The Biobased Economy

Hans Langeveld is Director of Biomass Research, a research and consulting firm focussing on the development and evaluation of biobased and bioenergy production. He has a background in applied agronomic and economic research and combines a pragmatic approach with a clear analytical view. The main focus of his work is feedstock availability and sustainability (GHG emissions and land use change), market analysis and production development of biobased and decentral bioenergy production chains. Formerly, he was Senior Researcher at Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Centre, and Researcher at the Centre for World Food Studies of the Free University Amsterdam, both in the Netherlands. He has been project leader of a number of large bioenergy projects and is (co-)author of over 50 scientific papers as well as books on the biobased economy and on dynamics of European farming systems.

Providing an illuminating framework as to how policy and market players could and should drive the development of a biobased economy that is effective, sustainable, fair and cost efficient. The result is an essential resource for all those working in or concerned with biobased industries, their policy or research.

Part 1: Towards Sustainability 1. General Introduction 2. Transition Towards a Biobased Economy 3. Challenges for Sustainable Development 4. Principles of Plant Production 5. Plant Breeding and its Role in a Biobased Economy 6. Biomass Availability Part 2: Biomass Refining and Conversion 7. Biorefineries: Giving Value to Sustainable Biomass Use 8. Plant Production of Chemical Building Blocks 9. The Production of Chemicals in a Biobased Economy 10. Advanced Biofuels from Lignocellulosic Biomass 11. Biogas Part 3: Actor Involvement 12. Policy Making for the Biobased Economy 13. Biobased Industrialization in Developing Countries 14. Biobased Production Chains 15. Biofuel Policies, Production, Trade and Land Use 16. Public Debate on Sustainability of Biofuels Part 4: Transition in Action 17. Biodiesel from Brazil 18. Biobased Products and Bioenergy in Germany 19. Development of the Biobased Economy in Canada: An Overview 20. A Biobased Economy for the Netherlands 21. Synthesis