Biorefining in a future BioEconomy

Objective

1.         Definitions and Objectives

(a)      Definitions

Biorefining is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals, and/or materials) and bioenergy (biofuels, power and/or heat). Both energy-driven biorefineries and product-driven biorefineries can be distinguished. In energy-driven biorefineries the biomass is primarily used for the production of secondary energy carriers (biofuels, power and/or heat); process residues are sold as feed (current situation), or even better are upgraded to added-value bio-based products, to optimise economics and environmental benefits of the full biomass supply chain. In product-driven biorefineries the biomass is fractionised into a portfolio of bio-based products with maximal added-value and overall environmental benefits, after which the process residues are used for power and/or heat production, for both internal use and selling of the surplus to national grids.

(b)     Objective

To collect, analyse, share, and disseminate strategic technical and non-technical information – including best-practices – on biorefinery-based sustainable value chains; supporting and training industrial/SME, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders setting their position in a future BioEconomy.

2.         Scope of the Task

(a)     The Participants will have R&D programmes within their countries in order to meet the above objectives.

(b)     The Participants will carry out co-operative research work towards reaching the objectives described in paragraph 1(b) above, based on the national R&D programmes referred to in sub-paragraph (a) above;

(a)        The Programme of Work will include the following:

(i)      Assessing the major market deployment aspects for integrated biorefineries

(ii)     Supporting industrial/SME stakeholders finding their position in a future BioEconomy

(iii)    Analysing optimal sustainable biomass valorisation approaches for Food and Non-food (incl. Energy/Fuels) applications 
within a market-pull approach

(iv)    Preparing policy advice on further needs (regulation, research, …)

(v)     Organising knowledge dissemination activities

(vi)    Developing and organising training activities

Synergetic international co-operation within the IEA Bioenergy framework will potentially decrease the time-to-market for high- efficient integrated biorefineries by tackling major non-technical critical success factors at the right international level.