Advanced Biomass Valorisation for a Circular Bioeconomy: Technologies, Resource Efficiency and Sustainability Assessment

Dear Colleagues,

The transition towards a circular bioeconomy requires the efficient and sustainable valorisation of biomass and organic wastes into energy, fuels, materials, and high value-added products. Recent advances in conversion technologies, process integration, and resource efficiency have significantly expanded the potential of biomass-based systems, yet critical challenges remain regarding environmental performance, scalability, and systemic sustainability.

This Special Issue aims to gather state-of-the-art research on advanced biomass valorisation pathways within a circular economy framework, focusing on innovative technologies, their integration in biorefinery strategies, and the demonstration of improved efficiency in the use of renewable resources. In addition, strong emphasis is placed on sustainability assessment methodologies, such as life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC), social LCA (sLCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA), as well as integrated system evaluation. By combining technological innovation with robust sustainability metrics, this Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary perspective on how biomass can contribute to climate neutrality, resource efficiency, and sustainable development.

This Special Issue contributes to the growing body of literature on sustainable resource management by bridging technological advances with environmental and socio-economic assessment. 

Biomass and bio-based wastes are central to the transition towards a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy. As renewable and widely available resources, they offer significant potential to replace fossil-based feedstocks in the production of energy, fuels, chemicals, and materials. However, the sustainable deployment of biomass valorisation systems requires a holistic understanding of technological performance, resource efficiency, and environmental impacts across the entire life cycle.

Recent years have seen rapid developments in thermochemical, biochemical, and hybrid conversion technologies, alongside increasing attention to cascading use, circularity, and nutrient recovery. At the same time, sustainability assessment tools, particularly life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC), social LCA (sLCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA), have become essential to identify trade-offs, avoid burden shifting, and support evidence-based decision-making.

This Special Issue aims to provide an advanced and integrated perspective on biomass valorisation within the framework of the circular bioeconomy. It seeks to highlight innovative technologies, optimisation strategies within biorefinery approaches, and sustainability assessment methods that contribute to improved environmental performance, resource efficiency, and circularity.

The topic aligns closely with the scope of the Sustainability journal, which promotes interdisciplinary research addressing environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainable development.

By bringing together contributions from engineering, environmental science, and systems analysis, this SI supports the development of sustainable solutions for biomass use and resource management.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

• Advanced thermochemical and biochemical biomass conversion technologies (pyrolysis, gasification, anaerobic digestion, fermentation, composting, among others);
• Integrated biorefineries and cascading biomass use;
• Valorisation of waste and residues (e.g., agro-industrial waste, sewage sludge, food waste, lignocellulosic biomass);
• Production of biofuels, bioenergy, and bio-based materials;
• Nutrient recovery and circular resource management (N, P, carbon cycles);
• Process optimisation and scale-up challenges;
• Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and process feasibility;
• Life cycle assessment (LCA);
• Life cycle costing (LCC) ;
• Social LCA (sLCA);
• Carbon footprint, climate neutrality and decarbonisation strategies;
• Integration of renewable energy systems in biomass valorisation pathways;
• Policy, regulatory frameworks and sustainability criteria (e.g., EU Green Deal / RED III);
• Case studies and pilot-scale applications of biomass valorisation systems;
• Real-world case studies and industrial-scale applications of biomass valorisation systems. 

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Nuno Lapa
Dr. Margarida Quina
Dr. Patrícia Moura
Guest Editors

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• biomass valorisation
• circular bioeconomy
• biorefineries
• resource efficiency
• sustainability assessment
• waste-to-resource systems
• circular resource management
• decarbonisation