Author: Louis Ferrini

The European Bioeconomy Network (EUBioNet) is a proactive alliance of EU funded projects dealing with Bioeconomy promotion, communication and support. The main goal is to maximise the efforts, increasing the knowledge sharing, networking, mutual learning, coordination of joint activities and events. The European Bioeconomy Network will work in close collaboration with the European Commission, to ensure that the objectives identified by the Bioeconomy Strategy update will be properly communicated, addressed and implemented.
ALFA project

ALFA project

This project ends on: 31/10/2025

Scaling up the market uptake of Renewable EnergySystems by unlocking the biogas potential of Agriculture and Livestock FArming

Europe could double the biogas and biomethane production by 2030 by utilising the massive amounts of animal waste available.
However, despite the technological maturity and commercial availability of relevant technologies, this promising potential is still largely untapped. In this context, ALFA supports at least 50 livestock farmers in 6 EU counties (IT, DK, DE, BE, SK, EL, ES) to overcome existing barriers and viably take up biogas systems. We start by establishing regional Hubs that analyse the local framework conditions and livestock value chains, and help engage local stakeholders in co-designing our approach. Then, we enhance selected livestock farmers’ business and technical capacity by providing them with a series of demand-driven financial, business, and technical support services and organising dedicated capacity-building seminars. In parallel, we develop an Engagement Platform hosting tools that facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among industry actors and provide credible estimations of each farm’s biogas potential, prospect profits, environmental and social impacts. Also, we improve the societal acceptance of biogas facilities amongst citizens by 25% (or above) through well-tailored awareness-raising campaigns. At the same time, we trigger the development of an enabling environment for the market uptake of biogas by formulating relevant policy recommendations and widely disseminating them to more than 60 policymakers. Finally, a monitoring and evaluation framework evaluates the performance and impact of all the above, providing us with the intel required to catalyse mutual learning across regions and contribute to creating a guide for replicating our results. Therefore, we expect a power output of 30 MWel by our supported cases / projects, leading to an increased share of renewable energy in the final energy consumption in the target countries and ultimately, saving 270,000tn CO2 and 330,000tn CO2-eq from manure management per year.

Contact:

Luna Del Pizzo: delpizzo@apre.it

website: https://alfa-res.eu/

Municipal biowaste as feedstock in a sustainable and circular bioeconomy

Municipal biowaste as feedstock in a sustainable and circular bioeconomy

During various inspiring presentations and a concluding roundtable with experts from industry, research and authorities, we will shed light on how municipal biowaste can be integrated into circular bioeconomy models. There will be time for discussion and mutual exchange.

The workshop will take place at the Center of Mediterranean Architecture in Chania, Crete, beautifully located directly at the harbour. Besides, there is the option to participate online.

The event addresses all those interested in innovations for biowaste utilization, but also those generally involved in the topics of circular economy, recycling and biotechnology.

Check out the exiting workshop agenda, as well as information on the speakers.

From date
2025-06-11
To date
2025-06-11
LUCRA project

LUCRA project

This project ends on: 30/06/2027

Sustainable succinic acid production using an integrated electrochemical bioreactor and renewable feedstock

LUCRA will exploit the EUs underutilized and abundant, organic fraction of Municipal Solid Waste and wood sidestream as feedstocks for the largescale production of platform building block biobased chemicals with significant industrial end-user interest using a circular bioeconomy biorefinery approach.
It will provide optimized and scaleable breakthrough first of a kind innovative technology to create a step change from pilot to large scale integrated fermentation with novel electrochemical extraction of succinic acid that will facilitate its industrial implementation, business models and market feasibility. To fit the needs of the industrial level, LUCRA will optimize the hydrolysis process of the different feedstocks to obtain efficient cellulose and hemicellulose conversion. Enzymatic cocktails will be demonstrated aiming to maximize hydrolysis of fermentable carbohydrate content with low inhibitors production. The crude sugar-rich hydrolysates will be used as fermentation feedstock in an electrochemical membrane bioreactor for efficient extraction and production of SA. To demonstrate the produced SA that will be able to compete directly their fossil-based counterparts from petrochemical processes, different polyurethane dispersions and resins will be produced at semi-industrial scale.

