Rural development towards abio-based economy – the contribution of Forest Research

Abstract

The bio-economy, using biomass from various sources and in a wide range of sectors, has reached a significant scale in Europe. The current and the potential importance of the bio-economy is illustrated with data from Germany. While the potential uses of biomass are manifold, its availability is limited. This paper discusses the resulting competition for biomass and shows possibilities to increase the biomass-potential. To satisfy the increasing demand for biomass, further research in the forestry sector is needed.