CASE STUDIES OF MARKET-MAKING IN THE BIOECONOMY

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1 CASE STUDIES OF MARKET-MAKING IN THE BIOECONOMY 1. Introduction Background Market-making in the bioeconomy Criteria for Case Studies Case Studies Case Study 1: Fostering More Efficient Use and an Increased Recycling of Nutrients from Manure Case Study 2: Cargill Coating Starches Renewable Binders for the Paper Industry Case Study 3: HempFlax B.v. (Netherlands), chosen as an example for the European Hemp Industry by the European Industrial Hemp Association ( Case Study 4: Protein Hydrolysates from Microalgae Case Study 5: Tomatoes Plant Waste Recycling Case Study 6: Crescentino Advanced Biofuels Plant Biochemtex, M&G Case Study 7: Novamont Italian Case Study on Bioplastics Case Study 8: Wheatoleo-Industrialisation and Commercialisation of New Biosurfactants Case Study 9: Sunliquid Technology for the Production of Cellulosic Ethanol from Agricultural Residues Case Study 10: St1 Biofuels - Distributed Bioethanol Production from Biowaste and Cellulosic Residues Case Study 11: Pine Chemicals Industry: Improving the Regulatory Framework in Order to Ensure Continuing Use of Pine Chemicals for Maximal Societal Value Case study 12: Heat Entrepreneurship Case Study 13: Abengoa Waste to Biofuels Annex Contributors to the Thematic Group s Work

2 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background This collection of case studies accompanies the issues paper on Market-Making in the Bioeconomy released by the European Bioeconomy Panel in October The case studies were identified by members of a thematic working group established by the Bioeconomy Panel to provide inputs for the issues paper. The list of people who contributed to the case studies and the thematic working group is provided in annex Market-making in the bioeconomy As a world leader in advancements in bioeconomy research and innovation, the EU is well placed to improve the management of its resources and to open up new and diverse markets in food, feed, energy and bio-based products. As the EU bioeconomy strategy identifies, establishing a more competitive bioeconomy in Europe holds great potential for creating sustainable economic growth and jobs that cannot be outsourced, often in rural, coastal and industrial areas. At the same time, development of bioeconomy markets will help address societal challenges such as food and energy security, natural resource scarcity, the need for sustainable economic recovery and mitigation of the impacts of climate change. As the EU strategy highlights, the bioeconomy is currently worth 2 trillion in annual turnover and accounts for more than 22 million jobs and approximately 9% of the workforce. In the coming years, significant growth is expected to arise from sustainable primary production and food processing. In addition, the development of biorefineries will enable many sectors within the bioeconomy to convert biomass into higher-value every day products, such as food, feed, chemicals, plastics, textiles, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, which have traditionally been manufactured from fossil carbon sources. However, since the industrial revolution, the rise of the global economy has been dependent on the extraction and use of increasing amounts of fossil fuels. As a result, much of the world s investment in infrastructure and innovation has been dedicated to enabling a fossil fuel based system. Making the shift towards a more sustainable, circular bioeconomy will therefore mean rethinking the previous linear approach of extraction, use and disposal. In this respect, there are many synergies and interconnections between establishing a bioeconomy and developing a circular economy. Development of a resource efficient, competitive bioeconomy will require the creation of new local, regional and cross border approaches between diverse sectors. But while Europe plays a leading role in much of the cutting edge science and technology enabling the bioeconomy, for a number of reasons, it has been much less successful in converting this into commercial and societally valuable innovations. 2

3 Markets have long been recognized as important drivers of innovation. As both the Commission s Strategy for Research and Innovation and its Communication on Industrial Policy recognize, more innovation-friendly framework conditions will be needed in Europe to reduce time to market for new products and services enabling the EU to compete in a worldwide marketplace. Whilst some emerging, green-tech, renewable industries have received significant legislative support for their development, many sectors within the bioeconomy have not. The absence of long term framework support and policy predictability continues to make these sectors unattractive for investment in the EU. At the same time, significant incentives and offers of longer term commitments continue to draw successful industries away from the EU bioeconomy overseas to the US, Brazil, China and South East Asia. Without putting specific market-making measures in place the EU will not meet its target of raising the contribution of industry to GDP to 20% by This report gathers different case studies from the bioeconomy and examines how they are enabled or hindered by existing policies and support mechanisms. It will seek to highlight where such measures help create new markets and, in some cases, where they present a barrier to the development of other smart and sustainable solutions through the bioeconomy. The conclusions touch upon the positive and negative impacts of the costs of inputs necessary in the EU, including raw materials, land, energy, infrastructure, logistics and skills. They also highlight the role of financing, collaboration, technology transfer, demand-side measures and communications in tackling fragmentation across the EU, which will be necessary in order to develop markets within the bioeconomy. As well as highlighting these different aspects of making markets in the bioeconomy, the thematic working group has aimed to ensure that its case studies cover as broad a range of sectors, industries and Member States as possible. There were many additional suggestions for case studies on different beneficial aspects of the bioeconomy, including, for example, case studies on the use of wood in lower carbon, energy efficient construction and the use of bio-based and biodegradable agricultural mulch films for improving agricultural productivity. However, resources available to gather and process information on these were limited and therefore, regrettably, it was only possible to cover certain sectors from within the bioeconomy. Nevertheless, it is hoped that this collection of case studies can be further examined by the Bioeconomy Panel and will some suggestions as to where further information is needed for the future Criteria for Case Studies When selecting and analysing case studies, the thematic working group was encouraged to consider the following questions: - What is the role of different kinds of innovation (technological, financial, process, etc.) in the development of new markets and the transformation of existing ones, and how can public policies best foster innovation in the bioeconomy? 3

