This brief on agricultural biomass is one out of a series of briefs prepared by the Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy which intend to provide independent evidence for EU policy in this field. The following are the key results:
1. The total annual agricultural biomass production in the European Union is estimated at 956 million tonnes (Mt) per year. 54% are primary products (grains, fruits, roots, tubers, etc.), i.e. economic production, and 46% are residues, e.g. leaves and stems.
2. Cereals account for more than half of the total EU economic production of agricultural biomass and almost three quarters of total residue production in the EU.
3. About 75% of the EU-282 economic and residue production comes from seven Member States: FR, DE, IT, PL, ES, RO and the UK.
4. Uncertainties associated with residue production estimates are relatively large.
5. In order to quantify the actual availability of residues for competitive uses, environmental sustainability requirements (e.g. soil conservation, biodiversity and the full range of ecosystem services in the agricultural sector) need to be accounted for.
GARCIA CONDADO Sara;
LOPEZ LOZANO Raul;
VAN DER VELDE Marijn;
LUSSER Maria;
SANCHEZ LOPEZ Javier;
KLINKENBERG Michael;
AVRAAMIDES Marios;
CAMIA Andrea;
2018-04-19
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC109294
978-92-79-76677-0 (print),
978-92-79-76676-3,
OP KJ-07-17-104-EN-C (print),
OP KJ-07-17-104-EN-N (online),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC109294,
10.2760/142177 (online),
10.2760/96290 (print),
