Prioritising Biomass: the case for a resource hierarchy
Mark Glover, Managing Director and Founder, Renewed Carbon
As Australia’s bioeconomy takes shape, we must face an uncomfortable truth: biomass is not an unlimited resource. Despite our vast landscapes, once we account for ecosystem services, biodiversity, and essential food, fibre, and feed production, the volume of truly surplus biomass is limited—and must be treated as scarce.
This scarcity demands a rethink. If biomass is to support decarbonisation across hard-to-abate sectors, we need clear guardrails, protocols, and hierarchies to ensure it is allocated to its highest and best use. AIEN refers to this as Highest Net Resource Value1 (HNRV)—the principle of matching available biomass to its most valuable application, net of the cost, effort, and impact required to deliver it.
Without such a framework, we risk short-term decisions that deliver low-value outcomes—and worse, lock up resources in pathways that may later prove unsustainable or economically stranded. For example, burning prime biomass for energy without exploring higher-value uses—like bio-based chemicals, materials, or soil enhancers—could undermine the long-term viability of the sector.
A collaborative effort is needed. Bioeconomy sector associations and industry bodies could work together—perhaps under AIEN’s leadership—to define this HNRV framework and avoid resource misallocation. Done right, it could even underpin a future biomass trading system based on transparent, value-based principles.
This conversation is overdue. If we don’t get it right now, we risk squandering a finite national asset—and leaving future generations with diminished options.
1Highest Net Resource Value (HNRV): Allocating available resources to the highest and best (or essential) uses or productive purposes possible, NET of the cost and effort required to achieve such a result within the actual circumstances prevailing.
Each essay in the Building the Bioeconomy series offers a short, actionable reflection from contributors to the 2024 AIEN Bioeconomy Conference. Together they explore the themes, challenges, and opportunities shaping Australia’s emerging Bioeconomy – highlighting practical pathways, fresh perspectives, and the steps needed to turn strategy into real industry impact. The views expressed are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of AIEN.
If you attended the 2024 AIEN Bioeconomy Conference and believe you have a perspective worth sharing in a future essay, we’d love to hear from you. Please email us at info@aien.com.au.