Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
A ailable online 19 July 2023
0959-6526/© 2023 The Au ho (s). Published by Else ie L d. This is an open access a icle unde he CC BY-NC license (h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by-
nc/4.0/).
Bio e ine ies as a d i e o sus ainabili y: Key aspec s, ac ual de elopmen
and u u e p ospec s
Ana A ias
*
, Gume sindo Feijoo, Ma ía Te esa Mo ei a
CRETUS, Depa men o Chemical Enginee ing, School o Enginee ing, Uni e si y o San iago de Compos ela, 15782, San iago de Compos ela, Spain
ARTICLE INFO
Handling Edi o : Tomas B. Ramos
Keywo ds:
Sus ainabili y
Ce i ica ion schemes
Sus ainabili y c i e ia
S anda diza ion
Indica o s
Bio e ine y
ABSTRACT
The o e exploi a ion o esou ces, he inc ease o he wo ld popula ion and he end o consump ion based on
“use and h ow away” is causing an inc easing p essu e on was e managemen . In his sense, i is necessa y o
p omo e sus ainable p ac ices in he alo iza ion o was e s eams as a s a egy o he co-p oduc ion o bio-
p oduc s and bioene gy. This app oach can lead o mo e sus ainable p oduc ion chains, as lowe en i onmen al
bu dens a e expec ed. Howe e , e en i a p omising cascade p oduc ion echnology could be used, he echnical
and economic easibili y o bio e ine ies emains a challenge. This epo aims o p o ide a ious insigh s on how
o assess bio e ine ies om a sus ainabili y pe spec i e, including also a ailable s anda ds and guidelines ha
enable eliable, accu a e and anspa en sus ainabili y assessmen s. I also shows whe e o ocus o he in-
clusion o bio e ine ies in he alue chain, o communica e/ isualize hei po en ial, and o he p omo ion o
bio-based p oduc s om eco e ed esou ces. The ou comes and main conclusions o his epo could be
summa ized as he impo ance and he need o assessing bio e ine y scena ios unde a sus ainable pe spec i e o
ha e an inc eased ma ke po en ial, conside ing he main aspec s a ailable on he in e na ional guidelines,
ce i ica ion schemes and olun a y s anda ds.
1. In oduc ion
Consump ion pa e ns leading o uncon olled gene a ion o was e
a e becoming a majo managemen en i onmen al p oblem. This im-
plies he need o de elop new p oduc ion models ha use hese was es as
aw ma e ials o he manu ac u e o o he goods. These “ eco e ed o
e alued” p oduc s could be conside ed sui able o en e he ma ke
alue chain, om he mul ic i e ia poin o iew based on en i on-
men al p o ec ion, economic p o i abili y and social accep ance (Nizami
e al., 2017).
In his amewo k, he de elopmen o bio e ine ies is con empla ed
a key wi h a win-win app oach. Lignocellulosic was es a e con e ed
in o aluable biop oduc s, such as bio uels o bio-based chemicals, and
in addi ion, he managemen o a huge amoun o was e is a oided, a-
o ing he ci cula i y o esou ces and a oiding he impac s de i ed
om end-o -li e ea men s o disposal (Saue e al., 2014). On he o he
hand, he selec ion o one ype o bio e ine y o ano he will depend on
he cha ac e is ics, esou ce a ailabili y in e ms o he ype o was e
gene a ed, he echnology a ailable and he demands o socie y in e ms
o biop oduc s wi h ma ke pene a ion po en ial (Nizami e al., 2017;
Saha and Mukhopadhyay, 2020).
In his sense, u u e bio e ine ies should be de eloped aking in o
accoun he in eg al use o biomass eeds ock, o mee ci cula economy
c i e ia on was e educ ion, making ull use o a ailable esou ces and
ensu ing ma ke oppo uni ies o biop oduc s, aking in o accoun bo h
demands and compe i ion wi h hei coun e pa s.
Fu he mo e, as one o he main bo lenecks in he de elopmen o a
bio e ine y scheme is he echnical and economic easibili y, he in e-
g a ion o mass and ene gy lows, oge he wi h he op imiza ion o
esou ce use, mus be add essed. The main ad an age o using bio-based
was e ma e ials is ha i encou ages he in eg a ed use o esou ces,
a o ing ci cula economy s a egies: ecycling, eusing and emanu-
ac u ing, among o he s. Se e al epo s ha e e alua ed he use o ood
was e, lignocellulosic was e, municipal solid was e, pape was e and
manu e as he main bio-based esou ces o p oduce chemicals, bio uels
and bioplas ics, among o he s (A ias e al., 2022; Kha ami e al., 2021;
Le ne e al., 2018; Sepúl eda e al., 2021). Thinking abou he main
concep s o he ci cula bioeconomy wi h he use o was e eeds ocks
allows he de elopmen o a holis ic app oach in which en i onmen al,
social and economic pilla s a e e alua ed (Ubando e al., 2020).
The de elopmen o bio e ine ies has in ensi ely inc eased in he las
* Co esponding au ho .
E-mail add ess: [email p o ec ed] (A. A ias).
Con en s lis s a ailable a ScienceDi ec
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion
jou nal homepage: www.else ie .com/loca e/jclep o
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.jclep o.2023.137925
Recei ed 5 Ap il 2023; Recei ed in e ised o m 22 May 2023; Accep ed 26 June 2023
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
2
decade gi en hei po en ial o con ibu e o he ci cula economy
h ough he comp ehensi e use o esou ces and he objec i e o
ex ending hei use ul li e (Pa ada e al., 2018). A la ge numbe o
bio e ine ies ha e s a ed o use was e s eams o ob ain high
alue-added p oduc s, ins ead o di ec ly using i gin enewable ma e-
ials, such as he case o dedica ed ene gy c ops ( i s -gene a ion bio-
uels). On he o he hand, he de elopmen o bio e ine ies could help o
p omo e u al and egional de elopmen , a key ac o when assessing
he social pilla o sus ainabili y, and o a oid he dependence on
delocalized esou ces and goods in he global alue chain (Mun oni,
2019; Pa ada e al., 2018).
The po en ial o bio e ine ies is expec ed o g ow in he coming
yea s, as i is es ima ed ha he demand o biop oduc s could each
113 M /yea by 2050, expec ing an annual g ow h a e o 15%.
Lis o ac onyms
SCL S anda diza ion, quali ica ion, and labelling
GHG G eenhouse gases
LCA Li e Cycle Assessmen
SDG Sus ainable De elopmen Goals
CoC Chain O Cus ody
FSC Fo es S ewa dship
RED Renewable Ene gy Di ec i e
LC Li e Cycle
GRI Global Repo ing Ini ia i e
PEFC P og amme o he Endo semen o Fo es
ISCC In e na ional Sus ainabili y and Ca bon Ce i ica ions
RSB Round able on Sus ainable Bioma e ials
ISO In e na ional O ganiza ion o S anda diza ion
PEF P oduc En i onmen al Foo p in
LCC Li e Cycle Cos
JRC Join Resea ch Cen e
DPSIR D i ing Fo ces- P essu es- S ages- Impac s- Responses
PSR P essu e-S a e-Response
ESS Ecosys em Se ices Cascade
ML Machine Lea ning
AI A i icial In elligence
BBI Bio-Based Indus ies Ini ia i e
LCSA In eg a ed Li e Cycle Sus ainabili y Assessmen
RACER Rele an -Accep ed-C edible-Easy o moni o -Robus
EEA Eu opean En i onmen Agency
ISPRA I alian Ins i u e o En i onmen al P o ec ion and
Resea ch
Fig. 1. Feeds ock used o mul ip oduc bio e ine ies in he Eu opean con ex ( he numbe s ep esen he amoun o bio e ine ies pe ype o eeds ock
and coun y). Own elabo a ion by using he Eu opean Commission da abase (Pa isi e al., 2020).
A. A ias e al.
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
3
None heless, en ep eneu s and s akeholde s need o be awa e o he
minimum size o bio e ine ies o ensu e ha hey a e economically
sus ainable and p o i able. I has been epo ed ha , app oxima ely,
50⋅10
4
–70⋅10
4
/yea is he minimum p oduc ion capaci y o ensu e he
po en iali y o bio e ine ies in he ma ke , a h eshold ha could be
educed when was e s eams a e used as inpu s (Mun oni, 2019).
Bu , on he o he hand, some au ho s ha e claimed ha he de el-
opmen o small-scale bio e ine ies is as well bene icial o os e he
economic, en i onmen al and social wel a e o he wo ke s and ci izens
li ing in nea by neighbo hoods. The eason behind his asse ion wi hin
he economic pilla is ha cos s associa ed wi h anspo a ion, p o-
cessing and disposal a e being a oided, which has a posi i e impac on
p o i abili y ( educed cos s imply highe p o i s) (Ding and G undmann,
2022). This is a he same ime ela ed o he en i onmen al aspec , as
emissions de i ed om he a o emen ioned ac i i ies a e a oided, and
inally, o he social pilla , he de elopmen o small local bio e ine ies
will con ibu e o job c ea ion and o incen i ize a me s o be mo e
sus ainable in ag icul u al ac i i ies (i.e., inc ease c op yields, educe
he amoun o e ilize s and pes icides, mo e sus ainable use o wa e
sou ces, e c.) (Sola e-To o and Ca dona Alza e, 2021).
In his ega d, how a e hese al eady comme cial bio e ine ies being
de eloped? Depending on he ype o eeds ock, he mos used eed-
s ocks o mul ip oduc bio e ine y a e ag icul u al, ollowed by o es y
and esidues (Fig. 1). The eason behind his is ha mos o he bio uels
cu en ly p oduced a e i s gene a ion, so c ops a e ha es ed di ec ly
o ene gy issues, a he han o ood p oduc ion. Gi en he discussion
be ween he ood and bio uel sec o s, and he need o ensu e secu i y o
ood supply o communi y needs, he e is a need o a ansi ion o
second and hi d gene a ion bio uels and biop oduc s, using o es s,
was e s eams and ma ine esou ces.