Contact:

Tanja Meyer: tanja.meyer@bbeu.org

website: https://lucra-project.eu/

CheMatSustain project

CheMatSustain project

This project ends on: 31/12/2027

IMPLEMENTING INNOVATIVE METHODS FOR SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENTS OF CHEMICALS AND MATERIALS PARTICULARLY AT NANO LEVEL IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

CheMatSustain is a research initiative, funded by the Horizon Europe Programme of the European Union. Spanning for a 48-month period, our consortium comprises 10 scientific partners from 7 EU countries, alongside collaboration with 1 esteemed UK Associate Partner and lead by the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.
At CheMatSustain, we recognize the transformative potential of nanotechnology and the significance of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) strategies in ensuring the safety and sustainability of nanomaterials and nanotechnology. Thus, the project envisions a future where innovative methods for safety and sustainability assessments of chemicals and materials, especially at the nano level, play a pivotal role in achieving a climate-neutral, circular economy continent. Through collaboration, research, and innovation, we strive to pave the way for a brighter, greener future for generations to come.

Contact:

Dr. Jelena Barbir: info@chematsustain.eu

website: https://chematsustain.eu/

BEAMING project

BEAMING project

This project ends on: 31/12/2027

Bioeconomy excellence alliance for stimulating innovative and inclusive green transition

BEAMING is a Horizon Europe project under the WIDERA work programme which seeks to promote innovation and valorization of knowledge in the field of bioeconomy through cooperation between higher education institutions, with a special focus on widening countries in Central-Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans.

Contact:

Balázs Imre (Project Coordinator): imre.balazs@edu.bme.hu

website: https://beamingproject.eu/

WHAT’S NEXT FOR BIOECONOMY EDUCATION? Workshop series.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR BIOECONOMY EDUCATION? Workshop series.

The EU funded projects GenB and BioGov.net, in collaboration with the EuBioNet, are organising the “What’s next for bioeconomy education? workshops series, whose outcomes will be presented to the European Commission in form of aggregated insights and recommendations, towards the revision of the European Bioeconomy Strategy.

Specifically, GenB is organising the workshop focusing on “Pre-University Education and Communication perspectives” – 28 October 2024 from 14.30 to 16.00 CET, online.

Agenda here

To confirm your participation, we kindly ask you to fill in this registration form

 

While BioGov.net is organising the workshop focusing on “VET and Life-long learning perspectives” – 29 October 2024 from 15.00 to 16.30 CET, online.

Agenda here 

To confirm your participation, we kindly ask you to fill in this registration form

 

Join us! Don’t miss the chance to shape the future of bioeconomy education!

From date
2024-10-28
To date
2024-10-29
Bio4HUMAN project

Bio4HUMAN project

This project ends on: 30/06/2026

Identifying bio-based solutions for waste management applicable to humanitarian sector

As the solid waste management crisis is growing in its urgency, humanitarian aid practitioners are faced with the question of how to manage environmental challenges linked with aid that is being shipped across various humanitarian settings. One of the sound solutions how to address this challenge is to open up a streamline of cooperation between humanitarian aid operators and the bio-based sector allowing them to explore the application potential of bio-based products, systems, and innovative technological solutions. Bio4HUMAN aims to contribute to the identification of bio-based solutions for solid waste management that have the potential to be applicable in various humanitarian settings. To achieve this goal, Bio4HUMAN will conduct a scoping exercise that will come up with a list of solutions but also identify existing supply chain gaps. Following that, it performs life cycle assessments of the proposed solutions and evaluates their applicability with regard to socio-economic and governance aspects. To explore if solutions fit the purpose of key solid waste management stakeholders and to explore the possibility of their acceptance by the community, local businesses, and local authorities, Bio4HUMAN conducts a feasibility evaluation process in 2 African locations. Simultaneously, the project will develop a replication roadmap that will contribute to the future replicability of the solutions identified. Altogether, all of the Bio4HUMAN’s actions will help to improve ways of addressing waste management challenges under humanitarian contexts and to the reduction of waste littered in the environment. In the long run, Bio4HUMAN is expected to contribute to the development of innovative and sustainable value chains that will benefit consumers and citizens in Europe and beyond.

