Klimaschutz und optimierter Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien durch Kaskadennutzung von Biomasse

Against the background of climate change and the scarcity of fossil resources, renewable feedstock gains of importance. Especially bio energy has gotten attention through federal promotion. Further expansion of the energetic use of biomass shall enhance climate protection through reduction of greenhouse gases, security of supply and even consolidation of rural structures. In these discussions, the material use of biomass has slightly disappeared from sight, but for the next years, considerable market growth is foreseen. Positive effects on climate protection and rural areas can be expected through material use, as well.

Biomass as renewable resource can be supplied from agriculture and forestry only to certain amounts. This holds all the more, as certain sustainability standards have to be met. From the limited availability and the increasing demands derives the request for the most efficient use. In this context, cascading of biomass is said to be a possible solution. The concept of cascading describes the strategy to utilise products or their components in a preferably comprehensive way within the economic system by a sequence of multiple material and finally energetic uses at the end of their life cycle.

The concept of cascading thus is an approach to increase raw material efficiency in the field of renewable resources and to optimise land use. It is the aim of the project to examine the option of biomass cascading from a strategic, differentiated and holistic point of view. In the present study, requirements of a sustainable cascading of biomass are derived and conclusions as to the resulting arrangements and compositions are drawn to use the potentials of biomass as high-value products.

Karin Arnold, Katrin Bienge, Justus von Geibler, Michael Ritthoff, Thomas Targiel, Christoph Zeiss, Ulrike Meinel, Kora Kristof, Stefan Bringezu:

Klimaschutz und optimierter Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien durch Kaskadennutzung von Biomasse

Potenziale, Entwicklungen und Chancen einer integrierten Strategie zur stofflichen und energetischen Nutzung von Biomasse

Wuppertal, 2009

(Wuppertal Report no. 5)