On he o he hand, ins ead o ocusing only on he ype o eeds ock
mos used o bio e ine y acili ies, i is as well impo an o analyze he
ype o p oduc s ob ained. As depic ed in Fig. 2, he bio-based p oduc
ha s ands ou is chemicals, ollowed by bio uels and he p oduc ion o
composi es and ibe s, wi h Ge many being he egion whe e a g oss
amoun o bio e ine ies a e p oducing hem, ollowed by F ance and he
Ne he lands. Examples include Albe a Paci ic Fo es Indus ies, which
uses wood as a eeds ock o p oduce no only pulp, bu biome hanol,
hea and elec ici y, wi h a p oduc ion capaci y o 765 k ons o wood/
day. In e ms o mul iple bio-based eeds ocks in he same p oduc ion
plan , Maabje g Ene gy uses wood chips, manu e, sewage sludge,
municipal solid was e and s aw as eeds ocks o co-p oduce bio-
me hane, bioe hanol (app ox. 80–103 m
3
/yea ), e ilize , elec ici y
and hea . Ano he example o his mul iple p oduc ion scheme is
ZeaChem, which uses a ious cellulosic eeds ocks (wood was e, whea
s aw, co n s o e ) o p oduce bioe hanol and e hyl ace a e es e , wi h a
p oduc ion capaci y o 10 ons/day (Ca dona-Alza e e al., 2020).
Bu , al hough bio e ine y p oduc ion schemes a e al eady s a ing o
de elop in o la ge-scale p oduc ion capaci ies, he e is s ill a long way o
go. In ac , less han 2% o lignocellulosic was e is used as eeds ock o
p oduce alue-added bio esou ces (Nguyen e al., 2021).
So wha is he main p oblem bio e ine ies ace in no being able o
quickly pene a e he alue chain? In he sea ch o in eg a ed sys ems
ha a o a comp ehensi e assessmen o he ma ke pene a ion po-
en ial o bio e ine ies, along wi h he accu a e e alua ion o hei de-
g ee o sus ainabili y and ci cula i y, he de elopmen o egula o y
policies, as well as collabo a ion be ween policy make s, s akeholde s
and he social communi y, is essen ial.
The in eg a ion o bio e ine ies in o he ma ke alue chain
implies he de elopmen o complex p oduc ion schemes ha
gua an ee he eco e y o p oduc ion o aluable p oduc s om
biomass. Bio e ine ies a e no a he same le el o de elopmen as
hei con en ional ossil-based coun e pa s, whe e he echnology
has been es ed, op imized and alida ed. One o he main limi a-
ions when e alua ing new bio e ine y app oaches is he lack o
indus ial-scale p ocesses (D agone e al., 2020; Ma iana e al., 2021;
Me amo-Hu ado and Gonz´
alez-Delgado, 2019). I is necessa y o
ensu e he economic p o i abili y o bio e ine ies o gua an ee
hei success, seeking o ensu e hei iabili y in o de o d i e
in es men in e es s (A ias e al., 2023; Laude and Jonen, 2013;
P abha e al., 2022).
In his sense, he iden i ica ion o p oduc ion capaci y, ma ke
Fig. 2. Mul ip oduc bio e ine ies in Eu ope. (a) Chemicals (b) Composi e and ibe s (c) Liquid bio uels (d) Pulp & pape (e) S a ch & suga ( ) Biome hane ( he
numbe s ep esen he amoun o bio e ine ies pe ype o eeds ock and coun y). Own elabo a ion by using he Eu opean Commission da abase”.
A. A ias e al.
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
4
demands, echnological bo lenecks, economic challenges and
en i onmen al impac s a e key aspec s o assess om an ea ly
s age o de elopmen , including also an es ima ion o he bio-
e ine y p ospec s in he u u e ma ke alue chain (C is ´
obal e al.,
2018; Tschulkow e al., 2020). In his sense, he de elopmen o
comp ehensi e and mul i-objec i e assessmen s in he ield o
sus ainabili y and ci cula i y could help on he way o bio e ine y
de elopmen . Bu , on he o he hand, lack o da a o pe o m he
assessmen s and egula o y ba ie s could be an obs acle, hinde -
ing hei pene a ion in o he ma ke alue chain (Leibenspe ge
e al., 2021; Singh e al., 2021; Zhang e al., 2012). In his aspec i is
also wo h men ioning ha mos o he a ailable esea ch epo s
ocus on conduc ing en i onmen al and echno-economic assess-
men s, a he han being awa e o ce i ica ion schemes, in e na-
ional s anda ds, plane a y bounda ies, and i hey did, sepa a ely,
no as a comp ehensi e assessmen o all app oaches combined
(Campbell-Johns on e al., 2020; D’Ama o e al., 2020; Lange e al.,
2021; Ncube e al., 2022; Rebolledo-Lei a e al., 2023; Sal ado e al.,
2022; Ubando e al., 2020; Zabanio ou, 2018).
Gi en he impo ance o assessing he po en ial o bio e ine ies
h ough all he abo e aspec s, his epo aims o p o ide he amewo k
o me hodologies and pe spec i es o add ess he gaps and bo lenecks
ha delay o hinde he de elopmen o bio e ine ies and o p o ide
c i e ia o add ess hei sus ainabili y po en ial along he en i e alue
chain: om eeds ock ex ac ion/p ocessing o biop oduc use and
disposal.
1.1. Bio e ine ies om a sus ainabili y pe spec i e
When assessing a new bio e ine y p ocess i is impo an o
ocus on bo h sus ainabili y, based on he iple bo om line o
en i onmen , socie y and economy, o ca ego ize a p oduc ion
scheme as a sus ainable p ocess, bu also on he echnical aspec s,
om an ea ly s age o design o a mo e de eloped one, in o de o
ensu e he e ec i eness on he p oduc ion capaci y. Indeed, he
Eu opean Union has de e mined sus ainabili y c i e ia o he use o
biomass, seeking o ensu e ca bon sa ings and en i onmen al p o ec-
ion: he educ ion o GHG emissions, compa ed o ossil uels, mus be
a leas 35%, and he ha es ing o biomass eeds ocks mus no ake
place on land p e iously used as ca bon s ock o in a eas o high
biodi e si y (OECD Science, T. and I.P.P., 2019). Al hough he en i-
onmen al pilla is usually co e ed, as he use o lignocellulosic eed-
s ocks o en leads o a educ ion in pollu an emissions, economic
iabili y is no always gua an eed (Ubando e al., 2020). Fo he social
dimension, mo e di icul ies a ise due o lack o da a and guidelines,
while economic easibili y is o en educed o he de elopmen o a
common cos - inancial documen , and he en i onmen al issue is o en
ocused on he ca ego y o global wa ming po en ial (Palme os Pa ada
e al., 2017).
En i onmen al bu dens a e sco ed using li e cycle assessmen
me hodology, echnical and economic cha ac e is ics a e assessed by
pe o ming a echno-economic analysis, o en coupled wi h a Mon e
Ca lo s udy o add ess he unce ain y o he esul s, and social-LCA o
socio-economic analysis o assess he social dimension. Bu , in ac , e en
i app op ia e me hodologies a e used o assess he h ee pilla s o sus-
ainabili y, he lack o da a could educe he abili y o de elop hem
adequa ely. This educed scope o sus ainabili y assessmen could p o-
ide “ alse” alues when assessing he adap a ion o a bio e ine y o a
sus ainable p ac ice. In his sense, u u e challenges o sus ainabili y
and ci cula i y c i e ia and assessmen should ocus on he de elopmen
o adequa e and anspa en guidelines ha encompass all pilla s wi hin
a comp ehensi e sus ainabili y assessmen (Palme os Pa ada e al.,
2017).
Mul i-c i e ia assessmen is g aded as a possible sus ainabili y e al-
ua ion ool, as bo h bio-physical (i.e. mass-based balances), social (i.e.
job c ea ion, heal h and sa e y) and economic (i.e. associa ed cos s and
incomes) pilla s a e compiled in a sys em-wide assessmen me hod
(Palme os Pa ada e al., 2017). The sco es ob ained could be used o
decision-making on whe e o ocus o p o ide a sus ainable bio e ine y
app oach (Pa ajuli e al., 2015). Bu his in eg a ion and sco ing o he
h ee pilla s o sus ainabili y o be used as a decision ool is s ill a deba e
because o h ee easons:
- The i s one is he lack o common sco ing me hodology, because
while he en i onmen al and economic pilla s could be assessed
quan i a i ely, he social one is usually de e mined unde a quali-
a i e me hod.
- The second eason is based on he ac ha a huge amoun o sub-
jec i e in e p e a ion can be made when e alua ing he pilla s,
especially in he case o he social one.
- Finally, he ac ha he e a e no speci ic guidelines o o mal ec-
ommenda ions o conduc ing sus ainabili y assessmen s and, in ac ,
mos o he ime he c i e ia and indica o s o assessing he sus-
ainable po en ial o a scena io a e di e en depending on he sec o
and ac i i y.