Contact:

Andrea Motola: Andrea.ratkosova@enspire-science.com

website: https://bio4human.eu/

Brilian project

Brilian project

This project ends on: 31/05/2027

Cooperative business models for bio-based chains in rural areas

BRILIAN has been conceived to support the adoption of circular and sustainable cooperative business models in rural areas and enable a better transition to bio-based economies, playing a pivotal role in revitalizing these regions and fostering sustainable economic and social development, making primary producers active actors of the supply chain.

BRILIAN will implement a multi-actor approach for the validation of a group of Actions for the Bio Innovation, seeking to:

  1. Forge robust rural bio-communities
  2. Increase circularity and sustainability
  3. Promote the integration of short supply chains
  4. Produce value-added bioproducts

These Actions for the Bio Innovation will validate ten bio-based value chains starting from cardoon, safflower, and sunflower (in Italy), potato (in Spain), and rapeseed (in Denmark) as raw materials and will develop sustainable and circular business models encompassing a wide range of high-value-added bio-products, such as bioplastics, biolubricants, proteins, bioadhesives, bioherbicides, products for animal feed or the cosmetic sector. This will allow primary producers to diversify their income while reducing risk.

BRILIAN is an ambitious four-year project with a budget exceeding 6 million euros, co-financed by the Circular Bio-Based Europe (CBE) joint initiative under the European program for innovation and research ‘Horizon Europe 2021-2027’ (HE). The project involves 13 entities from 6 different countries: Spain, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Greece, including 3 large companies, 3 SMEs, 3 research organizations, 2 clusters, and 2 associations.

Contacts:

Olga de Blas (D&C Area): Odeblas@clusterfoodmasi.es
Maider Gómez (Project coordinador): mgomez@fcirce.es

website: https://brilian.eu/

 BioBeo project

 BioBeo project

Project concluded

Innovative education for the bioeconomy

BioBeo introduces new thinking and approaches in education on the circular bioeconomy across Europe. While strategically overcoming the institutional and cultural barriers to implementing relevant circular bioeconomy education programs in preschool, primary, and secondary schools, we are defining and delivering novel curricula in schools. Our aim is to enhance young people’s and citizens‘ involvement in policy-making for bioeconomy.

BioBeo is a two and a half-year project with 15 partners with the aim to develop and deploy an education programme to enhance engagement across society regarding lifestyle, circularity and bioeconomy, using 5 bioeconomy themes:

  • Interconnectedness
  • Outdoor Learning
  • Forestry
  • Life Below Water
  • The Food Loop

Partners are committed to promoting the bioeconomy concept and will co-create and co-deliver the programme. BioBeo will provide better coordination between bio-science and education in schools by developing the Circular Economy Science-Society message with a particular focus on circular lifestyle and behaviours, and a governance framework on society-wide engagement in bioeconomy policy. BioBeo addresses social issues such as gender bias, disadvantaged youth groups, migrants and members of society with additional needs.

Tom Curran: tom.curran@ucd.ie

website: https://www.biobeo.eu

P2GreeN project

P2GreeN project

This project ends on: 30/11/2026

Closing the gap between fork and farm for circular nutrient flows

Converting human sanitary waste into bio-based fertilisers Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilisers are important for plant growth. However, excessive nitrogen and phosphorus in the environment result in pollution of the air and water. The EU-funded P2GreeN project will develop new circular governance solutions for the fork-to-farm framework to eliminate N & P pollution. The project will focus on circular nutrient flows of N & P by connecting the blue urban with the green rural infrastructures. P2GreeN will implement and demonstrate innovative N & P recovery solutions based on human sanitary waste from urban settlements and its conversion into safe bio-based fertilisers for agricultural production. The project will test the solutions in three pilot regions on a north-south trajectory

Anita Beblek, Project coordinator, agrathaer: anita.beblek@agrathaer.de

website: https://p2green.eu/