BBI JU flagship biorefineries boost the bioeconomy in Europe since 2014

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Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.

Since 2014, Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) has funded flagship biorefineries in Europe, helping to de-risk investments and develop the sector. With 11 flagship first-of-their-kind biorefineries funded across Europe, BBI JU is demonstrating the essential role of bio-based industries in the green recovery of Europe.

Figure 1. BBI JU flagship projects (taken from the press release)

These projects involve 117 beneficiaries including some SMEs from all over Europe as lead investors, but also attract companies from all over the world that are now investing in the EU. The BBI JU beneficiaries have in total received 228 M€ in grants, leveraging 1,300 M€ in private investments to support the design and construction of the biorefineries. BBI JU-funded flagship projects have remarkable socio-economic impacts in European regions, as they are creating 3,500 new direct jobs and 10,000 indirect ones, mainly in rural and coastal areas, thus contributing to the revitalisation of these regions.

The BBI JU-funded flagship biorefineries were selected for their high replicability potential: the business models developed by each project can be applied in other bio-based industries, thus spurring innovation and boosting the bio-based economy in Europe. Additionally, they support the transition towards a more resource-efficient and sustainable low-carbon economy: by delivering bio-based products that replace fossil-based ones, they save 600 ktons of CO2 emissions per year and avoid depleting fossil resources.

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