D2.4 - High-level study of regional dynamics for the use of Bio-based Technologies (BBTs)

Deliverable 2.4 1 CTA August 2024 High-level study of regional dynamics for the use of Biobased Technologies (BBTs) DELIVERABLE D2.4 Deliverable 2.4 2 © 2024 by BBioNets consortium is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 . Document information. Document ID D2.4 Title High-level study of regional dynamics for the use of Bio-based Technologies (BBTs) Work Package WP2 – Bio-Based Technologies and regional dynamics Due Date 31/08/2024 Delivery Date 31/08/2024 Dissemination Level PU - Public Partner Responsible CTA Main Authors Paola Giambiaggi Dall´Orso - CTA Paula Rosa Álvarez – CTA Nathalie Chavrier – CTA Macarena Ureña – CTA Contributors All partners Peer reviewers Reviewer 1 Dr. Mara Lai – CREA Dr. Laura Mirra – CREA Dr. Francesco Basset – CREA Dr. Patrizia Borsotto - CREA Reviewer 2 Ms. Concepción Mira Rodado – TEPRO Mr. Antonio Alvear Almunia - TEPRO Ms. Macarena Leyva Manchón - TEPRO Coordinator Carmen Girón Domínguez - MTU Document history Version Date Main Modifications Author(s) 0.1 31/07/2024 First version CTA 0.2 22/08/2024 Second version CTA, CREA, TEPRO, MTU Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Deliverable 2.4 3 © 2024 by BBioNets consortium is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 . 1.0 28/08/2024 Final version ready for submission CTA 2.0 13/09/2024 Copyright added CTA Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 4 Table of Contents 1 Introduction .......................................................................................... 19 1.1 EU bioeconomy framework..................................................................................... 19 1.1.1 EU bioeconomy strategy ..................................................................................................... 19 1.1.2 EU funding programmes ..................................................................................................... 21 2 Czech-Republic - Southern Moravia ....................................................... 23 2.1 General description of the region ........................................................................... 23 2.1.1 Geographic description of the region ................................................................................. 23 2.1.2 Agriculture and forestry sectors in the region .................................................................... 24 2.1.3 Economic Indicators ............................................................................................................ 29 2.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework .................................................................................... 29 2.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation .................................................................. 30 2.2.1 Biomass resource availability .............................................................................................. 30 2.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources ............................................................... 32 2.2.3 Bio-products target market ................................................................................................ 32 2.2.4 R&D system associated with biomass valorisation ............................................................. 34 2.2.5 Support and financing policies ............................................................................................ 35 2.3 Analysis of Operational Groups ............................................................................... 36 2.3.1 Operational groups characterization .................................................................................. 36 2.3.2 Bio-based Technologies (BBT) developed by OGs ............................................................... 37 2.4 Discussion of previous sections ............................................................................... 39 References ................................................................................................................................ 40 3 Greece – Central Macedonia, Crete & Peloponnese ............................... 42 3.1 General description of the region ........................................................................... 42 3.1.1 Geographic description of the region ................................................................................. 42 3.1.2 Agriculture and forestry sectors in the region .................................................................... 45 3.1.3 Economic indicators ............................................................................................................ 51 3.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework .................................................................................... 53 3.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation .................................................................. 55 3.2.1 Biomass resource availability .............................................................................................. 55 3.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources ............................................................... 62 3.2.3 Bio-Products target market ................................................................................................ 63 3.2.4 R&D system associated with biomass valorisation ............................................................. 65 3.2.5 Support and financing policies ............................................................................................ 66 3.3 Analysis of Operational Groups ............................................................................... 67 3.3.1 Operational groups characterization .................................................................................. 67 3.3.2 Bio-based technologies (BBT) developed by OGs ................................................................ 69 3.4 Discussion of previous sections ............................................................................... 69 References ................................................................................................................................ 70 5 4 Italy - Piemonte, Valle d’Aosta & Liguria ................................................ 72 4.1 General description of the region ........................................................................... 72 4.1.1 Geographic description of the region ................................................................................. 72 4.1.2 Agriculture and forestry sectors in the region .................................................................... 72 4.1.3 Economic Indicators ............................................................................................................ 79 4.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework .................................................................................... 80 4.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation .................................................................. 82 4.2.1 Biomass resource availability .............................................................................................. 82 4.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources ............................................................... 88 4.2.3 Bio-products target market ................................................................................................ 88 4.2.4 R&D system associated with biomass valorisation ............................................................. 93 4.2.5 Support and financing policies ............................................................................................ 96 4.3 Analysis of Operational Groups ............................................................................. 102 4.3.1 Operational groups characterization ................................................................................ 102 4.3.2 Bio-based Technologies (BBT) developed by OGs ............................................................. 105 4.4 Discussion of previous sections ............................................................................. 105 References .............................................................................................................................. 106 5 Ireland ................................................................................................. 109 5.1 General description of the region ......................................................................... 109 5.1.1 Geographic description of the region ............................................................................... 109 5.1.2 Agriculture and forestry sectors in the region .................................................................. 109 5.1.3 Economic Indicators .......................................................................................................... 115 5.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework .................................................................................. 116 5.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation ................................................................ 117 5.2.1 Biomass resource availability ............................................................................................ 117 5.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources ............................................................. 120 5.2.3 Bio-products target market .............................................................................................. 121 5.2.4 R&D system associated with biomass valorisation ........................................................... 126 5.2.5 Support and financing policies .......................................................................................... 128 5.3 Analysis of Operational Groups ............................................................................. 133 5.3.1 Operational groups characterization ................................................................................ 133 5.3.2 Bio-based Technologies (BBT) developed by OGs ............................................................. 135 5.4 Discussion of previous sections ............................................................................. 136 References .............................................................................................................................. 137 6 Poland ................................................................................................. 141 6.1 General description of the region ......................................................................... 141 6.1.1 Geographic description of the region ............................................................................... 141 6.1.2 Agriculture and forestry sectors in the region .................................................................. 142 6.1.3 Economic Indicators .......................................................................................................... 144 6.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework .................................................................................. 145 6 6.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation ................................................................ 147 6.2.1 Biomass resource availability ............................................................................................ 147 6.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources ............................................................. 151 6.2.3 Bio-products target market .............................................................................................. 152 6.2.4 R&D system associated with biomass valorisation ........................................................... 154 6.2.5 Support and financing policies .......................................................................................... 156 6.3 Analysis of Operational Groups ............................................................................. 159 6.3.1 Operational groups characterization ................................................................................ 159 6.3.2 Bio-based Technologies (BBT) developed by OG ............................................................... 160 6.4 Discussion of previous sections ............................................................................. 162 References .............................................................................................................................. 162 7 Spain - Andalusia ................................................................................. 162 7.1 General description of the region ......................................................................... 166 7.1.1 Geographic description of the region ............................................................................... 166 7.1.2 Agriculture and forestry sectors in the region .................................................................. 166 7.1.3 Economic Indicators .......................................................................................................... 171 7.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework .................................................................................. 172 7.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation ................................................................ 173 7.2.1 Biomass resource availability ............................................................................................ 173 7.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources ............................................................. 176 7.2.3 Bio-products target market .............................................................................................. 177 7.2.4 R&D system associated with biomass valorisation ........................................................... 181 7.2.5 Support and financing policies .......................................................................................... 184 7.3 Analysis of Operational Groups ............................................................................. 188 7.3.1 Operational groups characterization ................................................................................ 188 7.3.2 Bio-based Technologies (BBT) developed by OGs ............................................................. 190 7.4 Discussion of previous sections ............................................................................. 192 References .............................................................................................................................. 192 8 Conclusions ......................................................................................... 195 List of Figures Figure 1. EU regions with bioeconomy strategy. .................................................................................. 20 Figure 2: Location of Czech Republic in Europe (Source: Rural Observatory)[9]. ................................. 24 Figure 3: Main crops according to production quantities (t) (Czech Statistical office) [6].................... 25 Figure 4: Chechia, Highlands and South Moravia region % of livestock production, 1st Q 2024 [6]. ... 26 Figure 5: Chechia, Highlands and South Moravia region livestock production in t live weight, 1st Q 2024 [6] ................................................................................................................................................. 26 Figure 6: Forest Area in ha and Wood harvest in m3 without bark (Czech Statistical office) [6]. ......... 28 Figure 7: Funds granted to each project (€) (Source: Starfos) [16]. ...................................................... 37 Figure 8: Biomass used developed BBTs (Source: Starfos) [16]. ........................................................... 38 Figure 9: Expected results for the category of final users (Source: Starfos)[16]. ................................. 38 7 Figure 10: TRLs for each project developed BBTs (Source: Starfos) [16]. ............................................. 39 Figure 11: Central Macedonia Region. .................................................................................................. 42 Figure 12: Crete region. ......................................................................................................................... 43 Figure 13: Peloponnese region. ............................................................................................................. 44 Figure 14: Agricultural production in Central Macedonia. .................................................................... 45 Figure 15: Harvested area in 2018. ....................................................................................................... 45 Figure 16: Types of different plant production 2010-2018. .................................................................. 46 Figure 17: production of fruits & vegetables in the period 2010-2018. ............................................... 46 Figure 18: Animal production in Central Macedonia. ........................................................................... 47 Figure 19: Annual biomass production, in ktonnes, by agricultural waste category in Greece. ........... 57 Figure 20: Biomass per source in Greece. ............................................................................................. 57 Figure 21: Potential of woody biomass (tree plantations and forests) in Greece by region (ktonnes). 58 Figure 22: Biomass potential by source and Regional Unit of Crete (in ktonnes)................................. 60 Figure 23: Biomass potential. ................................................................................................................ 60 Figure 24: Total Biomass potential in the Region of Crete (in tonnes) by biomass source, 2010 ........ 61 Figure 25: Location of Italian FAN (Piemonte, Liguria, Valle d’Aosta) in Europe (Source: ISTAT) ......... 72 Figure 26: Useful agricultural area (ha) in Italian FAN over the years (ISTAT, s.d.) .............................. 73 Figure 27: Land use in the Italian FAN area 2020 (Census) (ISTAT, 2023). ............................................ 74 Figure 28: Piemontese cattle & Sambucana sheep ............................................................................... 76 Figure 29: Distribution of forest at different altitudes. (Source: Inventario Nazionale delle Foreste e dei serbatoi di Carbonio 2015 – INFC 2015) (Carabinieri & CREA, 2021). ............................................. 77 Figure 30: Pure and mixed forests of conifers and broadleaves ........................................................... 77 Figure 31: Distribution of business in the food and drink industry, workers by business and food and drink industry specialised by number of workers (Source: CREA (CREA, 2023)). ................................. 78 Figure 32: Bioeconomy value added by region (billion euros, 2019) Weight of Bioeconomy value added to total regional VA (%, 2019) (Intesa San Paolo, Giugno 2022). ............................................... 83 Figure 33: The evolution of the weight of the Bioeconomy in Italy in terms of value of production (% of total economy) and in terms of employment (% of total economy) (Intesa San Paolo, 2023). ....... 84 Figure 34: Number and Power of Biogas Plants Nationwide (No., MW) .............................................. 88 Figure 35: Turnover and employment of bioeconomy in Italy in 2017 (Eurostat data). ...................... 90 Figure 36: Bio-based biorefinery plants, research centres, pilot and demo plants available in the country (Government, 2019) ................................................................................................................. 92 Figure 37: Solid biomass power plants in Piedmont (Anon., s.d.). ........................................................ 93 Figure 38: Mission 2 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. .................................................... 96 Figure 39: Number of 2014-2022 OGs project per region/autonomous province (RRN, s.d.) ........... 103 Figure 40: Percentage of OGs per sector (RRN, s.d.) ........................................................................... 104 Figure 41: Number of 2014-2022 OGs working on BBTs per region/autonomous province (RRN, s.d.) ............................................................................................................................................................. 104 Figure 42: Location of Ireland in Europe (adapted from: European Union). ...................................... 109 Figure 43: Agricultural Area Utilized (ha) in Ireland over the years (Agricultural Census 2000: Main Results, 2001; Farm Structure Survey 2010, 2010; Census of Agriculture 2020 detailed results: Organics, 2020) .................................................................................................................................... 110 Figure 44: Utilized Agricultural Area (ha) in Ireland over the years (Agricultural Census 2000: Main Results, 2001; Farm Structure Survey 2010, 2010; Census of Agriculture 2020 detailed results: Organics, 2020) .................................................................................................................................... 110 Figure 45: Main crops production 2010-2020 (Area, Yield and Production of Crops 2020, 2021) ..... 111 Figure 46: Farms by type, 2020 (Census of Agriculture 2020 - Preliminary results, 2021) ................. 111 Figure 47: Land utilization 1991-2020 (Census of Agriculture 2020 - Preliminary Results: Land Utilisation, 2020). ................................................................................................................................ 112 Figure 48: Total cattle and sheep in each region in 2023 (Central Statistics Office, 2024a) .............. 113 Figure 49: Roundwood removals by product in 2022 (Forest and Wood Removals 2022, 2023). ..... 114 8 Figure 50: Biomass resources generated in 2022 in Ireland (Material Flow Accounts 2022: Key findings, 2023) ..................................................................................................................................... 117 Figure 51: Nitrate zone designations in Ireland (Köninger, 2021). ..................................................... 119 Figure 52: Locations of Irish ports with fish landings, 2022 (Central Statistics Office, 2023). ............ 120 Figure 53: Share of indigenous primary energy production by energy type in Ireland (Energy in Ireland 2023, 2023). ......................................................................................................................................... 122 Figure 54: Survey of biomethane production capacity by county in Ireland, 2022 (adapted from Biomethane Energy Report) (Biomethane energy report, 2023). ....................................................... 123 Figure 55: OGs evolution in the period 2017-2022 in Ireland (EIP-AGRI Operational Group Projects - Ireland; EU CAP Network, 2024). ........................................................................................................ 134 Figure 56: OGs budget evolution over the period 2017-2022 (EIP-AGRI Operational Group Projects - Ireland; EU CAP Network, 2024). ........................................................................................................ 135 Figure 57: Location of Poland in Europe [1] ........................................................................................ 141 Figure 58: Cultivation of agricultural land in 2020 [3]. ........................................................................ 142 Figure 59: Area of individual crops [ha] [3]. ........................................................................................ 143 Figure 60: Agricultural biomass residues resources generated in 2023 [17]. ..................................... 147 Figure 61: Agricultural biomass residues resources generated in 2023 divided into voivodeships [17]. ............................................................................................................................................................. 148 Figure 62: Maps of agricultural biomass residues resources created in 2023 [17] ............................ 148 Figure 63: Livestock biomass resources generated in 2020 [17]. ....................................................... 149 Figure 64: Livestock biomass resources generated in 2020 divided into voivodeships [17], ............. 149 Figure 65: Agro-industrial residues biomass resources generated in 2023 [18]. ................................ 150 Figure 66: Agro-industrial biomass residues resources generated in 2023 divided into voivodeships [18]. ..................................................................................................................................................... 150 Figure 67: Forestry biomass resources generated in 2022 [4]. ........................................................... 151 Figure 68: Balance of liquid biofuels in 2018-2022 [23] ...................................................................... 154 Figure 69: OGs evolution in the period 2015-2024 in Poland [32]...................................................... 159 Figure 70: OGs budget evolution over the period 2015-2023 [32] ..................................................... 160 Figure 71: Biomass used in BBTs developed by OGs. .......................................................................... 161 Figure 72: Bio-products generated by BBTs. ....................................................................................... 161 Figure 73: Processing methods. .......................................................................................................... 162 Figure 74: Location of Andalusia in Europe. ........................................................................................ 166 Figure 75: Utilised agricultural area (ha) in Andalusia over the years (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023). .......................................................................... 167 Figure 76: Main crops according to occupied area (ha) (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023). ...................................................................................... 168 Figure 77: Main crops according to production quantities (t) (Source: Junta de Andalucía) (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023) . ...................................... 168 Figure 78: Andalusian livestock farms (%) by type of management in 2022 (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023). ............................................................... 169 Figure 79: “Dehesa”............................................................................................................................. 170 Figure 80: Distribution of cork oak groves in Andalusia in ha. (Source: Strategic Plan for cork oak in Andalusia 2017). .................................................................................................................................. 171 Figure 81: Biomass resources generated in 2021 distribution by crop and by province. Adapted from (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023). ................... 174 Figure 82: Destination of biomass resources generated by studied crops (without horticultural crops). Adapted from (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023). ............................................................................................................................................................. 174 Figure 83: Destination of biomass generated by protected horticultural crops. Adapted from (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023). ................... 175 Figure 84: Livestock biomass generation by activity and province. Adaptation from (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023). ........................................... 175 9 Figure 85: Agro-industrial generated biomass. Adaptation from (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural. Junta de Andalucía, 2023). .......................................................................... 176 Figure 86: OGs evolution in the period 2015-2023 in Andalusia. ....................................................... 188 Figure 87: OGs budget evolution over the period 2015-2023. ........................................................... 189 Figure 88: OG by sector in Andalusia. ................................................................................................. 189 Figure 89: Biomass used in BBTs developed by OGs. .......................................................................... 190 Figure 90: Bio-products generated by BBTs. ....................................................................................... 