These ac s a e e en mo e deba able and signi ican when de eloping
a sus ainabili y assessmen o a bio e ine y p ocess, as he e a e a la ge
numbe o s akeholde s in ol ed: p ima y sec o (in ol ed in he p o-
duc ion o eeds ock), seconda y and e ia y sec o (in ol ed in he
gene a ion o was e s eams ha can be used as inpu s in he bio-
e ine y), policy make s and go e nmen , among o he s. In addi ion o
he di icul y o de eloping accu a e assessmen s, one o he main ba -
ie s in he comme cializa ion o bio-based p oduc s is ha he bene i s
a e no la ge enough o o se he in es men and ope a ional cos s. In
addi ion, compliance and s ic equi emen s assessed in policies and
s anda ds, as well as communi y demands and accep ance, hinde he
pene a ion o new bio-based p oduc s in o alue chains and he ma ke
(Ubando e al., 2020).
A his poin o he deba e, he de elopmen o cong uen manage-
men policies, adequa e guidelines and coope a i e links be ween he
pa ies in ol ed, could help in add essing sus ainabili y in an adequa e
manne . On he o he hand, acco ding o he IEA Bioene gy Task 42
epo s, a se ies o p inciples ha e been de eloped ha should be
compiled, a leas , o de ine a bio e ine y p ocess as sus ainable, aking
in o accoun he socioeconomic and en i onmen al pilla s. These a e
“basic” p inciples and, a he same ime, could be con empla ed as
guidelines o assess he sus ainabili y po en ial o a bio e ine y in a
gene al way and as a ool o iden i y key poin s o decision making. The
scope o each p inciple, as well as he dimension o he analysis, is
di e en , aiming o be applied o speci ic assessmen scena ios
depending on hei needs.
The mos gene al is “The Sys em P inciple” based on he o e all
assessmen o bio e ine y echnology and p ocess design, ollowed by
he “The Consis ency P inciple” in which his analysis ocuses mo e on
esou ce managemen han on echnology and p ocess de elopmen . In
o de o iden i y, in a mo e conc e e way, he sus ainabili y po en ial,
he use o “The Measu abili y P inciple” is used o di ec ly assess he
sus ainabili y po en ial o he bio e ine y h ough he use o quan i a i e
and quali a i e indica o s and c i e ia. The las wo p inciples a e mo e
ela ed o compa a i e assessmen s, while “The Independency P inci-
ple” assesses he en i onmen al and socioeconomic pe o mance o he
echnological p ocedu e and he bio e ine y pa hway, “The Compa a-
bili y P inciple” is mo e based on he compa ison be ween di e en
eeds ocks (Pa ajuli e al., 2015).
Fu he mo e, i is impo an o keep in mind ha he p oduc ion
p ocess is no he only aspec o be e alua ed when conduc ing a sus-
ainabili y s udy, bu all ac o s in he alue chain. F om he backg ound
poin o iew, p ima y and seconda y p oduce s o bio e ine y eed-
s ocks and inpu s should p omo e sus ainable p ac ices. Fo example, in
he case o he ag icul u al and o es y sec o , minimizing he use o
e ilize s, pes p oduc s, use o app op ia e machine y, use o
A. A ias e al.
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
5
indigenous species, a oidance o gene ically modi ied species, e c. Thus
ensu ing en i onmen al p o ec ion (main enance o biodi e si y,
a oidance o soil deg ada ion and a mosphe ic emissions, e icien use
o wa e esou ces and p e en ion o wa e pollu ion) (Le idow, 2015).
F om he o eg ound poin o iew, how consume s use he p oduc , i s
quali y and se ice capaci y a e equally impo an . Likewise, he p o-
duc ion p ocess should hink abou he esidues ha will en ail he use o
he bio-p oduc by o he acili ies and/o communi y membe s. Sus-
ainabili y ac ions should be p omo ed and ensu ed o e he global
alue chain (collec ion - p oduc ion - consump ion - disposal o euse).
1.2. Bio e ine ies: cu en s a e on he Eu opean Union unde he
Sus ainable De elopmen Goals
The de elopmen o bio e ine ies in he Eu opean con ex is
inc easing, mainly due o he need o comply wi h legal and poli ical
equi emen s ha p omo e he de elopmen o mo e ci cula ac ions in
he p oduc ion o goods and se ices. The link o bio e ine ies wi h
he Sus ainable De elopmen Goals (SDGs) is s ong, as some o he
SDGs ocus di ec ly on he ci cula use o esou ces, go e nmen
suppo o esea ch and implemen a ion o bes p ac ices in p o-
duc i e sec o s, clima e ac ion, economic g ow h, well-being, and
esea ch and inno a ion p ac ices.
The deg ee o achie emen and ends in each o he SDGs is di e en
o each coun y in he Eu opean Union, and his is in addi ion ela ed o
sus ainabili y ac ions and how each egion wo ks on imp o ing ci cu-
la i y, en i onmen al p o ec ion, economic g ow h and social wel a e.
In his sense, he Eu opean Commission p o ides a da abase o docu-
men Eu opean sus ainable de elopmen , o each o he SDGs (Eu os a ,
2023). The Eu opean Union, in 2021, achie es an SDG Index sco e o
71.4/100, being he SDGs 2 (No hunge ), 13 (Clima e Ac ion), 14 (Li e
Below Wa e ) and 15 (Li e on Land) equi ing he g ea es e o s o go
u he in sus ainable ac ions.
The egions ha achie ed highe index sco e alues compa ed o he
Eu opean Union a e age sco e a e he no he n ones, wi h an a e age
alue o 80.6, while he sou he n and he cen al achie ed lowe sco es,
68.3 and 68.0, espec i ely. On he o he hand, in o de o be awa e on
he cu en s a us on he deg ee o achie emen acco ding o each SDG,
Table 1 shows he ac ual s a us o each coun y, deno ed “Majo chal-
lenges” in ed, “Signi ican challenges” in o ange, “Challenges emain”
in yellow and “Goal achie ed” in g een.
One o he SDGs mos closely ela ed o bio e ine y p oduc ion ap-
p oaches is SDG 13, Clima e Ac ion, since p o ec ing and main aining
he en i onmen is one o he pilla s o sus ainabili y. As can be seen in
Table 1, mos o he egions ha a e pa o he Eu opean Union ha e a
e y low achie emen in he sub- a ge s iden i ied o his SDG13. The
a ionale behind his is mainly based on he ecu en use o ossil uels
o he p oduc ion o goods and se ices, leading o signi ican emissions
and de imen al e ec s on he en i onmen , he ex ensi e use o e-
sou ces, leading o hei deple ion, and he amoun o was e p oduced,
which is disposed o h ough unsus ainable p ac ices, ins ead o being
eused and ecycled, o example. The disposal o was e in land ills, one
o he mos common p ac ices, ca ies a high en i onmen al bu den, bu
incine a ion could also be ca ego ized as a low- alue and de imen al
p ocedu e o was e managemen .
On he o he hand, seeking o be awa e o wha is he eal s eng h
and de elopmen o some issues mo e ela ed o he sus ainable use o
esou ces, incen i es o esea ch de elopmen and he amoun o was e
and emissions by egion, Fig. 3 is ep esen ed. The sub igu es we e
c ea ed acco ding o he Eu opean Commission da abase, using he
opics mo e ela ed o he sus ainabili y app oach.
The consump ion o aw ma e ials is di ec ly ela ed o he e icien
use o esou ces, i he in eg al use is de eloped, hen he consump ion
o i gin ma e ials is lowe . In his sense, a mo e sus ainable use o e-
sou ces is being de eloped, which in u n could be ela ed o he amoun
o was e gene a ed and he ci cula use o ma e ials in Eu opean egions.
Table 1
G ow h o de elopmen on achie ing SDGs by he Eu opean coun ies (Sou ce: Eu opean Commission da abase abou he deg ee o achie emen o SDGs (Eu os a ,
2023).
A. A ias e al.

Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
6
The connec ion be ween hese h ee aspec s is in e es ing (Fig. 3), as he
egions wi h he highes consump ion o aw ma e ials a e no he ones
ha p oduce he la ges amoun o was e. Gi en he sco es ob ained, he
conclusion ha could be de i ed om hese in e ela ionships is ha an
ex ensi e use o i gin ma e ials does no imply ha he p oduc ion o
goods and se ices is linea , o ha i con ibu es o a g ea e amoun o
was e s eams p oduced.
The in eg a ion o ci cula i y ac ion plans, in e ing an in eg a ed
use o esou ces, and he de elopmen o bio e ine y acili ies wi h he
aim o “ eusing” was e s eams in o aw ma e ial s eams, helps o
ensu e ha he egions wi h he highes demand o i gin ma e ials a e
no he leas sus ainable. E en so, ex ensi e consump ion o i gin ma-
e ials could lead o hei deple ion and associa ed en i onmen al im-
pac s (e.g., ex ensi e use o o es esou ces could lead o de o es a ion,
while inc eased consump ion o ag icul u al aw ma e ials could lead o
soil deg ada ion and e osion). I is he e o e impo an o de elop
managemen and ac ion plans o a oid impac s on he quali y and heal h
o he en i onmen gi en he ex ensi e use o esou ces.
I is ue ha educing he consump ion o aw ma e ials is no easy,
as i is necessa y o espond o socie y’s demands, bu he imple-
men a ion, managemen and de elopmen o adequa e p ac ices in he
global alue chain o p oduc ion could be bene icial om he poin o
iew o sus ainabili y ac ions. This should be he main awa eness o
p oduc ion acili ies: o be e icien , o be consis en wi h ma e ial
consump ion and o be conscious o he impac s on socie y, economic
issues and he en i onmen . I is besides obse ed ha , in gene al, hose
egions ha a e mo e awa e o he de elopmen o mo e ci cula p o-
duc ion ac ions a e hose ha achie e a g oss alue in he en i onmen al
goods and se ices sec o s. This p obably de i es om he enhancemen
o he de elopmen o mo e sus ainable ac ions, in acco dance wi h
egional en i onmen al and sus ainabili y policies and egula ions, and,
o cou se, om he communi y membe s’ accep ance o he p oduc ion
and consump ion o bio-based p oduc s de i ed om mo e sus ainable
p oduc ion p ocesses.
