Fourteen cluster from eleven different European countries will launch today in Brussels the European Bioeconomy Clusters Alliance (EU Bioeconomy Clusters Alliance), a new European network that unites efforts to boost the growth of a circular and sustainable bioeconomy across Europe.
“For me and Futerro, innovation in the bioeconomy is all about reinvention and transition. It’s about finding alternative solutions that weave sustainability, circularity, and ecological resilience into the very core of what we do.” To say it – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Frederic Van Gansberghe, CEO of Futerro and the Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO 2024.
According to him, “there is a clear gap between Europe’s ambitions and reality. Many industrial players usually ask to reduce the number of regulations and directives; in my case, I would request to increase their quality”
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
The Repsol’s Board of Directors has officially approved the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the Ecoplanta project, marking a significant milestone in the drive for the supply of sustainable fuel and product.
The EU Commission yesterday launched a new Biotech and Biomanufactoring Hub to support companies – particularly start-ups and SMEs – in bringing innovative products to the EU market and increase their competitiveness. The Hub will also help companies identify the support available to them at EU level and how to access this support to help them to expand and grow.
Yesterday, the EU Commission presented the Competitiveness Compass, the first major initiative of this mandate providing a strategic and clear framework to steer the Commission’s work. The Compass sets a path for Europe to become the place where future technologies, services, and clean products are invented, manufactured, and put on the market, while being the first continent to become climate neutral.
UPM Raflatac and WWF Poland have renewed their contract to build a smarter future beyond fossils together. During the new three-year contract period the collaboration will focus on enabling the development of circular economy and promoting privately protected areas, especially wetlands in Poland. The three-year contract will also involve UPM Raflatac’s internal and external stakeholders to increase engagement and support for these two important initiatives given the challenges we are facing today.
Enilive commissioned its first plant to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at the Gela biorefinery, in Sicily. Production has started at the plant, which has a capacity of 400,000 tonnes per year, representing almost a third of the expected European SAF demand in 2025 (Source: Wood Mackanzie), following the implementation of the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation.
The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) opened its call to build a new sustainable innovation partnership to strengthen Europe’s water, marine and maritime sectors and ecosystems. The Call for Proposals invites consortia of organisations and industry leaders bringing together water-related education, research and business to put forward their vision and strategy for EIT Water. The EIT is an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation framework programme.
Neste is partnering with the Italian fuel distributor Firmin to make Neste MY Renewable Diesel available for the first time in Italy to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission in the transport sector. Neste MY Renewable Diesel (also known as HVO100) is available in Italy from the beginning of January, 2025.
Coinciding with the Hungarian Presidency of the Council and following on from their European Union conference, “BIOEAST and Beyond: Partnering for the Future”, the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), published “Mapping Hungary’s bio-based potential”, highlighting the many untapped green commercial opportunities in the country.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 