Solid, measurable and evidence-based: building a new era for the bioeconomy A glimpse on the BioMonitor case studies
Bioeconomy is experiencing a continuous growth in Europe in the last twenty years since it is considered the answer to environmental, economic and social challenges such as climate change. However, this growth is not accompanied by a consistent evolution of related statistics and information, leaving a gap that BioMonitor aims to close, establishing a sustainable and robust monitoring framework to measure bioeconomy and its social and economic impacts. The ultimate goal of the project is indeed to get a clearer picture of how bioeconomy affects our lives.
Case Studies - methodology
Case study research plays a crucial role in the monitoring of the bioeconomy development. Thus, the BioMonitor project conducted six industry-based and country-level case studies to develop, test, and showcase the implementation of the data and modelling framework in collaboration with stakeholders.
To this end, the consortium partners jointly developed a case study protocol. The protocol provides a set of theoretical and practical guidelines for setting up an appropriate study design, anticipating key questions, attributes, sources of evidence, tools, and methods.
Three main phases outline the procedures that govern the conduct of a case study. The first phase addresses the preliminary design and includes a detailed description of the research questions. The second phase provides uniform details on context analysis, data collection, and data analysis, ensuring consistency and interactivity across case studies. The third phase defines a common structure for the reports, ensuring a systematic description of the findings that facilitates their generalization.
By Claudio Soregaroli
To this end, the consortium partners jointly developed a case study protocol. The protocol provides a set of theoretical and practical guidelines for setting up an appropriate study design, anticipating key questions, attributes, sources of evidence, tools, and methods.
Three main phases outline the procedures that govern the conduct of a case study. The first phase addresses the preliminary design and includes a detailed description of the research questions. The second phase provides uniform details on context analysis, data collection, and data analysis, ensuring consistency and interactivity across case studies. The third phase defines a common structure for the reports, ensuring a systematic description of the findings that facilitates their generalization.
By Claudio Soregaroli
- Which new wood-based products can be produced from forests and agricultural residues?
- What fossil-based chemicals or materials can be replaced by wood- based ones?
- How much biomass is necessary to produce the new wood- based products?
- Can the feedstock for the new wood- based products be sourced in Europe?
- What fossil-based chemicals or materials can be replaced by wood- based ones?
- How much biomass is necessary to produce the new wood- based products?
- Can the feedstock for the new wood- based products be sourced in Europe?
- What is the impact of bio-refineries on employment at regional level?
- How can indicators for the chemical industry be quantified?
- How do monitoring methodologies work in practice?
- Do quantitative indicators meet the expectations of experts?
- How do monitoring methodologies work in practice?
- Do quantitative indicators meet the expectations of experts?
- How can monitoring data on emerging feed ingredients markets in the EU be collected?
- What are the driving forces for market of feed additives as a whole and bio-based additives in particular?
- What are the driving forces for market of feed additives as a whole and bio-based additives in particular?
- To what extent do indicators describe the circularity of biobased packaging industry?
- How does valorization of houseful wastewater affect the local economy?
- Can bio-based fertilizers made from sludge be used to replace fossil-based fertilizers?
- What would be the socio-economic impact of replacing fossil- based fertilizers with bio-based ones?
- Can bio-based fertilizers made from sludge be used to replace fossil-based fertilizers?
- What would be the socio-economic impact of replacing fossil- based fertilizers with bio-based ones?
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- Which new wood-based products can be produced from forests and agricultural residues?
- What fossil-based chemicals or materials can be replaced by wood- based ones?
- How much biomass is necessary to produce the new wood- based products?
- Can the feedstock for the new wood- based products be sourced in Europe?
- What is the impact of bio-refineries on employment at regional level?
- How can indicators for the chemical industry be quantified?
- How do monitoring methodologies work in practice?
- Do quantitative indicators meet the expectations of experts?
- How can monitoring data on emerging feed ingredients markets in the EU be collected?
- What are the driving forces for market of feed additives as a whole and bio-based additives in particular?
