There are 3.5 million hectares of forests in Bayern and Nordhein-Westfalen regions, of which nearly one million is state-owned. The prices of wood-based raw materials have soared high, as the demand exceeds supply in all major markets while expansionary monetary policy is speeding up the inflation. States and companies must restructure to survive and build sustainable growth.
Forests are among the cornerstones in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity. The European Union has drawn new guidelines and set ambitious targets to ensure the sustainability of forestry activities. Despite being part of the same economical regime, the European countries differ in terms of economy, industry structure and wildlife habitats and therefore one size does not fit all.
Lignin has been a good source for renewable bioenergy, but it is currently an underutilized source for biobased products and has the potential to replace many of the oil-based products. While lignosulfonates have found their use cases, there is a huge untapped potential for kraft-lignin and lignin originating from second generation (2G) biorefineries.