191 Figure 91: TRLs for each BBTs. ............................................................................................................. 191 Figure 92: Processing methods. .......................................................................................................... 192 List of Tables Table 1. Chechia, Highlands and South Moravia region of livestock production in pieces, 1st Q 2024 [6]. ......................................................................................................................................................... 26 Table 2: Detailed information in Czech Republic .................................................................................. 28 Table 3. Economic indicators by region/country [3]. ............................................................................ 29 Table 4. Key pillars of processing industries [13]. ................................................................................. 31 Table 5. Examples of Key Actors of Biomass Target Markets [5]. ......................................................... 33 Table 6. National bioeconomy projects ongoing. ................................................................................. 35 Table 7: Crete cropland areas. .............................................................................................................. 48 Table 8: Detailed information in Crete .................................................................................................. 49 Table 9: Number of agricultural holdings and utilized agricultural area............................................... 50 Table 10: Purely agricultural, purely livestock, and mixed holdings. .................................................... 50 Table 11: Distribution of holdings by main categories of use. .............................................................. 50 Table 12: Distribution of utilized agricultural area of holdings by main categories of use (hectares). 50 Table 13: Holdings with animals by type of animal. .............................................................................. 51 Table 14: Number of animals by type. .................................................................................................. 51 Table 15. Economic indicators............................................................................................................... 53 Table 16: Biomass types in Central Macedonia. ................................................................................... 55 Table 17: Annual quantities of pruning product in Crete...................................................................... 58 Table 18: Agricultural holdings in the Region of Crete (land in K hectares). ........................................ 59 Table 19: Quantities of bi-phase oil mills. ............................................................................................. 59 Table 20: Quantities of agricultural waste (in tonnes/year, 2007). ...................................................... 61 Table 21: Area and agricultural production in the Italian FAN reference area 2022 (Annuario) (CREA, 2023)...................................................................................................................................................... 74 Table 22: Farms with animals on 1 December 2020 (census). .............................................................. 75 Table 23: Extension of forest, other wooded land and total wooded area (ha). (Source: Inventario Nazionale delle Foreste e dei serbatoi di Carbonio 2015 – INFC 2015). (Carabinieri & CREA, 2021) ... 76 Table 24: Detailed information in Italy .................................................................................................. 78 Table 25: Economic indicators by region/country (European Union, s.f.). ........................................... 80 Table 26: Economic indicators by region/country (ITABIA, 2020) ........................................................ 83 Table 27: Italian overview of bioeconomy. ........................................................................................... 85 Table 28: Agricultural waste (tonnes of dry matter per year; 2002) Wood Forests (t/year;2005) and Energy crops (t/hectare; 2005) per Fan area and NUTS 3. ................................................................... 87 Table 29: Italian producers of electricity from solid biomass (Anon., s.d.). .......................................... 92 Table 30: Major European R&I projects coordinated by Italy, funded by H2020 (Societal Challenges 2. 3, 5), important for the Bioeconomy (RIAV, s.d.). ................................................................................. 97 Table 31: Budget of 2014-2022 OGs per region/province and average budget per project (RRN, s.d.) ............................................................................................................................................................. 103 Table 32: Detailed information in Ireland ........................................................................................... 114 16 Abbreviation Description UAA Utilised agricultural area URE (PL) Polish Energy Regulatory Agency VA Value Added VC Venture Capital VUPT Fodder Research Institute in Troubsko WDC (IE) Western Development Commission WMU Waste Management Units WP Work Package WTS Waste Transfer Stations Table of Units Abbreviation Description € Euro B€ Billion euros GJ Gigajoule GWh Gigawatt hours ha Hectares hab. Habitants J Joule k€ Thousand euro kg Kilograms kJ Kilojoule kJ/kg Kilojoule per-kilo 17 Abbreviation Description km Kilometres km2 Square kilometres kt Kilo tonnes ktoe Thousand tonnes of oil equivalent kWh Kilowatt hours m Metres m.a.s.l. Metres above sea level M€ Million euro m2 Square metres m3 Cubic metres Mha Million hectares MJ Megajoule mm Millimetres Mt Million tonnes MWe Megawatt electric MWh Megawatt hours PJ Petajoule t Tonnes tCO2e Tonne of carbon-dioxide equivalents TWh Terawatts hour 18 Executive Summary This document provides an overview on regional dynamics in terms of OGs activity, maturity of BBTs and potential in each of the six representative regions in BBioNets project. The report offers a characterization of each region going through geographical, economical, agricultural and forestry and bioeconomy regulations aspects considered as levers and barriers for the use of Biobased Technologies (BBTs) in the different regions. Economic indicators were extracted from the Rural Observatory database from European Union so that they are comparable. Then it focuses on the current state of biomass valorisation, considering the main aspects such as biomass availability, managements, bioproducts, R&D systems and support and financing policies. In addition to this, an analysis of the Operational Groups (OGs) funded in each region was mainly conducted using information provided by EIP CAP Network Project Database and complemented with other local databases such as national visors of OGs and regional calls resolutions. This overview allows to understand the context, level, and trends of the work conducted by OGs in the region/country. The key result of this study is a classification of each region/country in green, yellow, or red light according to its capability of implementing BBTs. A “green light” means that the country has the economic resources and financial support to implement BBTs, and in addition, its action plans include valorisation as an action that helps to mitigate carbon emissions; a “yellow light” means that the country has only one of the above aspects; and a “red light” means that it has none of the above aspects. This analysis was conducted according to the characteristics of the region such as the economic situation or available resources, the economic support environment, and the availability of biomass, in order to get a picture of the current situation in each of the regions. South Moravian in Czech Republic is reported as red light; Poland and Greece (Crete and Peloponnese) as yellow light, while Ireland, Italy (Piemonte, Valle d’Aosta & Liguria), Spain (Andalusia) and Greece (Central Macedonia) are green light. 19 1 Introduction This document gathers the reports on high-level study in terms of OGs activity, maturity of BBTs and potential in each of the regional dynamics conducted by BBioNets partners in each region/country. This deliverable is a result of the T2.3 from the work package 2. CTA formulated the guidelines and provided it to partners for them to conduct a literature review at their national/regional level accordingly. This document has three main objectives. Firstly, to introduce and characterize the region/country providing an in-depth understanding of regional dynamics, maturity and potential. This includes a brief geographical, economic and bioeconomic description of the region, as well as the characterization of the agricultural and forestry sectors. In the second place, to provide an accurate picture of the biomass valorisation in the region. Finally, to present an overall analysis and description of current practices regarding OG-identified and locally implemented BBTs to understand the context, level, and trends in the region/country. A detailed analysis of the technological aspects of BBTs has also been undertaken. Based on the literature review and the analysis of the context that facilitate the uptake of BBTs, the region/country is classified in green, yellow, or red light according to its capability to implement them in the primary sector. This deliverable provides a comprehensive description of the current state of OG-identified and locally applied BBTs to be used as a benchmark for future assessment when presenting suitable alternatives and their cost-effectiveness to primary producers together with T2.1 and T2.2 results. 1.1 EU bioeconomy framework 1.1.1 EU bioeconomy strategy The European Bioeconomy Strategy emerged in 2012 recognising that bioeconomy, currently worthing 2.3 trillion in turnover and accounting for 8.2% of the EU’s workforce, plays a key role in addressing EU challenges. It was identified five objectives to which the strategy was to contribute: (i) ensuring food security, (ii) managing natural resources sustainability, (iii) reducing dependence on no-renewable resources, (iv) mitigating and adapting to climate change, and (v) creating and maintaining EU competitiveness. In a recent report by the European Commission, titled "Bioeconomy Strategy Development in EU Regions", the development of bioeconomy strategies at the regional level within the EU-27 was analysed. The Figure 1. EU regions with bioeconomy strategy.Figure 1 presents the importance and the status of the bioeconomy strategies in the different regions. 20 Figure 1. EU regions with bioeconomy strategy. In particular, the Strategy succeeded in mobilising Research and Innovation funding in bioeconomy by a) doubling the EU Research and Innovation funding dedicated to the bioeconomy under Horizon 2020, b) increasing support to private investment and public/private partnerships through the launch of the BBI JU, and c) encouraging Research and Innovation investments in the Member States. 21 1.1.2 EU funding programmes At European level, there are a number of programs providing technical assistance and funding facilities for projects and innovative ideas in bioeconomy and agri-food sector, like the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, Eurodesk, European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST). Other European Initiatives and Financial Instruments, potentially supporting bioeconomy are listed below: • European Investments Bank loans – Loans for projects in agriculture, forest based, blue economy, waste management. Loans guaranteed by European Fund for Strategic Investments for high-risk investment in production and processing of food, biobased materials, and bio energy. • European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF) - Investment in late-stage bioeconomy starts-ups. • LIFE – Programme for the Environment and Climate Action. • InnovFin – Loans and guarantees to innovative businesses for research and innovation activities. • Innovation Fund – Funding supporting the deployment of biobased solutions in carbon intensive sectors. • The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) focuses on new value chains based on the smart and integral use of agro-waste and specialized crops for industrial uses to be grown on marginal lands, creating the necessary interface for agro-energy and bio-based industries. They provide financial support for sustainable agricultural practices, the development of bio-based industries, and the valorisation of agricultural and forestry residues. • European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) - helps the EU's farmers to provide a secure supply of safe, healthy, and affordable food. EU countries can also use the EAGF to fund specific schemes to help small and medium sized farms, farmers who operate in areas of natural constraint, and sectors undergoing difficulties. The EAGF also funds measures to support and stabilise agricultural markets. These measures operate as part of the Common Market Organisation. • European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) - helps fishers to adopt sustainable fishing practices and coastal communities to diversify their economies, improving quality of life along European coasts. • EIT - European Institute of Innovation and technology. • SMP – EUROCLUSTERS: Single Market Programme – Joint Cluster Initiatives • PRIMA Programme • COSME Programme • Interreg Programmes 22 • Horizon Europe, specifically Cluster 6. 23 2 Czech-Republic - Southern Moravia and Highlands 2.1 General description of the region 2.1.1 Geographic description of the region The Czech Republic is a landlocked country situated in the western part of Eastern Europe. The Czech Republic is the 21st largest country in Europe, with a total area of 78,864 square kilometres. It is lowlying, with an average elevation of 433 metres above sea level. The highest mountain peak is Sněžka, which reaches 1,602 metres. The country has no access to the open sea and is bordered directly by four neighbouring countries: Austria, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia. Vysočina Region - Czech Highlands The Vysočina Region, often referred to as the Czech Highlands, is located in the central part of the Czech Republic, spanning the historical lands of Bohemia and Moravia. This region is notable for its picturesque rolling hills, extensive forests, and numerous artificial lakes and ponds. Covering an area of approximately 6,800 square kilometres, Czech Highlands has a population of around 517,960 people, 4.75% of the country's total population. The Region is distinguished by its rugged topography, elevated altitude, and sparse population density. The region is characterised by a moderately cool climate, with relatively high precipitation and moderate temperatures [13]. This climatic condition is conducive to agricultural activities, particularly the cultivation of crops such as cereals, potatoes, and fodder plants. However, the region's cool and moist climate can occasionally impede the maturation of crops and the commencement of the harvest period, potentially resulting in delays. In terms of livestock, the climate is conducive to dairy farming and cattle breeding, due to the presence of extensive pasturelands and the suitability of conditions for the growth of fodder crops. The forestry sector in Vysočina benefits from these conditions, with a significant portion of the region covered by forests, predominantly spruce and pine. These climatic conditions facilitate robust forest growth, yet they also present challenges, such as an increased susceptibility to pests and diseases during wetter periods [6]. South Moravia South Moravia, located in the southeastern part of the Czech Republic, is renowned for its fertile landscapes and extensive vineyards Covering about 7,188 square kilometres, it is one of the most important agricultural regions in the country, particularly known for wine production. The South Moravia Region has a population of 1,226,749 people, 11.25% of the country's population, with the capital city being Brno, the second-largest city in the Czech Republic with 10,900,55 people [6]. In comparison to other regions of the Czech Republic, South Moravia is characterised by a warmer and drier climate, which has resulted in the region becoming one of the most agriculturally productive areas in the country. The region's climate is conducive to viticulture, with extensive vineyards producing high-quality wines. Furthermore, crops such as cereals, sunflowers, and vegetables flourish in this climate. The warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons have a beneficial effect on crop yields and quality. The region is also conducive to livestock farming, with cattle and pig farming being particularly well-suited to the environment, which offers an abundance of feed crops. In forestry, the drier climate limits tree growth rates compared to more humid regions, but the region still maintains a substantial forested area with species such as oak and beech. However, climate change poses a risk 24 of increased droughts, which can stress both agricultural and forestry activities, necessitating the adoption of climate-smart practices to sustain productivity. The climatic conditions have a marked impact on the agricultural, livestock and forestry sectors in both Czech Highlands and South Moravia. This emphasises the necessity for tailored practices to optimise productivity and sustainability in each region [2]. Figure 2: Location of Czech Republic in Europe (Source: Rural Observatory) [9]. 2.1.2 Agriculture and forestry sectors in the region Agricultural sector In the Czech Republic in 2023, the total area of agricultural land under cultivation was 3,534,000 hectares. Of this, 71% was arable land, 27% was permanent grassland, and the remaining 2% was distributed among hop fields, vineyards, and orchards. The cereal harvest was 3% lower than the previous year, which had been above average. Conversely, the rape crop yielded more oilseeds (+9%). In comparison to the previous year, the production of legumes, root crops and fodder crops was found 25 to be lower, with decreases of 10%, 7% and 6%, respectively. Conversely, the yield of vegetables and hops exhibited positive growth, with increases of 15% and 57%, respectively. However, the harvest of fruit and vines experienced a notable decline, with reductions of 23% and 16% respectively [6]. The aggregate production of the items listed in the Figure 3 in the Czech Republic in 2023 was 28,040 tonnes. The aforementioned production figures relate to the following crops: cereals per grain, wheat, barley, legumes and protein crops for grain, potatoes, sugar beet, rape, and corn on the cob. The total production in the Highlands region is 2,834 tonnes, representing 10.1% of the total production. In the region of South Moravia, the total production is 3,255 tonnes, which represents 11.6% of the total production [6]. Figure 3: Main crops according to production quantities (t) (Czech Statistical office) [6] Livestock sector The agricultural industry represents one of the most significant sectors of the Czech economy, with farms accounting for 44% of the country's total land area. The country’s agricultural production is characterised by a high degree of diversification. The principal export products are milk, livestock, grains, sugar, and malt. Approximately 13.7% of the Czech Republic's agricultural land is dedicated to organic farming practices. Excluding poultry, the Czech Republic's most prevalent livestock species in 2023 were cattle (38.6%) and pigs (38.4%), with the generated livestock units exceeding those of cows, sheep, and goats combined. Conversely, in the Highlands region, the largest census was that of pigs (47.6%), followed by cattle (35.3%). In the South Moravia region, cattle constituted 29.9% of the livestock, with a significantly larger proportion of pigs (52.5%). The Figure 4 presents a graphical representation of the highest percentage of livestock in the Czech Republic and the Czech Highlands and South Moravia regions. The Table 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the livestock in the Czech Republic, organised by species and in numerical terms. 32 In forestry, biomass is predominantly available in the form of stemwood, primary, and secondary residues. However, in terms of bioenergy and bio-material potential, stemwood’s conversion to energy is not particularly efficient and therefore not the preferable use. Timber forests in the Czech Republic account for 26Mha of forest land. Timber forests in the Czech Republic account for 2.6M ha of forest land. However, the Czech Republic has a lower relative timber consumption, due to insufficient timber-processing capacities and low customer demand, resulting in a prevalence of export of raw wood. The secondary by-products of forestry biomass mainly refer to wood processing industrial residues such as sawdust, bark and black liquor. Their availability and exploitation depend completely on the development of timber and paper industries, while pellet production is largely contained within the sawmill industry [13]. 2.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources The difficulties in the logistics of biomass valorisation and its line of production are greatly described by the forestry industry due to the inherent difficulties caused by the rigidity and mass of the products. As in most cases, the transport of the biomass is one of the biggest undertakings, with the load on the local and municipal roads being one of the leading factors of damage and after increase of danger on commonly used roads. After transport, long-term storage of biomass requires vast spaces and is usually preceded by the need to dry or change the product. Apart from spatial challenges, there is a great gap between the available onsite technologies and workforce and the actual needs of the industry, which will make the biomass production process easier, safer, and more profitable. In forestry, forest maintenance and all forest care up to timber logging fall under the Ministry of Agriculture. Related activities from transport to later processing of biomass fall under the administration of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, while administration of employment and relations between employees and employers are under the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Following the same example, many biomasses related industries fall under the authority of different ministries, regional authorities, or private organisations, since their exploits are bordering with many different jurisdictions. Clear borders of responsibilities and a cohesive approach in management and expectations are key for the survival, advancement, promotion, and evolution of biomass valorisation in the Czech Republic [13]. 2.2.3 Bio-products target market Conversion of biomass into secondary products which are in demand by either business or customers, are a key step in the value chain of the bioeconomy. The Czech Republic has a long history of success during the age of industrial manufacturing, which acts as an advantage in both the existing but also for the potential target markets. Table 5 below shows some chosen examples of the above-mentioned target industries. For the full list of the relevant Bioeconomy Stakeholders in the Czech Republic, refer to the National Bioeconomy Dossier CZ, CELEBio [5]. 33 Table 5. Examples of Key Actors of Biomass Target Markets [5]. Actor Market HEMPOINT Agriculture - Hemp specialisation Research Institute for Fodder Crops, Ltd. Troubsko Agriculture research The Czech Hemp Cluster Agriculture - Hemp specialisation AGRI ČR+ Agriculture - food information EKOVERMES Agriculture - organic fertiliser VUC Services spol. s r.o. Agriculture - ground covering UHUL (ÚSTAV PRO HOSPODÁŘSKOU ÚPRAVU LESŮ BRANDÝS NAD LABEM) Forest Management Institute The Forest of the Czech Republic Forest Management PEFC Forestry Certification The Institute of Circular Economy Environment - circular economy EKO-PLASTY.CZ Waste reuse EKOKOM Waste reuse LIKO-S Housing construction NAFIGATE Corporation, a. s Bio-based industry Syncare Plus Producer of bio-end products Snový svět Textiles Textiles The textile industry has been prominent in the Czech Republic since the 20th Century. The focus is now on technical textiles, which are used in the automobile industry, agriculture, healthcare and aviation, which could present an opportunity for bio-based textiles. Some companies are using biological textile waste as a source for material to be re-used in construction or insulation. Included in the value chain is sourcing, waste process, and finishing the materials sourced from wool, hemp or flax fibre, cellulose, and used rugs or other textiles. 34 Biotechnology The biotechnology sector has seen many achievements regarding nanotechnology, pure biotechnology, and human healthcare. Nanotechnology is a promising Czech inventory sector, with the bright examples of expanding from the traditional chemical structures to biological materials, producing a range of organic and inorganic nanofibers, the conversion of waste frying oils into bacterial bioplastics called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), immune cell therapies for treatment of cancers, veterinary products, and molecular biology reagent manufacturing. Bioplastics Bioplastics manufacturing is a popular demand worldwide and there are a number of plastics producers in the Czech Republic. With society growing more environmentally conscious, and the regional and national authorities being all the more interested in environmental protection, new entrants to this market will see an increase in output and eventual competition for this sector. Furniture With the significant importance of forestry in the Czech Republic, the majority of the wood biomass is primarily used in the furniture making industry or as lumber for construction, with a small amount used to produce heating pellets. Using wood for heating should be moderated, as the air quality levels due to this practice in the Czech Republic is below the acceptable limits. There is the possibility of creative uses for wood in many areas, like novel packaging of consumer goods. Apart from the existing biomass valorisation options, there are opportunities to investigate and optimise existing or new ways to advance the industry, including solid biomass combustion with wood waste, pyrolysis to convert biomass into syngas and biochar, or hydrolysis to sugars. Many of these processes would need investment into infrastructure and recruitment of experts. The sugar industry used to be prominent in the Czech Republic, however nowadays sugar hydrolysis is taking place primarily abroad. The bark beetle infestation gives the opportunity to repurpose the biomass into the production of biochar, which can also be used locally to help in water retention and increase nutrient content in agricultural fields. The use of manure as a fertilising agent is even more popular but is managed in-farm. The introduction of anaerobic “closed loop” digesters would allow for a utilisation of manure as an added source of biogas [5]. 2.2.4 R&D system associated with biomass valorisation. The Czech Republic has an active participation of Research Institutes and SMEs specialising in agriculture research under the scope of bioeconomy. There are a number of Associations of likeventured SMEs and organisations, creating a valuable network of collaboration between specialists. The Fodder Research Institute in Troubsko (VUPT) is counting 30 years specialising in research in the fields of agriculture, food industry, and biotechnology. They lead a number of international projects of applied research and innovation transfer in the field of bioeconomy with the support of their subsidiaries, Agricultural Research (ZVT) and Agrolab (AGL). Apart from the international projects, VUPT is also active in national bioeconomy related projects, many of which are focusing on biomass valorisation or biofuel production. The currently running projects can be found in Table 6 [VUPT]. 35 Table 6. National bioeconomy projects ongoing. Project Name Description Research and development of biofuels from agricultural residues (1/2024-12/2025) Development of fuel from agricultural waste from the processing and preparation of selected seeds and food products Utilisation of silage made from "beet cuttings and grain straw" in a critical shortage of corn silage. (7/2024-6/2028) Verifying the possibility of using silage made from "beet cuttings and grain straw" for the needs of keeping biogas production or the operation of biogas stations (BPS) in case of a shortage of key corn biomass affected by extreme weather. The importance of the lignocellulosic complex from intercrop biomass for improving the soil environment (1/2021-12/2025) Assessing the quality of plant biomass entering the soil when using the intercropping system as a source of organic matter to support soil processes reflected in soil fertility. Analysis and adjustments of compost application schemes aimed at strengthening the soil protection system within the framework of stabilising production capacity. (1/2022-12/2024) Supporting the effect and quality of stable organic matter in the form of compost, to find the key parameters and behaviour of compost when it is applied to the soil surface without incorporation in terms of emissions, safety, and health risk with the aim of reducing the costs of compost application. VUPT is also a member of the Association of Research Organisations (AVO), the only organisation representing the R&D sector in private companies (that include private research organisations and also business units). There are several industry sectors represented in AVO, like Agriculture, Engineering, IT, Chemistry, and Medicine. AVO is the Czech research capacities, currently involving roughly 75 institutions and 7800 experts involved in R&D. They take part in projects focused on the financial support and commercialisation of research, as well as the development results [1]. 2.2.5 Support and financing policies. In the Czech Republic, projects and initiatives related to bioeconomy can receive National or European funding. At this time, the Ministry of Agriculture supports R&D projects under the COUNTRY Program: Ministry of Agriculture Applied Research Program 2017-2025 (Resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic No. 313 of April 11, 2016). The COUNTRY II: Program to support applied research of the Ministry of Agriculture for the period 2024–2032, was approved by Resolution No. 83 of the Government of the Czech Republic dated February 1, 2023. The national subsidies for research and development projects financed from special-purpose funds of the Ministry of Agriculture have been provided by the National Agency for Agricultural Research (NAZV) since 1994. The Agency ensures the complete preparation and announcement of departmental 36 research programs of the Ministry, the announcement and course of public tenders and the later administration of funded projects in the field of agricultural, food, forestry, and water management research. NAZV employees continuously conduct on-site inspections of recipients of targeted R&D support following Act No. 320/2001 Coll., on financial control in public administration and the amendment of certain laws. NAZV also organises information seminars for applicants in public tenders, for evaluators of project proposals and information seminars, and project managers [National Agency for Agricultural Research (NAZV)][14]. Apart from the National Agency for Agricultural Research, there is a number of other funding sources in the Czech Republic for researchrelated activities, such as: • The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR) • The Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR) • Agency for the Czech Republic health research (AZV ČR) • J. W. Fulbright Commission • The National Agency for European Educational Programmes (NAEP) • The Centre for International Cooperation in Education (DZS) Also important to note is The International Visegrad Fund, a donor organisation established in 2000 by the governments of the Visegrad Group countries– Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, that supports regional co-operations through Grants, Scholarships and Artists Residencies. The aim is to help the region progress in seven principal areas of Culture, Education, Innovation, Democratic Values, Public Policy, Environment and Tourism, and Social Development. [Euraxess] 2.3 Analysis of Operational Groups 2.3.1 Operational groups characterization A review of the EIP-AGRI project database from the EU CAP network in Europe reveals that only one operational group was funded between 2015 and 2023 in the Czech Republic, specifically in the South Moravia region. The total budget for this project was 192,007€ [18]. For the purposes of this analysis, 10 projects have been selected for investigation, spanning the period from 2017 to 2023. The projects have been classified according to their operational periods, which range from 24 to 60 months. The total budget for all of the projects, inclusive of the cost of coordination, amounts to 5,434,190€ [16]. The Figure 7 below illustrates the BBT operational expenditure for each project during its respective operational period. The mean cost per project is 550,000€, with the maximum and smallest funded amounts being 1,178,606€ and 234,775€, respectively. 37 Figure 7: Funds granted to each project (€) (Source: Starfos) [16]. 2.3.2 Bio-based Technologies (BBT) developed by OGs This section provides a more detailed examination of the technological aspects associated with the projects found in the aforementioned area that have been developed under the BBT framework, as previously discussed. The first step is to analyse the type of biomass that is being used. In order to conduct this analysis, ten regional projects that have developed BBTs were considered. The data shows that nine of the projects (90%) utilised crop residues and perennial plants. The second most prevalent approach was the use of designer crops for optimised biomass content, with seven projects employing this strategy. Thirdly, five projects employed biorefineries. In conclusion, the fourth and final category, which was represented by three projects and one project respectively, involved the utilisation of waste or recycled materials in conjunction with microbial-assisted processing. 38 Figure 8: Biomass used developed BBTs (Source: Starfos) [16]. In addition, the BBTs developed by the projects were examined to determine their anticipated outcomes in relation to the ultimate user. It was determined that 80% of the projects were used by farmers, while 50% were employed by either foresters, processors, or retailers. The consumers, as the final users, accounted for a further three projects. The remaining two categories, including two and one projects, respectively, were advisors and other final users [16]. Figure 9: Expected results for the category of final users (Source: Starfos) [16]. In terms of technological maturity, information is available for all 10 projects. Moreover, nearly half of the technologies developed have reached the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, which signifies a 39 technology that has been demonstrated in a relevant environment. In the case of key enabling technologies, this refers to an industrial-relevant environment. Figure 10: TRLs for each project developed BBTs (Source: Starfos) [16]. 2.4 Discussion of previous sections As expressed in the present report, the Czech Republic is the smallest country in the European Union in terms of the number of OGs. In terms of available funding and R&D system associated with biomass valorisation, we have highlighted the different programmes available at various levels (European, national, and regional), both public and private. Therefore, considering the geographical, regulatory and technical point of view, and looking at the amount of biomass availability as well as knowledge available in the region, we can conclude that the Czech Republic has a yellow light in terms of BBTs implementation. 40 References [1] Association of Research Organisations, (2024) ‘Association of Research Organisations’. Available at: https://www.avo.cz/ (Accessed: July 2024). [2] BASE Adaptation, (2024) ‘Agriculture and Vine Production (South Moravian Region)’. Available at: https://base-adaptation.eu/agriculture-and-vine-production-south-moravian-region (Accessed: July 2024). [3] BioEast, (2024) ‘Bioeast Foresight Exercise: Sustainable Bioeconomies towards 2050’. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355666885_Bioeast_Foresight_Exercise_Sustainable_Bio economies_towards_2050 (Accessed: July 2024). [4] CeleBio, (2021) ‘Biobased Economy Business Opportunities in CZ’. Available at: https://celebio.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CELEBio_D.2.1_Biobased-Economy-BusinessOpprotunities-in-CZ.pdf. [5] CeleBio, (2021) ‘National Bioeconomy Dossier CZ’. Available at: https://celebio.eu/wpcontent/uploads/2021/04/CELEBIO_D.4.4_National-Bioeconomy-Dossier_CZ.pdf (Accessed: July 2024). [6] Czech Statistical Office, (2024) ‘Czech Statistical Office’. Available at: https://csu.gov.cz/ (Accessed: July 2024). [7] Euraxess Research in Motion, (2024) ‘Czech funding for Research and Study’. Available at: https://www.euraxess.cz/czech-republic/jobs-funding/czech-funding-research-andstudy#:~:text=Sources%20of%20funding%20in%20the,Czech%20Science%20Foundation%20(GA%20 %C4%8CR) (Accessed: July 2024). [8] European Commission, (2024) ‘Jobs and Wealth in the European Union Bioeconomy (Biomass producing and converting sectors)’. Available at: https://datam.jrc.ec.europa.eu/datam/mashup/BIOECONOMICS/index.html (Accessed: July 2024). [9] European Union, (2024) ‘Rural Observatory’. Available at: https://observatory.ruralvision.europa.eu/?lng=en&ctx=RUROBS (Accessed: July 2024). [10] European Union, (2024) ‘Rural ToolkitFunding Finder’. Available at: https://funding.ruralvision.europa.eu/finder?lng=en (Accessed: July 2024). [11] Fodder Research Institute in Troubsko, (2024) ‘Fodder Research Institute in Troubsko’. Available at: https://www.vupt.cz/ (Accessed: July 2024). [12] Konopa, S. (2024) ‘AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC’. Available at: https://scientificpublication.ru/images/PDF/2018/29/agricultural.pdf (Accessed: July 2024). [13] Kraj Vysocina, (2024) ‘Kraj Vysocina’. Available at: https://www.kr-vysocina.cz/ (Accessed: July 2024). 41 [14] Ministry of Agriculture, (2024) ‘National Agency for Agricultural Research’. Available at: https://mze.gov.cz/public/portal/mze/poradenstvi-a-vyzkum/vyzkum-a-vyvoj/narodni-agentura-prozemedelsky-vyzkum (Accessed: July 2024). [15] ScienceDirect, (2024) ‘Bio-Based Economy Business Opportunities in CZ’. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871678420301904 (Accessed: July 2024). [16] STARFOS, (2024) ‘STARFOS’. Available at: https://starfos.tacr.cz/en (Accessed: July 2024). [17] Association of Private Agriculture of the Czech Republic, (2024) ‘Czech farms are more than ten times larger than in Poland, according to the Union this is an advantage’. Available at: https://www.asz.cz/clanek/12045/ceske-farmy-jsou-vice-nez-desetkrat-vetsi-nez-v-polsku-podlesvazu-je-to-vyhoda/ (Accessed: July 2024). [18] EIP CAP Network Project Database, (2024) ‘EIP CAP Network Project Database’. Available at: https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/projects/search_en (Accessed: July 2024). 48 recharging the groundwater. An extensive network of pumping stations has been installed since 1984 in which rain-fed olive groves have been converted to irrigated olives. The consequences are an increase in crop production accompanied by a dramatic drop of up to 20m in the groundwater level in some places, and intrusion of brackish water in the aquifers. According to the 2021 Annual Agricultural Statistical Bulletins of ELSTAT for Crete, the total agricultural land amounts to 1,354,369.94 ha. The largest percentage of agricultural land (40.3% or 545,392 ha) pertains to tree crops, mainly olive groves. The arable land, with 55,720.92 ha, accounts for 4.1% of the agricultural land. The largest areas of cultivation are tomatoes and cucumbers, which are mainly grown in greenhouses, the area of which is 0.5% of the cultivated area with 6,276.27 ha while significant areas are also occupied by barley, oats, potatoes, vetch, alfalfa, etc. In some places, significant areas are also occupied by clover, peppers, watermelons, spinach, green beans, fresh broad beans, etc. In addition to the large-scale crops and greenhouses, arable land also includes fallow land and areas kept in good agricultural and environmental condition. Vineyards and raisin-producing vineyards account for 2.7% of the agricultural land in the region. Table 7: Crete cropland areas. Geographic region in Crete Cropland area (ha) Total (including fallow land) Arable land Vines and grape vines Greenhouses Crop trees Other crops Crete 1,354,369.94 55,720.92 37,209.75 6,276.27 545,392 710,008.13 Cultivated land covers 42% of the island, while dry land is used mainly as pasture as the next most important land use covering 39.3% of the island. Climatic and soil characteristics accompanied by EU policies on subsidising crops in the last two decades, have greatly favoured the extensive expansion of olive and vine plantations in the area which provides farmers with higher incomes. Olive groves in Crete occupy an area of about 193,813 ha covering almost 23.3% of the island. The olive oil production in Crete is up to 150,000 tonnes per year. Orange plantations and vegetables grown in greenhouses have been mainly expanded in the lowland areas of the island. Considerable amounts of fertilizers have been applied up until the last decade. However, farmers have realized the negative impacts on the environment and the increasing cost of crop production and thus the amount of applied fertilizers have steadily decreased. Drip irrigation has been expanded in the cropland areas to ensure increasing crop production. However, the over-exploitation of the aquifers has resulted in deterioration of water quality (high soluble salt content), thereby affecting soil salinization. The lack of good quality water has stimulated the construction of small reservoirs for increasing water availability for irrigation. The intensification of agriculture resulted in accelerated rates of soil erosion in the hilly areas of the island. Furthermore, water pollution of the aquifers has become a critical issue due to over-fertilization of the land and overuse of plant protection chemical products. Land desertification due to salinization in the lowlands and due to soil erosion in the sloping areas has become a critical issue. Organic farming and integrated land management practices have been set up in some areas for the protection of soil quality and ecosystem functions. Crete has less forest wealth compared to other regions of the country and an incredibly low percentage of forest cover. Nevertheless, its forest wealth is significant and rare, with important and notable 49 forests such as the Samaria National Park in the Chania region, the Rouvas Forest in the Heraklion region, and the Palm Forest in the Lasithi region, among others. The forest ecosystems on the island of Crete have been degraded in terms of both area and quality. The main causes are grazing, tourism, and extensive monocultures. Where forests exist, oak species (Quercus spp.) and conifers (Cupressus sempervirens in the west and Pinus brutia in the east) are predominant. Table 8: Detailed information in Crete Location Forestry area Greece 3,901,800 hectares Crete Low Species Quercus, Cupressus sempervirens and Pinus brutia. According to ELSTAT, in 2021, the number of purely livestock farms in the Region of Crete was 898, down from 1,056 in 2009. These are categorized into 80 farms with cattle, 10,348 with sheep, 7,394 with goats, 700 with pigs, and 10,711 with poultry. The respective reductions since 2009 are 61.7% for cattle, 21.6% for sheep, 39.8% for goats, 60.7% for pigs, and 52.9% for poultry. Peloponnese The agricultural sector is generally characterised by fragmentation of agricultural land into plots smaller than the national average, a high coefficient of spatial dispersion, and a high average age of those employed in agriculture. Additionally, the production model of mountainous agriculture includes livestock farming, forestry, and to a lesser extent, some tree crops. The primary sector is of major importance to the Peloponnese Region, which has unique characteristics and positively contributes to shaping its economy. According to data available from regional services, the Peloponnese produces: - 40-45% of the national olive oil production, with 120,000 tonnes produced and 7 PDO products (1 in Messinia, 3 in Argolida, and 3 in Laconia) and 1 PGI product (Laconia). - Over 20% of the national production of Kalamata table olives, with 1 PDO product (Kalamata). - 70% of the national citrus production, with over 550,000 tonnes produced (Argolida, Laconia, and Corinthia). - Pome fruits with a production of 6,000 tonnes and 1 PDO product (Arcadia). - Wines with over 70,000 tonnes produced, featuring 3 PDO products and 9 PGI products, and two "national ambassador" varieties: Agiorgitiko from Nemea and Moschofilero from Mantineia, out of the 4 national varieties. - 35% of the national production of Corinthian raisins, with a production of 10,000 tonnes. 50 Table 9: Number of agricultural holdings and used agricultural area. Number of holdings 68,576 Holdings with used agricultural area 68,357 Utilized agricultural area (hectares) 2,558,637 Holdings with irrigated areas 38,975 Irrigated areas (hectares) 798,288 Table 10: Purely agricultural, purely livestock, and mixed holdings. Purely agricultural 61,875 Purely livestock 488 Mixed 6,213 Table 11: Distribution of holdings by main categories of use. Arable crops 6,855 Vineyards and raisin vineyards 10,556 Tree crops 65,705 Greenhouses 644 Other areas 20,601 Table 12: Distribution of used agricultural area of holdings by main categories of use (hectares). Arable crops 244,299 Vineyards and raisin vineyards 150,533 Tree crops 1,818,893 Greenhouses 3,400 Other areas 341,510 51 Table 13: Holdings with animals by type of animal. Cattle 514 Sheep 4,001 Goats 3,563 Pigs 334 Poultry 6,856 Table 14: Number of animals by type. Cattle 16,403 Sheep 354,190 Goats 365,201 Pigs 67,043 Poultry 1,390,470 3.1.3 Economic indicators Central Macedonia According to the Regional Accounts published by ELSTAT with data for 2020, Central Macedonia, the most populous region in the country after Attica with 1.7 million inhabitants, does not even rank in the top five among all territories, with a per capita GDP of only 12,043€ and a decrease of 9.7% from 2019. At the same time, with 19.7B€ of gross value added in 2020, it represents only 13.6% of the total territory, with Attica amassing a staggering 47.8%. The financial situation of residents in Thessaloniki and neighbouring cities in Central Macedonia is not any better. According to data from the Bank of Greece, the average deposits in the region's bank accounts amount to approximately 4,500€, while in Attica they exceed 7,200€. Furthermore, Central Macedonia has a distressing rate of population at risk of poverty and social exclusion, reaching 23.8%. This is clearly explained by the high unemployment levels in the region, which exceed 15%, compared to around 8% in the capital. In terms of business outward orientation, according to a study by the Association of Exporters for 2021, Central Macedonia experienced a 17.7% increase in export value to 6.2B€, representing 15.6% of Greece's total exports, or 19% excluding petroleum products. The largest and most populous region of Attica understandably leads the ranking with over 20 billion euros in exports, recording a much larger increase of 23.4% within the year, accounting for 52.7% of the total. Crete The evolution of the GDP of the Region of Crete presents a similar picture to that recorded for the 52 country as a whole, albeit with more pronounced characteristics. Specifically, during the period from 2013 to 2018, the Region of Crete experienced an increase in its GDP by 6%, rising from 8,596 M€ in 2013 to 9,071 M€ in 2018. This growth in Crete's GDP reflects a broader trend seen across the nation, although the region's growth rate is notably more robust. The increase in GDP is indicative of the region's economic resilience and its ability to recover and grow despite the economic challenges faced during that period. The sectors contributing to this growth likely include tourism, agriculture, and other key industries that have historically been strong in Crete. In parallel, the evolution of the per capita GDP in the Region of Crete also mirrors the national trend, with even more pronounced characteristics. From 2013 to 2018, the per capita GDP in Crete increased by 5%, rising from 13,634 € in 2013 to 14,302 € in 2018. This increase in per capita GDP suggests not only an overall economic improvement but also an enhancement in the average economic well-being of the residents of Crete. The growth in per capita GDP indicates that the economic benefits of the region's growth are being distributed among its population, leading to improved living standards. The sustained economic development during these years can be attributed to various factors, including effective regional policies, investments in infrastructure, and the thriving tourism industry, which is a significant contributor to the island's economy. The Region of Crete's economic performance between 2013 and 2018 demonstrates a robust growth trajectory that exceeds the national average, both in terms of overall GDP and per capita GDP. This performance highlights Crete's strategic importance within the Greek economy and underscores the region's potential for continued economic prosperity. Peloponnese The relative position of the primary sector in the Region of Peloponnese, compared to the sector's size in the country, is particularly significant. In 2016, the Region of Peloponnese contributed 9.06% to the Gross Value Added of the primary sector in the country. The secondary sector holds particular importance in the economy of the Region of Peloponnese, contributing 22.21% to the total Gross Value Added of the Region, compared to 14.53% contribution of the secondary sector at the national level. The gross domestic product of the Peloponnese was 8.2 B€ in 2018, representing 4.5% of the Greek economy. The per capita GDP adjusted for purchasing power was 17,400 €, which was 57% of the average of the European Union of 27 member states that year. The GDP per worker was 68% of the EU average. The Peloponnese follows the majority of the Greek Regions, dominating the rural character of the area. Primary sector accounts for 7.1% of the GVA of the region with the vast majority of businesses (90.2%) in plant and animal production, hunting and related activities. Although the turnover of enterprises engaged in plant and livestock production is below the turnover of fisheries and aquaculture enterprises, it is over 20.2% above the national average. 53 Table 15. Economic indicators. Country - Region Population (M hab) GDP GDP per capita (€) GVA (k M€) Employment rate (%) Employment by sector (%) (k M€) Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Greece – Central Macedonia 1.78 30.3 16,990 1.69 65.6 12 Greece – Crete 0.62 11.01 14,302 0.75 69.4 14 Greece - Peloponnese 0.53 10.37 17,400 0.84 70.5 27 3.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework Central Macedonia In a recent comprehensive report by the European Commission, which aimed to map and analyse the development of bioeconomy strategies at the regional level within the EU-27 (titled "Bioeconomy Strategy Development in EU Regions"), the Region of Central Macedonia has distinguished itself by ranking first among the 13 Greek regions in terms of the number of Action Plans focusing on the promotion of bioeconomy. The report highlights that, although bioeconomy is embedded as a priority in several strategic documents -such as the Long-Term Strategy 2050, the National Strategy for the Circular Economy, the New Action Plan on Circular Economy, and the National Waste Management Plan 2020-2030Greece still lacks a dedicated bioeconomy strategy at national level. At regional level, many regions, including Attica, Epirus, and Thessaly, acknowledge the importance of circular economy and bioeconomy within their strategic frameworks. However, they currently do not have specific plans or strategies in place. Out of the 13 Greek regions, only 2 have published actionable plans dedicated to the promotion of circular economy and bioeconomy: the Region of Central Macedonia, with two Action Plans, and the Region of Crete, with one Action Plan. The Region of Central Macedonia has successfully developed and published two Action Plans for promoting circular economy and bioeconomy. Crete Crete has started to link bio-economy development with their Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialization (RIS3). The Region of Crete, for the planning of entrepreneurship actions in the field of circular economy within the framework of the Programming Period 2021-2027, conducted a mapping of the existing circular economy actions in the Region, with the creation of a calendar for the agri-food sector. Based on the mapping data of existing circularity actions and relying on the responses 54 of the participants, it is found that from the studied sample (34 participants), 2 out of 3 businesses (23 out of 34 participants) either implement or participate in symbiotic circular economy actions (regardless of whether they are aware of it or whether these actions are capitalized on). Due to the very small sample size, it is extremely risky to generalize this -at least impressiveperformance to the entire food and beverage processing industry in Crete. It is also extremely risky because the experience with the profile of participants in similar surveys through questionnaires, especially for businesses, has shown that the participants are particularly sensitized in the relevant field and that is precisely why they participate in the research. Even so, this performance is a strong indication that circular actions exist in Crete, even if they do not fully constitute a business model, highlighting at the same time the enormous potential of the agri-food sector in this direction. Regarding the "closing the loop", that is, the products or raw materials produced from the identified circular actions, four (4) levels of added value emerge based on the value of corresponding competitive products in the conventional market. Specifically, depending on the output product - raw material, these levels include the following emerging value chains: - Soil improver - compost and hydro-fertilization means as competitive products against corresponding products containing chemical instead of biological additives. - Solid biofuel (dry biomass and/or olive pomace) as a competitive product against conventional fossil fuels (oil and natural gas). - Organic substances with high nutrient content (e.g., waste fractions from brewing and winemaking, biomass fractions from fruit processing, certain special categories of plant residues, etc.) For the production of animal feed as a competitive raw material against animal feed with chemical additives. - Raw materials of biological origin (e.g., olive kernel for the production of olive pomace oil and soaps, grape marc for the production of high-distilled alcoholic beverages, etc.) For the production of high-added value products, potentially innovative ones such as snail shells as a raw material for the production of exfoliating cosmetics. Further investigation is needed into the capitalisation potential of each stage of the value chains, considering factors beyond business operations. A significant issue is the lack of a framework for waste declassification and quality criteria for produced products, affecting the competitiveness of circular value chain products. Additionally, there is a transition gap in the commercial availability of agri-food products to consumers. Circular actions by businesses do not outwardly target consumers to add value to the sector’s products, meaning the environmental benefits are not communicated to consumers through information about environmental performance. Peloponnese The bioeconomy regulatory framework in Peloponnese does not differ from the corresponding broader national framework. Although Greece has not yet established a dedicated national strategy for the Bioeconomy, there are several government initiatives that prioritize resource efficiency, energy-efficient practices, and low-carbon investments. Currently, these governmental efforts are somewhat sporadic and dispersed. The Ministry of Environment and Energy in Greece leads bioeconomy policies through key strategies such as the National Strategy for the Circular Economy (2018), which focuses on waste management and supporting green businesses. Supporting documents like the Green Growth Strategic Action Programme (2010-2015) promote green procurement and facilitate 55 easier access to capital for biotechnology centres. The National Renewable Energy Action Plan (2010) aligns with EU targets, and Law 4414/2016 introduces a support scheme for renewable energy and climate change mitigation. Collectively, these policies highlight Greece's commitment to sustainability, circular economy principles, and the adoption of renewable energy. 3.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation 3.2.1 Biomass resource availability Central Macedonia In the Region of Central Macedonia, the main biomass producers are plant and forest residues (firewood, twigs, straw, sawdust, olive kernels, seeds), animal waste (manure, waste), plants grown on energy plantations for energy use, as well as municipal waste residues of the food industry, agricultural industry, and the biodegradable fraction of municipal waste. More specifically, the crops that can produce biomass from their residues are mainly cereals and energy crops because they have plenty of straws and stalks which can produce high levels of biomass. From the crop plans it is observed that the main cultivations of Central Macedonia are cereals (hard and soft wheat), cotton and maize and in some regional units such as Pella and Imathia the main cultivations are fruit trees. Table 16: Biomass types in Central Macedonia. Crops Residues type Output of residues (tonnes/ha) Humidity % Biomass (tonnes/ha) Alfalfa Straw 0.76 0.15 0.66 Apples Pruning 0.61 0.4 0.35 Apricots Pruning 0.40 0.4 0.25 Barley Straw 0.68 0.15 0.58 Cherries Pruning 0.63 0.4 0.38 Cotton Straw and shell (overground) 1.06 0.4 0.63 Cotton Straw and shell (root) 0.33 0.56 0.15 Hard Wheat Straw 0.40 0.15 0.35 Kiwi Pruning 0.40 0.35 0.25 Maize Stalks and cobs 2.65 0.55 1.18 Nectarines Pruning 0.73 0.4 0.43 Olive Trees Pruning 0.43 0.5 0.23 Peaches Pruning 0.73 0.4 0.43 Rapeseed Straw 1.01 0.53 0.48 Rice Straw 0.96 0.25 0.73 Set Aside Not applied 0.00 0 0.00 Olive trees has the highest percent of the cultivated area of the regional unit of Chalkidiki 41.50%, since Chalkidiki is well known in Greece for the olives and the virgin olive oil. The crops that follows are hard wheat with 21.82% and set aside areas with 16.04%. The cultivations with lower percent than 56 10% are barley with 5.74%, soft wheat with 4.92%, oats with 4.32%, vetch with 3.43% and sunflower with 2.23%. The total selected cultivated area of Chalkidiki regional unit is 300,799.6 ha. The regional unit of Imathia has 263,048.5 ha total selected cultivated area. The main crops of the regional units are fruit trees and arable crops. Analytically, the peaches hold 28.05% of the existent cultivated area followed by cotton with 25.16%. Under of the 10% of the cultivated area hold maize with 9.23%, alfalfa with 8.54%, hard wheat with 7.45%, nectarines with 6.02%, apples with 4.02%, rice 2.50%, soft wheat 2.30% and barley 2.30%. The existent crop plan of the regional unit of Imathia had set aside area 4.27% e 42.16% of the cultivated area of the existent crop plan of the regional unit of Kilkis is covered by hard wheat. The soft wheat holds the 24.52% and 10.92% is set aside area. All the other crops which fill the existent crop plan of the regional unit of Kilkis presented percentage under 10%. Specifically, 7.51% is cotton, 4.86% is alfalfa, 3.91% is barley, 3.74% is maize and 2.38% sunflower. As regards the regional unit of Pella, the highest percentage holds the peaches with 21.88%, followed by cotton (15.42%), maize (11.70%) and cherries (10.77%). Lower percentages had the hard wheat (8.17%), the alfalfa (7.60%), the set aside area (6.88%), the soft wheat (5.69%), the barley (5.59%), the nectarines (4.06%) and the apricots (2.24%) Pieria is well known for the cultivation of kiwis and tobacco, but the main cultivations are the cereals. The highest percentage in Pieria regional unit holds the hard wheat with 20.53%, followed by soft wheat (15.70%) and tobacco (10.20%). Cotton with 9.30%, set aside with 8.70%, alfalfa with 7.00%, olive trees with 6.70%, kiwi with 6.50%, barley with 5.30%, maize with 3.70% and rice with 2.10% are the other main cultivations of Pieria. More analytically, it is observed that the regional unit of Serres has mainly arable crops and cereals. The cultivated area of hard wheat participates in the existent crop plan with 25.11%, the cultivated area of maize with 18.08% and the cultivated area of cotton with 11.10%. Soft wheat, sunflower and alfalfa participate with 8.93%, 8.05% and 7.62% respectively. The 6.18% of the cultivated area is set aside and barley holds the 5.86%. The cultivated area of olive trees, rice, tobacco, and rapeseeds are followed with percentages lower than 5%. Crete The levels of lignocellulosic biomass in Greece are estimated to be 2,132,286 tonnes annually, values that are very close to the cases of other Mediterranean countries like Italy and Portugal. In respect to the total agricultural residues, Crete produces 1,959,124 tonnes/year. The most significant streams in Crete are identified to be olive pits and olive pruning. 57 Figure 19: Annual biomass production, in ktonnes, by agricultural waste category in Greece. Figure 20: Biomass per source in Greece. 64 any specific market targeting documented. Crete At this stage of market development in the region of Crete, there does not appear to be any specific market targeting documented. Peloponnese Once lagging in waste management, the Peloponnese Region has now (2023) appeared as a national leader, boasting the three most advanced Waste Management Units (WMUs) in Greece and among the most modern in Europe. Through a 167 M€ investment (70 M€ funded by the National Strategic Reference Framework - NSRF), the region is embracing the circular economy by recovering and using over 80% of biodegradable materials, recycling high-quality recyclables, diverting at least 50,000 tonnes of liquid waste from landfills, and generating green energy sufficient for 6,000 households, all while preventing 24,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The largest of these units, the Arkadia Waste Processing Unit, currently manages more than 50% of the urban solid waste produced in the Peloponnese. The remaining waste is processed at Transitional Units in Messinia and Laconia, which are expected to be fully operational by 2024. In just a few months of operation, the Arkadia unit has surpassed conventional waste handling abilities thanks to modern technology, demonstrating the urgent need for effective waste management in the region. Furthermore, since its implementation, the Peloponnese has been freed from European fines for past illegal practices and has achieved the lowest operational cost among similar facilities in Greece. This cost will decrease further with the introduction of the Green Fund and the completion of the Waste Transfer Stations (WTS) network by Regional Association of Solid Waste Management Bodies, resulting in significant savings for residents. The project encompasses three main Subsections - Management Units within the Peloponnese Region, including: - Three Integrated Waste Management Units (IWMUs), specifically: o Three Waste Processing Units (WPUs). o Three Sanitary Landfill Sites (SLSs). o Two Waste Transfer Stations (WTSs). - Three Transitional Management Units (TMUs), which will function until the IWMUs are fully completed. - Improvements to access roads to WPUs and WTSs. The TMUs/WMUs-SLSs are situated in Arkadia, Messinia, and Laconia, while the WTSs are in Corinth and Argolis. This strategic placement ensures that waste collection occurs within a 50 km radius from the regional capitals, reducing transportation needs from municipalities. Using innovative technology, the project keeps a minimal environmental and energy footprint, aligns with the Peloponnese Regional Waste Management Plan, complements local municipal recycling programs, and adheres to the best practices of the circular economy. The project has created 800 jobs during the construction phase and will provide 200 permanent jobs over the next 27 years of operation. Additionally, it will generate indirect employment and benefits in 65 related sectors such as transport, recyclable trading, and personnel accommodation. 3.2.4 R&D system associated with biomass valorisation. Central Macedonia The Institute for Bio-Economy and Agri-Technology (iBO) is one of the five institutes within the Centre for Research and Technology – Hellas (CERTH), which runs as a private non-profit entity under the oversight of the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) within Greece's Ministry of Development and Investments. iBO specialises in agro-technology and biosystems engineering, integrating various interdisciplinary research fields. Its research focuses on effective environmental management, sustainability assessment of bio-production processes, and enhancing human interactions in these activities, all aimed at promoting circular economy principles. Crete The Technical University of Crete (TUC) is a leading institution in biomass valorisation through its School of Environmental Engineering. The school focuses on converting organic waste into valuable products such as biofuels and biochemicals, emphasizing sustainable waste treatment and resource recovery processes. In renewable energy, TUC improves the efficiency and sustainability of biomassbased systems while integrating biomass valorisation with circular economy principles. TUC takes part in numerous EU-funded projects, collaborating with international academic, research, and industry partners to advance biomass technologies. Their research includes developing technologies for converting agricultural residues and other biomass sources into high-value products, using both thermochemical processes like pyrolysis and biochemical processes like anaerobic digestion. The university partners with local and international companies to pilot and scale biomass technologies, aiming to bridge the gap between research and commercial application. TUC's ultramodern laboratories and interdisciplinary approach enhance research quality and innovation. Through its robust research infrastructure, interdisciplinary approach, and strong industry collaborations, TUC is at the forefront of developing sustainable biomass use solutions, contributing significantly to sustainable development and renewable energy advancements in Crete and beyond. Peloponnese The University of Crete, a leading academic institution in Greece, plays a significant role in advancing the bioeconomy through its research and educational programs. Located on the island of Crete, the university uses the region's rich agricultural and natural resources to drive innovation in sustainable practices and renewable energy. Its Department of Biology, Chemistry, and the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) are at the forefront of research on biomass use, bioprocessing, and environmental sustainability. The university's researchers are engaged in various projects that explore the conversion of agricultural residues, such as olive mill waste and grape pomace, into biofuels, bioplastics, and other high value bioproducts. Through collaborations with local industries, government agencies, and international bodies, the University of Crete eases the development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies that support the circular bioeconomy. Additionally, the institution offers specialized courses and training programs that equip students and professionals with the skills needed to contribute to the bioeconomy sector. The university also participates in numerous 66 EU-funded projects aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices and renewable energy solutions. By integrating research, education, and community engagement, the University of Crete significantly contributes to regional and national efforts to transition towards a more sustainable and circular economy. This integration helps create a knowledge-based economy that not only addresses environmental challenges but also promotes economic growth and social well-being in Crete and beyond. 3.2.5 Support and financing policies. Central Macedonia The Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia (RDF CM) was set up in 1997 under the legislation of L. 2218/94, amended by art. 12 par. 10 of L. 2307/95 and art. 4 par. 3 of L. 2503/97, and is overseen by the Ministry of Interior (Home office). It runs as a Private Law Legal Entity and is managed by a nine-member board including representatives from various productive bodies, chambers, officials, economic and executive committee members, and the major opposition. The Governor of Central Macedonia serves as the President of the Management Board. The RDF CM has a dual function: it acts as an accountant project manager for the Public Investment Programme and supports the region's development process by using its expertise in implementing European Programmes, Initiatives, and various studies, research, and services. Its goal is to promote dissemination, entrepreneurship, innovation, and innovative technologies in the region's priority areas. The RDF CM's responsibilities include: - Managing credits from the Public Investment Programme, funding for public sector bodies and other legal entities, and funds from European Union Programmes and other international organizations related to regional (ROP CM) and sectoral (OP FM, RDP, FEAD, etc.) Development programmes. - Submitting proposals and implementing European Programmes and Initiatives (such as INTERREG and HORIZON) and supporting the region's participation in international networks and collaborations. - Providing technical support to the region through studies, research, and services assigned by the region, aimed at more efficient resource use. This support also includes dissemination actions targeting the region's priority areas, such as agri-food, tourism, and health. Crete Support and financing policies in Crete do not differ from the corresponding broader national framework. Peloponnese Support and financing policies in Peloponnese do not differ from the corresponding broader national framework. 67 3.3 Analysis of Operational Groups 3.3.1 Operational groups characterization Central Macedonia Within the region of Central Macedonia, there are four (4) OGs with active participation in the biomass industry. (1) Aeforika Kipeftika is an OG that aims to incorporate non-commercial oregano into (greenhouse/outdoor) vegetable crops for the protection against soil fungi. Specifically, they aim to control downy mildew, caused by soil fungi, with negative effects on production in the context of circular economy and the adoption of good agricultural practices. They investigate optimum doses of oregano that must be incorporated into the rhizosphere in order to obtain best results and assess disease and productivity and quality indicators. (2) BioAnimalChar is an OG for the exploitation of agricultural biomass for the production of animal food supplements. They aim to use agricultural biomass by-products to create a new, low-cost, biochar-based feed supplement, which will significantly improve the quality of pig feed. (3) SoilCircle is an OG that aims to implement all the procedures for the certification of compost of agri-food origin in order to create an environmentally friendly business model for the conversion of agri-food waste into a value-added product (organic production). However, it is not clear if and how they take part in the utilization or production of BBTs. (4) Innovative Rice Residue Management Practices return rice production residues to the soil for improved soil health and fertilization. Two more examples of OGs that run within the wider region of Macedonia are also included, given that some of them have dynamic potential in the field of biomass valorisation. (1) Proud Farm, in Kozani (Western. Macedonia) is an OG that envisions a sustainable future for Greek sheep and goat farming. Services provided to new and existing sheep and goat farmers include incubator support for young farmers, education, production of educational audiovisual material, management support services, and many others. They have already produced a market ready product, using residue sheep wool pellets for supporting soil health, fertilization needs and soil water retention. (2) HEGIARTOS in Eastern Macedonia is an OG aims for the development of a yogurt dessert from goat's milk enriched with antioxidants from espresso coffee residue extract. Crete There is no documented OGs for the region of Crete at the moment, despite the region's impressive potential for bio-mass production and use. However, here we will report on a dynamic organisation that coordinates a number of unofficial OGs and other producer organisations and they plan to make their operations official in the next call for financing OG formations. The Mediterranean Agri-Food Competence Centre (MACC) is dedicated to advancing the bioeconomy within the Mediterranean region's agri-food sector. Its mission centres on fostering innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness through research, development, and technology transfer. MACC focuses on the adoption of advanced technologies and innovative practices in agri-food production and processing, driving efforts to create a more sustainable agricultural landscape. 68 Key activities include collaborative projects with academic institutions, research organizations, and industry stakeholders to develop modern technologies and sustainable practices. MACC also provides training programs to enhance the skills and knowledge of farmers and food producers, ensuring they are equipped to adopt sustainable bioeconomic practices. Networking and partnerships are crucial, as MACC builds collaborations within the Mediterranean agri-food ecosystem to share knowledge and resources effectively. Policy advocacy is another essential aspect, with MACC engaging policymakers to support bioeconomic innovation and sustainability. The centre's efforts are particularly focused on sustainable agriculture, promoting practices that improve soil health, water efficiency, and biodiversity. Food safety and quality are also prioritized, ensuring products meet ambitious standards through better practices and technologies. Climate change adaptation is a significant area of focus, with MACC developing strategies to help the sector respond to environmental challenges. Additionally, perfecting the agri-food value chain from production to consumption is key to their strategy. Peloponnese The region of Peloponnese, hosts 2 official OGs, described below: (1) HIPO-ENERGY focuses on the utilisation of the leaves of the Hippophage plant, which is characterized as a super-food, for the production of high nutrition additives for soft drinks. They extract the bioactive elements from the leaves for the production of added value nutritional products. (2) OLIHERB, aims for the exploitation of olive leaves (rich in polyphenols and other bioactive ingredients) to produce herbal infusions and natural food additives. They use the significant quantities of olive leaves produced as by-products during cultivation (pruning), harvesting of olives and olive oil production (milling stage) for developing innovative products with special chemical and nutritional properties. As with the region of Crete, here, we also describe the operations of an organisation that supports and helps many different unofficial OGs and other producer formations. The Centre of Agricultural Entrepreneurship of Messinia (CAEM) is an essential initiative in the Peloponnese, focusing on promoting the bioeconomy through innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship in agriculture. This centre enhances the productivity and competitiveness of the region's agricultural sector, particularly known for high-quality olives and olive oil. CAEM supports local farmers and entrepreneurs by offering speciallysed training programs and workshops on bioeconomic practices, sustainable farming, and value-added agricultural products. These programs aim to educate participants on modern farming techniques, business management, and market opportunities, ensuring they are wellequipped to thrive in a bioeconomy-focused environment. The centre collaborates with universities and research institutions to promote research in agricultural science, focusing on crop improvement, pest management, and sustainable practices. By encouraging the adoption of innovative technologies such as precision farming, smart irrigation systems, and renewable energy sources, the centre helps enhance productivity and sustainability. Sustainable practices are a key focus, with CAEM promoting environmental stewardship and organic farming methods. The centre supports sustainable farming practices that protect the environment, conserve natural resources, and ensure long-term agricultural productivity. 69 3.3.2 Bio-based technologies (BBT) developed by OGs Central Macedonia Fertiwool is an organic fertiliser produced from 100% Greek sheep wool. It is a unique product suitable for all types of crops. Rich in nutrients, it has the ability to keep water and expand, reducing irrigation needs by up to 30% and improving soil structure. It requires only one application every six months due to its slow-release nutrient properties. Additionally, it is 100% biodegradable. This sheep wool-based organic fertilizer is a product of 100% circular economy. Crete MACC, in collaboration with Mills of Crete, ABEA and Quality Plus, developed calcium soap from olive oil fatty acids for use in animal feed. This product enhances the reproductive performance of ruminants and contributes to higher milk yield, improved fertility and better animal health. This project promotes the economic value of olive oil by-products, reducing their environmental footprint and enhancing sustainability through the circular economy. Peloponnese As part of CAEM's activities, no bio-based technology has been developed yet. 3.4 Discussion of previous sections In Greece, the regions of Crete, Central Macedonia, and Peloponnese are beginning to embrace the concepts of circular economy and bioeconomy, reflecting a growing recognition of their potential to foster sustainable development and economic resilience. Although these initiatives are still in their initial stages, there is an optimistic outlook for their future. The circular economy in these regions aims to minimize waste and make the most of resources. Crete, known for its rich agricultural heritage, is exploring ways to reduce waste in the food production sector. By reusing agricultural by-products and improving recycling practices, the region hopes to create a closed-loop system that enhances resource efficiency. Similarly, this approach not only reduces environmental impact but also stimulates innovation and economic growth. In Peloponnesus, efforts are being made to integrate circular economy principles into everyday life, a key economic driver. By promoting sustainable everyday practices, the region aims to preserve its natural beauty while attracting environmentally conscious agri-food consumers. The bioeconomy, which involves the use of renewable biological resources to produce food, materials, and energy, is also gaining traction. In Crete, there is significant potential for developing bio-based industries due to its abundant agricultural resources. Central Macedonia is leveraging its strong agricultural and food processing sectors to explore bio-based products, such as bioplastics and biofuels. The Peloponnese is similarly looking to harness its agricultural by-products for bioenergy production, contributing to energy sustainability. 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(2008) "A strategic supply chain management model for waste biomass networks", In 3rd International Conference on Manufacturing Engineering, pp. 797-804. 72 4 Italy - Piemonte, Valle d’Aosta & Liguria 4.1 General description of the region 4.1.1 Geographic description of the region The area that encompasses Piemonte, Valle d’Aosta (VDA), and Liguria regions (Italian FAN reference territory) is in north-west of Italy, and it is bordered by France to the west, Switzerland to the north and facing the Ligurian Sea to the south. The three regions cover an area of 34,064 km², accounting for 11% of the Italian territory (ISTAT, s.d.),with 5.9 million inhabitants, which represent 10% of the Italian population and 1.3% of the EU27 (EUROSTAT, s.d.);and an average population density of 162 hab/km2, with a minimum of 38 hab/km2 in Valle d'Aosta and 279 hab/km2 in Liguria. This regions under study includes 13 provinces (NUTS 3), that is, Aosta, Torino, Cuneo, Novara, Vercelli, Biella, Verbania Cusio Ossola, Asti, Alessandria, Genova, Savona, Imperia and La Spezia. There are 1,512 municipalities and, according to the Italian typological classification of rural areas, 12 municipalities are classified as areas “A-Urban poles”; 273 as areas “B-Rural areas with intensive and specialized agriculture”; 702 as areas “C. Intermediate rural areas” and; “525 as areas “D. Rural areas with comprehensive development problems” (RRN, 2020). The climate of the Italian FAN reference area varies significantly due to diverse geographical features of the territory, which includes mountains, coastal areas, and valleys. In the mountainous areas, such as the regions near the Alps, the climate is alpine with cold winters, heavy snowfall, and cool summers; the temperatures can drop significantly in winter. The lower areas, including the plains around the Po River, experience a more continental climate, with humid summers and cold, foggy winters and precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with a slight increase in the spring and autumn. The coastal areas have mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers; the sea has a moderating effect on temperatures, preventing extreme highs and lows. Figure 25: Location of Italian FAN (Piemonte, Liguria, Valle d’Aosta) in Europe (Source: ISTAT) 4.1.2 Agriculture and forestry sectors in the region Agricultural sector In the area that encompasses Piemonte, Valle d’Aosta, and Liguria Regions, according to the last Agricultural Census (2020), there are 65,523 agricultural exploitations which carry out their activity in 73 the 1,026,141.97 hectares of useful agricultural area (UAA), representing the 6% of Italian farms and 8% of Italian UAA (ISTAT, s.d.). Within the Italian FAN reference territory farms represent just under 1% of European agricultural enterprises. The standard total production average by exploitation in the Italian FAN reference area is 174,120.03 € (Valle D’Aosta 63,293.67; Piemonte 244,818.9, Liguria 73,863.29) (RICA, s.d.). Regarding the businesses in the agricultural sector, is mainly made up of small and medium small companies (nearly 60%): Small (4,000-25,000 €) 16,444; Medium Small (25,000-50,000 €) 8,550; Medium (50,000-100,000 €) 7,209; Medium Large (100,000-500,000 €) 8,657; Large (>500,000 €) 1,047. A positive fact concerns the presence of owners under 40 years of age, which has been growing also thanks to the RDP policies since 2016 and which in 2022 reached 14% of the total (Piemonte, s.d.). This accounts for an average establishment size of 15.66 ha, which is above the national average agricultural establishment size that is 11 ha (ISTAT, s.d.). The evolution over the years of useful agricultural area is shown in the Figure 26, where some critical points and a general downward trend can be observed. Figure 26: Useful agricultural area (ha) in Italian FAN over the years (ISTAT, s.d.) Land use in the Italian FAN reference area is characterised by an important presence of arable land (43%), followed by permanent meadows and pastures (25%) and woodlands, permanent crops (woody) (8%). It is important to highlight that the FAN area is largely localised in the mountains. (ISTAT, 2023). - 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 UAA(ha) 80 the bioeconomy contributed roughly 2.5B€ into the region's GVA, indicating its growing importance in the economic structure. Valle d'Aosta Valle d'Aosta is a unique and significant region known for its stunning alpine landscapes and rich cultural heritage. As the smallest and least populous region in Italy, it has a distinctive economic profile characterized by a mix of traditional industries and emerging sectors. Valle d'Aosta's economic performance is relatively modest but stable. The region's GDP was approximately 5.79 B€ in 2023. Valle d'Aosta boasts a high GDP per capita, around 47.040 €, which is significantly above the national average. This shows a high standard of living and economic productivity, making it one of the wealthiest regions in Italy on a per capita basis. Agriculture in Valle d'Aosta plays an essential role in the region’s economy and cultural identity. In 2021, the agricultural sector contributed approximately 2.3% to the region's GDP. The region is known for its dairy products, such as Fontina cheese, as well as its vineyards producing renowned wines. Agriculture stays a crucial source of employment in Valle d'Aosta, engaging about 3.5% of the region's workforce. This higher percentage compared to other Italian regions highlights the importance of agriculture in sustaining rural communities and keeping the region’s traditional ways of life. The bioeconomy sector in Valle d'Aosta employs approximately 7,000 people and the GVA it generates contributed around 500M€ to the region's GVA, underscoring its importance in the regional economic framework. Table 25: Economic indicators by region/country (European Union, s.f.). Region/Country Population (M hab) GDP (kM€) GDP per capita (€) GVA (M€) Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Employment rate (%) Employment by sector (%) Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Italian FAN area 6 220 37,37 3 2,2% Piemonte 4,25 156,33 36,78 2,24 72,2 2,4% Valle d’Aosta 0,123 5,79 47,07 0,063 77,3 3,5% Liguria 1,51 57,7 38,3 0,54 72,2 1,4% 4.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework Italy has developed a comprehensive regulatory framework to support the bioeconomy and the valorisation of biomass at both the national and regional levels. This framework includes a range of policies, strategies, plans, and laws aimed at promoting sustainable economic growth through the efficient use of biological resources. To further exploit the whole Bioeconomy potential, the Italian Government promoted, at national level, the setup of a National Bioeconomy Strategy in 2017 (BIT) (Government, 2017) and, more 81 recently, its update as “A new Bioeconomy strategy for a sustainable Italy”, BIT II, 2019 (Government, 2019). The BIT II aims to interconnect more efficiently the main economic sectors composing the Italian bioeconomy, namely the production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into valuable food, feed, bio-based products, wooden products, and bioenergy, along with the transformation and valorisation of bio-waste streams. Moreover, BIT II aims to a better governance model through increased coordination of Ministries, Regions and autonomous Provinces and the alignment of policies, regulations, R&I funding programs and investments in infrastructures. The overall goal is a 15% increase of the current turnover and jobs of the Italian Bioeconomy by 2030 by implementing priority actions and an R&I agenda, which are accompanied by measures creating and guaranteeing the framework conditions. Due to the strategic geo-political role of Italy in the Mediterranean basin, BIT II also includes actions to improve sustainable productivity, social cohesion, and greater political stability through the implementation of Bioeconomy in the Mediterranean area, in line with the PRIMA partnership, and the BLUEMED and WESTMED initiatives. Furthermore, the Bioeconomy Strategy aligns closely with various national and EU strategic plans, regulations, and funding measures, enhancing the implementation of specific bioeconomy initiatives. The National Energy Strategy (Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico, s.d.), published in 2017 includes significant provisions for the development of bioenergy. It encourages the use of biomass for energy production, which is seen as a crucial part of Italy's transition to a more sustainable energy system. This strategy aligns with EU directives on renewable energy and sustainability. The NECP or National Plan for Energy and Climate (MISE, s.d.) for the period 2021-2030 deals with the target that Italy aims to reach in terms of renewable energy, emissions and energy efficiency. The updates of the “National Energy Strategy” and the “National Plan for Climate and Energy” provide the framework within which the diverse sources of energy will develop in order to achieve the targets on GHG emission reduction and renewable energy share. In addition, Italy has adopted a “National Adaptation Strategy” (Ministero dell'ambiente e della sicurezza energetica, s.d.) and is putting into place the “National Adaptation Plan”. The Bioeconomy can play a significant role in both senses, in terms of providing clean energy sources and ensuring a long-term conservation of natural resources and ecological systems, also through nature-based solutions. The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) focuses on new value chains based on the smart and integral use of agro-waste and specialized crops for industrial uses to be grown on marginal lands, creating the necessary interface for agro-energy and bio-based industries. They provide financial support for sustainable agricultural practices, the development of bio-based industries, and the valorisation of agricultural and forestry residues. Italian Circular Bioeconomy Cluster (Cluster SPRING (Anon., s.d.)) is a national cluster that brings together stakeholders from industry, academia, and government to promote the development of the bioeconomy in Italy. It eases collaboration on research projects, technological development, and the commercialization of bio-based products. It is necessary to emphasize how the Italian Bioeconomy Strategy is part of the implementation process of the National Smart Specialization Strategy 2021-2027 (S3) (territoriale, s.d.). The Smart Specialisation Strategy aims to name priorities for investment in research, development and innovation that complement the resources and productive capacity of territories to build comparative advantage and sustainable growth path in the medium and long term. The S3 is implemented a 82 regional level and aims to boost innovation and competitiveness in the regions by using their strengths in agriculture, food processing, and green chemistry. The strategy supports collaborative projects between universities, research centres, and industries to drive advancements in the bioeconomy sector. Indeed, at regional level different projects are implemented to take advantage of the specific characteristics of territories. For example, The Piemonte Bioeconomy Technology Platform (DupontInglis, et al., 2021) is a good practice of a regional policy model designed to support bio-based value chains. The platform aims to stimulate circular production ecosystems on a regional scale by leveraging supply chains. In this way, it helps sustainable growth with low environmental impact and lays the foundation for the long-term development of the bioeconomy in the region. Another exemplary initiative at regional level is the BIOFAT project in Liguria (sostenibile, s.d.). This project focuses on cultivating microalgae for producing bio-chemical products. The significance of this project lies in its cultivation of a diverse range of species, which offer significantly higher productivity per hectare compared to traditional green plants. Furthermore, it underscores the potential of bio-based technologies in various industrial sectors, including cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In addition, agroenergy projects involving the use of agricultural residues as a renewable energy source have been implemented in many regions. Agri-energy is a growing bioeconomy sector on national soil because of its potential in generating income for farmers as well as promoting sustainable practice. Lastly, in recent year, the National Strategy for the Circular Economy (Italiano, s.d.) and the National Waste Management Programme (Ecologica, s.d.), two reforms envisaged by the NRRP (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) (MEF, s.d.) and approved in June 2022, outline the programmatic framework for Italy’s ecological transition, identifying the actions, objectives and measures to be pursued. Within the National Strategy, considerable space is also given to more efficient use of natural resources, with specific objectives for water (e.g. to encourage the reuse of treated wastewater and possibly widen the application of reclaimed water to industrial or urban use) and soil (e.g. to promote the rehabilitation of contaminated sites, industrial conversion of reclaimed land and initiatives to reduce soil sealing). The strategy will specifically measure and track the progress of the transition to the circular economy through circularity indicators. 4.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation 4.2.1 Biomass resource availability In 2019, the added value of the Bioeconomy was approximately 103B€, 6.4% of the national added value (Intesa San Paolo, Giugno 2022). The agri-food chain represents the most significant activity in all geographical areas, with percentages ranging from 46% in the Central regions to 78% in the Southern regions. In the North-West, where the Italian FAN is located, the agri-food chain accounts for 56%, while in the North-East the percentage is 62%. At the regional level there are notable differences in absolute terms for added value generated: Lombardia, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Toscana together represent more than 50% of the overall added value; Piemonte contributes with 7.8%, while Liguria only with 1.9% and Valle d’Aosta with 0.1%. In relative terms (weight of the Bioeconomy on the productive fabric of each territory), however, Umbria is in first place, with an incidence of VA of 9% and with a greater relevance of agriculture and the bio-based fashion system, followed by TrentinoAlto Adige (8.9%), where the weight of the agri-food and wood supply chains emerges. Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta show values below the national average. 83 Figure 32: Bioeconomy value added by region (billion euros, 2019) Weight of Bioeconomy value added to total regional VA (%, 2019) (Intesa San Paolo, Giugno 2022). Given the lack of data, several studies produced estimates on the availability of biomass in Italy. For example, the EU H2020 ENABLING project shows a potential availability of approximately 25 Mtonnes/year of agricultural and agro-industrial residues at national level. Table 26: Economic indicators by region/country (ITABIA, 2020) Agricultural (tonnes/year) Agroindustry (tonnes/year) Total (tonnes/year) % Total North 13,132,966 1,228,249 14,361,215 57.5% Center 3,316,313 317,929 3,634,242 14.6% South and Island 5,445,309 15,311,198 6,976,507 27.9% Total 21,894,588 3,077,376 24,971,964 100% According the 10th Report on “La bioeconomia in Europa”, in 2023, the activities connected to the bioeconomy in Italy generated an estimated output of 437.5B€, employing approximately two million people, and accounting for 10% of the total output, 7.6%, considering employment of the total Italian economy, up from the previous three-year period (Intesa San Paolo, 2023). 84 Figure 33: The evolution of the weight of the Bioeconomy in Italy in terms of value of production (% of total economy) and in terms of employment (% of total economy) (Intesa San Paolo, 2023). After the significant acceleration in 2022, with the bioeconomy production value reaching 428.3B€ — an 18% increase from 2021 (+65.5B€), partly due to a substantial rise in production prices—growth in 2023 continued but at a slower pace of 2.2%. This outcome reflects the varied performance across different bioeconomy sectors. Employment remained stable, with around 2 million people employed throughout the 2021-2023 period. 85 Table 27: Italian overview of bioeconomy. Value of production (M€) Weight (%) Occupation 2022 2019 2020 2021 2022 thousands % Total Bioeconomy 338,356 319,604 358,245 415,308 100 1.996 100 Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 61,202 60,519 64,671 69,940 17.4 895 44.8 Food, beverage and tobacco 141,904 139,814 150,615 176,900 42.1 485 24.3 Bio-based textiles 9,598 7,695 9,292 10,998 2.7 51 2.5 Bio-based clothing 15,290 12,246 14,625 17,962 4.1 95 4.8 Bio-based tanning and leather goods 16,663 12,513 15,276 18,898 4.8 76 3.8 Wood and wood products 13,348 11,667 15,873 19,104 4.6 91 4.5 Paper and paper products 24,226 22,689 26,006 33,569 7.6 86 4.3 Bio-based chemicals 4,911 3,612 4,547 5,540 1.7 9 0.4 Bio-based pharmaceuticals 14,296 14,034 14,288 16,407 4.1 37 1.9 Bio-based rubber and plastics 1,360 1,163 1,417 1,630 0.4 5 0.3 Bio-based furniture 10,780 9,995 12,489 14,011 3.4 63 3.1 Bioenergy 3,525 2,209 2,818 4,150 0.9 2 0.1 Biofuels 340 292 1,843 ND ND ND 0 water cycle 12,499 12,417 14,369 15,375 3.7 50 2.5 biofuels management 8,445 8,471 10,116 10,824 2.5 52 2.6 The most significant contribution to the growth of the bioeconomy in 2023 is that of the agri-food supply chain, which represents approximately 60% of the total value, with an output of approximately 276B€ (of which 195 billion generated by the food, beverage and tobacco industry), closed with an increase in production value of 6.8%, strongly influenced by inflationary dynamics, although less intensely than observed in 2022. The production value of the agri-food supply chain grew by 18.6%, contributing over 7% to the overall growth of the bioeconomy. Also, in terms of employment, the agrifood is the most relevant sector in the bioeconomy: in 2023, there were 872,000 people employed in the agricultural sector and 492,000 in the food, beverage and tobacco industry, amounted to 44% and 24.9% of the total national, respectively. The development in 2023 confirmed the trend already seen in 2022, reporting a decline in employment in the agriculture, but an increase in the downstream processing sector. Some estimates show that in Italy the main use of biomass of agricultural and agro-industrial origin (about 78%) occurs in the zootechnical sector as food and/or litter and only a minimal part is applied for bioenergy and/or biomaterial purposes (Gurria, et al., 2020). In particular, for straw the percentage 86 that can be sustainably collected for purposes other than current use is approximately 40% of the total, while for pruning this percentage varies between 45-50%, for grape marc it is approximately 33% of the total product and for citrus pulp it is only 10-15% of the total (ENAMA, 2021). The Atlante Biomasse (ENEA, s.d.) provides data on the main biomass products at provincial level, with reference to different years for the different types of products. Totally, the agricultural waste contributes with 2,853,631 tonnes of dry matter in 2022 in the Italian FAN reference area (Liguria, Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta), mainly from Piemonte (Table 28). Among agricultural waste 2,454,853 tonnes of dry matter consist of straw. Regarding wood from forest (2005), with a total of over 319,500 tonnes, there is a more balanced distribution in the three regions considered in absolute terms, even if the contribute of Liguria and Valle d’Aosta is important considering the available surface area. The energy crops have a residual impact on the total, with only 795 tonnes, of which 581 are produced in Piemonte. 87 Table 28: Agricultural waste (tonnes of dry matter per year; 2002) Wood Forests (t/year;2005) and Energy crops (t/hectare; 2005) per Fan area and NUTS 3. Biomass FAN Imperia Savona Genova La Spezia Cuneo Asti Alessandria Torino Vercelli Novara Biella Verbano Cusio Ossola Aosta Agricultural waste 2,853,631 41,751 6,966 12,357 5,679 613,221 174,208 479,764 678,436 507,954 291,159 38,351 1,059 2,726 Straw 2,454,853 - 976 15 280 531,121 129,107 431,421 668,476 414,642 245,008 32,702 916 189 Pruning 161,349 34,282 4,529 9,349 3,952 55,408 26,571 18,476 3,934 584 1,117 806 104 2,237 Lawn husks 149,812 - - - - 239 - 10,758 233 91,058 43,477 4,047 - - Shells 11,900 3 5 38 - 6,951 3,044 1,476 363 7 - 12 1 - Grape marc 39,086 250 165 38 602 13,393 14,003 8,582 906 106 368 342 31 300 Pomace 12,133 7,200 1,164 2,895 840 7 7 - 11 - 7 1 1 - Oil 18,065 - - - - 1,955 1,300 7,552 4,263 1,384 1,171 436 4 - Seeds 5,835 6 114 22 4 4,073 176 1,006 244 172 11 5 2 - Pastazzo 24 10 13 - 1 - - - - - - - - - Tomato Peel 574 - - - - 74 - 493 6 1 - - - - Wood Forests 319,568 26,109 32,885 11,473 17,901 12,520 10,547 54,964 13,801 29,205 5,266 29,918 66,587 8,391 Hardwoods 290,610 25,747 32,005 10,902 16,953 12,275 9,340 54,478 13,427 27,880 4,916 24,542 52,341 5,804 Conifers 27,234 362 804 448 820 97 1,096 369 190 1,035 177 5,230 14,120 2,486 Arboriculture 134 - - - - - - - - 134 - - - Energy crops 795 - 37.8 61.4 64.2 74.2 55.4 58.6 92.0 78.0 86.6 73.1 63.2 50.7 Arundo 225 10.7 17.4 18.2 21.0 15.7 16.6 26.1 22.2 24.5 20.7 17.9 14.4 Miscanthus 180 8.5 13.9 14.5 16.8 12.5 13.2 20.8 17.6 19.6 16.5 14.3 11.5 Panicum 135 6.4 10.4 10.9 12.6 9.4 9.9 15.6 13.2 14.7 12.4 10.7 8.6 Thistle 73 3.5 5.6 5.9 6.8 5.1 5.4 8.4 7.1 7.9 6.7 5.8 4.6 Sorghum 183 8.7 14.1 14.7 17.0 12.7 13.5 21.1 17.9 19.9 16.8 14.5 11.6 88 4.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources As regards biogas and biomethane plants, in Italy more than 2,000 biogas plants are operating in Italy (of which 1,700 in the agricultural sector), 80% of which are fuelled by agricultural biomass (livestock effluents, agricultural waste, agro-industrial by-products, energy crops) (Anon., 2021). To produce biomethane, the most used technology is the upgrading of biogas to biomethane (separation of methane from carbon dioxide). Potentially, Italy could produce up to 8.5 billion m3 of biomethane by 2030, equal to approximately 12-13% of the current annual need for natural gas. 83.4% of the total national production of electricity from biogas is provided by the regions of Northern Italy; 34.6% of the total is concentrated in Lombardy, followed by Veneto (15.3%), Emilia-Romagna (14.6%) and Piedmont (12.6%) (Agrillo, et al., 2022). Figure 34: Number and Power of Biogas Plants Nationwide (No., MW) At the end of 2020, there were 19 active plants to produce biomethane from the agricultural supply chain. In addition to these, there are the biomethane plants from OFMSW active in Italy (27), for a total of 49 connected plants (Agrillo, et al., 2022). Moreover, the introduction of sustainability certification for bio-based products could lead to an increase in Italian demand for such certified products, stimulating, in turn, the market uptake of biobased products, as showed by the STAR-ProBio project (Anon., s.d.). 4.2.3 Bio-products target market Italy boasts the third-largest bioeconomy in Europe, with an annual turnover of 330 B€ and a workforce of 2 million, making it a vital part of the nation's economy. The Italian bioeconomy is based on the sectors producing and processing biomass, which is agriculture, livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, and food and bio-based industries. The latter includes the wood processing, pulp paper industries, biorefineries, but also the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, textile and energy industry sectors that use biobased products, and other sectors that exploit municipal wastewater and biowaste, as well as some marine and maritime activities. The country excels in sectors such as food and biobased products and is actively involved in EU-funded research and innovation projects, particularly within the Horizon 2020 programme (Societal Challenges 2) and the European Public Private Partnership “Biobased industry” (BBI-JU).The Italian Bioeconomy strategy (BIT) (Government, 2017) was approved in 2017, after 2 months of public consultation, and 89 updated in 2019 (BIT II) (Government, 2019), following consultation within different Ministries, the governments of the 21 Italian regions and autonomous provinces, and the public and private stakeholders in the national technology clusters active in the agri-food, biobased industry and blue growth domains. The strategy for the Italian bioeconomy is aimed at increasing both turnover and jobs by 15 % from 2017 to 2030 (R. Piamonte, s.d). in addition, it aims to boost the sustainable valorisation and regeneration of terrestrial and marine biodiversity, ecosystem services and marginal/abandoned lands. Italian national legislative initiatives are intended to guarantee standards of sustainability in order to stimulate the marketing of bio-based products. Indeed, Italy is a European leader in bio-based industry and has developed a number of innovative proprietary technologies in the chemistry and industrial biotechnology sectors. In addition, a variety of new products was generated now marketed both nationally and internationally (Fava, et al., 2021). The bio-products target market in Italy encompasses a diverse range of sectors, reflecting the country's strong bioeconomy. Key target markets and their relative turnover are reported in the Figure 35. 96 meet the challenges posed by a constantly evolving and updating agriculture. CeRSAA participates, as a partner or lead partner, in project activities financed at European, national and regional level, some of which deal with the utilisation and treatment of agricultural waste and renewable energy in agriculture. The Regional institute for floriculture, located in Sanremo, is an instrumental body of the Liguria region whose aim is to favour the economic development and competitiveness of the Ligurian floricultural enterprise system. it does not have specific research and experimentation activities on biomass valorisation. In Piemonte socio-economic research in support of local government planning took off by initiative of the Provincia di Torino by Ires Piemonte. 4.2.5 Support and financing policies In terms of bioeconomy-related initiatives and projects, it is worth highlighting the innovation projects supported under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRP) (MEF, s.d.) that is part of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) programme, namely the 750B€ package – of which about half is in the form of grants – that the European Union negotiated in response to the pandemic crisis. Mission 2 ‘Green Revolution and Ecological Transition’ allocates a total of 68.6B€ (59.3B€ from the RRF Facility and 9.3B€ from the Fund) with the main goals of improving the sustainability and resilience of the economic system and ensuring a fair and inclusive environmental transition. Figure 38: Mission 2 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Table 30 shows European R&I projects coordinated by Italy, funded by H2020 (Societal Challenges 2, 3, 5), important for the Bioeconomy: 97 Table 30: Major European R&I projects coordinated by Italy, funded by H2020 (Societal Challenges 2. 3, 5), important for the Bioeconomy (RIAV, s.d.). PROJECT TITLE PROJECT ACRONYM PROJECT SIGNATURE DATE PARTICIPANT LEGAL NAME PROJECT INSTRUMENT/ FUNDING SCHEME/TOPIC Effective Management of Pests and Harmful Alien Species - Integrated Solutions EMPHASIS 19/02/2015 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO RIA SFS-03a-2014 Jellyfish Barge - A floating greenhouse JFB 20/05/2015 PNAT SRL SME-1 Novel Ozone and Thermal Shock Conservation Process for Vegetables SCHOCKO3 25/05/2015 FIORDELISI SRL SME-1 PROVIding smart DElivery of public goods by EU agriculture and forestry PROVIDE 27/05/2015 ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA RIA ISIB-01-2014 Flagship demonstration of an integrated biorefinery for dry crops sustainable exploitation towards biobased materials production FIRST2RUN 10/06/2015 NOVAMONT SPA BBI-IA-FLAG Design of an agricultural greenhouse for intensive growing of microalgae in fresh / sea water with a syngas production plant and organic farming of chickens and pigs outdoors ECO-LOGIC GREEN FARM 22/07/2015 SOCIETÀ AGRICOLA SERENISSIMA S.S. SME-2 Food treatment process based on high voltage nanopulsed electric discharges in liquid phase EMILK 20/08/2015 LASERLAM SRL SME-1 Drone-based integrated monitoring system for early detection of crop pathology and pest control in high tech greenhouse agriculture GIDROM 26/08/2015 ABO DATA SRL SME-1 RLTProFood - Remote Lighting Technology for processing and production of food RLTProFood 02/09/2015 IODA SRL SME-1 Vegetable ozone therapy for the defence of greenhouse crops O3MET 15/09/2015 MET s.r.l. SME-1 COMPostable cap-SULE for instant coffee delivery based on an innovative chemical functionalization of biobased plastics COMPSULE 28/10/2015 POINT PLASTIC SRL SME-1 Pest Organisms Threatening Europe POnTE 29/10/2015 CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE RIA SFS-03a-2014 Mobile wireless Device microcantileverbased biosensor to identify and measure the aflatoxin B1 in animal food and M1 in the milk-chain MEDIuM 19/11/2015 INFORMATICA SYSTEM S.R.L. SME-1 Optimum, sustainable solution for seed drying and conservation DryCoolerSeeds 25/11/2015 MARCOLD GROUP SME-1 From plants for plants: enhancing crop potential and resilience through reliable new generation biostimulants Plants for Plants 04/12/2015 LANDLAB SRL SME-1 A resource-efficient granulation process for advanced formulation of any compound in food and pharma production AGS 17/12/2015 POLIBIOTECH SRL SME-1 Submersible Tension Leg Fish Cage for Mariculture in Unsheltered and Offshore Areas SubCage 17/12/2015 REFA MED SRL SME-1 Cost-effective CO2 conversion into chemicals via combination of Capture, Electrochemical and BIochemical CONversion technologies CELBICON 04/02/2016 POLITECNICO DI TORINO RIA ISIB-06-2015 Linking genetic resources, genomes and phenotypes of Solanaceous crops G2P-SOL 05/02/2016 ENEA RIA SFS-07b-2015 Integrated and innovative key actions for mycotoxin management in the food and feed chain MycoKey 09/02/2016 CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE RIA SFS-13-2015 A compact, unmanned, renewablespowered and self-sufficient vessel able to pick up marine litter and to treat it on board for volume reduction and energy recovery Sea Litter Critters 12/02/2016 IRIS SRL SME-1 Agricolus Decision Support System Agricolus DSS 15/02/2016 TEAMDEV SRL SME-1 A sustainable organic solution to the decline of bees MICRO4BEE 22/02/2016 MICRO4YOU SRL SME-1 Valorisation of corn processing byproducts into plastic bio-composites CORNposite 27/02/2016 CORN VALLEY SRL SME-1 98 PROJECT TITLE PROJECT ACRONYM PROJECT SIGNATURE DATE PARTICIPANT LEGAL NAME PROJECT INSTRUMENT/ FUNDING SCHEME/TOPIC A feasibility study to investigate and verify the commercial and industrial viability of a wastewater processing solution to generate bioplastics from agrifood and municipal wastewater sources EggPlant 29/02/2016 EGGPLANT SOCIETA A RESPONSABILITA LIMITATA SME-1 DevelopMent AnD application of integrated technological and management solutions FOR wasteWATER treatment and efficient reuse in agriculture tailored to the needs of Mediterranean African Countries MADFORWATER 22/04/2016 ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA RIA SC5 WATER5c-2015 de-Fluoridation technologies for imprOving quality of WatEr and agRo-animal products along the East African Rift Valley in the context of aDaptation to climate change FLOWERED 02/05/2016 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI CAGLIARI RIA SC5 WATER5c-2015 Urban metabolism accounts for building Waste management Innovative Networks and Strategies URBAN_WINS 03/05/2016 COMUNE DI CREMONA RIA SC5 WASTE6b-2015 Unique radar-drone used for subsurface water detection for precision agricultural irrigation AGRI-DONE 16/05/2016 ADANT SRL SME-1 First industrial use of bio and ecocompatible geopolymers produced from metakaolin to manufacture tanks for wine, beer, vinegar and olive oil production and storage via 3D printing technology GeoFood 21/05/2016 CIBAS DI POLI FABIO & C SAS SME-1 Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area 4PRIMA 31/05/2016 MINISTERO DELL’ISTRUZIONE, DELL’UNIVERSITÀ E DELLA RICERCA CSA SC5-12-2016 Scale-up of low-carbon footprint material recovery techniques in existing wastewater treatment plants SMART-PLANT 01/06/2016 UNIVERSITÀ POLITECNICA DELLE MARCHE IA WATER 1b-2015 Marine Ecosystem Restoration in Changing European Seas MERCES 01/06/2016 SZN RIA SC5-07-2015 Advanced solutions for ensuring the overall authenticity and quality of olive oil OLEUM 08/07/2016 ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA RIA SFS-14a-2014 Short supply chain Knowledge and Innovation Network SKIN 23/09/2016 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI FOGGIA CSA RUR - 102016 BLUEMED BLUEMED 27/09/2016 CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE CSA BG-13-2016 Xylella fastidiosa Active Containment Through a multidisciplinaryOriented Research Strategy XF-ACTORS 11/10/2016 CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE RIA SFS-09-2016 A Revolutionary, Safe and Cost-effective Industrial Process for Gluten Detoxification in Cereals New Gluten World 16/10/2016 NEW GLUTEN WORLD S.R.L. SME-2 Application of high power ultrasounds (HPUs) to improve the sustainability in meat TENderize and BRINe processes TENBRIN 14/11/2016 RI-LAVO SRL SME-1 A Novel Double Wheel Rake Machine to provide high quality fodder and high operational speed RA-RAKE 19/11/2016 REPOSSI MACCHINE AGRICOLE SRL SME-1 Innovative tag system providing affordable timetemperature quality control of individual temperature sensitive products T-TAG 28/11/2016 SCRIBA NANOTECNOLOGIE SRL SME-1 RESources from URban BIo waSte RES URBIS 01/01/2017 UNIVERSITÀ “LA SAPIENZA” DI ROMA RIA CIRC 05-2016 Antibiotic resistancefree meat and dairy products ARMeD_free 22/01/2017 SACCO SRL SME-1 On-field innovative system to detect very low concentrations of aflatoxins in milk SAFEMILK 31/01/2017 IDP SRL SME-1 BIOPEN BIOPEN 27/04/2017 CIAOTECH Srl JTI-BBI-CSA BBI2016-S03 Sustainability Transition Assessment and Research of Bio-based Products STAR-ProBio 28/04/2017 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA UNITELMA SAPIENZA RIA BB-01-2016 A novel and integrated approach to increase multiple and combined stress tolerance in plants using tomato as a model TomRes 28/04/2017 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO RIA SFS-01-2016 Insect-borne prokaryote-associated diseases in tropical and subtropical perennial crops TROPICSAFE 28/04/2017 ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA RIA SFS-11-2016 99 PROJECT TITLE PROJECT ACRONYM PROJECT SIGNATURE DATE PARTICIPANT LEGAL NAME PROJECT INSTRUMENT/ FUNDING SCHEME/TOPIC Detergent free steam cleaning system for modular conveyor belts in the food industry Steammatic 30/04/2017 REA STEAM CLEANING SRL SME-1 Automated system for packaging fresh meat with reduced waste/giveaway, processing time, human involvement and contamination AUTOMEATIC 01/05/2017 GRASSELLI SPA SME-1 Establishing a Multipurpose Biorefinery for the Recycling of the organic content of AHP waste in a Circular Economy Domain EMBRACED 03/05/2017 Fater S.p.A. JTI-BBI-IA-DEMO New bio-based food packaging materials with enhanced barrier properties - BioBarrier BioBarr 05/05/2017 TECNOALIMENTI S.C.P.A. JTI-BBI-RIA BBI2016-R05 Microbial Uptakes for Sustainable management of major bananA pests and diseases MUSA 10/05/2017 CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE RIA Brazil-EU Cooperation for Development of Advanced Lignocellulosic Biofuels BECOOL 01/06/2017 ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA RIA SC3 LCE-222016 A Novel Double Wheel Rake Machine to provide high quality fodder and high operational speed RA-RAKE 28/06/2017 REPOSSI MACCHINE AGRICOLE SRL SME-2 Solaris energy tobacco for the creation of a European sustainable biojet fuel value chain SOLARIS 09/08/2017 IDROEDIL SRL SME-2 Mobilization of a plurality of voices and mutual learning to accelerate the Bio-based sector BIOVoices 04/10/2017 AGENZIA PER LA PROMOZIONE DELLA RICERCA EUROPEA CSA BB-05-2017 Enhance New Approaches in BioBased Local Innovation Networks for Growth ENABLING 05/10/2017 FEDERUNACOMA SRL UNIPERSONALE CSA RUR-102016-2017 Turning climate-related information into added value for traditional MEDiterranean Grape, Olive and Durum wheat food systems MED-GOLD 30/10/2017 AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L’ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILE RIA SC5-01-20162017 Engineered microbial factories for CO2 exploitation in an integrated waste treatment platform ENGICOIN 01/01/2018 IIT FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI technological RIA NMBP BIOTEC-05-2017 Nite Carbon Nanoclusters, a natural antioxidant for the food industry made from agricultural waste NCN 05/02/2018 HYDRA SRL SME-1 Innovative Method for Affordable Generation IN ocean Energy IMAGINE 01/03/2018 UMBRAGROUP SPA RIA SC3 LCE-072016-2017 Innovative biomaterials production from wine industry waste VegeaTextile 03/04/2018 VEGEA SRL SME-2 Development of Integrated Web-Based Land Decision Support System Aiming Towards the Implementation of Policies for Agriculture and Environment LANDSUPPORT 13/04/2018 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI FEDERICO II RIA RUR-03-2017 Separation, fractionation and isolation of biologically active natural ubstances from corn oil and other side streams EXCornsEED 26/04/2018 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA JTI-BBI-RIA BBI.2017.R4 Breeding for Resilient, Efficient and Sustainable Organic Vegetable production BRESOV 27/04/2018 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI CATANIA RIA SFS-07-20162017 Green Aquaculture Intensification in Europe GAIN 27/04/2018 UNIVERSITÀ CA’ FOSCARI VENEZIA RIA SFS-32-2017 Virome ngs analysis of pests and pathogens for plant protection VIROPLANT 27/04/2018 CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE RIA SFS-17-2017 Advanced sustainable BIOfuels for Aviation BIO4A 01/05/2018 CONSORZIO PER LA RICERCA E LA DIMOSTRAZIONE SULLE ENERGIE RINNOVABILI IA SC3 LCE-202016-2017 Development and demonstration of an automated, modular and environmentally friendly multifunctional platform for open sea farm installations of the Blue Growth Industry The Blue Growth Farm 03/05/2018 RINA CONSULTING SPA IA BG-04-2017 Novel Products for Construction and Automotive Industries Based on Bio Materials and Natural Fibres ReInvent 04/05/2018 CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPA JTI-BBI-IA-DEMO BBI.2017.D5 Project Ô: demonstration of planning and technology tools for a circular, integrated and symbiotic use of water PROJECT O 08/05/2018 IRIS SRL IA SC5 - CIRC-022016-2017 100 PROJECT TITLE PROJECT ACRONYM PROJECT SIGNATURE DATE PARTICIPANT LEGAL NAME PROJECT INSTRUMENT/ FUNDING SCHEME/TOPIC Stacking of ecosystem services: mechanisms and interactions for optimal crop protection, pollination enhancement, and productivity EcoStack 24/07/2018 UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI FEDERICO II RIA SFS-28-2017 Controlling mIcRobiomes CircuLations for bEtter food Systems CIRCLES 05/10/2018 ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA IA LCSFS03-2018 SaFe and sustaInable soluTions FOR the integRatEd USE of non-conventional water resources in the Mediterranean agricultural sector FIT4REUSE 2019 Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna (UNIBO) RIA A PRIMA Project A novel integrated and sustainable approach to monitor and control Bluetongue in the Mediterranean region Blue-Med 2019 Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise (IZSAM) RIA A PRIMA Project FRUIT CROPS ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN FREECLIMB 2019 Università degli Studi di Milano - La Statale (UMIL) RIA A PRIMA Project Utilization of local genetic diversity to understand and exploit barley adaptation to harsh environments and for pre-breeding GENDIBAR 2019 Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria - Centro di Genomica e Bioinformatica (CREAGB RIA A PRIMA Project IMProving RESilience to Abiotic stresses in durum wheat: enhancing knowledge by genetic, physiological and “omics” approaches and increasing Mediterranean germplasm biodiversity by crop wild relatives-based introgressiomics IMPRESA 2019 Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali - Università degli Studi della Tuscia (DAFNE) RIA A PRIMA Project Developing new strategies to protect strawberry crop in Mediterranean countries ed-Berry 2019 Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna (UNIBO) RIA A PRIMA Project Towards a sustainable water use in Mediterranean ricebased agro-ecosystems MEDWATERICE 2019 Università degli Studi di Milano (UMIL) RIA A PRIMA Project Self-sufficient Integrated Multi-Trophic AquaPonic systems for improving food production sustainability and brackish water use and recycling SIMTAP 2019 University of Pisa (UNIPI) RIA A PRIMA Project Strategies for increasing the WATer use efficiency of semi-arid Mediterranean watersheds and agrosilvopastoral systems under climate Change SWATCH 2019 Dipartimento di Ingegneria civile, ambientale ed architettura, Università di Cagliari (UNICA) RIA A PRIMA Project ADAPTING MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE CROPS TO CLIMATE CHANGE-INDUCED MULTIPLE STRESS EG-ADAPT 2019 Università degli Studi di Torino (UNITO) RIA A PRIMA Project Valorisation of thistlecurdled CHEESEs in MEDiterranean marginal areas VEGGIEMEDCHEESES 2019 Università Politecnica Delle Marche (UNIVPM) RIA A PRIMA Project Increasing grain quality through advanced oxidation treatment during storage QUALIGRAIN 01/10/2014 (CLOSED) LA SANFERMESE SpA SME-1 FREE and open source software tools for WATer resource management FREEWAT 02/12/2014 (Closed) SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO S ANNA CSA WATER4a-2014 Automatic Hydraulic Jack with improved capacity, safety and efficiency for agricultural implements Novel Jack 09/11/2017 (CLOSED) SIMOL SPA SME-1 BIOmethane as SUstainable and Renewable Fuel BIOSURF 1/1/2015 (closed) ISTITUTO DI STUDI PER L’INTEGRAZIONE DEI SISTEMI (I.S.I.S) - SOCIETÀ COOPERATIVA CSA SC3 LCE-142014 Increasing Social Awarness and Acceptance of biogas and biomethane ISAAC 1/1/2016 (closed) AZZERO CO2 SRL CSA SC3 LCE-142014 Building Research environments fostering Innovation, Decision making, Governance and Education to support Blue growth BlueBRIDGE 1/9/2015 (closed) CNR RIA Infrastructure di ricerca Modelling and Imaging Development for precision Agriculture MIDA 12/05/2017 (CLOSED) METACORTEX Srl SME-1 Professional support to the uptake of bioeconomy RD results towards market, further research and policy for a more competitive European bioeconomy ProBIO 16/02/2015 (CLOSED) AZIENDA SPECIALE INNOVHUB - STAZIONI SPERIMENTALI PER L’INDUSTRIA CSA ISIB08b-2014 Innovative oxygenfree wine bottling process RiCaMo 22/06/2016 (CLOSED) ENTER S.R.L. SME-2 101 PROJECT TITLE PROJECT ACRONYM PROJECT SIGNATURE DATE PARTICIPANT LEGAL NAME PROJECT INSTRUMENT/ FUNDING SCHEME/TOPIC Smart cuvette and portable Time-Resolved FRET for fast analysis of milk I-Cuvette 25/11/2017 (CLOSED) ISS BIOSENSE SRL SME-1 Managing crOp water Saving with Enterprise Services MOSES 26/05/2015 (closed) ESRI ITALIA SPA IA SC5 WATER1a-2014 Fermentation processes for functional foods from RAPeseed, Sunflower and Other EU matrices Devoted to Young animals. Zero-miles model boosting safety and competitiveness of livestock sector RAPSODY 27/01/2015 (CLOSED) METHODO CHEMICALS SRL SME-1 3Bee Hive-Tech 3Bee Hive-Tech 31/01/2018 (CLOSED) 3BEE SRL SME-1 Regarding the national level, the Italian CAP Strategic Plan aims to turn into value the opportunities that can arise from the ecological and digital transition, enhancing the bioeconomy, circular economy, cascading use of wood products, food waste reduction, and agroecology, including by promoting the digitization of production processes. Specific goals also include initiatives to increase and diversify employment opportunities with a view to sustainability (e.g., sustainable tourism, bioeconomy, green jobs, social agriculture). These initiatives should strengthen agricultural and forestry multifunctionality, enhance rural landscapes of historical interest, and foster the creation of new business and employment opportunities, with specific reference to young people and women. Moreover, the National Research Plan 2021-2027, plays a key role in the bioeconomy at the national level. In fact, it includes, among the 6 “Major Areas of Research and Innovation,” a specific area related to “Food products, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture, environment”. Finally, in the Regional Smart Specialisation Strategy (territoriale, s.d.) (hereinafter S3), that aimed at identifying R&D&I investment priorities that complement the resources and production capacity of a territory to build comparative advantages and sustainable growth paths in the medium and long term, the following development trajectories are present with reference to: - SR_04 Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies – Green Chemistry S 04_PIEMONTE_01 Biorefineries and non-food biomass conversion plants for the production of chemical products, biofuels, bioplastics. - SR_04 Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies - Green Chemistry S 04_VALLEDAOSTA_01 Bio-processes for biomass pre-treatment and for energy production (biofuel production). - SR_06 Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies - Energy (and environment) S 06_VALLEDAOSTA_01 Applications and systems for distributed generation, cogeneration/trigeneration of energy, especially in the field of biomass and miniand micro-hydro for the sustainable management of natural resources. - SR_09 Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies - Health S 09_PIEMONTE_08 Pharmaceutical biotechnology. - SR_09 Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies - Health S 09_PIEMONTE_09 Bioinformatics and ICT for health research - SR_09 Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies - Health S 09_PIEMONTE_12 Bioengineering and surgical robotics. 102 - SR_09 Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies - Health S 09_PIEMONTE_13 Advanced biomedical solutions. - SR_11 Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies - Technologies for Living Environments S 11_VALLEDAOSTA_02 Green building, bio-climatic architecture and new materials. 4.3 Analysis of Operational Groups 4.3.1 Operational groups characterization The EU EIP-AGRI project database, published on the website of the EU CAP Network, includes information about 2,892 projects of Operational Groups (OG) funded across Europe by the 2014-2022 Rural Development Programmes (RDP). Data from the CAP National Strategic Plans approved in 2022 shows that over 6,000 OGs should be funded during the current programming period, evidence of the interest that the implementation of these projects raised in the MS. The analysis of the OGs for Italy is based on data published in the national database for OGs, available in the innovation portal of the Italian rural network (RRN, s.d.), which includes information of all OGs funded during the past programming period (with the exception of the Latium and Molise regions). As to the OGs to be supported in the current programme period, to the 30/06/2024 only the autonomous province of Bolzano has approved one project, while the selection process is ongoing in EmiliaRomagna and Veneto. Data about the new projects will be included, upon communication from regional authorities, in the database available in the innovation portal. According to the OGs database of Innovarurale, 784 OGs have been funded and implemented during the 2014-2022 programming period (almost 200 more of those initially envisaged), accounting for 258.6 M€. 473 of these projects are closed, while the others will conclude their activities in 2025 at the latest. The OGs are located throughout the national territory (Figure 39)Figure 39, except Valle d’Aosta, which did not implement the OGs measure in the past programming period; this decision is confirmed for the current period. The two regions in red, that is, Latium and Molise, have not communicated the final data in relation to projects approved. National OGs were not planned in the past programming period, and this decision has been confirmed in the present one. Financial support to OGs was only granted at regional/provincial level, based on the Rural Development Programmes approved in the 19 regions and 2 autonomous provinces. This justifies the differences in terms of number of projects implemented, financial resources distributed to the OG measure and to single projects, as well as the establishment of specific objectives to be achieved or industries to be targeted by OGs. Choices at regional/provincial level also influence implementing procedures, including the composition of partnership (Giarè & Vagnozzi, 2022). Furthermore, Liguria and Piemonte published a call dedicated to the forestry sector. The proposed innovations regard different issues and sectors (Figure 40). Over 21% of the innovations implemented involve multiple sectors, followed by projects concerning animal husbandry, viticulture, fruit and horticulture. 103 Figure 39: Number of 2014-2022 OGs project per region/autonomous province (RRN, s.d.) Table 31: Budget of 2014-2022 OGs per region/province and average budget per project (RRN, s.d.) Region/Province Budget (€) Average budget per project Abruzzo 1,811,702 129,407 Basilicata 2,800,000 254,545 Calabria 1,935,285 96,764 Campania 22,278,201 297,043 Emilia-Romagna 48,733,412 208,262 Friuli V. G. 2,265,943 283,243 Lazio 3,400,000 n.a. Liguria 1,951,116 92,913 Lombardia 19,350,944 450,022 Marche 16,312,516 281,250 Molise 50,000 n.a. P.A. Bolzano 1,997,116 332,853 P.A. Trento 4,639,252 331,375 Piemonte 14,007,566 451,857 Puglia 22,608,595 471,012 Sardegna 8,944,076 447,204 Sicilia 29,898,408 490,138 Toscana 15,756,869 303,017 Umbria 9,546,622 561,566 Veneto 23,763,598 424,350 Total 252,051,221 104 As already mentioned above, Valle d’Aosta did not include OGs in its RDP, while Liguria and Piemonte supported, respectively, 21 and 31 OGs. Of these, five OGs projects focus their work on BBTs, two of them are in Piemonte and three in Liguria. These small numbers in these two regions follow the trend identified at national level, where 16 projects working on the development of BBTs have been identified. Figure 41: Number of 2014-2022 OGs working on BBTs per region/autonomous province (RRN, s.d.) Figure 40: Percentage of OGs per sector (RRN, s.d.) 105 The analysis of the projects identified, both at national and Italian FAN reference territory level, does not highlight peculiarities of the BBTs-related projects in terms of budget and partnership composition. In Piemonte a substantial difference is identified in the budget of projects selected under the forestrydedicated calls. The budget of these projects (290,000€) is significantly below the average calculated considering all OGs funded in the region. The same difference has not been found in Liguria, where the budget of forestry projects does not differ from all other OGs. Analysing materials and document produced by the OGs, it is possible to identify different actors, approaches and strategies to face farming problems using BBT technologies. The work of the project "Powerfood", funded by the Piemonte RDP, is strongly linked to the renewable energy sector; its scope is to enhance the use of thermal energy from biogas to improve the integrated production of feed and food proteins. Specifically, the objective is to validate protein biomass production technologies (such as algae and insects) by utilizing thermal energy, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and digestate produced by existing anaerobic digestion plants through the establishment of pilot plants in the farms of the region. The project, coordinated by the Monviso Agroenergia Consortium, involves two academic institutions (University of Milan – Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – Production, Territory, Agroenergy; University of Turin – Department of Agricultural, Forest, and Food Sciences) and three farms (Azienda Agricola La Gaia s.s.; Azienda Carrera; Società Agricola Maracuja). Powerfood represents a lever to promote circularity in the agricultural sector and enhance the competitiveness of the livestock industry. By removing the barrier of the unsustainable impact of production activities on the territory, this approach paves the way for new investments in the livestock sector. This would facilitate the production of high-quality, sustainable "made in Italy" food and cater to expanding markets. 4.3.2 Bio-based Technologies (BBT) developed by OGs This section presents in more detail some technological aspects regarding the BBTs developed by OGs in Piemonte and Liguria. All projects considered are concluded. The biomass used by the identified projects come from the forestry sector (2), the flower production and plant nursery (2) and the breeding sector (1). Biomass residues are used to increase energy efficiency and valorise both farms directly involved in the project and other farms located in the area. One project aims to use biomass residues (bark and ashes) to produce fertilisers with low environmental impact. In terms of technological maturity, two projects developed technologies corresponding to TRL 9, with an actual system proven in operational environment; one project technology corresponds to TRL7 and the other two to TRL3. 4.4 Discussion of previous sections The Italian FAN reference area (Piemonte, Valle d’Aosta, and Liguria Regions) has a particularly interesting context for the development of the bioeconomy: the agribusiness system is complemented by a particularly rich industrial, research and innovation system. The Italian Bioeconomy Strategy offers a shared vision of the environmental, economic, social and international cooperation opportunities and challenges related to the development of an Italian Bioeconomy rooted in the territory. 112 utilization in Ireland from 1991 to 2020 and as it can be seen grassland has constantly had the major proportion in comparison to grazing, cereals and cropland. Figure 47: Land use 1991-2020 (Census of Agriculture 2020 - Preliminary Results: Land Utilisation, 2020). Livestock sector As mentioned above, over half (74,159) of farms’ main activity in Ireland is specialist beef production, followed by specialist sheep farms (17,435) and specialist dairying farms (15,319). The total number of sheep in Ireland in 2023 was 5,674,400, the total number of cattle was 7,341,500 and the total number of pigs was 1,661,300. The total area under crops and pasture was 3,368,500 ha with mid-west region having the highest area (602,600 ha) followed by south-west region with 564,700 ha (Central Statistics Office, 2024a). According to Teagasc, cattle rearing farms’ average income was 8,324 €, cattle other farms were at 18,554€, sheep farms were at 16,324€ in 2022 (Teagasc National Farm Survey 2022: Final Results. Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys, 2023). The figure below illustrates the distribution of the total cattle and sheep across different regions in Ireland in 2023. The Mid-West and South-West regions have the highest number of cattle while West region, followed by Border region, have the highest sheep populations. 113 Figure 48: Total cattle and sheep in each region in 2023 (Central Statistics Office, 2024a) Recent data show that county Cork contains the greatest number of cattle and dairy cows (Central Statistics Office, 2024a). The national farm survey of 2022 also show that average dairy farm income was at 148,598€ which is indicative of the fact that dairy farms are particularly prominent as the most profitable agricultural activity in Ireland with 59% of the total farm income (Teagasc National Farm Survey 2022: Final Results. Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys, 2023). The domestic milk intake was 947 million litres in April 2024 with butter production at 29,300 tonnes and skimmed milk powder production at 14,500 tonnes (Central Statistics Office, 2024a). Total Meat supply was at 1.48 M tonnes with 1.19 M tonnes of total slaughtering of which beef and veal accounted for 621,000 tonnes, pig meat 333,000 tonnes, poultry meat 171,000 tonnes and sheep meat 68,000 tonnes in 2022. Also, poultry meat is the only meat that Ireland is not self-sufficient in (Central Statistics Office, 2024c). Forestry sector Forests in Ireland cover 808,848 ha or 11.6% of the total land area, and 70% of the forest trees are less than 30 years old. The forest estate in Ireland consists of 69.4% conifers (mainly Sitka spruce, Norway spruce, and Scots pine) and 30.6% broadleaves (including oak, beech, and ash). On the other hand, the extent of hedgerows and non-forest wooded land is estimated at 375,301 ha, with hedgerows forming a large part of the agricultural landscape that play a key role in providing shelter for animals and a habitat for biodiversity (Forest Statistics - Ireland 2023, 2023). Of the total forest area, 397,364 ha or 49.1% are publicly owned, primarily by Coillte, while the rest are privately owned. Leitrim is the county with the highest percentage of forest cover at 20.1%, followed by Wicklow at 18.5%, and Clare at 18%. The counties with the lowest forest cover are Louth (2.9%), Monaghan (4.6%), and Meath (5.9%) (Ireland’s Forests - Statistics 2023, 2023). Ireland's forestry sector produces a variety of outputs that significantly contribute to the national economy. The primary output is timber, with softwood timber being the predominant product due to the extensive planting of coniferous species. Softwood timber is widely used in construction, paper production, and various industrial applications. Hardwood timber, derived from broadleaf species, is less common but valued for high-quality furniture, flooring, and specialty products. In 2022, the total roundwood harvest (excluding firewood) was 4.14M m3, with the majority coming from private sector forests, highlighting the increasing role of private forestry in timber production. Additionally, the forestry sector generates pulpwood, which is essential for paper and paper products, and biomass, 114 which supports renewable energy production and contributes to Ireland's sustainable energy goals (Forest Statistics - Ireland 2023, 2023). The Figure below shows the range of products from roundwood removals with the majority being large sawlog, followed by pulpwood and small sawlog. Figure 49: Roundwood removals by product in 2022 (Forest and Wood Removals 2022, 2023). Non-timber forest products also play a significant role, with the production of Christmas trees primarily for the domestic market. The sector also contributes to forest recreation and eco-tourism, enhancing its economic value. The most recent figures estimated 29.1 million visits to Irish forests per annum, and values forest recreation at 179 M€ per annum. Furthermore, Ireland's forestry sector (logging and manufacture of wood products) supports around 9,400 jobs directly and indirectly, demonstrating its importance for rural employment. Collectively, these outputs make the forestry sector a vital component of Ireland's economy, generating substantial revenue and contributing significantly to exports. The forestry sector is also a significant contributor to carbon sequestration, playing a crucial role in Ireland's climate action efforts by absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide. In 2021, Ireland’s forests removed 1.8 MtCO2 (Forest Statistics - Ireland 2023, 2023). Table 32: Detailed information in Ireland Location Forestry area Ireland 808,848 hectares Species Sitka spruce, Norway spruce, scots pine, oak, beech, ash. Agroindustry Ireland's agri-food sector is the oldest and largest native exporting industry which spans the entire country and exports to more than 180 nations globally. Ireland’s agri-food exports were a record 19 115 B€ in 2022 with the dairy exports being the 8th largest exporter in the world. In 2022, it employed 164,900 individuals, accounting for 6.5% of the national workforce, across 135,000 farms, 2,000 fishing vessels and aquaculture sites, and approximately 2,000 food production and drink enterprises. The sector manages 4.5 million hectares of agricultural land and over 800,000 hectares of forestry, contributing to 9% of Ireland's annual exports (Annual Review and Outlook for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2023, 2023). The most prominent agroindustry in Ireland includes the dairy industry, which is the largest in terms of production value and export, renowned for its high-quality milk and dairy products. The beef industry is the second most important, known for its significant turnover and extensive exports. Additionally, Ireland has exported more than €1 billion in each of beef, butter, cheese and whiskey in 2022 (Annual Review and Outlook for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2023, 2023). 5.1.3 Economic Indicators Ireland ranks as one of the top economies in Europe with a gross domestic product (GDP) of 504.6M€, contributing significantly to the EU total, and the GDP per capita at 94,320€ in 2023 (European Commission, 2024b). Meanwhile, the Irish GDP registered an annual growth of 9.4% in 2022, which was notably the highest in the EU27, and the gross national income (GNI) was 363.6 B€ and the GNI per capita was 52,688 € (Measuring Ireland's Progress 2022: Economy, 2023). In Ireland, agriculture and food production play a crucial role in the economy and society, particularly for rural and coastal communities. In terms of its productive structure, the agri-food sector, measured by gross value added (GVA), accounted for 3.8% of the total GVA in 2022 with the share of primary agriculture at 1.5%, reflecting its role in the economy (Annual Review and Outlook for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2023, 2023). Further details on economic indicators are available in next table. The bioeconomy includes industries involved in the conservation, utilization, processing, distribution, or consumption of biological resources from terrestrial and aquatic environments. It is linked with sectors like agriculture, horticulture, forestry, food processing, and organic waste management, as well as terrestrial and marine ecosystems, though for the purpose of this analysis only the three primary production sectors of agriculture, forestry and aquaculture have been taken into account. In Ireland, the bioeconomy's value added reached 4 B€ across agriculture, forestry and aquaculture, with a total turnover of 10.9 B€ in 2021. The three sectors are important employers nationally and particularly in rural and coastal areas within the bioeconomy that employed 107,230 people in the same year (Lasarte-López, 2023). Table 33: Economic indicators by region/country (European Commission, 2024b). Region/Country Population (M hab) GDP (k M€) GDP per capita (€) GVA (M€) Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Employment rate (%) Employment by sector (%) Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Ireland 5.27 504.62 94,320 4,430 79.1 4 116 5.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework Ireland has developed several policies, strategies, plans, and laws at both national and regional levels to support the bioeconomy and biomass valorisation. Project Ireland 2040 is the Irish government’s development plan which highlights the potential of the circular bioeconomy in promoting more efficient use of renewable resources, while supporting economic development and employment in rural Ireland. As part of Project 2040, the National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy published in 2018 and sets out a vision, common principles, strategic objectives, and an implementation framework to develop the bioeconomy across relevant sectors. According to the National Policy Statement, the key actions required to expand the bioeconomy include: 1) promoting greater coherence between the many sectors of the bioeconomy, 2) strengthening the development of promising bio-based products and growing the relevant markets for them, and 3) accessing funding available at EU level as well as leveraging private investment. Established following the National Policy Statement, Bioeconomy Implementation Group (BIG), with representatives from 11 Irish government departments and 8 state agencies, oversees the development of the bioeconomy, ensuring strategic development and investment in innovation and infrastructure (Bioeconomy policy, 2023; Ministers McConalogue and Ryan publish first National Bioeconomy Action Plan, 2023). Further strategies and plans such as the Food Vision 2030, Climate Action Plan 2021, Our Rural Future 2021-2025, and Impact 2030 incorporate bioeconomy goals to achieve broader environmental and economic objectives. Also, the National Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025 outlines 33 actions across seven pillars, focusing on governance, research, innovation, agriculture, food, forestry, marine, and the circular economy. It aims to embed sustainable scientific practices and biobased innovation in various sectors, supporting farmers, foresters, and agri-food companies. This action plan considers the EU council’s conclusions on bioeconomy as well as FAO’s initiatives to promote a sustainable and circular bioeconomy. It also brings about an important perspective that Ireland and Northern Ireland, sharing similar climate and sustainability challenges, with the same agriculture, land use and marine activities possess significant potential synergies for collaboration (Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025, 2023; Bioeconomy policy, 2023). Moreover, the 2023 Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative which is part of the EU Just Transition Fund for Ireland focuses on piloting and demonstrating bioeconomy projects within the Midlands region, which includes counties such as Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Roscommon, and parts of Galway, Kildare, and Tipperary. The initiative aims to foster collaboration among local stakeholders, including SMEs, research organizations, and community groups, to transition bioeconomy innovations from research to practical applications (2023 Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative – EU Just Transition Fund, 2023). Likewise, the Circular Bioeconomy Cluster Southwest launched by Munster Technological University promotes the development and support of bioeconomy projects in the South-West region of Ireland. It focuses on fostering innovation and collaboration among local enterprises and research institutions to enhance the regional bioeconomy (University College Dublin, 2024). It is worth mentioning that the annual event Bioeconomy Ireland Week which involves multiple regional partners highlights regional bioeconomy activities and projects across Ireland and aims to raise awareness and showcase local bioeconomy initiatives, fostering regional development and collaboration (Jesko Zimmermann, 2023). 117 5.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation 5.2.1 Biomass resource availability Agricultural biomass According to statistics of 2022, Ireland's agricultural biomass mainly consists of cereals, straw, fodder crops, grass and other crop residues amounting to a total of 35.9 million tonnes (Material Flow Accounts 2022: Key findings, 2023). The Figure 50 below shows the main sources of biomass and their quantity in Ireland, and it can be seen that the major sources of biomass are grass at 18.4 million tonnes representing over 50% of the total biomass in agriculture and fodder crops at 12.1 million tonnes followed by cereals and straw. Figure 50: Biomass resources generated in 2022 in Ireland (Material Flow Accounts 2022: Key findings, 2023) The residual biomass may be put to further economic use such as for bedding material in livestock husbandry, as animal feed, for energy production, and as industrial raw material, though as suggested by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), has a good potential to be used for renewable energy production and therefore the agricultural feedstocks can be destined for the anaerobic digestion (AD) sector (Annual Review and Outlook for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2023, 2023). AD is a process that converts organic material into biogas and digestate through microbial activity in the absence of oxygen (Teagasc, 2017). The resulting biogas can be used to generate electricity, heating and or fuel for transport and the digestate can be used as fertilizer and soil conditioner. 118 Livestock biomass Given the number of livestock in Ireland and especially the bovine a high quantity of animal byproducts can be expected of which manure is at over 84 million tonnes annually (Köninger, 2021), and as indicated by the environment protection agency of Ireland 90% of national ammonia emissions come from livestock manure. Based on the statistics of animal slaughters mentioned in previous sections and the carcass weight at approximately 55% of live weight for beef (Teagasc, 2022b), 76% for pig (Teagasc pig herd performance, 2017), 72% for chicken (Fernandes, 2013) and 50% for sheep (What is the ideal weight for a market lamb?, 2014), it can be estimated that about 508,000 tonnes of bovine meat residues, 68,000 tonnes of sheep meat residues, 105,000 tonnes of pig meat residues and 66,000 tonnes of poultry meat residues totalling to about 747,000 tonnes of animal meat residues were produced in 2022 in Ireland. Manure, liquid or solid, is often applied to land as a fertilizer to enhance soil fertility and structure. National estimates indicate that 34% of aggregate slurry is from dairy cows, 23% from suckler cows, and 11-13% from younger cows. On average, about 50% of the slurry is applied to lands throughout the year. The data also show that 82% of cattle manure is stored as liquid slurry while 18% is stored as solid manure on farms where the slurry is mostly applied on lands through splash plate method (Buckley, 2023). In order to prevent pollution of surface waters and ground water from agricultural sources, especially from manure application to lands, and to protect and improve water quality, Ireland has developed a program called Nitrate’s Action Programme (Department of Housing, 2020) under which there are 3 nitrate zones based on soil type, rainfall and growing season duration (Irish Farmers Association, 2023). Based on the nitrate zones specified in Ireland, there are three zones as zone A (southern and eastern counties), zone B (south-western and western counties), and zone C (counties bordering Northern Ireland). Regarding the distribution of cattle manure throughout Ireland, recent statistics show that annually the majority of slurry in zone A is from dairy cows at 44%, and in zone B and zone C from suckler cows at 29% and 34% respectively (Buckley, 2023). Figure 51 below depicts the map of Ireland divided based on the nitrate zones. 119 Figure 51: Nitrate zone designations in Ireland (Köninger, 2021). Agro-industrial biomass As indicated in previous sections, the agri-food sector in Ireland encompasses about 2,000 food production and drink enterprises of which the dairy industry is a major player with an annual milk output of over 8 billion litres in 2023 (Central Statistics Office, 2024d), providing grounds for milk processing activities throughout the country including skimmed milk, butter and cheese production, and whey is the main by-product of the dairy processing sector with a potential to be turned into valueadded products and according to statistics 80-190 million tonnes of salted and acid whey are generated annually in Ireland (Teagasc, 2024). Additionally, it was also mentioned that beef production is of considerable importance in Ireland’s economy producing high amounts of biomass as organic waste streams in slaughterhouses with a good potential for energy recovery (Ware, 2016). Forestry biomass Forestry biomass in Ireland plays a significant role in the country's renewable energy sector. Biomass from forestry includes materials such as wood chips, logs, and residues from forest management activities where the main product is timber logs made of spruce tree stems consisting 60-75% of total tree volume while the remaining 25-40% residues (about 800,000 m3/year) including branches, stems and deformed trees are not utilized due to lack of large-scale demand in Irish market (Rai, 2023). Statistics of 2023 indicate that about 1.46 million m3 of roundwood and wood residues with an energy content of 10 million GJ were produced in Ireland, and it is forecasted that the wood biomass would reach an amount of 1.8 million m3 with an energy content of 12.5 million GJ by 2040 (Forest Statistics - Ireland 2023, 2023). In Ireland, forest residues are usually left on the forest floor after wood harvest which according to studies has ecological benefits like soil fertility and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystem (Titus et al., 2021-04-14), but there should be a balance between that and biomass utilization to avoid underutilization (Rai, 2023) of this bioresource. According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland 2018 report, 393 combined heat and power (CHP) units used natural gas and oil as primary fuel, producing up to 327 MWe, whereas only 3 CHP units used biomass including forest residues for heat and electricity generation in 2017, producing 5.5 MWe (Rai, 2023). 120 Marine biomass It should also be noted that Ireland holds a considerable amount of marine and aquaculture biomass including wild fish catch, and aquatic plants/animals. In 2022, the aquaculture sector produced a total of 44,723 tonnes of aquaculture products, including salmon, oyster, mussel, shellfish, trout and seaweed spread over 292 production units. The relatively new segment of seaweed production was at 493 tonnes over 165 ha of inshore area in 2022 (Dennis, 2023). In the same year, a total of 267,202 tonnes (live weight) of fish were landed in Irish ports of which 156,943 tonnes were landings by Irish vessels and 110,259 tonnes were landings by foreign vessels (Central Statistics Office, 2023). Figure 52 below shows the locations of Irish ports with fish landings size in 2022, and according to the map it is evident that northwest, and southwest region ports have the highest number of fish landings in the country. Figure 52: Locations of Irish ports with fish landings, 2022 (Central Statistics Office, 2023). 5.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources Ireland's biomass sector has significant potential, but logistical challenges such as transportation, storage, and supply chain coordination must be addressed to fully realize its benefits. Continued policy support, technological innovation, developing a suitable regulatory regime for the bioeconomy that would encourage private investment; and stimulating market demand for bioeconomy products are 121 crucial for overcoming these barriers and ensuring the economic viability of biomass resources. As said, market prices for biomass resources affect the availability of the product, as the higher the price, the more resources can be viably grown, harvested and refined. In the case of forest residues, in addition of lack of significant market, due to the low quality and low density of forest residues there are challenges, e.g., difficulty of extraction and wide geographical distribution, in large-scale mobilization of such residues to CHP units. Furthermore, in light of the National Bioeconomy Statement there is an imminent need for developing more advanced conversion technologies beyond the conventional heat and power applications of forest residues (Rai, 2023). Likewise, energy crops such as grass silage and oil seed rape are widely available, but they need a higher market price to make financial sense. On the other hand, organic waste resources such as municipality waste, waste wood and used cooking oil are typically available at a low or even negative cost for biomass fuel producers because it costs money to dispose of waste at landfills (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, 2024). 5.2.3 Bio-products target market The Irish Bioeconomy Action Plan identifies agriculture, food, forestry and the marine as a key sector in bioeconomy with high potential for recirculation and upcycling of biobased materials (Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025, 2023). With respect to the role of agriculture sector in the Irish economy, as discussed in earlier sections, it is clear that agri-food sector is a key producer of biomass which has great potential for renewable energy production (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, 2024). Additionally, agricultural biomass can undergo digestion, extraction, fermentation, combustion and pyrolysis techniques resulting in building blocks, intermediates and end products for use in the food, chemicals, functional materials and fuel sector. Although, due to their calorific value as well as cost considerations the agricultural biomass is often valorised to food applications. Also, forestry biomass can be treated with extraction, combustion, pyrolysis, chipping and pelletizing techniques to valorise woody side streams into marketable products such as heat, electrical power, fertilizer, biochar, bio-oil and syngas (Hendriks, 2018). In light of this, the following section will review the current status of using biomass sources from Agri-forestry activities. Bioenergy and biofuels sector Error! Reference source not found.Figure 53 below illustrates the share of indigenous primary energy production in Ireland and it can be seen that biomass has a share of 8% equal to 2.92 TWh in energy production in 2022 in Ireland. It is worth noting that the use of biomass has mainly increased in the wood-processing industry (Energy in Ireland 2023, 2023). 128 Also, “BioConnect Innovation Centre” led by Enterprise Ireland with the mission to engage with local and regional food businesses and agricultural producers, together with entrepreneurs and investors to drive the agri-food sector forward using biotechnology, and “Knowledge transfer Ireland” organization support bioeconomy network and enterprise in the country (Bioeconomy Factsheet Ireland, 2018). 5.2.5 Support and financing policies According to Ireland’s Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025, bioeconomy opportunities will be integrated into national research funding programs and support. Key financiers in Irish bioeconomy include Enterprise Ireland (EI), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Western Development Commission (WDC), Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Teagasc, Údarás na Gaeltachta, InterTrade Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), European Investment Bank (EIB) and Accelerate Green (Bioeconomy Factsheet Ireland, 2018). Among all, EI and SFI represent numerous funding schemes to enable businesses throughout Ireland to grow and play their role in bioeconomy. In addition of the equity investments and grants, EI also offers opportunities to connect with international research programs and further funding bodies as well as the possibility of commercialization of academic research and inventions through funds and industry collaboration. It is worth knowing that EI also offers grants for companies based on their stage of development i.e., start-up, high potential start-up, established SME and large company with specific funding ceilings. There is a co-funded program by the Irish government and the EU Just Transition Fund named “Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative” which supports close collaboration between stakeholders in the bio-based value chain including SMEs, research bodies, universities, local authorities, primary producers, bioprocessing industries and consumer brands (2023 Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative – EU Just Transition Fund, 2023). Also, the Shared Island Initiative awards grants for an All-Island Bioeconomy Demonstrator initiative to support the integration of biobased innovation in the agriculture and marine sectors across the island of Ireland. In light of this initiative, DAFM and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland have established the “Shared Island Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative Scheme” which will support bioeconomy piloting and demonstration actions across Ireland and Northern Ireland. This will enable stakeholders to enhance existing or establish new cross-border collaborations, and formulate initiatives for piloting and showcasing agriculture or marine-based bioeconomy activities on an all-island scale (Irish Bioeconomy Network, 2023). The Table 37 identifies national funding opportunities to support bioeconomy research, demonstration and commercial initiatives in relation to upcycling of biobased materials in Ireland. Table 37: Funding programmes for bioeconomy at national level (Irish Bioeconomy Network, 2023). Programme Funding organization Type Web Disruptive Technologies DAFM, manged by EI Grant fund https://enterprise.gov.ie/ en/what-wedo/innovation-research- 129 Programme Funding organization Type Web Innovation Fund (DTIF) development/disruptivetechnologies-innovationfund/ Green Transition Fund EI Grant fund https://globalambition.ie/ green-transition-fund/ Digitalisation Funds https://globalambition.ie/ digital/ Lean Business Offer https://www.enterpriseireland.com/en/supports/l eanstart Exploring Innovation Grant https://www.enterpriseireland.com/en/supports/ exploring-innovationgrant Innovation Partnership Programme https://www.enterpriseireland.com/en/supports/i nnovation-partnershipprogramme Innovation Voucher Knowledge transfer fund https://www.enterpriseireland.com/en/supports/i nnovation-voucher Local Enterprise Office Springboard+ Higher Education Authority (Bioeconomy) Education grant https://hea.ie/skillsengagement/springboard/ Agri-Food Skillnet Skillnet Ireland Skills development fund https://www.skillnetirelan d.ie/sectors/agriculture SFI ARC Hub Programme SFI Grant fund https://www.sfi.ie/fundin g/ 130 Programme Funding organization Type Web SFI Industry RD&I Fellowship Programme SFI Discover Programme Co-Centre Programme SFI Spokes programme SFI Strategic Partnership Programme National Challenge Fund Industry Collaboration Fund SDG Challenge SFI & Irish Aid Grant fund https://www.sfi.ie/fundin g/funding-calls/futureinnovator-sdg/index.xml Fisheries, Aquaculture and Seafood Processors Funding Schemes EU’s European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, co-funded by Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency (BIM) Grant and investment funds https://bim.ie/fisheries/fu nding/ Marine Research Programme Marine Institute Grant fund https://www.marine.ie/sit e-area/researchfunding/marine-institutefunding/marine-institutefunding 131 Programme Funding organization Type Web Climate Action Fund Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications Grant fund https://www.gov.ie/en/pu blication/de5d3-climateaction-fund/ EPA Green Enterprise Scheme EPA Grant fund https://www.epa.ie/ourservices/research/epa-- research-funding/ EPA Research Calls National Energy Research Funding Programme SEAI Grant fund https://www.seai.ie/grant s/research-funding/ Support Scheme for Renewable Heat https://www.seai.ie/busin ess-and-publicsector/business-grantsand-supports/supportscheme-renewable-heat/ Rural Regeneration and Development fund Department of Rural and Community Development Grant fund https://www.gov.ie/en/po licy-information/c77144rural-regeneration-anddevelopment-fund/#howto-apply LEADER programme https://www.gov.ie/en/se rvice/87e09-leaderprogramme-for-ruraldevelopment/?referrer=ht tps://www.gov.ie/en/servi ce/c5849b-ruralfunding/?section=leaderprogramme-for-ruraldevelopment#how-toapply ClimAccelerator EIT Climate-KIC Acceleration https://climaccelerator.cli mate-kic.org/ Accelerate Green programme Bord na Móna, Resolve Partners, co-funded by EU Executive Accelerator https://accelerategreen.ie / 132 Programme Funding organization Type Web EIC Accelerator European Innovation Council (EIC) Grants and investments https://eic.ec.europa.eu/e ic-fundingopportunities/eicaccelerator_en Hatch Fund Hatch Venture Capital https://www.hatch.blue/ The Pearse Lyons Cultivator AllTech Acceleration https://www.pearselyonsc ultivator.com/ Yield Lab Europe The Yield Lab Venture Capital https://theyieldlab.eu/ New Frontiers programme EI Acceleration https://www.newfrontiers .ie/ NDRC NDRC Acceleration https://www.ndrc.ie/ IndieBio SOSV Acceleration https://sosv.com/ THRIVE SVG Ventures Acceleration https://thriveagrifood.co m/ In addition of the public funding mechanisms, there are commercial funding opportunities. The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) helps SMEs achieve their business plans by providing flexible and lower-cost funding. Some of specific funding schemes of SBCI include “Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme”, “Ukraine Credit Guarantee Scheme” (finance facilitation for SMEs and primary producers affected by conflict in Ukraine), “Invoice Financing”, and “Leasing and Hire Purchase”. Also, National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) offers “Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF)” and “Agri-Tech Fund” programs to support economic activity and employment in Ireland. Another investment provider is Resolve Partners that offers support to leaders in innovation, research and entrepreneurship. Commercial funding opportunities are also available by private financial institutions like the Allied Irish Banks through their dedicated Agri Advisor Team and farm development loans, and the Bank of Ireland supporting the Food and Drink Industry (Irish Bioeconomy Network, 2023). Other relevant supports are available through the following organizations (Irish Bioeconomy Network, 2023): 1) Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC): the lobby and business representative group in Ireland which provides information and support for businesses, and one of their tools is “climate action toolkit” providing the required information and practical guidance on how to develop an enduring climate action strategy; 133 2) Nua na Mara (Marine Innovation Development Centre): dedicated to supporting the development of marine start-ups, early-stage companies, and existing businesses, with the mission to bridging the gap of innovation, research, and industry through commercialisation; 3) Circuléire (The National Platform for Circular Manufacturing): a public-private partnership with the mission to demystify, derisk, and deliver circular business model innovation by unlocking the value that resides in an Irish circular economy; 4) Irish Nutrient Sustainability Platform: founded on the principle that waste is a valuable resource of nutrients, energy and other high-value products. Its mission is to promote sustainable nutrient management on the island of Ireland in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Agenda; 5) Cré (Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland): a non-profit association of public and private organisations, dedicated to growing the biological treatment sector. Cré supports the production of high-quality outputs, assists the delivery of Government waste diversion and bioenergy targets, and promotes the creation of sustainable indigenous jobs; 6) IrBEA (Irish Bioenergy Association): to promote the bioenergy industry and to develop this important sector on the island of Ireland through a self-governing association of voluntary members; 7) CAP Network Ireland: to support the networking of a diverse range of stakeholders across the fields of agriculture, rural development and innovation. It is a partnership between Irish Rural Link, ERINN Innovation and MTU; 8) Regional Assemblies: to accelerate and optimise effective regional development in Ireland through policy making based on ‘Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy’, optimising EU policy and funding instruments for regional/local development priorities and engaging with innovative research partnerships and regional based networks. The three regional assemblies are “the Northern and Western Regional Assembly”, “the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly”, and “the Southern Regional Assembly”. 5.3 Analysis of Operational Groups 5.3.1 Operational groups characterization The latest indicate that 3,400 EIP-AGRI Operational Groups (OGs) have been funded since 2014 to 2023, and 6,600 projects are planned for 2023-2027 throughout EU. Out of that, 57 OGs have been funded until 2023 in Ireland, and Table 38 below shows the breakdown of these OGs revealing that the majority of OGs have been focused on areas related to biodiversity, farm management and community conservation (EIP-AGRI Operational Group Projects - Ireland). These OGs have been funded by DAFM under the Rural Development Program 2014-2020 which was extended to 2022. 134 Table 38: OGs breakdown in Ireland 2014-2023. Type of OG Quantity Themed 2 Open call 1 and 2 21 Locally led farm and community biodiversity 24 Farm health, safety and wellbeing 8 Rewetting of farmed peatlands 2 Total 57 Based on the information provided by CAP network Ireland, the majority of OG projects in Ireland are about farm management and biodiversity while only 3 projects have worked on biomass valorisation with a BBT development which include “Small Biogas Demonstration Programme” performed from 2019 to 2022 in midlands and Midwest region with a total budget of 994,273 €, “Biomass to Biochar for Farm Bioeconomy” performed from 2018 to 2021 in Midwest region with a total budget of 998,377 €, and “Biorefinery Glas (Small-scale Farmer-led Green Biorefineries)” performed from 2019 to 2020 in southwest region with a total budget of 940,498 €. All three OGs identified have developed technologies for processing agricultural biomass, with outputs being biochar, biogas, and biomaterials such as protein, and fructo-oligosaccharides (EIP-AGRI Operational Group Projects - Ireland; EU CAP Network, 2024). Figure 55 below shows the total number of OGs launched in each year, including the proportion that focused on development of BBTs. Figure 55: OGs evolution in the period 2017-2022 in Ireland (EIP-AGRI Operational Group Projects - Ireland; EU CAP Network, 2024). 1 13 9 1 27 6 012 000 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Number of OGs Year Total OGs BBTs 135 The Figure 56 shows the total budget of OGs projects over the analysis period. It can be seen that this follows a similar trend to the total number of projects funded. The OGs show a diverse funding range from as low as 46.5k€ to as high as 25M€, while the BBT OGs had a rather similar budget range of 977K€ on average. Figure 56: OGs budget evolution over the period 2017-2022 (EIP-AGRI Operational Group Projects - Ireland; EU CAP Network, 2024). 