Bio-based Industries Initiatives (BBI)
On 9 July 2014 the European Commission and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) officially marked the launch of the €3.7 Billion Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI) and its first Call for Proposals.
The BBI is a public-private partnership dedicated to breaking Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels by converting biomass and wastes into greener everyday products. Innovative technologies and advanced biorefineries are at the heart of this initiative which is focused on deployment and the creation of new markets for bio-based products such as food, feed, chemicals, materials and fuels.
To accelerate the development of the bioeconomy a proposal for a Bio-based PPP was developed as outlined in the draft Vision Report Bio-based for Growth: a public-private partnership on bio-based industries. On 10 September 2012 a Stakeholder Conference on the Bio-based PPP was held in Brussels. Subsequently, a Bio-based Industry Initiative BBI was established as a Public Private Partnership between the EC and the Bio-based Industries Consortium.
Background to the Bio-based PPP
Development of sustainable advanced biofuels is part of the Strategy for a Sustainable European Bioeconomy proposed by the European Commission in February 2012 to shift the European economy towards greater and more sustainable use of renewable resources and processes (for food, feed, energy and industry).
The plan focuses on three key aspects: developing new technologies and processes for the bioeconomy; developing markets and competitiveness in bioeconomy sectors; and pushing policymakers and stakeholders to work more closely together.
The EU bioeconomy currently has a turnover of nearly €2 trillion (2012) and employs more than 22 million people, 9% of total employment in the EU. It includes agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and pulp and paper production, as well as parts of chemical, biotechnological and energy industries. Each Euro invested in EU-funded bioeconomy research and innovation is estimated to trigger €10 of value added in bioeconomy sectors by 2025.