Linking BioBased Industry Value Chains Across the Alpine Region
The transition from a linear fossil-fuel based to a circular bio-based economy is a key EU objective. To achieve this objective, the Alpine Space (AS) regions have significant biomass resources, strong industry sectors, and knowledge centers. Unfortunately, no holistic cross-regional approach exists to connect all relevant actors. The huge potential remains untapped for lack of innovative bio-based value chains (VCs). Thus, the AS regions have a common challenge to bring together bio-feedstock producers, intermediates processors, product developers, brandowners, retailers and product end users to address pressing societal needs with novel cross-regional and sectorial value chains for implementing a circular bio-based economy. The project’s main objective is precisely to develop a cross-regional circular bio-based economic strategy that includes a roadmap and demonstrators for intelligently assessing, selecting and creating innovative VCs for the AS wood, agriculture, food/pharma and chemistry sectors. First, existing resources, actors and relevant policies are mapped to set up a cross-regional database. Second, a methodology (VC generator) is developed to match actors demand-oriented in new or alternative VCs. It enables new cluster activities for novel business development, and defining coherent data driven policies for stimulating the AS circular bio-based economy. Third, the project identifies previously untapped growth opportunities with demonstrators for each selected sector for the production of bio-based high added-value applications and products. Furthermore, a Masterplan on circular bio-based economy is delivered for establishing common framework conditions on innovation and data driven policy dialogues within the AS. The project targets all relevant stakeholders including, policy makers, cluster initiatives, sectoral agencies, research centres, SMEs and individual actors, who can benefit from the specific tools and engagement in the novel VCs.