofue
Page 4 and 5: OverviewIssueUnder the pretext of a
Page 6 and 7: ContentsSelling the Switch1. Sugar
Page 8 and 9: Introduction: Beware BiomassAround
Page 12 and 13: Part 1: Here Comes the BioeconomyHu
Page 14 and 15: Cellulose - The Wonder Sugar“The
Page 16 and 17: The industry has realized that “g
Page 18 and 19: Back to the Future? Carbohydrate vs
Page 20 and 21: Counting the Bioma$$ EconomyTurning
Page 22 and 23: Whose Biomass?A tale of two bioecon
Page 24 and 25: A Land Grab for Biomass“The visio
Page 26 and 27: Worryingly, the committee stopped s
Page 28 and 29: Nonetheless, the impression had bee
Page 30 and 31: Transferring Biomass Technologies-
Page 32 and 33: • Moreover, as climate change con
Page 34 and 35: Not Enough Biomass? Let’s boost i
Page 36 and 37: Geoengineering the Planetwith Bioma
Page 38 and 39: The New Biomass Economy: 10 Myths1.
Page 40 and 41: 8. Biomass is good for the global e
Page 42 and 43: Part II - The Tools and PlayersIn a
Page 44 and 45: Synthetic Biology: Unpredictable,un
Page 46 and 47: Synthetic Enzymes for CelluloseSynt
Page 48 and 49: It seems reasonable therefore that
Page 50 and 51: Counting the Costs of BiomassElectr
Page 52 and 53: “Survivors” of Generation F - S
Page 54 and 55: Beyond Alcohol to Hydrocarbons - Bi
Page 56 and 57: • Invasiveness and genetic engine
Page 58 and 59: Bio-based Building BlocksIn particu
Page 60 and 61:
Are Bioplastics Toxic?One of the re
Page 62 and 63:
Conclusions: Earth Grab!Biomass con
Page 64 and 65:
Annex: Table of Next-Generation Bio
Page 66 and 67:
Company Location Feedstock(s) /Envi
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
29 David King, “The Future of Ind
Page 76 and 77:
98 Corn stover: what is left on the
Page 78 and 79:
164 Peter Read, “Biosphere Carbon
Page 80 and 81:
238 William Lemos, “Brazil ethano
Page 82 and 83:
311 Douglas A. Smock, “Bioplastic
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