Abstract
SummaryOwing to its versatility, biomass can be used for a range of CO2 mitigation and removal options. The recent adoption of end-of-century temperature targets at the global scale, along with mid-century economy-wide net zero emission targets in Europe, has boosted demand forecasts for this valuable resource. Given the limited nature of sustainable biomass supply, it is important to understand most efficient uses of biomass, both in terms of avoided CO2 emissions (i.e., substituted energy and economic services) and CO2 removal. Here, we quantify the mitigation and removal potential of key bio-based CO2 removal pathways for the transport, power, construction, and iron and steel sectors in Europe. By combining the carbon balance of these pathways with their economics, the optimal use of biomass in terms of CO2 avoidance and removal costs is quantified, and how these evolve with the decarbonization of the European energy system is discussed.
Highlights
Global mitigation pathways capable of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5C above preindustrial levels require large amounts of biomass for use within the economy: the high energy demand scenario (SSP5) of sixth assessment report of the International Panel of Climate Change relies on up to 430 EJ of biomass use by 2100 (Huppmann et al, 2018; Rogelj et al, 2018)
SUMMARY Owing to its versatility, biomass can be used for a range of CO2 mitigation and removal options
By combining the carbon balance of these pathways with their economics, the optimal use of biomass in terms of CO2 avoidance and removal costs is quantified, and how these evolve with the decarbonization of the European energy system is discussed
Summary
Global mitigation pathways capable of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5C above preindustrial levels require large amounts of biomass for use within the economy: the high energy demand scenario (SSP5) of sixth assessment report of the International Panel of Climate Change relies on up to 430 EJ of biomass use by 2100 (Huppmann et al, 2018; Rogelj et al, 2018). In integrated assessment models (IAMs), the main BECCS pathways represented are typically biomass conversion to electricity in large-scale combustion plants and biomass conversion to liquid fuels. A recent study shows that the deployment of bioelectricity-CCS plants is mainly driven by the demand for CO2 removal, and would still get deployed without providing decarbonized electricity (Fajardy et al, 2020). This suggests that, in the context of stringent CO2 emissions limitations, BECCS plants may have a greater CO2 removal value than mitigation value
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