Toward a biobased economy: examples from the UK

Abstract

AbstractThe security and cost of fossil reserves and the negative environmental impacts associated with their use are driving the replacement of our current economy, based on fossil reserves, with a new economy, based on renewable biological resources. The emerging bioeconomy offers a sustainable alternative for the production of energy, chemicals, materials and transportation fuels from biorenewable feedstocks. In the bioeconomy, biorefineries will process biomass into a range of value‐added bioproducts. This is analogous to today's oil refineries which produce multiple fuels and products from mineral oil. Worldwide progress in biorefinery development is occurring rapidly with a number of countries providing well‐funded public/private programmes to help ensure development of a competitive bioeconomy. The Bioscience for Business Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) has highlighted the current lack of a coordinated UK initiative in this area and is establishing a major new industry‐led programme, the Integrated Biorefining Technologies Initiative (IBTI). IBTI is a product development partnership consisting of leading industries working together and with the UK Government to define the research and development and demonstration needs of biorefineries for industrial production. Strategic problem‐solving research will focus on diverse renewable raw material feedstocks and the essential conversion technologies necessary to realize their full economic potential. IBTI will help to underpin UK progress in developing a competitive bioeconomy that will be a key to sustainable industrial progress and economic growth in the coming century. © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd