Biomass and Carbon Neutrality

Biomass is expected to play a crucial role in support of Canada’s transition to carbon neutrality. Potential feedstocks include various types of biomass from forest residues and agricultural crops to municipal organic waste. Their use, however, is intertwined with net-zero challenges and opportunities for various sectors, including energy and industrial uses, agriculture, food production, waste management, and sustainable management of resources in a context of unavoidable climate change. With stiff competition for its use, high costs for the various infrastructures, and a large but limited supply, an integrated strategy is necessary to ensure that biomass serves where it is most appropriate on the path to net-zero.

The main objective of this project is to codevelop, through independant analysis and close exchanges with stakeholders and experts, an evaluation and comparison framework of biomass usages in a context of transition to net zero.

This project is funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Climate Action and Awareness Fund with the financial support of the Transition Accelerator and Institut de l’énergie Trottier.

The views expressed herein are solely those of the Institut de l’énergie Trottier of Polytechnique Montréal.

The project is currently in its final phase. After two years spent studying current practices, organising discussions with stakeholders and specialists, and co-developing an assessment and comparison framework for biomass uses in the context of the transition to carbon neutrality by 2050, a decision-support tool is being developed.

This tool, together with the final report on the approach needed to assess biomass uses in the context of the transition to net zero, will be available shortly.