Carbon management towards low fossil carbon use

Cambioscop aimed to identify, based on an understanding of 2020–2050’ markets and of French residual biomass resources, which residual biomass streams to allocate to which (existing or emerging) conversion technologies, in order to ensure an environmentally performant bioeconomy for France, aligned with the diverse demands of the national economy. This work led to 32 scientific publications, the recruitment of two postdocs (18 months each), the hosting of two self-funded international postdocs (1 year and 6 months, respectively), and the supervision of six PhD students (all defended). It provided a national baseline on French residual biomass — characterizing its spatial distribution, current valorisation pathways, and associated environmental impacts, which was mobilized for France’s low Carbon strategy update (SNBC3). The project also allowed the development of five interconnected sub-platforms for different services requiring hydrocarbons, each comprising its technology catalogue, life cycle inventories (LCIs) of relevant conversion technologies/practices (as modular blocks), and full life cycle assessments (LCAs), including various levels of sensitivity and uncertainty analysis to uncover key environmental performance dependencies. These sub-platforms include: (1) human food and animal feed; (2) non-fossil liquid- and gaseous hydrocarbons; (3) sustainable aviation systems (including hydrogen production and direct air capture technologies); (4) sustainable maritime systems; and (5) carbon sequestration of bioeconomy co-products (biochar, gaschar, hydrochar, digestates, vinasses). Most of the data associated with these platforms are available in open access. Cambioscop also fostered methodological innovations in LCA, including the development of deterministic approaches for generating prospective LCIs and for analysing typical transition scenario drivers (and their interdependencies). It further examined the use of so-called marginal lands to grow biomass while sequestering additional carbon in soils.