- To what extent do indicators describe the circularity of biobased packaging industry?
- How does valorization of houseful wastewater affect the local economy?
- Can bio-based fertilizers made from sludge be used to replace fossil-based fertilizers?
- What would be the socio-economic impact of replacing fossil- based fertilizers with bio-based ones?
Case Studies
New wood-based products Emerging markets for wood-based products in the EU
New wood-based products Emerging markets for wood-based products in the EU
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Key Results
• Main innovative new wood-based products can be employed in different fields, such as buildings, bioplastics and textile industries.
• Their supply is not a limiting factor because they can use virgin biomass, wood residues and by-products as raw material supply.
Good Practices
• Stakeholders are more likely to stay engaged during the development of the study if a network of contacts within the field of interest is build.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.2
• Main innovative new wood-based products can be employed in different fields, such as buildings, bioplastics and textile industries.
• Their supply is not a limiting factor because they can use virgin biomass, wood residues and by-products as raw material supply.
Good Practices
• Stakeholders are more likely to stay engaged during the development of the study if a network of contacts within the field of interest is build.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.2
Employment growth and the establishment of bio-refineries in the EU The impact of bio-refineries on employment
Employment growth and the establishment of bio-refineries in the EU The impact of bio-refineries on employment
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Key Results
• The establishment of bio-refineries has an overall positive impact on regional employment and such impact is persistent over time
Good Practices
To measure the impact of biorefineries in terms of employment rates:
• Use of multiple imputation methods to cover the data gaps.
• Investigate persistent vs. non-persistent impact of bio-refinery on employment after its establishment.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.3
• The establishment of bio-refineries has an overall positive impact on regional employment and such impact is persistent over time
Good Practices
To measure the impact of biorefineries in terms of employment rates:
• Use of multiple imputation methods to cover the data gaps.
• Investigate persistent vs. non-persistent impact of bio-refinery on employment after its establishment.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.3
Chemical Industry The applicability of monitoring methodologies to the bio-based chemical sector
Chemical Industry The applicability of monitoring methodologies to the bio-based chemical sector
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Key Results
• The indicators promise to express socio-economic information on the European bioeconomy, but there is a need to distinguish between fossil and bioeconomy sides of industries.
• Solid and reliable datasets are crucial for these indicators. However, datasets lack most of the required data to apply successfully and meaningfully any socio-economic indicators.
Good Practices
• Gathering market data interviewing experts and stakeholders yields in valuable exchange of information but is not the best option when it comes to monitoring mechanisms.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.4
• The indicators promise to express socio-economic information on the European bioeconomy, but there is a need to distinguish between fossil and bioeconomy sides of industries.
• Solid and reliable datasets are crucial for these indicators. However, datasets lack most of the required data to apply successfully and meaningfully any socio-economic indicators.
Good Practices
• Gathering market data interviewing experts and stakeholders yields in valuable exchange of information but is not the best option when it comes to monitoring mechanisms.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.4
Dynamics on the Markets for Feed Grade Amino Acids and Insect Biomass The monitoring system for the market dynamics of emerging feed ingredients in the EU
Dynamics on the Markets for Feed Grade Amino Acids and Insect Biomass The monitoring system for the market dynamics of emerging feed ingredients in the EU
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Key Results
• Official statistics can hardly offer any data for analysis for new bio-based feed ingredients such as amino acids and insect biomass. The main problem is caused by a lack of dedicated codes and confidentiality issues.
• Increasing the insect biomass production requires the approval of new feed substrates for insects, the authorisation of insect protein for use in poultry and pig feed, and investments in automatization.
Good Practices:
The best way to collect information about the new bio-based feed ingredients is through surveys.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.5
• Official statistics can hardly offer any data for analysis for new bio-based feed ingredients such as amino acids and insect biomass. The main problem is caused by a lack of dedicated codes and confidentiality issues.
