Bioeconomy

Context

Regions (lead and partner)

Mission

The Bioeconomy partnership seeks to implement synergies in new bio-based value chains across regions and new connections between sectors as fine and bulk chemistry, biopolymers, wood & paper, biofuels and bioenergy, leading to new interregional business opportunities and co-investment through interregional cooperation and partnerships, exchange of information and ideas, as well as to support the deployment of high TRL technologies, through the setting up of transregional value chains in an industry-driven process, where public support comes into play to help bridging the valley of death. The partnership works in identifying critical challenges beyond the capabilities of a single region to team up skills, energies and resources that can make a difference in market terms.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the Bioeconomy partnership are:

• Build an interregional bioeconomy alliance by promoting stakeholder engagement in the Pilot initiatives, B2B matchmaking events and tools to shape interregional value chains.
• Demonstrate the bioproducts' large-scale feasibility production by raising public and private funds and encouraging the industrial validation of plants, services and products.
• Increase bio-based products on the market by accelerating the development of interregional demonstration projects based on regional investments (ERDF) by providing business development support, business intelligence and investment attractiveness.

Main activities

In 2024, the Pilot achieved significant milestones in three main areas:

1. Interregional Bioeconomy Alliances: Organized 7 B2B events with 550 stakeholders from Vanguard regions, launched alliances with 4 EU networks and 5 EU projects, involving 22 regions. Strengthened partnership with the VCG.AI platform for bio-waste transformation across 12 regions and expanded governance through S3 Community.
2. Large-Scale Feasibility Demonstration: Formed a community of 8 EU projects for industrial-scale bioaromatics production, launched the CIRCUROAD program for circular bio-based asphalt materials, and initiated the I3 biopolymer partnership.
3. Bio-Based Product Commercialization: Launched the IEC2024 call through S3, involving 5 regions to support synchronization and market diffusion of bio-based products.

Organisations involved

Austria:

• Lower Austria member (AT)

Belgium:

• Flanders member (BE)

Finland:

• East and North Finland (FI)

Germany:

• Lower Saxony member (DE)
• North Rhine-Westphalia member (DE)
• Saxony-Anhalt member (DE)

Italy:

• Lombardy region represented by the Lombardy Green Chemistry Association (IT)
• Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen member (IT)
• Emilia-Romagna member (IT)
• Piedmont member (IT)

Slovenia:

• Slovenia member (SI)

Sweden:

• Värmland member (SE)

Spain:

• Navarra member (ES)

The Netherlands:

• Randstad/Zuid Holland member represented by the Province of Zuid-Holland (NL)
• South Netherlands member) represented by the Province of Limburg (NL)

United Kingdom:

• Scotland member (UK)
• Wales member (UK)

Shared smart specialisation areas

Green chemistry, bioeconomy, biofuels/bioenergy, biopolymers, biotechnology for bioeconomy, enhancing renewable biomasses and by-products into high-added-value biobased according to a circular bioeconomy approach

Related projects

Within the Pilot, the partnership has developed the following 4 demo cases (https://www.s3vanguardinitiative.eu/pilots/bio-economy):

Bio-aromatics

• Sugar to bio-aromatics. Sugar-line based on furan and Diels-Alder chemistry: leading to functionalised furans and aromatics.
• Lignin to bio-aromatics (lignoValue plant). Lignin line based on depolymerisation, fractionation, conversion: leading to innovative functionalised molecules.
• Thermochemical conversion of biomass to bio-aromatics: leading mostly to bio-based BTX molecules.

Lignocellulosic biorefinery

• CIRCUROAD Program. A joint initiative focused on bringing together all players in the value chain, from lignin and other biomaterials suppliers to asphalt producers and specifiers.

Liquefied Bio-methane (LNG Blue Corridor)

• SMBio-LNG Shaping the future of Sustainable Mobility aiming at deploying a sustainable supply chain of liquefied biomethane for heavy vehicles mobility. SMBioLNG Project was granted a TAF service extension to design a feasibility study for SMBio-LNG business model replicability in the Slovenia region, by involving one of the major companies in the bioenergy sector.

Biopolymers per industrial applications

• Biopolymers for advanced industrial application. Polyester and polyurethane from agricultural waste.