4 - What are the necessary conditions for informed customer decisions with regard to bioeconomy? What are the specificities of the B2B and B2C communications? What distinctions can be made between business-to-business markets and business-to-consumer markets in this regard? - What is the role of consumer brands in building new markets? To what extent do they shape and/or follow consumer demand? What is the role of their sourcing policies (e.g. selecting suppliers based on sustainability and other criteria)? - What are the main legislative barriers to the sustainable development of new and existing markets in the bioeconomy? And in what way can legislation play an enabling role in the sustainable development of markets? - How do standards, or the absence of standards, influence market development in the bioeconomy? - How important are other factors such as prices of inputs (raw materials, energy etc.), the existence of appropriate infrastructure and logistical capacity, and the availability of people with the required skills? How can public policies at EU, national, regional and local levels influence these factors? - What are the principle barriers to the scaling up of investments in integrated biorefineries, especially at regional and local level? What is the influence on investment decisions of factors such as skills availability, access to finance, energy prices, and the existence of adequate transport and other infrastructure? 4

5 2. CASE STUDIES 1 BELGIUM 1. Flemish Coordination Centre for Manure Processing and Nutrient Recyling 2. Cargill Bio-based Coatings for the Paper Industry NETHERLANDS 3. Hemp 4. Proteins from Microalgae 5. Tomato plant waste recycling ITALY 6. Biochemtex Lignocellulosic biofuels 7. Novamont Bioplastics FRANCE 8. Wheatoleo bio-based surfactants GERMANY 9. Clariant Lignocellulosic Biofuels FINLAND 10. St1 Biofuels - distributed bioethanol production from biowaste and cellulosic residues FINLAND & SWEDEN 11. Cefic and Arizona Chemicals Pine Chemicals FINLAND & Austria 12. Heat Entrepreneurship SPAIN 13. Abengoa Biofuels from Municipal Solid Waste 1 NB. Where requested, contributors of these case studies had full editorial control of the finalisation of these examples. The case studies reflect the views and perspectives of the contributors. 5

6 2.1. Case Study 1: Fostering More Efficient Use and an Increased Recycling of Nutrients from Manure and phone number of key contact: Emilie Snauwaert, / Viooltje Lebuf, Viooltje.lebuf@vcm-mestverwerking.be; Introduction to the business case Agriculture faces serious challenges with close to one billion people already chronically hungry and up to two billion intermittently lacking food security. With an additional two billion people to provide for by 2050, global food supply will need to increase by 70%. The over cultivation of agricultural land must be avoided to protect the environment and soil fertility as 30% of global land is already degraded and climate change is resulting in a 10-25% loss in productivity in developing countries, resulting in the demand to produce more food on less land. This growing need for increasing production in a sustainable way poses a particular set of problems in terms of the depletion of vital plant nutrients. Phosphorous resources, for example, are finite but they are also essential for plant health and growth. Moreover, 90% of the world s phosphorus reserves are located in a limited number of countries, nearly all of which are outside the European continent, leading to high dependence on imports. Nitrogen, on the other hand, is not a scarce nutrient, however the production of Nitrogen fertilizers from atmospheric Nitrogen does have a significant environmental impact. Each time crops are grown on land they absorb and make use of these essential nutrients. They are then ingested by animals or humans and are in this way are largely removed from the agricultural process. Over time, this means that soils become less fertile and nutrients are sometimes added manually; this can result in an excess of nutrients in the environment and which can lead to negative environmental impacts such as eutrophication of rivers. At the same time, in Europe, a large amount of nutrients are available in animal manure and related products such as digestates, wastes, wastewaters and by-products. As demand for meat and dairy products increases both domestically and for export, many regions will experience an overproduction of manure whilst at the same time their soil nutrient levels decrease through the production of animal feed leading to rising costs and the need for imported nutrients. By closing the nutrient cycle, the problems of excess supply of manure in certain regions versus the scarcity of nutrients in others can be dealt with whilst reducing costs, lowering environmental impact and improving competitiveness of the agricultural sector. The University of Ghent, Inagro (agriculture and horticulture research and advisory centre) and VCM (Flemish coordination centre for manure treatment) are currently involved in a series of EU- and regional funded projects that focus on nutrient recovery from animal manure and digestate. Digestate is the residues left over after the fermentation of a biodegradable feedstock in anaerobic digesters. These projects include ARBOR, which aims at Accelerating Renewable Energy through 6

