ExpectedOutcome:
In line with the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the EU Forest strategy, the EU Biodiversity strategy, the updated Industrial strategy and the Circular Economy Action Plan, successful proposals will facilitate the large-scale deployment of industrial bio-based systems based on primary woody biomass. These systems will contribute to the EU Bioeconomy Strategy implementation, demonstrating improved environmental performances, maximising resource- and energy-efficiency, and optimising cascading use of bio-based primary and secondary feedstock, aiming at ‘zero waste’ and ‘zero-pollution’ operations and outputs.
Project results should contribute to the following expected outcomes:
Forest-based value chains are often vertically integrated but could be further optimised by introducing innovative processing technologies, e.g., upcycling residual flows to higher value applications and exploiting industrial symbiosis concepts (within the same industrial sector but also with other industrial sectors when applicable) to maximise the value extracted from main and side streams of forest biomass. Moreover, there are non-forest woody resources, both primary and secondary, not yet efficiently managed and valorised.
This topic aims to considerably increase resource efficiency by promoting cooperation of companies of different scales and other actors and move towards "zero waste, zero pollution" operations. The feedstock in scope of the topic are woody biomass from sustainably managed forests and wood industry side streams and residues.
For this purpose, seamless and efficient integration of processing technologies of main and side flows of woody biomass between various companies and other actors is needed, specialising manufacturing of diverse materials and products. This may be achieved by the creation of a symbiotic ecosystem with clusters of companies of different scale and technology providers using the residual streams of large-scale industrial plants, but also exploiting the technical opportunities from emerging manufacturing systems. The cascading use of woody biomass already allows for a range of industrial purposes; the better integration would provide efficiency gains and higher value of the wood-based value chains at a regional scale. The cooperation between well-established and emerging industrial operators, forest owners, innovators and RTOs/ academia, as well as financial support from public and private investors must be increased, to ensure circular, resource efficient and zero pollution processing.
Proposals under this topic should:
Proposals are recommended to include a task to perform an assessment based on the safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) framework, developed by the European Commission, for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials[2]. Under this context, proposals are recommended to also include a task to contribute with and develop recommendations that can advance further the application of the SSbD framework[3].
Proposals may consider making existing/new industrial assets (e.g., labs, test rigs, etc.) or other training packages accessible to researchers, SMEs, etc., for visiting, or training and testing bio-based processes.
Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach and ensure adequate involvement of all key actors in the value chains relevant for this topic, across the sustainable circular bio-based system, e.g., the bio-based processing industry, including brand owners, but also researchers, feedstock producers and suppliers, regional actors, regional policy makers, consumers and civil society.
Proposals should also describe their contribution to the Specific CBE JU requirements, presented in section 2.2.3.1, and the Cross-cutting elements, highlighted in section 2.2.3.2 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2023[4].
Where relevant, proposals should seek links with and capitalise on the results of past and ongoing EU funded projects[5], including from BBI JU[6].
[1]For example, construction, furniture, textiles, pulp and paper industries, sawmills, etc.
[2]See documents defining the framework and criteria on: https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/industrial-research-and-innovation/key-enabling-technologies/advanced-materials-and-chemicals_en.
[3]More specifically, provide thresholds that can support the criteria definition and improvements for the assessment SSbD methodologies, including any specificities related with bio-based surfactants. Recommendations should also include identification of data gaps, especially safety, environmental, but also socio-economic factors, as well as priorities for data collection.
[4]CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2023 (https://www.cbe.europa.eu/reference-documents)
[5]For example, HORIZON-CL6-2021-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-06: Increasing the environmental performance of industrial processes in bio-based sectors: construction, woodworking, textiles, pulp and paper and bio-chemicals; the RIA on “Forest-based high value applications and improved forest management via “learning from nature” and non-invasive quality control” in the same CBE AWP.
[6]For example, Sweetwood, VALCHEM, INGREEN, EXILVA, VIOBON