The latest data (2017) show that 1 billion tonnes of biomass (dry matter) were sourced in the EU-27 from primary sources. Most was produced in the EU territory from agricultural crops (50%) and their collected residues (9%), grazed biomass (9%), forestry (27%) as well as fisheries and aquaculture (<1%). The remaining 5% was imported.

An additional 0.2 billion tonnes were supplied from secondary sources such as industrial by-products from forest-based industries, recycled paper and recovery of other bio-waste.

Therefore a total of approximately 1.2 billion tonnes of biomass (dry matter) were used. The largest share went to animal feed and bedding with 40% of the total biomass uses. Material and energy uses of biomass each used 28% and 22% respectively, while plant based food constituted only 10% and seafood less than 1% of all uses.

The overall biomass use in the EU has increased by around 5.6% over two four-year periods, taking into account the averages between the periods of 2010-2013 and 2014-2017.  Most of the increase in the overall biomass uses over these two periods was due to rising demand for bioenergy (+28 Mtdm), followed by increased demand for bio-based materials (+17 Mtdm). The use of biomass for bioenergy has shown a steady growth by about 15% between the counted periods. The use of biomass for producing materials has increased overall by 6.6%.

The supply of biomass from waste recovery shows increasing trends. The amount of biological waste recovered (via recycling or energy recovery) had increased by 4.1%, while the amounts not recovered decreased by 35.4% over two average 4-year periods (2010-2013 and 2014-2017).

© European Union, 2022