1.3. Sus ainabili y c i e ia and ce i ica ion schemes
The implemen a ion o a s anda dized scheme ha aims o assess he
sus ainabili y o a p oduc o echnology mus ake in o accoun a
numbe o aspec s ha a e essen ial o i s adequacy, eliabili y and
applicabili y (Pelkmans e al., 2013). Some o he c i e ia ha should be
analyzed i s when assessing he sus ainabili y and sui abili y o a
bio e ine y include:
- Ensu ing ood quali y and a ailabili y ( he use o ood- ela ed eed-
s ock o he de elopmen o he bio e ine y should no a ec he
popula ion needs and demands o ood p oduc s (Leong e al.,
2021)).
- Gua an ee ha he echnology used is as e icien as possible, in
o de o os e he use o enewable and bio-based eeds ock
esou ces.
- P o ision o an in eg al use o bo h esou ces and p oduc s p oduced.
- Implemen a ion o bes p ac ices guidelines o p o ec he human
well-being.
- Be in line wi h ci cula ac ions.
- P omo e and analyze he ma ke po en ial and be awa e o all he
alue chain p ac ices (bo h backg ound and o eg ound).
To gi e an example on how a p io analysis o he bio e ine y aiming
o be de eloped is essen ial o ensu e i s e ec i eness: i a new bio-
e ine y is going o be de eloped bu he echnology is no e icien in
e ms o p oduc ion yield and ene gy equi emen s, wha a e he con-
sequences? I will encoun e low p oduc ion capaci y, a huge amoun o
eeds ock equi ed o he p oduc ion o a ge p oduc , in ensi e use o
Fig. 3. Some indica o s, based on he da abase o he Eu opean Commission, ela ed wi h sus ainabili y p ac ices and ac ions in he Eu opean con ex .
A. A ias e al.
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
7
ene gy, mo e in ense emissions pe p oduc manu ac u ed, low incomes,
which will ansla e in o ewe jobs o lowe wo ke sala ies, among
o he s. In his sense, he impac o he bio e ine y on he pilla s o
en i onmen al, social and economic sus ainabili y will be nega i e: high
emissions, high esou ce consump ion, low p oduc i i y and, he e o e,
high p oduc ion ela ed cos s and lowe job c ea ion, making he bio-
e ine y app oach analogous, o e en wo se, o con en ional e ine y
acili ies.
In his ega d, he use o c i e ia and indica o s o he quali y
assessmen o bio e ine y quali y in he economic alue chain o he
p oduc ion o goods and se ices is essen ial. The equi emen s o he
compila ion wi h sus ainabili y p inciples and c i e ia ha e been i s
de eloped by RED II (EC, 2018), collec ing he necessa y guidelines o
compliance wi h c i e ia ha e eal he ansi ion om unsus ainable
use o esou ces o a ci cula bioeconomy and a sus ainable bio e ine y.
The i s wo ini ia i es ha emb aced sus ainabili y p inciples he
Fo es S ewa dship Council (FSC, 1994) and he Round able o Sus-
ainable Palm Oil (2004), o he o es y and ag icul u al commodi y
sec o s, espec i ely. Following hese wo guidelines, he Renewable
Ene gy Di ec i e (RED 1, EC, 2009) has been es ablished, mainly
ocused on he s anda diza ion o bio uels in he anspo sec o , bu
u he mo e applicable o o he p oduc i e ac i i ies. This Di ec i e
includes en i onmen al as well as economic and social h esholds, o
which one o he mos de eloped and ecognized me hodologies o
hei sco ing and assessmen is he Li e Cycle (LC) me hodology.
In he case o he co po a e le el, i is widely used in he Global
Repo ing Ini ia i e (GRI), CanopyS yle and Rain o es Alliance ini ia-
i es. Besides hose a o emen ioned, he e a e o he well-es ablished
s anda ds o assessing he sus ainabili y capaci y o he bio e ine y
scena io unde assessmen , such as he P og amme o he Endo semen
o Fo es (PEFC) and he In e na ional Sus ainabili y and Ca bon (ISCC)
Ce i ica ions.
F om an en i onmen al poin o iew, GHG emission sco ing is one o
he main impac ca ego ies ha a e undamen al when conduc ing a
sus ainabili y assessmen . The e a e well-es ablished p o ocols in he
measu emen o GHG emissions, such as he GHG P o ocol ools, which
g ade all CO
2
emissions ela ed o he bio e ine y p ocess, om eed-
s ock ex ac ion o p ocessing and was e ea men , bu he sys em
bounda ies depend on he scope o he assessmen , and on he alloca ion
selec ed. Taking his in o accoun , no only he main p oduc ion p ocess
mus comply wi h sus ainabili y p inciples, bu also he ex ac ion o
aw ma e ials mus be ca ego ized as sus ainable p ac ices. Thus, i is
necessa y o de elop and implemen sus ainabili y documen a ion and
labelling o p o ide s akeholde s and communi y membe s wi h in o -
ma ion on he o igin o aw ma e ials and he p oduc ion chain o he
ob ained bio-based p oduc s (OECD Science, T. and I.P.P., 2019).
In addi ion o he GHG p o ocol, he ISCC has de eloped a me hod-
ology o he calcula ion o o al CO
2
emissions om he li e cycle o
biomass-based eeds ocks. This includes emissions om he ha es ing
and ex ac ion s ages, ca bon s ock changes due o he cul i a ion o
lignocellulosic biomass, emissions om he p ocessing, anspo and
dis ibu ion o bio uels in he ma ke alue chain as well as emissions
om he use o bio uels in anspo . The educ ion o GHG emissions is
impo an when assessing he sus ainabili y po en ial o bio e ine ies, as
i e e s o he ca bon accumula ion gained om he de elopmen o
imp o ed ag icul u al p ac ices o CO
2
cap u e and s o age.
O he c i e ia such as biodi e si y p o ec ion and ecosys em con-
se a ion (i.e. he use o non-binding schemes such as ISCC, Be e
Biomass o Sus ainable Fo es Managemen c i e ia o assess he en i-
onmen al bene i s/bo lenecks o he ha es ing and ex ac ion ac i -
i ies o he eeds ock used in he bio e ine y) should be con empla ed,
along wi h he assessmen o he aceabili y o he p oduc s in he chain
o cus ody (CoC). In ac , CoC is one o he essen ial equi emen s in he
assessmen o a bio e ine y p ocess and/o p oduc s, as i is necessa y o
iden i y he p ocess chain o he biop oduc s o ha e a ho ough
knowledge o all he s ages necessa y o hei inal dis ibu ion.
In he ield o social and economic pe o mance, he use o na ional
egula ions is he mos used “guideline” by bio e ine ies o demons a e
hei compliance and commi men . The EU Wo king Time Di ec i e and
he In e na ional Labo O ganiza ion, oge he wi h he Fundamen al
P inciples and Righ s a Wo k, a e he mos p ominen . The e is s ill no
speci ic egula ion o guideline on he assessmen o he social and
economic sus ainabili y po en ial o bio e ine ies and, making di icul
i s de elopmen and implemen a ion.
To his end, al hough ha moniza ion o sus ainabili y schemes and
guidelines ac oss he h ee pilla s is no easy, i is ad isable. The
ha monized c i e ia should be de eloped aking in o accoun all sec o s
and ac o s in he alue chain, in o de o be equi able. I is ue ha he
eno mous deg ee o di e si y o c i e ia among he di e en ce i ica ion
schemes and s anda ds makes i di icul o achie e a ha monized
scheme, whe e in addi ion he lack o da a is a majo bo leneck
(Mai-Moulin e al., 2020).
In he i s a emp o ha monize sus ainabili y assessmen s, he
Renewable Ene gy Di ec i e (RED) de ines nine p inciples o assessing
he sus ainabili y o biomass-based p ocesses and hose a e based on
h ee ypologies: GHG emissions, con en o bio-based ma e ials and
aceabili y o bio-based p oduc s in he chain o cus ody. Likewise, he
Round able on Sus ainable Bioma e ials (RSB) is an ini ia i e ha in-
cludes 12 p inciples ha no only ocus on biomass bu on bioma e ials
in gene al, in ac , i includes some equi emen s o os e sus ainabili y
ac ions, such as GHG emissions educed by a leas 10% compa ed o
ossil-based coun e pa p oduc s and a bio-based con en o no less han
25% (Vis e al., 2016).
1.4. Ce i ica ion p og ams
In e ms o assessing he sus ainabili y po en ial o a p oduc o
p ocess, he mos widely ecognized and used is he ISCC. The p inciples
assessed a e 4, bu he numbe o c i e ia amoun s o 92 (49 majo and
43 mino equi emen s, all majo should be me bu only 60% o he
mino a e claimed (Gan and Casho e, 2013), co e ing all he aspec s
necessa y o ca ego ize a sys em as sus ainable: he en i onmen al pilla
h ough he deg ee o conse a ion o biodi e si y and ca bon s ocks
and he applica ion o Good Ag icul u al P ac ices, he social pilla wi h
he conside a ion o human igh s compliance, allowing o sa e wo king
condi ions, and adequa e aining and aceabili y wi h he assessmen
o he chain o cus ody (Vis e al., 2016).
The RSB (Round able on Sus ainable Bio uels) p og am s a es ha
he use o o es y and ag icul u al esidues as eeds ock o bio e ine y
acili ies should no a ec soil s abili y and o ganic con en . Sus ainable
bio e ine y p og ams mus be mind ul o how he ex ac ion and use o
eeds ock impac s he quali y o he en i onmen , and he capaci y o he
acili y mus be based on he egene a i e capaci y o he en i onmen .
