Client: Biomass Connect
Date: January 2025
Project Team: Dr Gail Shuttleworth, Senior Consultant & Lorenza Carta, Consultant
Objective: To support the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy by identifying viable biomass feedstocks, analysing their market potential, and outlining value chain development opportunities as part of the Biomass Feedstocks Innovation Programme.
Our Approach
Alder BioInsights conducted a comprehensive assessment of UK biomass feedstocks using expert stakeholder input, literature review, and market analysis. Key project stages included:
- Feedstock Screening & Selection: Narrowed an initial list of 36 biomass options to a diverse shortlist of 8 promising crops—short rotation coppice (SRC) willow & poplar, short rotation forestry (SRF) eucalyptus & poplar, miscanthus, reed canary grass, hemp, and macroalgae
- Market Mapping: Analysed applications across energy, construction, textiles, chemicals, and personal care markets.
- Value Chain Analysis: Mapped current and potential biomass value chains and identified gaps, from raw material production to end use.
- Barrier Identification: Explored policy, economic, and infrastructural challenges affecting biomass uptake.
- Recommendations: Proposed actions to ensure market growth and improve supply chain resilience.
Outcome & Benefits
This work provided Biomass Connect and its stakeholders with a clear, evidence-based roadmap to accelerate the UK biomass sector. Specifically, it:
- Informed Policy Advocacy: Highlighted areas where regulatory changes could foster domestic production.
- Guided Investment Priorities: Identified high-impact opportunities such as miscanthus in construction and hemp in textiles.
- Strengthened Market Confidence: Validated feedstock potential through robust market analysis, helping de-risk investment.
- Facilitated Strategic Planning: Offered practical recommendations to develop supply chains, infrastructure, and research and development focus areas.
The study has been instrumental in shaping stakeholder strategies and informing national discussions on sustainable biomass use, ensuring Biomass Connect continues to be a vital platform for innovation and knowledge exchange in the UK bioeconomy.