PROJECTS LINKED WITH THE BIOECONOMY PILOT

1. SYMBIO (1.2024) www.symbioproject.eu/ financed by Horizon Europe (Cluster 6) provides European regional communities with tools and methodological approaches to building bio-based business models based on circularity by design and industrial symbiosis. Thanks to tools for integrating big data and artificial intelligence, SYMBIO shapes 10 symbiotic business models with high-profitability sustainability replicable at the EU level to increase bio-based products on the market and provides a system to model, measure and monitor symbiosis and its social, economic and environmental impacts.
2. RURALBIOUP - Empowering EU Rural Regions to scale-up and adopt small-scale Bio-based solutions (Horizon Europe, 2022-2025) www.ruralbioup.eu/. It supports the adoption of small-scale biobased solutions in rural areas by territorial characteristics (present biomass, existing technologies, etc.), stimulates the creation of sustainable supply chains to produce bioproducts, and facilitates contact between the agricultural and industrial sectors.
3. INNOBIOVC - Innovation Express for circular bioeconomy value chains (Interreg Alpine Space, 2023-2024) www.alpine-space.eu/project/innobiovc/. It creates a new tool that allows bioeconomy research and development actors to discover funding opportunities and partners and measure the sustainability gains of new circular products. It also models the new financing instrument “Innovation Express Call 2024 – IEC2024” for demonstration projects in the circular bioeconomy sector. The IEC2024 represents a joint approach for supporting participants, especially SMEs, at international matchmaking and joint RDI projects in transregional circular bioeconomy value chains, key resources and sectors in agriculture, food and beverages, chemistry, polymers, and energy. LGCA is co-responsible for designing a sustainability assessment tool to measure interregional value chains' economic, social and environmental impacts.
4. HEMPCLUB - Competent and Connected Clusters Unfold the Hemp Industry Potential for the European Bioeconomy (Horizon Europe, 2022-2024) https://hempclubproject.com/. It works to unlock the potential of hemp by creating EU value chains for biobased applications and new business opportunities for primary producers and chemical companies. With its unique chemical properties, environmental benefits, high yield and wide range of applications, industrial hemp is a valuable crop for the bioeconomy, contributing to achieving climate neutrality, although still representing a niche crop in Europe. As a European Strategic Cluster Partnership, HempCluB promotes collaboration, synchronised strategies, and encourages innovative interregional investments to enhance cluster excellence.
5. MILENA and OLGA Technologies (https://shorturl.at/hxmbS). Designed by ECRN (South Netherlands), the process supports the demonstration and market introduction of mild cracking and gas-cleaning technologies. The solid waste feedstock is cracked in MILENA. Subsequent units clean the gas and produce the target components for use in existing downstream processes in the chemical industry. SYNOVA works with Technip Energies as a technology partner. SYNOVA and Technip Energies work with several clients to realise a first commercial plant, notably with SABIC who have also invested in Synova. https://www.sabic.com/en/news/38363-sabic-joins-forces-with-synova-and-technip-energies-to-accelerate-plastic-circularity
6. FABIOLA process (https://shorturl.at/X48bx). Developed and patented by ECN part of TNO (South Netherlands), the mild acetone organosolv process FABIOLATM shows great potential for improving the pre-treatment of lignocellulosic biomass, such as wheat straw, corn stover and various hardwoods like poplar, beech and birch as regards cost-effectiveness and quality of resulting compounds.
7. BRIGHT COATING project (https://www.brightcoatings.eu/). It aims to demonstrate the implementation of a 100% biobased alkyd coating. European non-edible biomass residues will be converted into the essential building block called bio-aromatic MPA (3-methylphthalic anhydride), and this will be used to formulate new biobased resins for alkyd coatings which will finally be applied on an electric wheel loader. The pre-commercial project is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the REACT-EU programme (actors involved: Relement, Worlée, Baril Coating, TNO, Lenzing Group, Cosun, Vertoro, Biorizon; regions involved: South Netherlands, Saxony, Lower Austria, Flanders).
8. LIGNINPLUS project (https://shorturl.at/JftE2). Biorizon co-initiator VITO aimed to expand the existing pilot infrastructure platform built around LignoValue Pilot (EFRO Flanders) and PILLAR II (Moonshot LSI) to demonstrate innovative lignin processes at an industrially relevant scale and achieve faster innovations in the lignin-to-aromatics value chain (actors involved: VITO, regions involved: Flanders). The project represents a further step toward implementing a platform for efficiently producing aromatics from furfural extracted from hemicellulose, a residual stream from biorefineries. The first product, MPA, is currently being marketed by the startup Relement, founded at the end of 2020. We are also working on furan-based products that can be used directly.
9. LIGNICOAT project (https://www.lignicoat.eu/). It aims to demonstrate technical and economic feasibility of the use of lignin as raw material to produce bio-resins for different applications in the field of functional and sustainable coatings (actors involved: Fundacion Tecnalia Research & Innovation Donostia-San Sebastian, Arnices Y Pinturas Modernas Sociedad Anonima, Vlaamse Instelling Voor Technologisch Onderzoek N.V., Association Pour La Recherche Et Ledeveloppement D'innovations Et Detechnologies Pour La Protection Del'heritage Environnemental, Social (Nice, France), Vencorex France Sas, Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT OY (Espoo, Finland), Westlake Epoxy BV , Axia Innovation GmbH, Instituto Tecnologico Agrario De Castilla Y Leon, Foresa Technologies S.L. Caldas De Reis , AEP Polymers Srl, ECOAT, Universidad Del Pais Vasco/ Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS, IRIS Coatings Srl, regions involved: Flanders, East-North Finland, South Netherlands, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Norway, Bavaria, Navarra, Cote d’Azur, Basque Country).
10. LIFE VIABLE project (https://www.life-viable.eu/-it.html). It aims to demonstrate on an industrial scale a sustainable alternative for BPA-based epoxy resin and functional coatings based on lignin and bio-based additives (actors involved: VITO, APESA, CIMV, HP Composites, Polymers, SYENSQO, Stellantis, Westlake Epoxy, regions involved: Flanders, Auvergne Rhôn-Alpes, Marche, Wales, Piedmont, South Netherlands).
11. BIORECEPY project (https://shorturl.at/nlZqi=). It aims to demonstrate on an industrial scale a catalytic depolymerisation process of high-quality lignins to produce hard epoxies, elastomers and soft glues (actors involved: TNO, regions involved: South Netherlands).
12. BIORESAL project (https://www.catalisti.be/en/projects/bioresal). It aims to research the production of biobased LPF resins by replacing phenol with (modified) oligomeric lignin fractions as potentially less hazardous and sustainable building blocks for their application in insulation materials and moulding compounds. Most importantly, this replacement is needed in a technologically proven and economically viable way. Additionally, BIORESAL will include the evaluation of a series of aldehydes as co-reactant in the synthesis of biobased LPF resins (actors involved: Ghent University, VITO, INEOS, SBHPP/Sumitomo Bakelite Europe and Kingspan, regions involved: Flanders, South Netherlands).
13. COUNTLESS project (https://countless-project.eu/). It aims to demonstrate the first catalytic hydrogenolysis process operated in continuous mode at industrially relevant scale for the cost-effective and sustainable production of lignin-based platform chemicals. COUNTLESS will demonstrate their applicability and cost-effectiveness in a variety of end-use cases from bulk to specialty applications (actors involved: VITO, Bllom Biorenewables, Braskem Europe, CLIB, Daren Labs, Fibenol, IFEU, Kastamonu, Soprema, Utrect University, VTT, regions involved: Flanders, Switzerland, South Netherlands, North-Rhein Westfalia, Israel, Estonia, Baden-Wüttemberg, Turkey, Lombardy, Uusimaa)