This p og am in oduces 12 p inciples, encompassing 37 c i e ia, which
could be used o assess he sus ainabili y o eeds ock and bio uel p o-
duce s, whe e minimum equi emen s a e manda o y. Fo example, in
he case o bio uels, compa ed o ossil uels, in o de o be ce i ied,
bio uels mus educe g eenhouse gas emissions by a leas 50%.
In addi ion o he mos impo an schemes men ioned abo e, he e
a e o he s ecognized by he Eu opean Commission as olun a y
schemes o gua an ee he sus ainabili y p ocedu e o he p oduc ion
p ocess s ages ha a e pa o he global alue chain. A b ie desc ip ion
o hem is depic ed in Table 2 (see Table 3).
In addi ion o he es ablished e alua ion sys ems, in ensi e esea ch
and de elopmen ac i i ies ha e been ca ied ou o e alua e i s quali y
and o de elop al e na i e sus ainabili y assessmen amewo ks. The
Eu opean STAR-P o BIO p ojec has e alua ed he quali y and e ec-
i eness o ce i ica ion sys ems o assessing he sus ainabili y po en ial
o bio-based p oduc s. I was based on he e alua ion o 33 impac
ca ego ies associa ed wi h he pilla s o sus ainabili y and ci cula i y
c i e ia: en i onmen al (11 ca ego ies), social (14), economic (1) and
ci cula i y (6). These a e bo h quan i a i e and quali a i e indica o s
A. A ias e al.
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
8
and ha e been selec ed based on EN 16751:2016 “Sus ainabili y c i e ia
o bio-based p oduc s”, NTA 8080–1 “Sus ainabili y p oduced biomass
o bioene gy and bio-based p oduc s” and ISO 13065:2015 “Sus ain-
abili y c i e ia o bioene gy”. These c i e ia can be classi ied and in e-
g a ed in o a sus ainabili y assessmen ool (SAI) ha encompasses 24
p inciples and 48 indica o s, bo h quali a i e and quan i a i e (20 o
he en i onmen al pilla , 12 o he p oduc and sys em, 2 o he eco-
nomic pilla and 14 o he social amewo k). The assessmen o he
quan i a i e indica o s is mainly based on he use o LCA me hodology,
ollowing he guidelines o he ISO 14040:2006, ISO 14044:2006, EN
16760, CEN/TR16957:2016 and he PEF (P oduc En i onmen al
Foo p in ), o he en i onmen al pilla and he LCC (Li e Cycle Cos )
me hodology o he economic one. In he case o he social amewo k,
he Handbook o P oduc Social Impac Assessmen has been used in he
p ojec , which is based on a quali a i e app oach using scaling ac o s
(Golaszewski e al., 2020).
1.5. Policy implica ions
In e ms o policies and egula ions, hese should ake in o accoun
e ol ing supply chains and ma ke ends and p o ide anspa en
guidelines on how sus ainabili y is o be assessed (Pelkmans e al.,
2013). Policy make s should ocus on he de elopmen o mo e eliable,
easible and comp ehensi e ce i ica ion schemes and me hodological
guidelines o de e mining ecosys em capaci ies ( o assess h eshold
alues o sus ainable ac ion) (Meye and P iess, 2014).
The c ea ion o indus y and s akeholde associa ions could be a e as
an e ec i e ool o he de elopmen o bio e ine ies and R&D o
eme ging echnologies. An example o his is he indus ial associa ion
Eu opaBio (Eu opean Associa ion o Bioindus ies), embedded in he
EU bioeconomy s a egy and he Eu opean bio echnology communi y,
which aims o incen i ize coope a ion be ween policy make s and
s akeholde s, social wel a e h ough bio echnology de elopmen , in-
es men in R&D ac i i ies, imp o ed ma ke pene a ion o bio e ine y
p oduc s and ensu ing ood sa e y when mo ing owa ds a bio-based and
ze o-was e economy (Eu opaBio, 2022; Eu opean Commission, 2018).
These a e a he same ime one o he main pilla s o he Join Resea ch
Cen e (JRC) Bioeconomy Obse a o y, which collec s da a and in-
dica o s o assess how bio-based acili ies a e de eloping om socio-
economic, echnological, economic, legisla i e and scien i ic
pe spec i es (Sca la e al., 2015).
On he o he hand, he use o quo as is belie ing o be an e ec i e
ool o suppo he pene a ion o new eme ging echnologies in he
sec o and o p omo e he imp o emen o ma u e echnologies o adap
hem o sus ainable and ci cula economy ac ions. The speci ica ion and
cla i ica ion o hese quo as is essen ial, as well as he de ined objec i es,
which mus be clea and speci ic o all s akeholde s and communi y
membe s. Policy ins umen s should be awa e o he ime needed o
de elop a bio e ine y concep om sc a ch, being a long and somewha
unce ain p ocess. In his sense, some isk should be pu on he in es -
men , o gi e a chance o eme ging echnologies ha , in heo y, could be
mo e bene icial o he p omo ion o mo e sus ainabili y p ocedu es
(Hellsma k and S¨
ode holm, 2017).
Go e nmen s should ocus on de eloping a speci ic and p ecise
connec ion be ween unce ain y and in es men isk. Some o he ba -
ie s o achie ing eal policies on bio-based p oduc s a e public
Table 2
Ce i ica ion schemes (CS) ecognized by he Eu opean Commission.
Volun a y ecognized schemes Pu pose Sec o s in ol ed Main p oduc s Co e s all alue chain?
Biomass Bio uels, Bioliquids
sus ainabili y olun a y
scheme
To assess he sus ainabili y o ag icul u al
and o es y biomass, esidues, was es and
enewable ene gies.
Ene gy, Food & Manu ac u ed
p oduc s
Bio uels & biomass p oduc s Yes
Be e Biomass I ce i ies solid, liquid and gaseous biomass
o demons a e i sus ainabili y o be used
o ene gy, biop oduc s and bio uels.
Ene gy, Flo icul u e &
Ho icul u e
Bio uels & Ag icul u al p oduc s Yes
Bonsuc o EU To ensu e he sus ainabili y o suga cane
p oduc ion and all i s de i ed p oduc s
Ag icul u e Suga No. Only p oduc ion and
manu ac u ing
ISCC In e na ional scheme ocused on assess and
p opose sus ainable solu ions o all
eeds ocks and ma ke s
Ag icul u e, Ene gy,
Flo icul u e & Ho icul u e and
Manu ac u ed p oduc s
Bio uels, Food & Be e ages,
Cosme ics, Elec ici y
Yes
KZR INiG sys em Used o ce i ying he p oduc ion o
bio uels, bioliquids and aw ma e ials
unde a sus ainable app oach.
Ene gy Renewable ene gy bio uels Yes
REDce Ce i ica ion o biomass ( om ene gy c ops,
was e lows and esidues) o p oduce
bioene gy
Ene gy, Flo icul u e &
Ho icul u e and Manu ac u ed
p oduc s
Bio uels No. Only p oduc ion and
manu ac u ing
Red T ac o Fa m Assu ance
Combinable C ops & Suga
Bee Scheme
Focused on he assu ance o ood chain
om a m o pack
Ag icul u e Ce eals, nu s, soy, suga and
ege ables
No. Only p oduc ion and
manu ac u ing
Round able o Sus ainable
Bio uels EU RED
P inciples & c i e ia o assess he
sus ainabili y issues o p oduce bio uels
Ene gy Bio uels [a ia ion, g ound
anspo and shipping bio uels]
and bioene gy om biomass
No. Only p oduc ion,
manu ac u ing and
consump ion
Round able o Responsible
Soy EU RED
In e na ional scheme o ensu e a oidance
o de o es a ion and ze o con e sion soy
p oduc ion
Ag icul u e Soy Yes
Sco ish Quali y Fa m
Assu ed Combinable C ops
To e alua e he sui abili y on he
managemen o c ops
Ag icul u e, Food C op p oduc s N/A
T ade Assu ance Scheme o
Combinable C ops
Assu ance amewo k o he ade o c ops
o ood, eed and bio uels p oduc ion
Ag icul u al, Food and Ene gy
ades
N/A No. Only he ade o c ops
o goods and se ices
Uni e sal Feed Assu ance
Scheme
Assu ance amewo k o compile he sa e y
equi emen s o eed des ined o li es ock
Ag icul u al, Animal eed N/A No. Only p oduc ion,
manu ac u ing and ade.
Sus ainable Resou ces
olun a y scheme
To e i y he sus ainable p oduc ion and
use o o es y, ag icul u al, was e and
esidues coming om biomass esou ces
Ene gy Powe and hea gene a ion Yes
Sus ainable Biomass
P og am (SBP)
Volun a y scheme o ce i ied biomass
esou ces used o ene gy p oduc ion
Ene gy Fo es y, Flo icul u e &
Ho icul u e
No. Only p oduc ion
Aus ian Ag icul u al
Ce i ica ion Scheme
[Na ional]
To con ol he ag icul u al eeds ocks
( ege able oils, oilseeds and ce eals)
Ene gy Bio uels, bioliquids and biomass
uels
No. Only p oduc ion
(g own and ha es ing o
eeds ock)
A. A ias e al.
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
9
pe cep ion and accep ance (e.g. he use o ood c ops o bio uel p o-
duc ion), unce ain ies abou he a ailabili y o eligible eeds ocks in
line wi h Ci cula Economy and ze o was e amewo ks, he adap abili y
o he p oduc ion scheme and esou ce use wi h di ec i es (e.g.
