Bioeconomy

Knowledge Store

In addition to challenges such as the impact on biodiversity and water consumption, the bioeconomy is heavily dependent on agricultural land for biomass production. This limits its potential, particularly in industrialised countries such as Germany. Countries such as Australia, on the other hand, have greater biomass potential due to greater land availability, more favourable climatic conditions and a developed agricultural industry - although the market for biomass is smaller.

One way to increase the efficiency of the bioeconomy is summarised in the concept of the circular bioeconomy, which refers to the practice of waste valorisation. Another way to address the challenge of biomass supply is to globalise the biomass value chain and strengthen international cooperation.

The Bio2Foam project is an example of close collaboration between Australian and German academic and industrial partners in a globalised bioeconomy to develop a sustainable bio-based product to replace fossil-based materials. The project also aims to equitably share the economic and social benefits between the two countries. Therefore, biomass will not only be produced and exported from Australia, but will also be processed into a value-added product before being exported and used in Germany to produce a bio-based product for the European market.