Technological watch
Nova-Institut reports global bio-based polymer market to rise 11% annually until 2030
Market data forecast indicates that Europe and North America are driving expansion of bio-based polymer and bio-based building block capacity while Asia remains the largest producer.
A report compiled by international biopolymer expert group nova-Institut GmbH (Hürth, Germany) provides an overview of capacities and production volumes for 17 commercially available bio-based building blocks and polymers in 2025, together with a forecast through 2030. The full report is available online for free.
“Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers – Global Capacities, Production and Trends 2025–2030” drawing on nova-Institut’s decades of experience and expertise in the bio-based chemicals and materials sector. In addition to publishing annual data for this report, its members have also been providing data to European Bioplastics since 2016 and Plastics Europe since 2023.
Market data on bio-based building blocks and polymers is in high demand as industry globally transitions from fossil fuels to renewable carbon from biomass, direct CO2 utilization and recycling. A strong foundation in biopolymers and today’s bio-derived building blocks is particularly essential for advancing composites fabrication as the composite industry seeks to become more sustainable and integrate bio-based constituents into composite systems.
A snapshot of some of nova-Institut’s key findings are detailed below.
nova-institut report data Plastics Production From 1950 to 2024.
Bio-based polymer capacities and production worldwide 2025.
Polymers and bio-based shares worldwide (2020-2025).
Bio-based polymers: Evolution of worldwide production capacities from 2018-2030.
Schematic difference of pathways of drop-in.
Biomass utilization worldwide.
Pathways to bio-based polymers.
Bio-based polymers and plastics production 2024 worldwide.
Previous Next Strong growth for bio-based polymers until 2030In 2025, bio-based polymers reached 4.5 million tonnes of production, representing 1% of total fossil-based polymer output, with an expected CAGR of 11% through 2030 — significantly higher than the overall polymer market growth of 2-3% — potentially increasing their share to 2%. Installed capacity is split between 58% bio-based, non-biodegradable polymers and 42% biodegradable polymers, with utilization rates of 90% and 81% respectively, and similar projected growth rates of 10-11%. Capacity expansions from 2024 to 2025 totaled about 550,000 tonnes, driven mainly by epoxy resin and PLA growth in Asia, while further expansion is expected across regions for PP, PEF and PHA. In 2025, cellulose acetate (25%) and epoxy resins (30%) accounted for more than half of total production, followed by PUR (9%), PLA (9%), PA (8%), PTT (6%) and PE (5%), with all other listed polymers each contributing less than 5% of total volume.
Demand for bio-based feedstock and land useRising demand for bio-based polymers highlights the importance of biomass feedstocks, particularly amid debates over food crop use. Of the 13.7 billion tonnes of total biomass demand, 57% is used for feed, while only 0.026% supports bio-based polymer production, requiring 3.6 million tonnes of biomass to produce 4.5 million tonnes of polymers and accounting for just 0.016% of land use.
Feedstocks primarily include sugars (25%) and starch (22%) from high-yield crops, with protein portions allocated to animal feed, as well as glycerol (28%) from biodiesel production, non-edible plant oils (13%), cellulose (8%) and edible plant oils (4%). Of the total polymer volume, 2.4 million tonnes (53%) consisted of bio-based content, meaning roughly 1.5 times more feedstock was required than was incorporated into the final product due to conversion losses and by-product formation.
Global shift to renewable carbon is needed In 2025, major global brands are advancing the transition to sustainable and circular solutions by replacing fossil carbon with renewable carbon from biomass, CO2 and recycling, expanding renewable feedstocks and increasing biomass use to boost bio-based polymer supply. By 2030, Asia is expected to retain a 55% market share, while North America and Europe increase their shares by 3% and 4%, together reaching 38% of global supply following major investments. In Europe, bio-based polymers are shaped by biomass, chemicals and plastics regulations — particularly the Renewable Energy Directive, Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, and Fertilisers Regulation — while the revised Bioeconomy Strategy (November 2025) identifies bio-based plastics and chemicals as lead markets and references possible bio-based content quotas to strengthen demand and investment conditions.
Bio-based polymers highlightsStartup program moves Mars Materials on bio-derived acrylonitrile production pathway
Lignin reinforcement enhances PLA biopolymer functionality
German consortium develops biopolymer-based Cellun composite
Fiber Institute Bremen develops high-strength PLA biopolymers
The global polymer market includes structural and functional polymers, rubber products and man-made fibers, with the report focusing on the 4.6 million tonnes of bio-based structural polymers that form the structural mass of finished products.
Bio-based functional polymers and paper starch total 13.7 million tonnes, bringing structural and functional polymers together to 18 million tonnes, while bio-based rubber products (15 million tonnes, 51% share) and man-made fibers (8.4 million tonnes, 9% share) also contribute significantly. Bio-based polymers follow drop-in, smart drop-in and dedicated pathways, each with distinct production and market characteristics. In 2025, installed capacity for bio-based polymers reached 5.1 million tonnes, with 4.5 million tonnes produced, and is projected to grow to 8.5 million tonnes by 2030 (11% CAGR), with particularly strong growth expected for PP, PEF and PHA.
Asia leads global production capacity with a 55% share in 2025, followed by North America (17%), Europe (14%) and South America (13%), while Europe and North America are expected to see the highest growth rates (20% CAGR) through 2030.
Bio-based polymers are used across diverse market segments, led by fibers (28%), packaging (21%), functional applications (17%), automotive (11%) and consumer goods (10%). Both non-biodegradable and biodegradable bio-based polymers are projected to grow at around 10-11% CAGR to 2030, driven by polymers such as PP, PEF, PHA and PLA, while fossil-based PBS and PBAT capacities are expected to remain largely stable. Bio-based building block capacity reached 5.8 million tonnes in 2025 and is forecast to grow at 10% CAGR to 2030, supported mainly by ethylene, epichlorohydrin, L-lactic acid, naphtha, propylene and 1,4-butanediol.
“Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers – Global Capacities, Production and Trends 2025–2030” drawing on nova-Institut’s decades of experience and expertise in the bio-based chemicals and materials sector. In addition to publishing annual data for this report, its members have also been providing data to European Bioplastics since 2016 and Plastics Europe since 2023.
Market data on bio-based building blocks and polymers is in high demand as industry globally transitions from fossil fuels to renewable carbon from biomass, direct CO2 utilization and recycling. A strong foundation in biopolymers and today’s bio-derived building blocks is particularly essential for advancing composites fabrication as the composite industry seeks to become more sustainable and integrate bio-based constituents into composite systems.
A snapshot of some of nova-Institut’s key findings are detailed below.
nova-institut report data Plastics Production From 1950 to 2024.
Bio-based polymer capacities and production worldwide 2025.
Polymers and bio-based shares worldwide (2020-2025).
Bio-based polymers: Evolution of worldwide production capacities from 2018-2030.
Schematic difference of pathways of drop-in.
Biomass utilization worldwide.
Pathways to bio-based polymers.
Bio-based polymers and plastics production 2024 worldwide.
Previous Next Strong growth for bio-based polymers until 2030In 2025, bio-based polymers reached 4.5 million tonnes of production, representing 1% of total fossil-based polymer output, with an expected CAGR of 11% through 2030 — significantly higher than the overall polymer market growth of 2-3% — potentially increasing their share to 2%. Installed capacity is split between 58% bio-based, non-biodegradable polymers and 42% biodegradable polymers, with utilization rates of 90% and 81% respectively, and similar projected growth rates of 10-11%. Capacity expansions from 2024 to 2025 totaled about 550,000 tonnes, driven mainly by epoxy resin and PLA growth in Asia, while further expansion is expected across regions for PP, PEF and PHA. In 2025, cellulose acetate (25%) and epoxy resins (30%) accounted for more than half of total production, followed by PUR (9%), PLA (9%), PA (8%), PTT (6%) and PE (5%), with all other listed polymers each contributing less than 5% of total volume.
Demand for bio-based feedstock and land useRising demand for bio-based polymers highlights the importance of biomass feedstocks, particularly amid debates over food crop use. Of the 13.7 billion tonnes of total biomass demand, 57% is used for feed, while only 0.026% supports bio-based polymer production, requiring 3.6 million tonnes of biomass to produce 4.5 million tonnes of polymers and accounting for just 0.016% of land use.
Feedstocks primarily include sugars (25%) and starch (22%) from high-yield crops, with protein portions allocated to animal feed, as well as glycerol (28%) from biodiesel production, non-edible plant oils (13%), cellulose (8%) and edible plant oils (4%). Of the total polymer volume, 2.4 million tonnes (53%) consisted of bio-based content, meaning roughly 1.5 times more feedstock was required than was incorporated into the final product due to conversion losses and by-product formation.
Global shift to renewable carbon is needed In 2025, major global brands are advancing the transition to sustainable and circular solutions by replacing fossil carbon with renewable carbon from biomass, CO2 and recycling, expanding renewable feedstocks and increasing biomass use to boost bio-based polymer supply. By 2030, Asia is expected to retain a 55% market share, while North America and Europe increase their shares by 3% and 4%, together reaching 38% of global supply following major investments. In Europe, bio-based polymers are shaped by biomass, chemicals and plastics regulations — particularly the Renewable Energy Directive, Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, and Fertilisers Regulation — while the revised Bioeconomy Strategy (November 2025) identifies bio-based plastics and chemicals as lead markets and references possible bio-based content quotas to strengthen demand and investment conditions.
Bio-based polymers highlightsStartup program moves Mars Materials on bio-derived acrylonitrile production pathway
Lignin reinforcement enhances PLA biopolymer functionality
German consortium develops biopolymer-based Cellun composite
Fiber Institute Bremen develops high-strength PLA biopolymers
The global polymer market includes structural and functional polymers, rubber products and man-made fibers, with the report focusing on the 4.6 million tonnes of bio-based structural polymers that form the structural mass of finished products.
Bio-based functional polymers and paper starch total 13.7 million tonnes, bringing structural and functional polymers together to 18 million tonnes, while bio-based rubber products (15 million tonnes, 51% share) and man-made fibers (8.4 million tonnes, 9% share) also contribute significantly. Bio-based polymers follow drop-in, smart drop-in and dedicated pathways, each with distinct production and market characteristics. In 2025, installed capacity for bio-based polymers reached 5.1 million tonnes, with 4.5 million tonnes produced, and is projected to grow to 8.5 million tonnes by 2030 (11% CAGR), with particularly strong growth expected for PP, PEF and PHA.
Asia leads global production capacity with a 55% share in 2025, followed by North America (17%), Europe (14%) and South America (13%), while Europe and North America are expected to see the highest growth rates (20% CAGR) through 2030.
Bio-based polymers are used across diverse market segments, led by fibers (28%), packaging (21%), functional applications (17%), automotive (11%) and consumer goods (10%). Both non-biodegradable and biodegradable bio-based polymers are projected to grow at around 10-11% CAGR to 2030, driven by polymers such as PP, PEF, PHA and PLA, while fossil-based PBS and PBAT capacities are expected to remain largely stable. Bio-based building block capacity reached 5.8 million tonnes in 2025 and is forecast to grow at 10% CAGR to 2030, supported mainly by ethylene, epichlorohydrin, L-lactic acid, naphtha, propylene and 1,4-butanediol.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 870292.
