Biomass and Land Use in a Decarbonizing US Economy

The analysis concludes that biomass is a limited resource that should play a minor role in energy production, with priority given to carbon removal, chemicals production, and next-generation fuels over crop-based biofuels. It warns that demand for biomass could exceed sustainable supply, potentially leading to land use changes that increase greenhouse gas emissions, and recommends accelerating electrification and energy efficiency to reduce biomass demand.

• Biomass is a limited, land-intensive resource where demand may exceed sustainable supply, potentially leading to competition between industries and unsustainable land use change. Growing crops for biomass is found to require significantly more land than the deployment of renewable energy.
• To maximize decarbonization benefits, biomass should be prioritized for carbon removal, chemicals production, and next-generation fuels (such as biomass hydrogen) rather than conventional biofuels or electricity combustion. Crop-based and food crops are deemed unlikely to benefit the climate.
• Effective decarbonization requires accurate carbon accounting and policy guardrails to protect ecosystems and food systems. Policy incentives like tax credits should prioritize feedstocks that provide the highest decarbonization benefit and avoid those causing land use change and increased greenhouse gas emissions.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Biomass and Land Use in a Decarbonizing US Economy. https://www.wri.org/research/biomass-and-land-use-decarbonizing-us-economy

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Biomass and Land Use in a Decarbonizing US Economy. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/biomass-and-land-use-decarbonizing-us-economy.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Biomass and Land Use in a Decarbonizing US Economy |url=https://www.wri.org/research/biomass-and-land-use-decarbonizing-us-economy |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendbiomass, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Biomass and Land Use in a Decarbonizing US Economy}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/biomass-and-land-use-decarbonizing-us-economy}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }