RoadToBio
Roadmap for the Chemical Industry in Europe towards a Bioeconomy
Project details
- Type of project
- Coordination and Support Action
- Project focus
- Market, policies & awareness
- Project period
- 1 May 2017 - 30 April 2019
- Status
- Completed
- CBE JU Contribution
- € 996 820
- Call identifier
- H2020-BBI-JTI-2016
Summary
The focus of the European chemical industry will have to change within the next 15 years because of the diminishing fossil resources, climate change and growing chemical industry in Asia. RoadToBio’s focus on globally competitive bio-based chemicals will help shape the future of Europe’s chemical industry and help to secure jobs in Europe’s rural and less developed regions.
Specifically, RoadToBio will deliver and act on a roadmap and action plan illustrating the ‘sweet spots’ for Europe’s chemical industry towards the Bioeconomy over the coming decade, up to 2030.
RoadToBio will create a platform to bring together the chemical industry, civil society and governing bodies to establish a dialogue on the activities needed to deliver the full potential of the action plan.
Main objectives:
To create a roadmap for the chemical industry that shows the path to an overall 25 per cent share of bio-based products in the organic chemical industry, that meets societal needs in 2030 (as compared to 12 per cent in 2016).
The roadmap will contain two key components:
- An analysis of the most promising opportunities for the chemical industry to increase its bio-based portfolio, as well as the technological and commercial barriers and the hurdles in regulations and acceptance of society, governing bodies and the industry itself.
- A strategy, action plan and engagement guide to overcome any existing and anticipated barriers and hurdles.
RoadToBio’s first objective will be to create an overview of:
- The current status of the bio-based portfolio of the chemical industry, and how bio-based products can compete with fossil-based ones
- New markets (or chemical industry sectors) where bio-based feedstocks or intermediates can play a role
- The business case of several ‘sweet spots’ (the most attractive opportunities according to the priorities of the chemical industry)
The second explicit objectives are to create a series of dialogues with the chemical industry:
- Connecting different chemical companies (both bio- and fossil-based), to create support within the sector for jointly pursuing BBI targets
- Connecting the chemical industry with governmental organisations, to help communicate the chemical industry’s critical role as a driver of change into the bioeconomy (and the circular economy), and for the removal of regulatory hurdles
Connecting the chemical industry with non-governmental organisations, to help identify societal needs and show the benefits of bio-based products, with a view to increasing public awareness and trust
RoadToBio will seek to identify new opportunities for marketable bio-based products within several branches of the chemicals sector, specifically in the manufacture of:
- Agrochemicals
- Adhesives
- Cosmetics
- Lubricants
- Man-Made fibres
- Paints and Coatings
- Plastics
- Solvents
- Surfactants
RoadToBio will strengthen existing bio-based value chains and aid the development of new ones by connecting and expanding existing networks within the bioeconomy.
RoadToBio: Roadmap for bio-based raw materials in the chemical industry
April 2019
The BBI JU RoadToBio project published a new roadmap showing how the share of bio-based raw materials used in the European chemical industry can be increased to 25% or more by 2030. Read more
Consortium map
Project coordination
- DECHEMA GESELLSCHAFT FUR CHEMISCHETECHNIK UND BIOTECHNOLOGIE Frankfurt, Germany
Consortium
- E4TECH SARL Lausanne, Switzerland
- NOVA-INSTITUT FUR POLITISCHE UND OKOLOGISCHE INNOVATION GMBH Hurth, Germany
- E4TECH (UK) LTD LONDON, United Kingdom
- B.T.G. BIOMASS TECHNOLOGY GROUP BV Enschede, Netherlands