Specific Challenge:
Today, there are some open access research infrastructures (including private) spread across Europe, where applicants or interested parties can ‘shop’ for equipment and facilities they may need to carry out lab, test or pilot work. There is also a limited number of open access multipurpose demonstration facilities which are seen as a crucial alternative to effectively reduce the high capital investment requirements for bio-based industries from invention to the market. These infrastructures are not well known in the broad R&D&I communities across Europe. Neither are these communities aware of the type and available equipment and facilities that the various infrastructures have to offer. There is not enough insight into the extent that the available infrastructure meets the needs by bio-based industries in their ambitions to set up and implement development projects and contribute to the goals of the Bio-based Industries JU.
In addition, there are specific needs for the agro- and the forest-based bioeconomy that have to be taken into account.
The challenge is two-fold:
The Europe-wide open access infrastructure must be capable to protect IP Rights of users.
There are ongoing activities to open up key national and regional research infrastructures to all European researchers from academia and industry and ensuring their optimal use and joint development. Actions within BBI JU should seek synergies with these activities. Additionally, BBI-actions should be complementary with results from FP7 project BRISK.
Scope:Map the existing bio-economy related open access research infrastructure in Europe (equipment and supporting facilities), its current utilisation, major achievements, best practices and assess its main capabilities.
Share the obtained overview and insight for improved access. Analyse the demand for infrastructure by bio-based industries in the future (2020+), assess needed expansion of its capabilities to meet the demand and specify conditions to realise this. Proposals should address the following elements:
The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) will set up an industry expert group from among its members which will provide expertise in the implementation and follow-up of the different tasks and also provide support to the organisation of meetings or workshops. This expert group should be a central part of the governance structure of the project.
Indicative funding: It is considered that proposals with a total eligible budget of up to EUR 1 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately.
Expected Impact: