Exploring Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) Scenarios for California

The report analyzes the potential for California to meet its 2045 CDR target of 75 MMT CO2e by diversifying its portfolio with Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) systems. Using seven scenarios based on cost and social acceptance, the study finds that BiCRS can remove between 13 and 75 MMT CO2e annually. Scenarios utilizing high biomass availability estimates show that BiCRS alone could meet the state's target, potentially reducing costs and increasing bioenergy and job production by up to 10 times compared to the DAC-heavy 2022 Scoping Plan. However, scenarios with limited forest biomass availability fail to meet the target. The report highlights a trade-off between optimizing biomass for CDR versus sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production and recommends expanding the state's CDR portfolio beyond hydrogen-based BECCS.

• Under high estimates of biomass availability, it is feasible for California to meet its 2022 Scoping Plan CDR target of 75 MMT CO2e solely through BiCRS systems.
• BiCRS can provide a substantial range of carbon removal, from 13 to 75 MMT CO2e, across all analyzed scenarios and assumptions.
• BiCRS scenarios generally produce significantly more bioenergy and jobs than the 2022 Scoping Plan's DAC-focused approach, with high social acceptance scenarios producing approximately 10 times more.
• The deployment of BiCRS can be achieved without inducing land use change or competing with food production due to the high volume of existing waste biomass in California.
• There is a direct trade-off between using biomass for carbon removal and meeting the state's sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) targets; prioritizing SAF reduces the total CDR potential.
• Pathways with higher social acceptance typically rely on advanced bioconversion technologies that are not yet widely scaled, such as gasification, pyrolysis to hydrogen, and fermentation of lignocellulosic materials.
• Lower social acceptance pathways generally utilize more conventional, commercially available technologies such as anaerobic digestion to biogas and combustion to electricity with CCS.
• All analyzed BiCRS scenarios fall within or below the estimated cost range of the 2022 Scoping Plan.

APA

Herbstritt, S., Sanders-DeMott, R., Arax, A., Sheff, E., Grove, B., & Fallon, K. (2025). Exploring Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) Scenarios for California. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/21132004/CATF_CWFCABiCRSCDR_Report_Proof_10.08.25.pdf

Chicago

Herbstritt, Steph, Rebecca Sanders-DeMott, Ashley Arax, Eliza Sheff, Ben Grove, and Kathy Fallon. Exploring Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) Scenarios for California. Clean Air Task Force, 2025. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/21132004/CATF_CWFCABiCRSCDR_Report_Proof_10.08.25.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Herbstritt |first1=Steph |last2=Sanders-DeMott |first2=Rebecca |last3=Arax |first3=Ashley |last4=Sheff |first4=Eliza |last5=Grove |first5=Ben |last6=Fallon |first6=Kathy |title=Exploring Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) Scenarios for California |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=October 2025 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/21132004/CATF_CWFCABiCRSCDR_Report_Proof_10.08.25.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{herbstritt2025exploring, author = {Herbstritt, Steph and Sanders-DeMott, Rebecca and Arax, Ashley and Sheff, Eliza and Grove, Ben and Fallon, Kathy}, title = {{Exploring Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) Scenarios for California}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/21132004/CATF_CWFCABiCRSCDR_Report_Proof_10.08.25.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }