Deadline: 06-Oct-21
The European Commission (EC) is pleased to announce the Novel, Non-Plant Biomass Feedstocks for Industrial Applications to diversify and to deliver technological and industrial solutions based on available and sustainably accessible biomass.
In particular, current plant-based bio-refining may need upgrading to leave more land available for biodiversity protection and food production, while allowing the substitution of fossil-based resources with bio-based ones.
The scope therefore covers the production of key bio-based products such as food and feed ingredients, including proteins, lipids and fibres, antioxidants and other substances with biological activities, and key bio-based materials (e.g. bio-based plastics, composites, fibres) or chemicals, in a resource-efficient approach.
This calls for identifying and optimising sources as microorganisms, insects, fungi or mixotrophic algae, which requires defining certain growing conditions in suitable systems such as biofermentors, where they need to be efficiently processed, extracted and converted into industrial outputs of interest.
Proposals should increase circularity, in particular for the use of biomass residues or side-streams used as feed material, and should deliver necessary upgrades to and upscaling of the strategies for the cultivation, production and extraction systems.
Where relevant, proposals should seek links with and capitalise on the results of past and ongoing research projects (especially under the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking or on microbiomes). Proposals should:
- Develop and demonstrate techno-economic viability of the bio-based production platforms applying the resource efficiency principles (ensuring savings on water, energy, chemical inputs, biomass waste, side-streams or residues), getting more out of less by making use of autotrophic plants and heterotrophs, and applying the modern biotechnological principles.
- This covers the development of a bio-based microbial production platform for high-value biologically active substances, food/feed ingredients, or bio-based materials as well as efficient separation and extraction approaches for products of interest.
- Identify and implement the best combination of appropriate technical solutions and practices for specific industrial value chains (justifying the choice, including on level of innovation and business viability), as well as the barriers and drivers derived from e.g. governance and market aspects, while seeking the engagement and understanding of all actors.
- Develop and transparently communicate the key parameters to monitor and measure the qualitative and quantitative impacts of these solutions and practices for different sourcing, optimization and production systems, the potential of replacing available traditional alternatives, if relevant, and trade-offs, including on biodiversity, and the associated improvement in socio-economic resilience of businesses, for the creation of jobs and industrial competitiveness.
- Develop and test mechanisms involving all actors and specifically including bio-based industries active in knowledge co-creation, exchange, feedback and communication.
- Demonstrate them to all actors (e.g. agricultural operators, farmers, SMEs and civil society) and help them implement and understand solutions for new or improved bio-based products and processes and for addressing other environmental impacts e.g. lowered pressure on land and on biodiversity sourcing.
- Consider contributing data and results to the European Commission’s Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy hosted by the JRC.
Funding Information
The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).
Expected Outcomes
Project results should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- More effective prospecting and greater use of biological diversity to generate verifiably more sustainable biomass feedstocks, including through improved harvesting, and processing, and commercially valuable climate-neutral circular bio-based, materials and products.
- This covers more robust verification of sustainability via life-cycle assessment approaches.
- Greater resource efficiency of production pathways, by applying upcycling and the cascading use of biomass residues or side-streams (e.g. as growing substrates), leading to lower land dependence for biomass, and thus reducing any conflict with food/feed production.
- Higher capacity and engagement of SMEs, contributing to skilled job creation and economic benefits, and improving industrial competitiveness due to the expanded range of natural ingredients for the new applications in industrial sectors.
- Higher functional performance of the pursued value chains and products, and more sustainable industrial practices and resource independence of the EU Member States and associated countries.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States;
- eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe;
- low- and middle-income countries.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3qLZLuo