European Bioeconomy Alliance report highlights benefits of first-generation biomass

The European Bioeconomy Alliance (EUBA) has announced the release of a new expert paper by the nova-Institute, titled “Benefits of Using First-Generation Biomass for Food, Fuels, Chemicals and Derived Materials in Europe: Science-based Argumentation Paper.”
According to EUBA’s statement, the research confirms that using first-generation agricultural biomass - such as cereals, sugar, and oilseed crops - to produce bio-based energy and materials delivers significant benefits for food security, biodiversity, agriculture and climate change mitigation across Europe.
The study finds that selling crops to multiple markets gives farmers greater flexibility and reduces their exposure to price fluctuations in any single sector.
This diversification encourages investment in innovation and sustainable practices, allowing farmers to adapt to changing market conditions while maintaining profitability.
The report also highlights that using first-generation biomass for non-food applications can strengthen food security by improving market stability through the generation of protein-rich by-products, ensuring the continued availability of food crops, and providing long-term scalability for starch, sugar and oil crops within the EU.
It also offers the potential to act as an emergency food reserve during times of crisis.
In terms of climate impact, the paper emphasises that first-generation biomass plays an essential role in defossilising European industry - a key factor in meeting the EU’s net-zero targets for the chemical and fuel sectors.
While second-generation biomass is widely supported, first-generation feedstocks are typically more cost-effective and easier to scale, enabling faster progress towards decarbonisation.
The nova-Institute further notes that food crops are among the most efficient uses of land for producing starch, sugar and plant oils.
Maximising productivity per hectare reduces the overall area required for agriculture, leaving more land available for nature and biodiversity protection.