Spotted: The International Energy Agency (IEA) calls for “an accelerated increase in modern bioenergy use [alongside] a phase-out of traditional use of biomass.” Most traditional uses of biomass involve burning organic materials over an open fire, something that the Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario hopes to eliminate by 2030. 

One challenge in making the best use of available biomass is connecting manufacturers who want to use the material as feedstock in chemical and industrial processes with those in the agriculture and forestry industries who produce it. US-based climate-tech company Loamist has built a ‘Biomass Explorer’ platform in the hopes of making use of the eight billion tonnes of biomass that is wasted globally every year.

Using real-time mapping and data visualisation, the Biomass Explorer tool helps companies seeking more sustainable supply chains find, use, and track low-emission feedstocks from a variety of sources. For owners of biomass materials, it’s easier to earn additional income, as the Explorer tool makes them visible to more buyers.

Users generate custom reports and build directories of suppliers and supplies, and the tool also validates supply chain carbon outputs. With the data, companies can also choose manufacturing locations that are close to biomass sources. Loamist’s goal is to use more than 100 million tonnes of waste biomass by 2030, as organisations around the world swap fossil fuels for carbon-negative or carbon-neutral chemicals, fuel sources, and materials.

In early 2024, Loamist announced $1 million (around €922,000) raised in pre-seed funding. The company plans to continue developing the Biomass Explorer tool and create additional products as the industrial biomass industry matures.

From cellulose to coffee cups, innovations in Springwise’s library showcase the variety of types of waste that can be transformed into biomass.

Written By: Keely Khoury