The ever-increasing concentration of carbon in the atmosphere is a major problem and is leading to unpredictable changes in the climate. Fossil carbon, after it has been extracted and utilised as crude oil or natural gas, for example, becomes CO2 at the end of its life-cycle through combustion or decomposition and usually ends up in the atmosphere.
Nevertheless, life without carbon is inconceivable, as this element forms the basis of all life. The ability to form a variety of bonds also makes the carbon atom an important and fundamental building block for the chemical industry. This in turn is essential for many aspects of our daily lives and the associated standard of living. Paints, plastics, detergents and medicines are just a few examples of products that originate from the chemical industry.
In this context, the focus is on defossilisation (reducing the use of fossil fuels), not decarbonisation (reducing the use of carbon). This is because carbon generally comes from fossil sources such as crude oil, natural gas or coal. Consequently, the aim must be to extract carbon from non-fossil, i.e. renewable, sources and make it available to the chemical industry. And this is where we come into play because we utilise the advantages of biomass (e.g. plants or organic waste). What makes biomass so fascinating and useful at the same time is the fact that during its life, the plant continuously absorbs CO2 through photosynthesis, converts it into biomass and releases oxygen in the process. A completely natural and vital process.
The biogenic carbon is extracted and the use of fossil raw materials can be dispensed with, at least at this point. Fossil carbon remains in the soil and is not pumped into the atmosphere. We only utilise the carbon atoms that are already present in the atmosphere and have since been converted into biomass. This creates a natural carbon cycle.
Another advantage of biomass is that it is constantly renewed and regrown, unlike crude oil or natural gas, which has formed over millions of years and is stored in the earth's interior where it is difficult to access. Fossil raw materials are no longer available once they have been utilised and are therefore finite.
Besides those facts we must acknowledge, that the EU Commission has expressed an ambitious pathway to reduce the future output of fossil carbons significantly via the “Green Deal”. As stated in the following scenario waiving fossil carbons in the future forces the usage of alternatives. The alternatives are clear, and thus, in addition to the multiple use of carbon molecules through recycling and the increasing use of CO2 as a carbon source, biomass will play an important role in the future to meet the demand for carbon for material and chemical use.
