Parallel Session 5 – The future of biorefineries

Wednesday 23 October 2024, 16.00-17.30 BRT

Video recording of the session

Moderator: Rubens Maciel (UNICAMP, Brazil)

Speakers:

Panelists (L-to-R): Connie McManus, Paul Stuart, Robert Thijssen, Fabian Schipfer, Kees Kwant, João Luis Nunes Carvalho, Rubens Maciel.

Selected conclusions and key messages:

  • At the start of the session a joint call of FAPESP (Brazil) and NWO (Netherlands) was launched, aiming for bilateral projects on “Integrated Biorefineries of a circular Future”. The call will be released mid November 2024 and it will focus on new developments for biorefineries and collaboration across scientific disciplines is essential.
  • Biorefinery has four pillars: (1) feedstock, (2) conversion processes, (3) products, and (4) markets. In our way to climate neutrality, we need to move from fossil carbon to renewable/circular carbon in our fuels and products.
  • In future there will be a range of integrated biorefineries that can produce fuels and biochemicals. Over time, the focus may shift, depending on market demands. Investors are the ones that take the risk; they need to maximize their competitive advantage in terms of location, manufacturing platforms, markets, …. The approach can differ from company to company.
  • Bioeconomy connects different networks with each other; we need to embrace the complexity as it creates so many opportunities. System integration creates synergies with two sides: (1) the ability to exchange resources or to improve resource flow efficiency and (2) an improved reliability, resilience and robustness of the systems/processes. System integration creates flexibility, by shifting resources through time (through storage), space (trade), between domains (multi-sector coupling) and between options. Instead of social acceptance of biobased processes, we should focus on social participation, which is one of the key assets and opportunities of biobased value chains.
  • The sugarcane ethanol industry in Brazil is a key sector to mitigate GHG emissions. The pyrolysis of lignocellulosic residues and the use of biochar in sugarcane soils can deliver biofuels with negative emissions.
  • The ‘Integrated Biorefineries Mission’ of Mission Innovation provides a platform to leverage international expertise and share lessons learned on technologies, policies and programs related to biorefineries. It implements a comprehensive roadmap for biorefinery innovation and has a network of collaborators across four continents.
  • A study was presented that explored the impact of policy on the Canadian Bioeconomy, focused on the valorization of forest products and co-products/residues through a case-study based approach. Innovative policies were defined considering fiscal policies, land use policies, carbon policies and targeted policies targeting the establishment of specific bioeconomy value chains. The results of the exercise show which (combinations of) policies have the highest impact to incentivize the different case studies; for example, subsidizing reside collection, tenure modernization to increase harvesting productivity and a higher carbon pricing were some of the most impactful policies. Every country could use a similar approach and orient their advocacy and knowledge building with industry to identify what policy scenarios work best for their case.