Contact

• Ilaria Re, ilaria.re@italbiotec.it
• Nikos van Aelst, n.van.aelst@pzh.nl

Latest news and upcoming events

• Sustainability in the textile-fashion sector, 15 February 2024 Milan, Italy
  The thematic conference and B2B matchmaking session focused on sustainability and green transition in textile- fashion (80 participants).
• Ideas and solutions for the recovery and reuse of textile fibres, 27 February 2024 Milan (Italy)
  The thematic conference and B2B matchmaking session focused on sustainability in the textile sector (120 participants).
• Sustainable paper revolution: the use of hemp for a greener future, 26 March 2024 Online
  The thematic conference on the potential of industrial hemp was promoted in collaboration with the Hemp Club EU project (80 participants).
• Recycling of plastic and microplastics, 29 May 2024 Online
  The thematic conference on plastic recycling using enzymatic methods and biotechnological approaches was organised in collaboration with the projects SOS, Propla, Repurpose, and Reply (90 participants).
• The Next Steps of Interregional Collaboration in Bioeconomy, 25-26 September 2024 Kajaani (Finland) & Online
  Interregional Conference of the Vanguard Initiative bringing together the regional stakeholders operating in bioeconomy (80 participants).
• Natural Fibertastic 2024, 26 September 2024 Bergen op Zoom (The Netherlands)
  Thematic conference and B2B matchmaking on local fibre raw materials and production, circular biobased materials, sustainable equipment, prefabricated, modular and demountable construction, and sustainable sourcing (120 participants).
• 111th Biorizon Annual Event on Bio-Aromatics: Scaling Up Research (November 2024)
  Increase Vanguard regions' participation in demo case activities by organising B2B matchmaking and partnering events.

Around 550 players from 20 EU regions/countries were involved in7 matchmaking events and B2B sessions. Bring together a community of experts in the bio-based sector to facilitate the exchange of good practices by building alliances with funded projects.

• Partnerships with 5 European projects have contributed to strengthening cooperation at a regional level for modelling bioeconomy plans, financing measures and tools for measuring the profitability of circular business models.
• Strengthen the partnership with the Value Chain Generator Platform (VCG.AI), a tool that supports the creation of entire value chains, transforming industrial biological waste materials into valuable resources. Over 2,000 European companies have been mapped and 350 business models built. The Pilot participates in a new European project, SYMBIO, to shape 10 symbiotic business models with high profitability replicable at the EU level. The SYMBIO methodology will be designed, tested and validated in the 12 EU pilot regions (Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, Carinthia, Slovenia, Croatia, Andalusia, Brussels Capital, Wallonia, Flanders).