There are many sectors involved by biobased economy. Sectors which have little to do with each other now become increasingly important for each other. For example, agro and chemicals and paper and energy.
There are many sectors already active. Below are the different sectors that are active in the biobased economy. In the overview sectors broken down by biomass supply:
Biomass supply
Agriculture
Agriculture is very important for the bio-based economy. In addition to the use of side streams crops are also grown primarily for non-food applications. Often, it is still a combination. Examples include potatoes whose starch is used for plastics or sugar beet which ethanol is made, feedstock for chemicals and biofuels.
Horticulture
The top sector Horticulture and Propagation Materials gives his top sector advice that horticulture can play an important role in the bio-based economy. Plants contain (complex) molecules which can serve as building blocks for the production of drugs, food ingredients such as vitamins, flavoring and aromatic substances, and ingredients for cosmetics and high-grade animal feed.
On the basis of plant breeding, variety selection, crop optimization and controlled cultivation and optimal harvesting stage may horticulture – as a supplier of high-quality plant material – an important partner of the chemical industry.
Also vegetable waste material is a source of potentially useful materials such as biocides, antioxidants, dyes and fragrances. After extraction of these substances remains residual material that can be fermented into bio-energy. Also wants horticulture – in coordination with partners in the chain – take steps in the application of bio-based materials such as containers, flower pots, substrate, pesticides, fertilizers and bio-energy.
Fats and oils
Dairy
Waste
Forest and wood, nature and landscape
Transport and logistics
Good organization, coordination and optimization of logistics is important to ensure that sufficient biomass of the right quality at the right time is available for different types of processing and use.
The production and use of biomass are still being developed. Partly because of the logistics of biomass chains are often complex. There are promising innovations (efficiency) improvements imaginable. In designing and commissioning of logistics of biomass should be given to the entire supply chain. Processing, handling, storage and transportation play a role, while also pipe the different modalities, road, water, rail, air and even involved. By planning (both long and short term) often is to achieve better economic results, but also more environmental benefits from the whole biomass chain.
With logistical questions can think of:
• Which biomass from which sources are eligible? How to guarantee security of supply?
• Certain operations must be performed at any point in the chain? How are prevented wastage and loss?
• What can be stored biomass?
• What forms of transport are eligible?
• What is the best scale for the conversion technology, which can best be placed?
Organizing coherence in the system is the biggest challenge. For the realization of a Biobased Economy is imperative that full sustainable biomass value chains are unlocked. This means that biomass production systems (pre-harvest) should be linked to biorefinery concepts (post-harvest). The development of logistics systems, and the involvement of actors on the whole biomass value chain is essential to ensure successful market deployment.