Renewable Ene gy Di ec i es) and he lack o inancial schemes, loan
gua an ees and economic suppo o eme ging echnologies (OECD
Science, T. and I.P.P., 2019).
Besides, he de elopmen o bio e ine ies is expec ed o ha e a
posi i e e ec on he bioeconomy, bo h om a compe i i eness poin o
iew, as g een chemis y and bio-based p oduc s a e gaining posi ions in
alue chains. The ans o ma ion, o in eg a ion, o obsole e o
p oduc i i y- educing p oduc ion schemes in o bio e ine y app oaches
could be conside ed a eindus ializa ion s a egy, which has a posi i e
e ec on he economy, he en i onmen and socie y, as new jobs a e
expec ed o be c ea ed. Bu in ac , in his e o o bio e ine ies o
pene a e he ma ke , policy de elopmen and adap a ion is necessa y
and bene icial. Such policies should be based on he ecogni ion o he
quali y o he esou ces and p oduc s ob ained, he p omo ion o ze o
was e, he a oidance o land ill as was e disposal, he es ablishmen o
s anda ds s anding ou inno a ion (such as ISO CEN 13432 o compos ),
and he c ea ion o be e and adap ed egula ion o biop oduc s and
biop ocesses (OECD Science, T. and I.P.P., 2019).
The iden i ied policy d i e s o he de elopmen o lignocellulosic
bio e ine ies a e o suppo , bo h wi h policies and in es men s, he
supply chains o lignocellulosic biomass as eeds ock, he eby inc easing
he a ailabili y and capaci y o companies and s akeholde s o in es in
new bio-based p ocess schemes. Second gene a ion ins alla ions using
enewable ene gy whe e lignocellulosic ma e ials a e used o p oduce
o he high alue-added biop oduc s a he han o ene gy eco e y a e
desi able. Finally, ano he d i e o he de elopmen o bio e ine ies is
he suppo o REACH Eu opean egula ion, as i s imula es he use o
bio-based chemicals ha a e mo e sus ainable, mo e en i onmen ally
iendly and less ha m ul, c i e ia ha should be aken in o accoun
when de eloping a bio e ine y p ocess app oach (Eu opean Commis-
sion, 2021).
2. Resul s and discussion: how o implemen sus ainabili y on
bio e ine ies
2.1. New a ge s o helping bio e ine ies ma ke pene a ion
The BioP e e ed P og am aims o p omo e he pu chase and use o
bio-based p oduc s, based on he p emise ha his inc ease should lead
o a educ ion on ossil-based esou ces and a educ ion in en i on-
men al deg ada ion. One o he main objec i es o he p og am is a
olun a y labelling ha could be used o bio-based p oduc s, he so-
called USDA Ce i ied Biobased P oduc Label, which aims o p o ide
he social communi y wi h in o ma ion abou he bio-based p ac ices
and con en o one pa icula p oduc . The label o he p oduc could
in o m abou he amoun o bio-based pe cen age on he p oduc , on he
packaging and/o on bo h p oduc and packaging ma e ials. This bio-
based con en o he p oduc is calcula ed h ough he ollowing equa-
ion:
Bio −based con en =
∑
n
i=1
Mi⋅BCCi⋅OCCi
∑
n
i=1
Mi⋅OCCi
Eq. 1
whe e M
i
is he mass o he componen , BCC
i
is he bio-based ca bon
con en o he speci ic componen (%) and OCC
i
is he o ganic C-con en
o he componen (%).
Fu he mo e, i should be no ed ha in o de o assess he bio-based
con en all measu emen s mus comply wi h he equi emen s o ASTM
s anda d me hod D6866. On he o he hand, he labelling has e-
qui emen s on he amoun o bio-based con en depending on he ype o
Table 3
P oposed alignmen be ween policies in e es and sus ainabili y app oach. Own
elabo a ion wi h in o ma ion p o ided by (De Besi and McCo mick, 2015; Ding
and G undmann, 2022; Ka dung e al., 2021; Lühmann, 2020; Wo´
zniak e al.,
2021).
Alignmen be ween policies in e es and sus ainabili y app oach
Adequa e p oduc ion s a egies
acco ding o he policy needs.
Documen a ion and moni o ing o he
p oduc ion scheme o de ec he
possible bo lenecks and de elopmen
o espond ac ions o imp o e hem. Use
o his da a o allow he de elopmen o
new policies mo e ocused on
bio e ine y app oaches.
Encou agemen o high le el o R&D
h ough go e nmen incen i es
Resea ch o new p oduc ion s a egies
wi h highe p oduc ion yields and
educed impac s: ene gy e iciency, use
o enewable esou ces, inc ease he
quali y o he bio-p oduc s, e c.
P omo ion o he bio-based p oduc s
by he policies, poli icians, and
go e nmen s
Ad e ising campaigns o bio-p oduc s
ocusing on hei quali y, sui abili y o
use, and adequacy. Use o app op ia e
labeling o he consume , ocused on
p omo ing i s supe io cha ac e is ics,
in e ms o sus ainabili y p ope ies,
wi h espec o i s ossil-based
coun e pa s.
Suppo by na ional policies Na ional in e es alignmen o allow
mo e e icien s a egies o suppo
economic and social de elopmen , and
o p o ec he en i onmen by he
e icien use o a ailable esou ces.
Ensu e ood secu i y and a ailabili y The suppo on bio e ine ies
de elopmen should no pu in dange
he a ailabili y o ood acco ding o he
communi y needs. The policies should
bea in mind o s ablish a limi ale on
he use o ood-based esou ces.
T anspa en policies and s a egies,
and es ablishmen o coope a i e
alliances
T anspa en and suppo i e policies,
Eu opean and egional s a egies a e
essen ial o he de elopmen o
bio e ine ies. Coope a ion among
indus ies, s akeholde s and
go e nmen h ough public/p i a e
pa ne ships, as he Bio-based
Indus ies Conso ium (BIC), a e good
ools o enhance coope a ion and
collabo a ion o assess R&D, in es men
ools and policy issues, looking o
achie e mo e sus ainable and
compe i i e p oduc ion s a egies wi h
educed low ca bon in ensi y
De elopmen o adequa e legisla ion
o bio e ine ies de elopmen
Legisla ion could be labelled as a policy
ool o de ine he goals and he
in eg a ion o bio e ine ies in o he
alue chain economy.
Coope a ion be ween s akeholde s,
communi y membe s, policy make s
and en ep eneu s.
One o he mos ecu en highligh s o
Eu opean and na ional s a egies is how
he implica ion o communi y membe s
and an adequa e dialogue could
enhance and imp o e he use o
esou ces, aiming o be mo e conscious
on he consump ion o esou ces, which
is c ucial o go o wa d sus ainabili y
De elopmen o managemen plan,
ac ions s a egies and
ecommenda ion guidelines on he
sus ainable use o esou ces
The use o bio-based eeds ocks o
bio e ine y de elopmen should no
en ail damage on he land and
biodi e si y. As an example: he use o
o es y sou ce as eeds ock o
bio e ine ies could en ail a de imen al
e ec on en i onmen al sus ainabili y.
The a ionale behind his is ha , i
o es managemen and ha es ing
ac i i ies o he o es sec o a e no
adequa e, he amoun o ca bon sinks is
going o be educed gi en he elling o
o es a eas o use he wood as eeds ock
and, he e o e, wood will no be
ca ego ized as a ca bon neu al s ock.
A. A ias e al.
Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
16
De Besi, M., McCo mick, K., 2015. Towa ds a bioeconomy in Eu ope: na ional, egional
and indus ial s a egies, 2015 Sus ain. Times 7, 10461–10478. h ps://doi.o g/
10.3390/SU70810461, 7, 10461–10478.
Ding, Z., G undmann, P., 2022. De elopmen o bio e ine ies in he bioeconomy: a uzzy-
se quali a i e compa a i e analysis among eu opean coun ies. Sus ain. Times 14,
90. h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/SU14010090/S1.
D agone, G., Ke ssemake s, A.A.J., D iessen, J.L.S.P., Yamakawa, C.K., B umano, L.P.,
Mussa o, S.I., 2020. Inno a ion and s a egic o ien a ions o he de elopmen o
ad anced bio e ine ies. Bio esou . Technol. 302, 122847 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.
BIORTECH.2020.122847.
D’Ama o, D., Veijonaho, S., Toppinen, A., 2020. Towa ds sus ainabili y? Fo es -based,
ci cula bioeconomy business models in Finnish SMEs. Fo . Pol. Econ. 110, 101848
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j. o pol.2018.12.004.
Eu opaBio, 2022. Eu opaBio [WWW Documen ]. Eu . Commen s Ci c. Econ. Ac ion Plan.
URL. h ps://www.eu opabio.o g/wp-con en /uploads/2021/01/2020_01_I_O
_Eu opaBio-Commen s-on- he-Ci cula -Economy-Ac ion-Plan.pd , 12.1.22.
Eu opean Commission, 2018. A sus ainable Bioeconomy o Eu ope: s eng hening he
connec ion be ween economy, socie y and he en i onmen 107. h ps://doi.
o g/10.2777/478385.
Eu opean Commission, 2021. S udies on Suppo o Resea ch and Inno a ion Policy in
he A e o Bio-Based P oduc s and Se ices.
Eu os a , 2023. Sus ainable de elopmen goals da abase [WWW Documen ]. URL. h
ps://ec.eu opa.eu/eu os a /web/sdi/da abase.
Gan, J., Casho e, B., 2013. Oppo uni ies and challenges o in eg a ing bioene gy in o
sus ainable o es managemen ce i ica ion p og ams. J. F . 111, 11–16. h ps://doi.
o g/10.5849/JOF.11-092.
Geissle , C.H., Ma a elias, C.T., 2021. Economic, ene ge ic, and en i onmen al analysis
o lignocellulosic bio e ine ies wi h ca bon cap u e. Appl. Ene gy 302. h ps://doi.
o g/10.1016/j.apene gy.2021.117539.
Giwa, T., Akba i, M., Kuma , A., 2023. Techno-economic assessmen o an in eg a ed
bio e ine y p oducing bio-oil, e hanol, and hyd ogen. Fuel 332. h ps://doi.o g/
10.1016/j. uel.2022.126022.
Golaszewski, J., Mo one, P., Maje , S., Razza, F., Ladu, L., G ill, M., Uga e, S., Van
Ie sel, S., Voog , M., C epy, M., Fed igo, D., Me loni, E., 2020. Bluep in o
Sus ainabili y Ce i ica ion Schemes o Bio-Based P oduc s.
Hellsma k, H., S¨
ode holm, P., 2017. Inno a ion policies o ad anced bio e ine y
de elopmen : key conside a ions and lessons om Sweden. Bio uels, Biop od.
Bio e ining 11. h ps://doi.o g/10.1002/bbb.1732.
Julio, A.A.V., Ba lle, E.A.O., T indade, A.B., Neb a, S.A., Reyes, A.M.M., Palacio, J.C.E.,
2021. Ene gy, Exe gy, Exe goeconomic, and En i onmen al Assessmen o Di e en
Technologies in he P oduc ion o Bio-Je Fuel by Palm Oil Bio e ine ies, 243. Ene gy
Con e sion and Managemen . h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114393.
Ka dung, M., Cingiz, K., Cos enoble, O., Delahaye, R., Heijman, W., Lo i´
c, M., an
Leeuwen, M., M’ba ek, R., an Meijl, H., Pio owski, S., Ronzon, T., Saue , J.,
Ve hoog, D., Ve ke k, P.J., V achioli, M., Wessele , J.H.H., Zhu, B.X., 2021.
De elopmen o he ci cula bioeconomy: d i e s and indica o s. Sus ain. Times 13.
h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/su13010413.
Kha ami, K., Pe ez-Zabale a, M., Owusu-Agyeman, I., Ce ecioglu, Z., 2021. Was e o
bioplas ics: how close a e we o sus ainable polyhyd oxyalkanoa es p oduc ion?
Was e Manag. 119, 374–388. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.WASMAN.2020.10.008.
Khoo, H.H., Eu asio-Espinosa, R.M., Koh, L.S.C., Sha a , P.N., Isoni, V., 2019.
Sus ainabili y assessmen o bio e ine y p oduc ion chains: a combined LCA-supply
chain app oach. J. Clean. P od. 235, 1116–1137. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.
jclep o.2019.07.007.
Lange, L., Conno , K.O., A ason, S., Bundgå d-Jø gensen, U., Canalis, A., Ca ez, D.,
Gallaghe , J., Gø ke, N., Huyghe, C., Ja y, B., Llo en e, P., Ma ino a, M., Ma ins, L.
O., Mengal, P., Paiano, P., Panou sou, C., Rod igues, L., S engel, D.B., an de
Mee , Y., Viei a, H., 2021. De eloping a sus ainable and ci cula bio-based economy
in EU: by pa ne ing ac oss sec o s, upscaling and using new knowledge as e , and
o he bene i o clima e, en i onmen & biodi e si y, and people & business. In:
F on ie s in Bioenginee ing and Bio echnology, 8. h ps://doi.o g/10.3389/
bioe.2020.619066.
Laude, A., Jonen, C., 2013. Biomass and CCS: he in luence o echnical change. Ene gy
Pol. 60 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.05.044.
Leibenspe ge , C., Yang, P., Zhao, Q., Wei, S., Cai, X., 2021. The syne gy be ween
s akeholde s o cellulosic bio uel de elopmen : pe spec i es, oppo uni ies, and
ba ie s. In: Renewable and Sus ainable Ene gy Re iews, 137. h ps://doi.o g/
10.1016/j. se .2020.110613.
Leong, H., Chang, C., Khoo, K., Chew, K., Chia, S., Lim, J., Chang, J., Show, P., 2021.
Was e bio e ne y owa ds a sus ainable ci cula bioeconomy: a solu ion o global
issues. Bio echnol. Bio uels 14.
Le ne , M., Sol , P., R¨
oßige , B., Pu ky-Hein ich, D., J¨
a¨
askel¨
ainen, A.-S.,
Schwa zbaue , P., Hesse , F., 2018. F om wood o esin-iden i ying sus ainabili y
le e s h ough ho spo ing lignin alo isa ion pa hways. Sus ain. Times 10. h ps://
doi.o g/10.3390/su10082745.
Le idow, L., 2015. Eco-e icien bio e ine ies: echno- ix o esou ce cons ain s?
´
Economie Ru al. h ps://doi.o g/10.4000/economie u ale.4729.
Lühmann, M., 2020. Whose Eu opean bioeconomy? Rela ions o o ces in he shaping o
an upda ed EU bioeconomy s a egy. En i on. De . 35 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.
ENVDEV.2020.100547.
Mai-Moulin, T., Hoe nagels, R., Saile , K., Junginge , M., 2020. Sus ainabili y C i e ia
and Ce i ica ion o Lignocellulosic Bio e ine y Sys ems: Ha monisa ion Possibili ies
and T adeo s (U ech , The Ne he lands).
Ma iana, O.S., Camilo, S.T.J., A iel, C.A.C., 2021. A comp ehensi e app oach o
bio e ine ies design based on expe imen al da a, concep ual and op imiza ion
me hodologies: he o ange peel was e case. Bio esou . Technol. 325 h ps://doi.o g/
10.1016/j.bio ech.2021.124682.
Meh a, N., Shah, K.J., Lin, Y.I., Sun, Y., Pan, S.Y., 2021. Ad ances in ci cula bioeconomy
echnologies: om ag icul u al was ewa e o alue-added esou ces. En i onmen s -
MDPI 8 (3). h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/en i onmen s8030020.
Me amo-Hu ado, S.I., Gonz´
alez-Delgado, ´
A.D., 2019. Bio e ine y syn hesis and design
using sus ainabili y pa ame e s and hie a chical/3D mul i-objec i e op imiza ion.
J. Clean. P od. 240 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.jclep o.2019.118134.
Me amo-Hu ado, S.I., Sanchez-Tui an, E., Ponce-O ega, J.M., El-Halwagi, M.M., Ojeda-
Delgado, K.A., 2020. Syn hesis and sus ainabili y e alua ion o a lignocellulosic
mul i eeds ock bio e ine y conside ing echnical pe o mance indica o s. ACS
Omega 5, 9259–9275. h ps://doi.o g/10.1021/ACSOMEGA.0C00114/ASSET/
IMAGES/MEDIUM/AO0C00114_M016 (GIF).
Meye , M.A., P iess, J.A., 2014. Indica o s o bioene gy- ela ed ce i ica ion schemes – an
analysis o he quali y and comp ehensi eness o assessing local/ egional
en i onmen al impac s. Biomass Bioene gy 65, 151–169. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/
J.BIOMBIOE.2014.03.041.
Mok adi , M.A., Dwi edi, A., Rahman, T., 2022. An eceden s o ci cula bioeconomy
p ac ices owa ds sus ainabili y o supply chain. J. Clean. P od. 348 h ps://doi.o g/
10.1016/j.jclep o.2022.131329.
Mo ales, M.E., Lhuille y, S., Ghobakhloo, M., 2022. Ci cula i y e ec in he iabili y o
bio-based indus ial symbiosis: ackling ex ao dina y e en s in alue chains.
J. Clean. P od. 348 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.jclep o.2022.131387.
Mossbe g, J., S¨
ode holm, P., F ishamma , J., 2021. Challenges o sus ainable indus ial
ans o ma ion: Swedish bio e ine y de elopmen and incumben s in he eme ging
bio uels indus y. Bio uels, Biop od. Bio e ining 15. h ps://doi.o g/10.1002/
bbb.2249.
Mun oni, A., 2019. Was e bio e ine ies: oppo uni ies and pe spec i es. De i us. h ps://
doi.o g/10.31025/2611-4135/2019.13791.
Ncube, A., Sadondo, P., Makhanda, R., Mabika, C., Beinisch, N., Cocke , J., Gwenzi, W.,
Ulgia i, S., 2022. Ci cula bioeconomy po en ial and challenges wi hin an A ican
con ex : om heo y o p ac ice. J. Clean. P od. 367 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.
jclep o.2022.133068.
Nguyen, L.T., Phan, D.P., Sa wa , A., T an, M.H., Lee, O.K., Lee, E.Y., 2021. Valo iza ion
o indus ial lignin o alue-added chemicals by chemical depolyme iza ion and
biological con e sion. Ind. C op. P od. 161 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.
indc op.2020.113219.
Niemeije , D., de G oo , R.S., 2008. A concep ual amewo k o selec ing en i onmen al
indica o se s. Ecol. Indica . 8, 14–25. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.
ECOLIND.2006.11.012.
Nizami, A.S., Rehan, M., Waqas, M., Naq i, M., Ouda, O.K.M., Shahzad, K., Miandad, R.,
Khan, M.Z., Syamsi o, M., Ismail, I.M.I., Pan , D., 2017. Was e bio e ine ies: enabling
ci cula economies in de eloping coun ies. Bio esou . Technol. 241, 1101–1117.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2017.05.097.
Ocampo Ba lle, E.A., Escoba Palacio, J.C., Sil a Lo a, E.E., Da Cos a Bo oni, E., Ho a
Noguei a, L.A., Ca illo Caballe o, G.E., Vi o iano Julio, A.A., Esco cia, Y.C., 2021.
