Introduction 3
While the first European bioeconomy strategy had a focus on bioeconomy
research and innovation to tackle the grand societal challenges (European
Commission, 2012), the updated European bioeconomy strategy (European
Commission, 2018) stresses the need for sustainability and circularity of the
bioeconomy. A sustainable bioeconomy “can turn bio- waste, residues and
discards into valuable resources and can create the innovations and incentives
to help retailers and consumers cut food waste by 50% by 2030” (European
Commission, 2018, p. 6).
The world’s population is expected to increase from seven billion in 2012
to more than nine billion by 2050 (European Commission, 2012). This
means that there will be an increased need for food, feed and many other
bio- based materials. Reducing and preventing food waste is one important
avenue to take. However, not all food waste can be avoided; therefore, we
need to exploit this resource for other means of value creation.
Many authors emphasise the need to use new types of resource for producing food, feed and other bio- based materials. These resources require
different technological pathways to the traditional bio- processing industry.
Such pathways are provided, among others, by biological treatment (biogas
production) and biorefining.
Biological treatment with anaerobic digestion is based on different types of
feedstock, such as urban organic waste, food waste from the food processing
industry and manure. One output is biogas, which can be used in transport as
a replacement for fossil fuels. The other output is bio- digest, which can be
used as a replacement for artificial fertiliser. This returns nutrients back into
the soil. Lantz et al. have discussed the potential incentives and barriers for an
expansion of biogas technology in the Swedish context, including the complete biogas chain from feedstock production to the final utilisation of biogas
and the digested residues (Lantz, Svensson, Bjornsson & Borjesson, 2007).
They distinguish between barriers to the production of biogas and barriers to
the utilisation of biogas and digestate, and use a life cycle assessment (LCA) in
order to estimate the potential for biogas production from waste resources
found in different sectors and sources. Their scientific contribution resulted in
a lively debate in Sweden about the agricultural use of sewage sludge from
wastewater treatment plants; the debate in turn originated from frequent
alarming reports of the possible presence of undesirable substances in the
sludge. To ensure the quality of the digestate, a set of rules and voluntary
agreements are used. Manure, being a by- product which does not require any
additional handling by the farmer, is often considerably more easily available
to the biogas producer, and its use is especially profitable if transportation
costs are covered.
Another pathway is provided by biorefineries. Biorefineries can be classified in different ways (Parajuli et al., 2015) based on the types of raw material
input used for the process, such as straw and stover from plant production,
residues from food processing, sludge from wastewater treatment, residues
from fish processing, aquaculture and residues from forestry and forest- based
While the first European bioeconomy strategy had a focus on bioeconomy
research and innovation to tackle the grand societal challenges (European
Commission, 2012), the updated European bioeconomy strategy (European
Commission, 2018) stresses the need for sustainability and circularity of the
bioeconomy. A sustainable bioeconomy “can turn bio- waste, residues and
discards into valuable resources and can create the innovations and incentives
to help retailers and consumers cut food waste by 50% by 2030” (European
Commission, 2018, p. 6).
The world’s population is expected to increase from seven billion in 2012
to more than nine billion by 2050 (European Commission, 2012). This
means that there will be an increased need for food, feed and many other
bio- based materials. Reducing and preventing food waste is one important
avenue to take. However, not all food waste can be avoided; therefore, we
need to exploit this resource for other means of value creation.
Many authors emphasise the need to use new types of resource for producing food, feed and other bio- based materials. These resources require
different technological pathways to the traditional bio- processing industry.
Such pathways are provided, among others, by biological treatment (biogas
production) and biorefining.
Biological treatment with anaerobic digestion is based on different types of
feedstock, such as urban organic waste, food waste from the food processing
industry and manure. One output is biogas, which can be used in transport as
a replacement for fossil fuels. The other output is bio- digest, which can be
used as a replacement for artificial fertiliser. This returns nutrients back into
the soil. Lantz et al. have discussed the potential incentives and barriers for an
expansion of biogas technology in the Swedish context, including the complete biogas chain from feedstock production to the final utilisation of biogas
and the digested residues (Lantz, Svensson, Bjornsson & Borjesson, 2007).
They distinguish between barriers to the production of biogas and barriers to
the utilisation of biogas and digestate, and use a life cycle assessment (LCA) in
order to estimate the potential for biogas production from waste resources
found in different sectors and sources. Their scientific contribution resulted in
a lively debate in Sweden about the agricultural use of sewage sludge from
wastewater treatment plants; the debate in turn originated from frequent
alarming reports of the possible presence of undesirable substances in the
sludge. To ensure the quality of the digestate, a set of rules and voluntary
agreements are used. Manure, being a by- product which does not require any
additional handling by the farmer, is often considerably more easily available
to the biogas producer, and its use is especially profitable if transportation
costs are covered.
Another pathway is provided by biorefineries. Biorefineries can be classified in different ways (Parajuli et al., 2015) based on the types of raw material
input used for the process, such as straw and stover from plant production,
residues from food processing, sludge from wastewater treatment, residues
from fish processing, aquaculture and residues from forestry and forest- based