BIOTRANSFORM

Presentation

BIOTRANSFORM project – Circular BIOeconomy TRANSFORMation for regions by enabling resource and governance networks – aims to provide European policymakers with an adequate assessment and policy development framework, knowledge base and expert support ecosystem to accelerate the transition from linear fossil-based systems to circular bio based systems.

Project co-funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme, 2022 - 2025

BIOTRANSFORM provides European policymakers with an adequate assessment and policy development framework, knowledge base and expert support ecosystem to accelerate the transition from linear fossil-based systems to circular bio-based systems. It is therefore operating at the interface between the circular economy and the bioeconomy transitions. In this way, BIOTRANSFORM equips policymakers with the tools to set informed priorities that serve environmental, economic, and social goals, being actionable, futureproof, and align with supply-and-demand trends in related industries and value chains.

BIOTRANSFORM’s “assessment package” will be tested by and provided for European policymakers, which will include 3 complementary tools:

  • resource flow analysis tool including circular innovations,
  • a cutting-edge quick environmental, social, and economic assessment tool,
  • and a logistics management tool

To achieve this, BIOTRANSFORM develops and tests its framework to establish and roll out circular bio-based systems by applying a multi-actor approach around 6 regional cases: Andalusia (Spain), Northern Burgenland (Austria), Western Macedonia (Greece), Finland, Charles Spa Region (Czech Republic) and North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany). These regional case studies represent several important industries and scenarios for Europe such as: forestry, agri-food, lake ecosystems, lignite and minerals, and chemicals. Action roadmaps will consider specific regional available resources and infrastructures, conversion pathways, logistics, current policies, strategies, and access to finance. In other words, BIOTRANSFORM builds on the concept of regenerative bioeconomy value cycles by tapping into what is there already and connecting the dots. In this concept, carbon is stored, and nutrients are recovered. This concept shall be upscaled and replicated to many further European regions to achieve Europe's ambitious goals.

Activities

ACR+ will lead the work on how regional governance can guide the transition to circular bioeconomy. Collaborative working groups will be organised to identify how to govern and finance the transition, also capitalising on the experience of the 6 regional cases. Policy recommendations will also be proposed to improve the European framework enabling more circular regional bioeconomy strategies.

Partners

BIOTRANSFORM´ project leader is VTT, Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy (FI) and its project partners are:

  • ACR+, Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management (BE)
  • ALCN, alchemia-Nova GmbH (AT)
  • LIST, Luxembourg institute of science and technology (LU)
  • VITO, Vlaamse Instelling Voor Technologisch Onderzoek N.V. (BE)
  • CTA, Fundación Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía (ES)
  • CLuBE, Cluster of Bioeconomy and Environment of Western Macedonia (GR)
  • CLIB, Cluster Industrielle Biotechnologie – CLIB eV. (DE)
  • HUB, BioEast HUB (CZ)
  • Q-PLAN, Q-PLAN international Advisors PC (GR)

Organisers / Managers