5.3.2 Bio-based Technologies (BBT) developed by OGs As it was mentioned in previous section, Ireland has had merely three OG projects focused on BBTs which all used green agricultural biomass or livestock waste as the feedstock to produce a range of bioproducts including biochar, biogas, animal feed and biochemicals. It is important to note that, due to novelty of these projects or commercial sensitivities, there is still not much details available about them. The following Table 39 summarizes details on the three BBT-focused OGs in Ireland. The focus of these BBTs have been developing a farm-scale technology that can be utilized by primary producers to practice a circular economy initiative with benefits to both the environment and economy while diversifying their income sources. These BBTs have previously been practiced in a more industrial level (pyrolysis, AD and grass biorefinery) with established TRLs depending on their type (A review of pyrolysis technologies and feedstock: A blending approach for plastic and biomass towards optimum biochar yield, 2022/10/01) while in their OG form they are more of a small-scale technology with a potentially different TRL. Table 39: OGs focused on BBT development in Ireland (EIP-AGRI Operational Group Projects - Ireland). OG project Technology description Biomass target TRL Output(s) Biomass to Biochar for Farm Bioeconomy (2018-2021) Mobile Pyrolysis Unit (chemical) Rushes, gorse, bracken, hazel, and forest residues NA Biochar 25.0 22.1 9.7 0.2 5.7 1.0 1.0 1.9 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Total budget (M€) Year Total Budget BBTs Budget 136 OG project Technology description Biomass target TRL Output(s) Small Biogas Demonstration Programme (2019-2022) Farm-scale biogas (AD) plant (microbial) Farming waste (including livestock manure) NA Biogas Biorefinery Glas (Smallscale Farmer-led Green Biorefineries) (2019-2020) Small-scale mobile grass biorefinery (physical-chemical) Grass 7 Cattle fibre feed, Protein concentrate feed for monograstrics, High value prebiotic sugars, grass whey (fertilizer/bioenergy). 5.4 Discussion of previous sections Ireland has a great potential for utilising the agricultural, forestry and marine biomass especially regarding the availability of research and funding schemes in the country. The government has also prepared several actions plans in support of bioeconomy in the country that foresees great opportunities for bioeconomy development and offers funding mechanisms under European and national programs. Although the focus of OG projects in Ireland has mainly been on biodiversity and conservation of lands, several plans like National Bioeconomy Actions Plan and National Biomethane Strategy pinpoint the pivotal significance of developing research and technologies to utilize the available biomass resources in the country for a sustainable and prosperous future. The OG projects database shows that the number of BBTs developed around biomass sources in Ireland have been very limited and there is room for development of such technologies in the context of available biomass in the country. Among all biomass categories, grass is the most abundant source which is currently mainly used for feeding purposes while experiences like the grass biorefinery demonstration have shown its potential for valorisation and producing biomaterials/biochemicals and improved feed and protein products for animals. Also, the abundance of livestock manure and slurry is another opportunity to develop technologies for efficient use of them to produce bioenergy or soil improvement products. The forestry sector has a lower biomass prospect but shows potential for utilization of forest residues for green energy solutions and or extracting biomaterials. Additionally, marine sector is a major contributor to biomass resources in Ireland which shows a good potential for developing technologies to utilise it in the bioeconomy. In conclusion, Ireland stands in a good position to utilise and valorise its bioresources for bioeconomy development with agricultural, forestry and marine biomass holding a great potential for research and development of BBTs that can add value to overall economy. There is a good support environment available nationally and at European level which needs to be explored, but the capacity has not yet been fully used to date. With respect to the current biomass size and the available support both in terms of research facilities and funding programs, Ireland shows a green light to develop BBTs. 137 References 2023 Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative – EU Just Transition Fund (2023). Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/deb472023-bioeconomy-demonstration-initiative-eu-just-transition-fund/ Agricultural Census 2000: Main Results. (2001). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Annual Review and Outlook for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2023 (2023). Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/91e7eannual-review-and-outlook-for-agriculture-food-and-the-marine-2020/ Area, Yield and Production of Crops 2020 (2021). Central Statistics Office. Available at: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/aypc/areayieldandproductionofcrops202 0/ Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025 (2023). Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a1bb6-bioeconomy-policy/ Bioeconomy Factsheet Ireland. (2018) BioBase4SME. Available at: https://vb.nweurope.eu/media/4662/180369_biobase4sme_2luik_ireland_v4_lr.pdf Bioeconomy policy (2023). Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a1bb6-bioeconomy-policy/ Biomap. (2021). Irish Bioeconomy Foundation. Biomethane energy report. (2023). Buckley, C., Moran, B., & Donnellan, T. (2023) Teagasc National Farm Survey: A Report on Bovine Manure Management, Application and Storage Practices in Ireland 2017 to 2021. Agricultural Economics & Farm Surveys Department, Rural Economy and Development Programme. Teagasc. Byrne Ó Cléirigh, E. P. (2023) The renewable transport fuel obligation annual report 2023. Prepared on behalf of The National Oil Reserves Agency. Census of Agriculture 2020 - Detailed Results: Standard Output (2021). Central Statistics Office. Available at: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/pcoa/censusofagriculture2020detailedresults/standardoutput/ Census of Agriculture 2020 - Preliminary results (2021). Central Statistics Office. Available at: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-coa/censusofagriculture2020preliminaryresults/kf/. Census of Agriculture 2020 - Preliminary Results: Land Utilisation (2020). Central Statistics Office. Available at: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/pcoa/censusofagriculture2020-preliminaryresults/landutilisation/ Census of Agriculture 2020 detailed results: Organics (2020). Central Statistics Office. Available at: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/pcoa/censusofagriculture2020detailedresults/organics/. Central Statistics Office (2023) Fish Landings 2022. Available at: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-fl/fishlandings2022/ [Accessed July 1 2024]. [email protected] @bbionets-eu @bbionets.eu @bbionets_eu @bbionets_eu @BBioNetsEU 144 coarse wood (40.7Mm3) - a share of approximately 96%. Small-sized timber, of which 1.6 Mm3 was harvested, is of marginal importance (4%). Nearly 97% of the total coarse wood mass was harvested in forests managed by the State Forests (National Forest Holding), and about 3% in private forests. Wood is an important raw material for the Polish economy. Industries related to the processing of this raw material, i.e. the production of wood products, the paper industry and the furniture industry, accounted for approximately 9.5% of the industry's production sold in 2020 (Anon., brak daty). Table 41: Detailed information in Poland. Location Forestry area Poland 9.2 million hectares Species Deciduous and coniferous forests. Agroindustry According to data from the National Support Centre for Agriculture (KOWR), the value of Polish food exports abroad in 2021 reached a record 37.4 B€, which gives a 9% year-on-year increase. More than 70% of Polish agri-food exports go to EU markets. Poland is a leading producer of fruit (apples, raspberries, blackcurrants, blueberries), meat (poultry, pork), dairy products and mushrooms. The indigenous processing industry is known for its diversity, including tobacco production as well as alcohol production in the long list of food products. The agri-food products that generated the largest export revenues in 2021 were poultry meat and offal, bakery products, chocolate products, animal feeds and fodder, beef meat, smoked, dried and salted fish, cheese and cottage cheese, wheat, pork meat, or fruit and vegetable juices and mineral waters. Large revenues were also obtained from the export of cigarettes and other tobacco products (Anon., brak daty). 6.1.3 Economic Indicators Poland positions itself as the third largest economy in Europe with a gross domestic product (GDP) exceeding 747M€. However, GDP per capita is 20,210€. Regarding the production structure in terms of gross value added (GVA), in 2023 the agricultural sector, forestry and fisheries generated 21.91M€. Poland has an employment rate of 77.9%. The number of people employed in activities related to agriculture, forestry and fishing is 1.42 million. Dividing this value by the total population gives this employment rate in this sector at the level of 3.86% (Anon., brak daty). According to the JRC, in 2021, Poland's bioeconomy generated around 159 B€ in turnover (6% of the EU-27) and 40B€ in value added (5% of the EU-27). The number of people employed in the biomass and processing sectors in Poland was 2.4 million (14 % of the EU-27). The average productivity of the Polish bioeconomy sectors can be described as follows: - turnover per person employed: approximately 66,000€ (EU27 average: 147,000€). - value added per person employed: about 16,000€ (EU average: 42,000€). Among the bioeconomy sectors in Poland, agriculture and the food sector employed the largest number of people, 1.46 million and 475,000 respectively. Electricity bio-products and liquid biofuels employed the lowest numbers, 207,000 and 422,000 people respectively. The highest turnover and 145 value added to the economy among the bioeconomy sectors in Poland was the food and beverage sector, second was agriculture, third wood products and furniture, and fourth was the paper industry. Fisheries and aquaculture and bio-based energy products had the lowest turnover and value added (Anon., brak daty). Table 42: Economic indicators by country (Source: European Union, “Rural Observatory”). Population (M hab) GDP (M€) GDP per capita (€) GVA (M€) Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Employment rate (%) Employment by sector (%) Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Poland 36.75 747.75 20,210 21,91 77.9 % 3.86 % 6.1.4 Bioeconomy regulatory framework In Poland, the EU bioeconomy goals are to some extent covered by national strategies related to agricultural, environmental and energy policies, and regional strategies include smart specialization strategies. At the national level, Poland has several bioeconomy development strategies. National Energy and Climate Plan for the years 2021-2030; the main goals of this energy and climate strategy of Poland, representing the future measure of its implementation, are: -a reduction target for Poland in terms of greenhouse gas emissions in non-ETS sectors has been set at -7% in 2030 compared to 2005 levels. The set target is to be achieved through emission reductions in transport, construction and agriculture, taking into account the beneficial effects of CO2 sequestration by ecosystems as well as flexibility in land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCFan EU-wide target for 2030, in which Poland declares to achieve a 21-23% share of RES in gross final energy consumption by 2030, where the share of RES in heating and cooling is estimated to increase by an average of 1.1% per year, while the share of renewable energy in transportation is expected to reach 14% by 2030, -a national energy efficiency improvement target for 2030 set at a 23% reduction in primary energy consumption compared to the PRIMES 2007 forecast. (Anon., brak daty) National Smart Specialisation Strategy aims to enable each region to identify and develop its own competitive strengths. The support provided relates to the development of research, development and innovation (https://smart.gov.pl/pl/). In Polish National Smart Specialisation Strategy (KIS), among the 13 found smart specializations, three of them are directly related to the bioeconomy. KIS priorities related to the bioeconomy covering agri-food, forestry and environmental specialization include: (KIS 2) Innovative technologies, processes and products of the agricultural and forest-wood sector; (KIS 3) Biotechnological and chemical processes, bioproducts and special products of chemical and environmental engineering; (KIS 7) Circular economy. (Anon., brak daty) Roadmap on circular economy, Poland's adopted roadmap for the transition to a circular economy (GOZ). This concept aims to rationally use resources and reduce the negative environmental impact of manufactured goods, which, like products and raw materials, should remain in the economy as long as possible, and waste generation should be minimized as much as possible. (Anon., brak daty) Polish National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (NAS2020) with the perspective by 2030 the main goal of NAS2020 is to ensure sustainable development and effective functioning of the 146 economy and society under climate change conditions. The main objective will be achieved through the implementation of specific objectives and the NAS2020 directions of action indicated within these objectives. The specific objectives include: -ensuring energy security and good state of the environment, -effective adaptation to climate change in rural areas, -development of transportation under climate change conditions, -ensuring sustainable regional and local development taking into account climate change, -stimulating innovation for climate change adaptation, -shaping social attitudes towards climate change adaptation. (Anon., brak daty) Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries 2030 assumes: - maintaining the principle that family farms will be the basis of the agricultural system; - supporting the sustainable development of small, medium and large farms; - making greater use of the potential of the agri-food sector through the development of new skills and competencies of its employees, as well as through the use of the latest technologies in production and the application of digital solutions, and creating favourable conditions for developing innovative products; -building the competitive position of Polish food on foreign markets, the hallmark of which will be high quality and reference to the best Polish traditions, as well as the adaptation of agri-food products to changing consumption patterns (e.g. growing interest in organic food); -conducting agricultural and fish production with respect for environmental protection principles and adapting the agri-food sector to climate change, among other things, in terms of access to water; -dynamic development of rural areas in cooperation with cities, which will result in stable and sustainable economic growth, providing every rural resident with a decent job and urban residents with access to healthy Polish food; -creating conditions for improving the occupational mobility of rural residents and for them to take advantage of opportunities for development and re-skilling, resulting from the emergence of new economic sectors (e.g. bioeconomy). (Anon., brak daty) The National Environmental Policy 2030 is a strategy for development in the area of environment and water management, designed to ensure Poland's environmental security and high quality of life for all residents. (Anon., brak daty) Energy Policy of Poland until 2040 (PEP2040) sets the framework for the country's energy transition. It outlines solutions to achieve the EU's climate and energy goals, such as the construction of offshore wind power or the launch of the country's first nuclear power plant planned for 2033. PEP2040 focuses on equitable and inclusive energy transition towards a zero-emissions system based on innovation, sustainable economic growth, increased efficiency and competition. The final key factor is improving air quality nationwide. Achievement of these goals should be measured in the 2030 timeframe by (I) a maximum 56% share of coal-fired generation (with a conservatively estimated 2049 exit date); (II) a minimum of 23% renewable electricity in final consumption (32% in generation, 14% in transportation); (III) nuclear generation included in the mix by 2033; (IV) reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% (compared to 1990 levels); (V) reducing primary energy consumption by 23% (in relation to 2007 estimates). (Anon., brak daty) Table 43: Existing national Bioeconomy related strategy documents in Poland [16] Name of the strategy Bioeconomy related goals* addressed (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) National Energy and Climate Plan for the years 2021-2030 + + 147 Name of the strategy Bioeconomy related goals* addressed (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) National Smart Specialisation Strategy + + + Roadmap on circular economy + + + + Polish National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (NAS2020) with the perspective by 2030 + + + Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries 2030 (SZRWRiR 2030) + + + + + National Environmental Policy (PEP2030) + + + + Energy Policy of Poland until 2040 + + *Is one of the EU bioeconomy strategy (2018) objectives covered by the bioeconomy related strategy at national level? Creating jobs and maintaining competitiveness in bioeconomy sectors (1); Reducing dependence on non-renewable resources (2); Mitigating and adapting climate change (3); Ensuring food security (4); Managing natural resources sustainably (5). 6.2 State of the art of biomass valorisation 6.2.1 Biomass resource availability Agricultural biomass residues Based on the estimates, it can be calculated that nearly 22 million agricultural biomass residues were produced in 2023. As shown in Figure 60, grass and straw were considered, accounting for more than 90% of total agricultural residues biomass. Figure 61 shows the breakdown of biomass produced by voivodeship. Figure 60: Agricultural biomass residues resources generated in 2023 [17]. 0 5,000,000 10,000,000 15,000,000 20,000,000 25,000,000 cereal yield straw grass Agricultural residues biomass 148 Figure 61: Agricultural biomass residues resources generated in 2023 divided into voivodeships (Source: IUNG's own study based on data from ARiMR). As can be seen in the graphs, most of the biomass generated comes from straw, with the most important being that from lubelskie, mazowieckie, wielkopolskie and dolnośląskie. In terms of the geographical area with the highest concentration of biomass, the east of the country stands out. On the other hand, the south is the area with the lowest biomass generation. Figure 62: Maps of agricultural biomass residues resources created in 2023 (Source: IUNG's own study based on data from ARiMR). 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 dolnośląskie kujawsko-pomorskie lubelskie lubuskie łódzkie małopolskie mazowieckie opolskie podkarpackie podlaskie pomorskie śląskie świętokrzyskie warmińsko-mazurskie wielkopolskie zachodniopomorskie Agricultural residues biomass grass straw 149 Livestock biomass Livestock including cattle and pigs alone are estimated to have generated 63 million tonnes of biomass in 2020, with cattle biomass production dominating in all voivodeships, accounting for 90% of total livestock biomass. The largest amount of livestock biomass, i.e. manure and slurry, was produced in Wielkopolska, Podlaskie and Mazowieckie voivodeships. Figure 63: Livestock biomass resources generated in 2020 [17]. Figure 64: Livestock biomass resources generated in 2020 divided into voivodeships [17], Agro-industrial residues biomass The data presented consider the amount of waste in Poland in 2023 generated from agriculture, horticulture, hydroponics, fishing, forestry, hunting and food processing. This group of waste is divided into two subgroups, namely animal by-products and food by-products. The total amount of biomass produced from the agricultural industry is 7.59 tonnes, of which 5 tonnes come from food processing and the remaining 2.59 tonnes from animal by-products. 0 10,000,000 20,000,000 30,000,000 40,000,000 50,000,000 60,000,000 pig cattle Livestock residues biomass 0 2,000,000 4,000,000 6,000,000 8,000,000 10,000,000 12,000,000 14,000,000 dolnośląskie kujawsko-pomorskie lubelskie lubuskie łódzkie małopolskie mazowieckie opolskie podkarpackie podlaskie pomorskie śląskie świętokrzyskie warmińsko-mazurskie wielkopolskie zachodniopomorskie Livestock residues biomass Cattle biomass Pig biomass 150 Figure 65: Agro-industrial residues biomass resources generated in 2023 (Source: IUNG's own study based on data from the Database on products, packaging and waste management). Figure 66: Agro-industrial biomass residues resources generated in 2023 divided into voivodeships (Source: IUNG's own study based on data from the Database on products, packaging and waste management). Forestry biomass Timber harvesting comprises activities involved in cutting down trees and obtaining wood material from its various parts (from the trunk, crown and stump/rootstock), and sorting this material into specific wood categories. As a result of these activities, woody biomass is produced, which must be removed from the forest, as it is a serious risk factor for the spread of pests and forest fires. In 2022, a total of 44,647,000 m3 of timber was harvested, of which 42,703,000 m3 was coarse wood, while the remaining 1,944 m3 was small-sized wood, and only 0.8 m3 was stumpwood. 2 592 868 5 001 444 0 1,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 4,000,000 5,000,000 6,000,000 Animal by-products Food industry side-streams Agro-industrial residues biomass 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000 małopolskie śląskie wielkopolskie zachodniopomorskie lubuskie dolnośląskie opolskie kujawsko-pomorskie warmińsko-mazurskie pomorskie łódzkie świętokrzyskie lubelskie podkarpackie podlaskie mazowieckie Agro-industrial residues biomass Food industry side-streams Animal by-products 151 Figure 67: Forestry biomass resources generated in 2022 [4]. 6.2.2 Management and logistics of biomass resources Logistical processes ensure a stable feedstock base for biomass energy producers. In many cases, obtaining biomass is difficult due to dispersed nature of feedstock. For these reasons, large amounts of investment in harvesting, transportation, storage and processing are required. Therefore, an efficient logistics system for the reduction of transportation and further processing costs is so important. Factors to be taken into account in the logistics system are related to the type of biomass, physical-chemical and mechanical characteristics of biomass, availability of raw material, number of suppliers of a given type of biomass, technical possibilities of transportation, storage possibilities, pretreatment before conversion process, economic, legal, environmental conditions, etc., as well as location of energy production sites. The utilization of biomass requires taking action along the entire supply chain involving: feedstock acquisition, production, distribution and use of biomass, including transportation and storage. Taking the source for energy production as a criterion, we can distinguish the complete supply chain management (CSCM) group with solid and liquid biomass as the energy source. The complete supply chain (CSCM) includes the procurement process, that is, the supply of raw materials and materials for energy production and maintenance, the energy production and the energy distribution. From the point of view of logistical processes, it is important for the raw material to be supplied continuously. Therefore, management refers to all the processes and actors in the chain, which should be interrelated. The goal of supply chain management is to increase efficiency while reducing storage and operating costs and aligning energy production with customer needs. Safe management should consider the following: - supply (supply management of raw materials, inventory, supplier relations, supplier base), - operational control (customer relationship management, production management, supply/distribution network design), - integration (strategic management, infrastructure, risk, measurement, performance, environmental management). 0 10,000,000 20,000,000 30,000,000 40,000,000 50,000,000 Stump wood Slash timber Forestry residues biomass 152 When considering security issues in biomass supply chain management from a logistics perspective, the following conclusions can be mentioned: - efforts should be made to optimise organizational and logistical models for stable biomass supply and sustainable rural development; - to avoid the movement of large masses of biomass over long distances, it is reasonable to create local biomass markets and logistics systems that minimize the costs of biomass procurement, transportation and storage; - implementation and certification of biomass quality assurance systems can have a significant impact on the security of supply of such a diverse raw material; - aiming to increase biomass in the balance of electricity production in the country, due to the high cost of investment requires the use of appropriate support systems, which guarantee their systematic development. (Anon., brak daty) 6.2.3 Bio-products target market Bioenergy and biofuels sector In Poland, there is a great potential for the development of the biogas sector, including the production of biomethane. Poland has its own feedstock supplies and developed biofuel production chain. Biomass streams from agriculture, forestry and hunting, as well as fishing and aquaculture offer adequate potential for advanced energy use. Biofuel production sectors are mainly related to the agrofood industry, forestry and green energy. The production of biofuel components, i.e. bioethanol or biodiesel, is limited by a percentage cap. Each time the limit is increased, the market grows. Although, even in the current situation in Poland (with a significantly low share of bio-components in biofuels), there are still potential opportunities for the development of the biofuel sector. The challenges are, for instance, technological limitations and improving product quality through the use of innovation. In Poland’s case of biogas production (especially agricultural biogas), there is considerable untapped potential for the development of this sector. A period of growth between 2011 and 2016 was followed by stagnation, which is mainly due to legislative barriers and unstable public support. There are promising innovations in Poland (e.g., in the biogas production) showing that the zero-waste path in the circular bioeconomy can yield favourable results in terms of waste conversion. (Anon., brak daty) • Biomass electricity generation According to data from the Energy Regulatory Office (URE) (Anon., brak daty) on the installation of renewable energy sources, at the end of 2023, in Poland, there were 46 biomass-burning power plants with a total installed capacity of 1,250.077 MW and 31 installations with co-incineration of conventional fuels and biomass or biogas with total installed capacity of 13,534.913 MW. • Biogas generation According to the biogas map for 2023/2024, there are 310 biogas plants in Poland with a total installed capacity of 215 MW. Of these, 149 biogas plants use municipal waste, with a total installed capacity of 63.9 MW. The remaining 161 biogas plants use agricultural waste, with a total installed capacity of 151.7 MW. (Anon., brak daty) 153 On the other hand, data from the Energy Regulatory Office (URE) on renewable energy installations show that at the end of 2023, 388 biogas plants with a total installed capacity of 295.262 MW were registered. • Thermal use According to data from the Energy Regulatory Office (URE) on renewable energy installations, as of the end of 2023 there were 10 registered thermal waste conversion installations with a total installed capacity of 171.461 MW. Table 44: Thermal waste treatment installations in Poland [21] Location Voivodeship Power (MW) Type Zabrze śląskie 76,500 thermal conversion of waste Rzeszów Podkarpackie 8,993 thermal conversion of waste Poznań Wielkopolskie 19,635 thermal conversion of waste Szczecin Zachodniopomorskie 15,481 thermal conversion of waste Bydgoszcz kujawsko-pomorskie 13,800 thermal conversion of waste Kraków małopolskie 16,900 thermal conversion of waste Konin wielkopolskie 7,300 thermal conversion of waste Białystok podlaskie 9,002 thermal conversion of waste Warszawa mazowieckie 2,600 thermal conversion of waste Płock mazowieckie 1,250 thermal conversion of waste • Biofuels Liquid biofuels are a set of products that include biobased, biodiesel and other bio liquid fuels called bioliquids, which are used for energy purposes other than transportation, including electricity generation, heating and cooling. Between 2018 and 2022, there was an increase in the acquisition of liquid biofuels by 19.4% (from 37.9 PJ to 45.3 PJ), in total domestic consumption by 18.3% (from 38.3 PJ to 45.3 PJ) and imports by 22.0% (from 15.7 PJ to 19.1 PJ). There was, however, a decline in exports - 8.6% (from 14.6 PJ to 13.3 PJ). In 2022, biodiesel consumption was 36.7 PJ, accounting for 81.0% of liquid biofuel consumption. From 2018 to 2022, biodiesel consumption grew, while bioethanol and bioliquids consumption remained at similar levels. (Anon., brak daty)