Biorefining policy needs to come of age.

After significant delays, the first commercial cellulosic biorefinery is open in Europe and three more are due this year in the USA, with others soon to follow. Although biofuels might be the mainstay, there has been a significant shift in emphasis towards bio-based chemicals. A major bio-based public-private partnership has launched in Europe, but obstacles to biorefining remain, and public policy is not yet directed at enabling the integrated biorefineries of the future.