Ene gy, economic, and en i onmen al assessmen o he in eg a ed p oduc ion o
palm oil biodiesel and suga cane e hanol. J. Clean. P od. 311, 127638 h ps://doi.
o g/10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2021.127638.
OECD Science, T. and I.P.P., 2019. Wo king Pa y on Bio echnology, Nano echnology
and Con e ging Technologies OECD Science, Technology and Indus y Policy Pape s
D a BNCT P ojec Repo on “Eme ging Technologies and he B ain” (PWB 2015-
2016).
O i e, M., Ceb i´
an, M., Amay a, J., Zu ía, J., Bald, C., 2021. Techno-economic
assessmen o a bio e ine y plan o ex ac ed oli e pomace alo iza ion. P ocess
Sa . En i on. P o ec . 147 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.psep.2021.01.012.
O o, M., Be ndes, G., F i sche, U., 2011. The bioene gy and wa e nexus. Bio uels,
Biop od. Bio e ining 5, 343–346. h ps://doi.o g/10.1002/BBB.316.
Palacios-Be eche, M.C., Palacios-Be eche, R., Neb a, S.A., 2020. Compa ison h ough
ene gy, exe gy and economic analyses o wo al e na i es o he ene gy exploi a ion
o inasse. Ene gy 197. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.ene gy.2020.117231.
Palme os Pa ada, M., Osseweije , P., Posada Duque, J.A., 2017. Sus ainable bio e ine ies,
an analysis o p ac ices o inco po a ing sus ainabili y in bio e ine y design. Ind.
C op. P od. 106, 105–123. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.INDCROP.2016.08.052.
Pa ada, M.P., As eld, L., Osseweije , P., Posada, J.A., 2018. Se ing he design space o
bio e ine ies h ough sus ainabili y alues, a p ac ical app oach. Bio uels, Biop od.
Bio e ining 12. h ps://doi.o g/10.1002/bbb.1819.
Pa ajuli, R., Dalgaa d, T., Jø gensen, U., Adamsen, A.P.S., Knudsen, M.T., Bi k ed, M.,
Gylling, M., Schjø ing, J.K., 2015. Bio e ining in he p e ailing ene gy and
ma e ials c isis: a e iew o sus ainable pa hways o bio e ine y alue chains and
sus ainabili y assessmen me hodologies. Renew. Sus ain. Ene gy Re . h ps://doi.
o g/10.1016/j. se .2014.11.041.
Pa isi, C., Baldoni, E., M’ba ek, R., 2020. Bio-based Indus y and Bio e ine ies. Eu opean
Commission, Join Resea ch Cen e (JRC).
Pelkmans, L., Goo ae s, L., S upak, I., Smi h, C., Sheng Goh, C., Junginge , M.,
Chum, H., Goss Eng, A., Cowie, A., Englund, O., Joud ey, J., Dahlman, L., 2013.
Moni o ing Sus ainabili y Ce i ica ion o Bioene gy-Sho Summa y S a egic In e -
ask S udy. commissioned by IEA Bioene gy.
P abha, S., Vijay, A.K., Paul, R.R., Geo ge, B., 2022. Cyanobac e ial bio e ine y: owa ds
economic easibili y h ough he maximum alo iza ion o biomass. Sci. To al
En i on. 814 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.sci o en .2021.152795.
Rebolledo-Lei a, R., Mo ei a, M.T., Gonz´
alez-Ga cía, S., 2023. P og ess o social
assessmen in he amewo k o bioeconomy unde a li e cycle pe spec i e. Renew.
Sus ain. Ene gy Re . 175 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j. se .2023.113162.
A. A ias e al.

Jou nal o Cleane P oduc ion 418 (2023) 137925
17
Sac amen o-Ri e o, J.C., 2012. A me hodology o e alua ing he sus ainabili y o
bio e ine ies: amewo k and indica o s. Bio uels, Biop od. Bio e ining 6, 32–44.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1002/BBB.335.
Saha, R., Mukhopadhyay, M., 2020. E alua ion o he e ine y e iciency and indica o s
o sus ainabili y and economic pe o mance. In: Bio e ine y P oduc ion
Technologies o Chemicals and Ene gy. John Wiley & Sons, L d, pp. 67–75. h ps://
doi.o g/10.1002/9781119593065.CH4.
Sal ado , R., Ba os, M.V., Donne , M., P, P.B.-S., unde ined, 2022. How o Ad ance
Regional Ci cula Bioeconomy Sys ems? Iden i ying Ba ie s, Challenges, D i e s,
and Oppo uni ies. Sus ainable P oduc ion and Consump ion, 2022. h ps://www.sci
encedi ec .com/science/a icle/pii/S2352550922001130.
San iba˜
nez-Aguila , J.E., Gonz´
alez-Campos, J.B., Ponce-O ega, J.M., Se na-
Gonz´
alez, M., El-Halwagi, M.M., 2015. Supply chains and op imiza ion o
bio e ine ies. Compu . Aided Chem. Eng. 36 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/B978-0-444-
63472-6.00019-7.
Saue , M., S eige , M., Ma ano ich, D., Ma x, H., 2014. Bio e ine ies—concep s o
sus ainabili y. In: Biop ocessing o Renewable Resou ces o Commodi y Biop oduc s.
John Wiley & Sons, L d, pp. 1–27. h ps://doi.o g/10.1002/9781118845394.CH1.
Sca la , N., Dallemand, J.F., Mon o i-Fe a io, F., Ni a, V., 2015. The ole o biomass and
bioene gy in a u u e bioeconomy: policies and ac s. En i on. De . 15, 3–34.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.ENVDEV.2015.03.006.
Sepúl eda, L., Con e as, E., Ce o, D., Quin ul´
en, L., 2021. Technical easibili y o
na u al an ioxidan eco e y om he mix u e o he inedible ac ions o ege ables
p oduced in a wholesale ma ke . h p://mc.manusc ip cen al.com/ cy . h ps://doi.
o g/10.1080/19476337.2021.1915878, 19, 418–428.
Sil a, C.A.M., P unescu, R.M., Ge naey, K.V., Sin, G., Diaz-Cha ez, R.A., 2017.
Bio e ine y sus ainabili y analysis. Lec . No es Ene gy 57, 161–200. h ps://doi.o g/
10.1007/978-3-319-48288-0_7.
Singh, A., Ch is ensen, T., Panou sou, C., 2021. Policy e iew o biomass alue chains in
he Eu opean bioeconomy. Global T ans. 3 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.
gl .2020.11.003.
Smolke , R., Toka , B., Pe e mann, A., He nandez, E., Thomas, T., 2008. The Real Cos o
Ag o uels: Impac s on Food, Fo es s, Peoples and he Clima e. Global Fo es
Coali ion, Global Jus ice Ecology P ojec and Ins i u e o Social Ecology.
Sola e-To o, J.C., Ca dona Alza e, C.A., 2021. Bio e ine ies as he base o
accomplishing he sus ainable de elopmen goals (SDGs) and he ansi ion o
bioeconomy: echnical aspec s, challenges and pe spec i es. Bio esou . Technol. 340
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2021.125626.
S ougie, L., Tsalidis, G.A., an de Kooi, H.J., Ko e aa , G., 2018. En i onmen al and
exe ge ic sus ainabili y assessmen o powe gene a ion om biomass. Renewable
Ene gy 128. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j. enene.2017.06.046.
S a s ad, H., Pe e sen, L.K., Ro hman, D., Siepel, H., W¨
a zold, F., 2008. Discu si e biases
o he en i onmen al esea ch amewo k DPSIR. Land Use Pol. 25, 116–125.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.LANDUSEPOL.2007.03.005.
Tschulkow, M., Compe nolle, T., Van den Bosch, S., Van Aels , J., S o ms, I., Van
Dael, M., Van den Bossche, G., Sels, B., Van Passel, S., 2020. In eg a ed echno-
economic assessmen o a bio e ine y p ocess: he high-end alo iza ion o he
lignocellulosic ac ion in wood s eams. J. Clean. P od. 266 h ps://doi.o g/
10.1016/j.jclep o.2020.122022.
Ubando, A.T., Felix, C.B., Chen, W.H., 2020. Bio e ine ies in ci cula bioeconomy: a
comp ehensi e e iew. Bio esou . Technol. 299, 122585 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/J.
BIORTECH.2019.122585.
Vis, M., P au, S., Esweg, J., 2016. Bio-based Sus ainabili y Schemes.
Wo´
zniak, E., Tyczewska, A., Twa dowski, T., 2021. Bioeconomy de elopmen ac o s in
he Eu opean Union and Poland. Na . Bio echnol. 60, 2–8. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/
J.NBT.2020.07.004.
Yılmaz Balaman, S
¸., W igh , D.G., Sco , J., Ma opoulos, A., 2018. Ne wo k design and
echnology managemen o was e o ene gy p oduc ion: an in eg a ed op imiza ion
amewo k unde he p inciples o ci cula economy. Ene gy 143. h ps://doi.o g/
10.1016/j.ene gy.2017.11.058.
Zabanio ou, A., 2018. Redesigning a bioene gy sec o in EU in he ansi ion o ci cula
was e-based Bioeconomy-A mul idisciplina y e iew. J. Clean. P od. 177 h ps://
doi.o g/10.1016/j.jclep o.2017.12.172.
Zhang, Y., Bao, X., Ren, G., Cai, X., Li, J., 2012. Analysing he s a us, obs acles and
ecommenda ions o WCOs o es au an s as biodiesel eeds ocks in China om
supply chain’ pe spec i es. Resou . Conse . Recycl. 60 h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.
escon ec.2011.11.014.
A. A ias e al.