• Increasing the insect biomass production requires the approval of new feed substrates for insects, the authorisation of insect protein for use in poultry and pig feed, and investments in automatization.
Good Practices:
The best way to collect information about the new bio-based feed ingredients is through surveys.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.5
Circularity in the bio-based packaging industry The monitoring of bio-based packaging circularity
Circularity in the bio-based packaging industry The monitoring of bio-based packaging circularity
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Key Results
• MCI and BUF indicators complement each other by accounting for the biobased aspect on the one hand and the circularity of other materials, product lifetimes, and recycle feedstocks on the other hand. Both indicators are helpful for monitoring the circularity of the bio-based packaging industry.
• Overall, the MCI can be described as being a good indicator for quantifying the circular equilibrium of all materials on an economic level and the circular carbon equilibrium on a biosphere level.
• MCI is not useful in comparing different products with different lifetimes. Overall, the BUF can be especially helpful for considering and incentivizing the useful consumption of all parts of the biomass used for a product.
• Since BUF does not account for the time of use/lifetime, it is hard to compare products with different lifetimes.
Good practices:
• To consider all aspects of sustainability, it is important to couple the indicators with additional analysis, like Life Cycle Assessments.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.6
• MCI and BUF indicators complement each other by accounting for the biobased aspect on the one hand and the circularity of other materials, product lifetimes, and recycle feedstocks on the other hand. Both indicators are helpful for monitoring the circularity of the bio-based packaging industry.
• Overall, the MCI can be described as being a good indicator for quantifying the circular equilibrium of all materials on an economic level and the circular carbon equilibrium on a biosphere level.
• MCI is not useful in comparing different products with different lifetimes. Overall, the BUF can be especially helpful for considering and incentivizing the useful consumption of all parts of the biomass used for a product.
• Since BUF does not account for the time of use/lifetime, it is hard to compare products with different lifetimes.
Good practices:
• To consider all aspects of sustainability, it is important to couple the indicators with additional analysis, like Life Cycle Assessments.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.6
The Bioeconomy Pilot from the Vanguard Initiative The socio-economic impacts of wastewater sludge valorization: The case of biofertilizers in Italy The cascading socio-economic implications of nutrient valorization from organic residues for agricultural use
The Bioeconomy Pilot from the Vanguard Initiative The socio-economic impacts of wastewater sludge valorization: The case of biofertilizers in Italy The cascading socio-economic implications of nutrient valorization from organic residues for agricultural use
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Key Results
• Biofertilizers and biosolids can generate more value added in the national economy than conventional synthetic fertilizers industries
• For the production of a million euros, the bio-based industry stimulates a total of 0.85 million euros of economic growth and can lead to new job opportunities in the local context.
Good Practices:
• Hybrid IO models are a valid tool to monitor progress toward a more sustainable future. Hybrid IO method is particularly relevant for bioeconomy-related phenomena whose boundaries may not be immediately clear.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.8
• Biofertilizers and biosolids can generate more value added in the national economy than conventional synthetic fertilizers industries
• For the production of a million euros, the bio-based industry stimulates a total of 0.85 million euros of economic growth and can lead to new job opportunities in the local context.
Good Practices:
• Hybrid IO models are a valid tool to monitor progress toward a more sustainable future. Hybrid IO method is particularly relevant for bioeconomy-related phenomena whose boundaries may not be immediately clear.
Download the Case Study Factsheet
Download Deliverable 8.8
BioMonitor and Bioeconomy
The interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral efforts of the BioMonitor project attest the relevance of systematically monitoring developments in the bioeconomy.
The case studies highlight the evolution of selected bio-based products markets with relevant social, economic, and environmental implications. Several novel bio-based products are already developed at industrial scale in many sectors, such as in the construction, chemical, and textile industries.
The case studies used multiple informative indicators and methods to monitor these developments and to support any related strategic decision-making process. Along with accelerating an ecological transition, the investigated products are associated with positive and persistent socioeconomic impacts.
Key issues linked with these bio-based developments include feedstock requirements, sustainability and circularity concerns, compatibility, and competition with existing value chains. Despite their relevance, data confidentiality issues and data gaps threat the feasibility, significance, and validity of the indicators and methods for the systematic monitoring of the bioeconomy.
With the exception of traditional sectors, such as agriculture, food industry and bioenergy, official statistics lack details on emerging bio-based productions. Questionnaires and other methods, such as a multiple imputation, can partially address the data gaps. However, as stressed by the case studies, it is crucial to extend existing official statistics to explicitly represent the bioeconomy and its emerging sectors.
by Claudio Soregaroli (WP8 leader)
The case studies highlight the evolution of selected bio-based products markets with relevant social, economic, and environmental implications. Several novel bio-based products are already developed at industrial scale in many sectors, such as in the construction, chemical, and textile industries.
The case studies used multiple informative indicators and methods to monitor these developments and to support any related strategic decision-making process. Along with accelerating an ecological transition, the investigated products are associated with positive and persistent socioeconomic impacts.
Key issues linked with these bio-based developments include feedstock requirements, sustainability and circularity concerns, compatibility, and competition with existing value chains. Despite their relevance, data confidentiality issues and data gaps threat the feasibility, significance, and validity of the indicators and methods for the systematic monitoring of the bioeconomy.
With the exception of traditional sectors, such as agriculture, food industry and bioenergy, official statistics lack details on emerging bio-based productions. Questionnaires and other methods, such as a multiple imputation, can partially address the data gaps. However, as stressed by the case studies, it is crucial to extend existing official statistics to explicitly represent the bioeconomy and its emerging sectors.
by Claudio Soregaroli (WP8 leader)
Conclusion from the BioMonitor Coordinator
The case studies provide an important contribution to the BioMonitor project. They highlight the possibilities for improving the material-flow-models using country case studies.
The cases studies on industries highlight the diversity of bioeconomy activities in the European Union. Together the case studies confirm that a diversity of approaches, a tool box, is needed for assessing the contribution of the bioeconomy to sustainable development.
The BioMonitor project provides this tool box. The case studies serve as examples for applying the different tools. Some of the tools have been available and were applied to the bioeconomy. Others have been developed on the way. Still, the tools can be further improved. For some tools more substantial improvements can be expected such as for measuring circularity or assessing emerging technologies, while others are already well developed and improvements will be less substantial such as for assessing the impact of the bioeconomy on regional development.
The results further show that the case study protocol was instrumental for identifying the key lesson learned and the quality of the tool at hand. The case study protocol itself is a valuable tool for future case studies enriching the tool box.
By Justus Wesseler
The cases studies on industries highlight the diversity of bioeconomy activities in the European Union. Together the case studies confirm that a diversity of approaches, a tool box, is needed for assessing the contribution of the bioeconomy to sustainable development.
The BioMonitor project provides this tool box. The case studies serve as examples for applying the different tools. Some of the tools have been available and were applied to the bioeconomy. Others have been developed on the way. Still, the tools can be further improved. For some tools more substantial improvements can be expected such as for measuring circularity or assessing emerging technologies, while others are already well developed and improvements will be less substantial such as for assessing the impact of the bioeconomy on regional development.
The results further show that the case study protocol was instrumental for identifying the key lesson learned and the quality of the tool at hand. The case study protocol itself is a valuable tool for future case studies enriching the tool box.
By Justus Wesseler
The Biomonitor Video
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Solid, measurable and evidence-based: building a new era for the bioeconomy
Case Studies - methodology
Case Studies
New wood-based products
Employment growth and the establishment of bio-refineries in the EU
Chemical Industry
Dynamics on the Markets for Feed Grade Amino Acids and Insect Biomass
Circularity in the bio-based packaging industry
The socio-economic impacts of wastewater sludge valorization: The case of biofertilizers in Italy
BioMonitor and Bioeconomy
Conclusion from the BioMonitor Coordinator
The Biomonitor Video
Credits