Centro Bio - A model of sustainable growth for rural regions

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Rural development and bioeconomy will be increasingly interconnected in the near future. A biomass based production paradigm represents a golden opportunity for agro-forestry areas to ensure a growth model with significant economic and societal benefits. The Centro Region in Portugal has recognize that chance and it is moving forward. The Centro Bio project of BLC3 is the clear evidence. It is a technology and innovation campus focused on the implementation of a progress model for rural regions with low population density that sources fuel and raw materials in a sustainable way, creates new jobs and businesses and preserves the area’s natural beauty. The project is the newly winner of the 2016 RegioStars Awards in the category of “Sustainable Growth”, therefore, I think it will be interesting to find out more about it.

Figure 1. Partial view of the Campus of Technology and Innovation Centro Bio (Courtesy of BLC3) – Technology Centre “Biorefineries” (right) and Technology Centre “Bioindustries and Bioproducts” (left)

Key information

Title
Centro Bio: Bio-industries, Biorefineries and Bioproducts
Coordinator
BLC3 - Campus de Tecnologia e Inovação
Infrastructure type
Campus of Technology and Innovation (CTI) with 3.8 ha and 4 modules:
1. Technological and innovation centre
2. Support centre for innovative projects and ideas
3. Incubation centre for business ideas and companies
4. Industrial acceptance areas
Approach
Centro Bio works with researchers, local farmers, foresters and entrepreneurs to develop new industries from by-products, improve businesses efficiency and train future scientists and entrepreneurs.
The core of the approach is the concept of “Bioeconomy and Smart Regions" based on the methodology of Industrial Ecology applied to the progress of industrial and regional symbioses.
Scope
Core pilot territory: Central region (Anchor Region).
The centre plans to link up with two more regions for a wider “smart region”: North and Alentejo (Setpoints Regions).
The anchor region is rural with low population density and high logistical problems (mountain region).
Entity type
Non-profit association (private), with the aim to invest all the income flows to promote the circular economy in the target regions.
Duration
22/04/2014 – 28/09/2015
Budget
EU funds: 2.64 M€ (European Regional Development Fund).
National private: 0.52 M€.
Total cost: 3.16 M€.

Key objectives

The project was focused on the achieving of the following key objectives:
1. Creation of a new organizational model and an umbrella-type infrastructure, with a network of excellence in R&D knowledge/business.
2. Building a biorefinery pilot plant (100 kg/h of agroforestry and urban wastes) for replication throughout the country.
3. Development of new products and value chains linked to the valorisation of mass flows from different activities.
4. Establishing of an incubator specialized in bioeconomy, circular economy, ecodesign and energy efficiency.
5. Generation of industrial and regional symbioses.
6. Cultural evolution and knowledge transference: Lab-iDUCA (associated with schools) and OPERA4KIDS.

Impacts

These are the current impacts in the anchor region:
  • Investment: 9.2 M€ (public and private).
  • Awards: 2 international excellence awards for the incubator (World Top 25: Top University Business Incubator, #22; Europe Top 10, #9) and 1 national (#2 national level, European Enterprise Promotion Awards, category: supporting the development of green markets and resource efficiency). Winner of the 2016 RegioStars Awards, category: sustainable growth).
  • R&D: 24 complementary subprojects of R&D (6 with enterprises).
  • Employment: 52 high qualified jobs.
  • Intellectual and industrial properties: 5 national patents (2 approved / 3 pending).
  • New business models: 4 spin-offs and 6 start-ups.
  • Culture and Society: involvement of 2,360 young people (6-18 years old).

 And these are the expected impacts in the setpoint regions:
  • Replication of the industrial biorefinery demonstration unit.
  • Investment: 9.62 M€.
  • Generation of an annual income from 2.88 to 4.30 M€ and over 70,840 jobs (an average of 230 per City Hall).
  • Decrease of fossil resources dependence (potential around 72-99% through the valorisation of mass flows from agroforestry + urban sectors).
  • Reduction of forest fires negative effects.

Acknowledgements: I would like to express my appreciation to João Nunes and Susana Pereira from BLC3 for providing me with information about Centro Bio.

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