SSPE-CT-2005-022681
EPOBIO
Realising the economic potential of renewable resources – bioproducts from non-food crops
Instrument: Integrating and Strengthening the European Research Area
Thematic priority: 8.1 Policy-orientated research. Tools and assessment methods for sustainable agriculture and forestry management
FINAL ACTIVITY REPORT
Period: 1 November 2005-31 December 2007 Date of preparation: January 2008
Start date of project: 1 November 2005 Duration: 26 months
Project Coordinator: David Clayton
Organisation: Centre for Novel Agricultural Products
Department of Biology
PO Box 373
University of York
York
YO10 5YW
EPOBIO Final Activity Report – 2005/2007
Contents
Executive Summary
Section 1 – Overview of activities, project objectives, summary of outputs, relation to state of the art
Section 2 – Methodologies and approaches taken, results and outputs from Work Packages
Section 3 – Consortium management
Section 4 – Impact on industry or research sector
Section 5 – Other Issues
List of attachments
Appendix 1 – Final plan for using and disseminating the knowledge
Annexes
1. Website homepage
2. BioMatNet homepage
3. Posters – EPOBIO Greece Workshop
4. EPOBIO Newsletters
5. Report: Cell wall saccharification
6. Report: Production of wax esters in Crambe
7. Report: Alternative sources of natural rubber
8. Report: Crop platforms for cell wall biorefining – lignocellulose feedstocks
9. Report: Oil crop platforms for industrial uses
10. Report: Crop platforms of the production of chemicals and biopolymers
11. Report: Science communication and the potential of sustainable resources
12. Report: Public attitudes towards the industrial use of plants - the EPOBIO survey
13. Report: Micro- and macro-algae: Utility for industrial applications
14. Report Workshop 1, Wageningen May 2006
15. Report: Workshop 2, Greece May 2007
16. Report: Building the European Knowledge Based Bioeconomy (KBBE)
17. Revised front-lined bar chart
18. EPOBIO Wageningen workshop posters
19. A4 copies of two posters presented at the Biorefineries meeting in Finland
20. A4 copy of poster prepared for a Workshop on the Structure and Function of Primary and Secondary Cell Walls
21. EPOBIO leaflet
22. BioMatNet Information card
23. BioMatNet/EPOBIO CD-Rom
24. Website version of ‘Public Perception’ questionnaire
25. EPOBIO social attitudes survey questionnaire
26. Revised list of deliverables
27. Example of ITEM update
Executive Summary
Background
1. EPOBIO (www.epobio.net) was an international Science to Support Policy project funded by the European Commission in Framework 6 and with the co-operation of the United States Department of Agriculture. The aim of the project was to realise the economic potential of sustainable plant-derived raw materials. A key objective was to design new generations of bio-based products derived from plant raw materials that will reach the market place 10-15 years from now.
2. Building on the work of the US/EC Taskforce in Biotechnology Research, EPOBIO incorporated and took forward the extensive discussions and analyses on plant-based bioproducts that took place during 2004 and 2005. Those discussions established criteria to select Flagship themes that represent important areas for new international R&D activities aimed at delivering the new generation of bio-based products. The Taskforce identified three Flagship themes - plant cell walls, plant oils and biopolymers - as important areas for new international R&D activities.
3.
Each Flagship theme was developed within a framework of its environmental impact, economics and regulatory frameworks, attitudes and expectations of policy makers and the public, and a communication strategy. This integration of technical and non-technical issues in an holistic approach and analysis required close integration with environmental scientists, agronomists, experts in legislation and regulations, socio-economists, policy-makers and the public to evaluate proposed products and ensure the products developed are beneficial to our society and for our planet. Uniquely, EPOBIO examined scientific potential in this wider social context.
4. Incorporated into EPOBIO, the BioMatNet database of information ensured dissemination of information concerning EC supported RTD projects and related activities concerning the development of renewable bioproducts and biofuels from agricultural and forestry derived raw materials.
Summary of project objectives
5. The goal of EPOBIO was to identify key areas of research and technology development relating to the use of plant-derived raw materials as industrial feedstocks that can stimulate the sustainable economic growth of the agro-industrial sector. It had two main objectives:
· To investigate and analyse the three defined Flagship areas of plant-based renewable resources with recognised potential significance as industrial feedstocks for the development of bioproducts and applications with economic, environmental and societal benefits.
· To communicate the information and understanding gained to stakeholders across supply chains as well as the public and policymakers.
6. It was intended that the outputs of EPOBIO increase awareness amongst stakeholder groups and provide the basis for future decision-making on national and community RTD policy. Outputs also helped the identification of priorities for future non-food research and supported the integration and strengthening of the ERA.
The EPOBIO Consortium
7. The partners in the EPOBIO initiative were:
In Europe:CNAP, University of York - UK
Plant Research International – The Netherlands
Max Planck Institute, Golm - Germany
National Hellenic Research Foundation - Greece
CPL Scientific Publishing Services - UK / Hamburg University - Germany
University of Agricultural Science - Sweden
University of Lausanne - Switzerland
Metabolic Explorer - France
Novamont - Italy
British Sugar - UK
In the USA:
USDA Plant Gene Expression Centre / Berkeley - USA
USDA Albany – USA
Results achieved
8. The key outputs of EPOBIO include a series of twelve reports published during the project; the EPOBIO Workshops which identified priorities for action and reported results; the development of specific policy recommendations to take forward the bioeconomy; and, a wide-ranging series of dissemination activities. These major achievements can be summarised as follows:
Publications and Reports from Flagships and support themes
9. The publications and reports delivered during the EPOBIO project are as follows:
(a). Three Flagship-specific reports published in October 2006:
· Cell Wall Saccharification
· Production of Wax Esters in Crambe
· Alternative Sources of Natural Rubber
(b). A series of crop platform reports published in April 2007 as follows:
· Crop Platforms for Cell Wall Biorefining: Lignocellulose Feedstocks
· Oil Crop Platforms for Industrial Uses
· Industrial Crop Platforms for the Production of Chemicals and Biopolymers.
(c). Reports published in April 2007 by the Communications and Social Attitudes support themes:
· Science Communication and the Potential of Sustainable Resources
· Public Attitudes towards the Industrial Uses of Plants
(d). A final report published in September 2007 combining the input and expertise of the Flagship desk researchers:
· Micro- and Macro-algae: Utility for Industrial Applications
(e). Workshop reports
· Reports from each of the Workshops published in September 2006 and September 2007 respectively.
(f). Review of research in the Knowledge Based Bioeconomy (KBBE), available in printed form and on CD-Rom.
10. In addition to the two periodic reports and the final report to the European Commission, all twelve reports were published on the Website and, with the single exception of the report of the Greece Workshop, in booklet form for distribution to Consortium partners, national funders, industry, researchers and other stakeholders. This, along with articles published in scientific journals (see para. 27) that acknowledged the contribution of EPOBIO, represented a significant enhancement on the work programme originally envisaged when the project proposal was agreed for funding.
EPOBIO Wageningen Workshop May 2006
11. The first EPOBIO Workshop was held in May 2006. Over 180 delegates attended the Workshop which consisted of a series of plenary presentations addressing the global, EU and US perspectives in the biorenewables sector. Presentations also looked at the implication of the expansion of the bioeconomy for agriculture in the EU and the potential of the bioeconomy in developing countries. The EPOBIO unique concept was explained to delegates and was set in the context of other developments in the EU, primarily through the various Technology Platforms, with which EPOBIO has sought to develop strong links.
12. Breakout sessions addressed the Flagship themes in detail, identifying the top priorities for future work by the EPOBIO desk researchers. Other preliminary discussions took place on environmental, agronomic and economic analyses as well as social attitudes and communications issues. A final plenary session reviewed the priorities identified and the future direction of the work.
13. A summary report of proceedings was placed on the website within 72 hours of the end of the Workshop. The full report of Workshop proceedings was available on the website in July and was subsequently printed and distributed to attendees, Advisory Board members, research funders and policy makers across Europe and in the US. Copies of the report were made available to all of the attendees at the October 2006 Biorefineries Conference in Helsinki.
EPOBIO Workshop 2
14. The Greece Workshop was held in May 2007. The EPOBIO Administrator and the partner at the National Hellenic Research Institute handled the organisation and administration.
15. The 2007 EPOBIO Workshop was attended by around 100 delegates representing a wide range of international experts from the scientific community, academia, industry and policy development. There were representatives from across the world – for example, from the US, Canada, China, New Zealand and Japan. This clearly illustrated the range and strength of current activities addressing the economic potential and future development of the bioeconomy globally
16. The Workshop focussed on the potential of green plants to use solar energy and manufacture raw material feedstocks, which offers a major way to address issues of paramount importance and to deliver the future needs of society in a sustainable way. The EPOBIO team reported on the work undertaken since the 2006 Workshop, examining the future potential of the bioeconomy in the context of relevant regulatory and policy issues, global developments and industrial perspectives on sustainability. The results showed how the EPOBIO process had been used to provide a framework for validation of research priorities and a thorough evidence base to inform decision-making.
17. In order to provide the workshop delegates with background information on the EPOBIO project and activities of the various work packages and Flagship themes six posters, designed to a common format, were displayed during the course of the workshop.
18. The EPOBIO presentations at the Workshop were accompanied by the publication of five reports prepared specifically for the event:
· Crop platforms for cell wall biorefining – lignocellulose feedstocks
· Industrial crop platforms for the production of chemicals and biopolymers
· Oil crop platforms for industrial uses
· Public attitudes towards the industrial uses of plants: the EPOBIO survey
· Science communication and the potential of sustainable resources
19. All of these publications, the full report of the Workshop and the various presentations made during the event have been made available on the EPOBIO website.
Contribution to policy making
20. In its early stages EPOBIO identified key policy makers and research funders in the European Union and information and reports were circulated on a regular basis to these stakeholders. The Project Director and Coordinator met with officials in the European Commission to discuss current policy on the development of the bioeconomy in Europe and well as the key finding from EPOBIO reports. Each report prepared by EPOBIO analysed policy impacts and barriers and contributed to the development of future policy. Also, EPOBIO contributed to the development of policy papers prepared by others, for example, Europabio. Finally, the Coordinator gave a presentation at the 2007 workshop analysing the key issues concerning the use of science in policy making and how they can better be integrated.
21. Reports included a series of policy recommendations:
· Policies must be coherent, integrated and coordinated.
· Innovation in plant and industrial biotechnology should be supported.
· Policies should support development of the whole supply chain.
· A communication strategy is essential.
· Pilot projects have a role to play.
· Measurable sustainability indicators should be developed.
Each of these is considered in more detail in paragraph 2.134 below.
22. In addition, we made two specific recommendations in relation to the field production of platform chemicals/biopolymers and the opportunity for value added co-product manufacture in energy crops. The first concerns set aside: this should be reconsidered in the next round of CAP reform. The second concerns the risk that permanent crops used for the non-energy bioeconomy will not be eligible for the single farm payment. We considered this regulatory barrier an urgent issue for consideration by the European Commission.
Dissemination activities
23. In addition to the published reports, the dissemination activities of EPOBIO have included the presentation of the public face of the project through the website www.epobio.net, which can be accessed in seven languages, and the generation and dissemination of information through the website. The BioMatNet website, which listed specific research programmes and relevant non-food crops projects up to December 2004, was re-established and expanded through integration with EPOBIO. Individual project reports or summaries of other activities on the BioMatNet website, termed ‘ITEMs’ were reviewed and revised as necessary. New ITEMs were added as necessary and a total of around 2100 were on the website at the conclusion of EPOBIO.
24. The first CD-ROM was produced for the second EPOBIO Workshop. The CD-ROM was entitled ‘BioMatNet CD-ROM 7 – non-food agro industrial research’. This contained copies of the websites, links to over 1000 other bioproducts websites and the EPOBIO Flagship reports. The second ‘Building the European Knowledge Based Bioeconomy (KBBE). The impact of Non-Food Research 1988-2008’ was produced in December 2007. Distribution was developed as a package containing the printed report and the two CDs.
25. For the EPOBIO website, an on-line audience accessing up to 18,000 web pages per week was developed. For BioMatNet, statistics show the number of visitors each week reaching in excess of 25,000 during 2007. The EPOBIO website also provided a mechanism for internal communications within the project. This work package has disseminated the seven EPOBIO newsletters at four-monthly intervals.
26. The full range of materials disseminated through the EPOBIO website is:
· Published reports
· Workshop posters, both EPOBIO Workshops and other events