7 valorisation of Biogenic Organic Raw Materials ; BIOREFINE, which focuses on the recycling of inorganic chemicals from agro- and bio-industry waste streams; and MIP Nutricycle whose goal is to produce green fertilizers from manure and digestate. In all of these projects, adding value for farmers to the end-products and residues whilst reducing the impact of manure surplus is a clear end goal. Several field trials have already been carried out. But the projects also aim to advise policy makers (regional, national and EU), to stimulate transnational collaboration, and to remove legislative obstacles for a more sustainable nutrient and energy cycle. Following the implementation of the Nitrates Directive, different European regions with high livestock density (such as Flanders, Brittany, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland) have sought solutions to cope with manure surplus and the limited possibilities for application on the land. The recovery of nutrients from manure can have both environmental and economic advantages. This is all the more important in light of the rising awareness of the depletion of natural resources and the increasing prices for natural resources and energy. The necessary infrastructure for large-scale deployment of nutrient recycling from manure and digestate will most likely develop once there is a market for the end-products. A priori, the combination of both large scale and decentralised small scale manure treatment seems to be most optimal. The business case In Europe, approximately 15.5 billion worth of mineral fertilisers are used per year. These products have a high carbon footprint due to the high fossil energy requirements needed for the production of fertilisers. In addition, the long-term application of mineral fertilisers depletes the soils of organic carbon. Finally, the prices for mineral fertilisers are increasing. Subsequently, recovered nutrients from manure or digestate can be used as sustainable and economically viable bio-based substitutes for mineral fertilisers. The European Nitrates Directive states that only 170 kg of nitrogen from animal manure can be used per hectare. This is why in some regions, the overproduction of manure compared to the regional nutrient need has forced farmers to ensure manure treatment to reduce its environmental impact. By closing the nutrient cycle, the problems of excess or scarcity of nutrients between European regions could be solved while making farming more competitive by reducing costly manure treatment operations at the same time. If recovering minerals can be made economically viable, Europe would be less dependent on imports of manufactured nutrients and would simultaneously reduce its use of chemical fertilisers. However, several regulations hamper the deployment of bio-based fertilisers. The Nitrates Directive defines a chemical fertilizer as a fertilizer manufactured by an industrial process and livestock manure as waste products excreted by livestock, even in processed form. Recovered nutrients from manure therefore cannot be used as a chemical fertilizer, because these products have the same status as animal manure, and cannot be used above the threshold of the authorized 170 kg nitrogen/ha. Subsequently, these recovered nutrients have limited economic value due to the 7

8 barriers to their market entry. Today, the fertilizer regulation (EG 2003/2003) is under revision and could increase the nutrient valorization possibilities of manure and digestate. Apart from these legislative challenges, the technological aspects of recycling valuable minerals still need some further development, although several techniques are already available at full-scale (advanced separation, NH 3 stripping and membrane filtration). While (in Flanders at least) there are only a few companies that have already invested in an installation for nutrient recovery, the investment costs essentially depend on the chosen technological pathway. Advanced separation to euro (centrifuge) Investment for Technology Current N of installations (Flanders) NH 3 stripping Membrane filtration XX 3 5 The end-products generated thanks to these technologies also need formal validation in terms of agricultural value, mineral losses to the environment and stability, etc. However, this has already been done in different EU- and regional funded projects through the set-up of field trials using these new fertilizing products as substitutes for chemical fertilisers. If nutrients can be recycled from these streams, the sectors of agrifood, water purification, chemical processing, agriculture and biogas industries would also be very likely to benefit from the initiative. Conclusions In light of the fact that current legislation inhibits the use of recovered nutrient products from animal wastes as a mineral fertilizer, there are no incentives or support for the scale up and deployment of this initiative. This is all the more regrettable considering that public policy has already given some research and innovation-based funding towards developing the necessary technology: Europe has already funded different research and dissemination projects focussing on nutrient recovery from manure and related products. Administrative bodies also seem interested in the use of alternative, bio-based products instead of chemical fertilizers. Subsequently, a revision of national and EU policy related to the use of manure products is needed in order to stimulate an increased recycling of nutrients from manure and digestates. The technology for nutrient recovery has already been developed at full-scale, but it is not yet frequently deployed. The necessary infrastructure will emerge once the end-products have an economic value so that a market can be created and investment becomes more attractive. However, in Europe, there are already several manure and digestate processing plants deploying these innovative techniques. If the product (recovered minerals) can be marketed, the possible challenges concerning these factors can be overcome. Furthermore, the recovery of nutrients can be done by relatively low-tech technology (in contrast to high tech biorefinery). At a European level, a revision of the definitions of chemical fertilizer and livestock manure in the Nitrates Directive may enable the use of recovered products from manure and digestate as a 8

9 chemical fertilizer. In addition, consistency between the Nitrates Directive and the EC Regulation 2003/2003 is necessary to create a level playing field between chemical fertilizers and the manure based alternative. As for the regional level regulation (Flanders), it could be argued that recovered nutrient products from manure and digestate are a different category than animal manure, mineral fertilizer or other fertilizer. Barriers - lack of investment in necessary infrastructure - need for amendment of Nitrates directive - lack of awareness by farmers of potential for nutrient recycling Benefits - potential to save energy otherwise used in the manufacturing and import of mineral fertilisers - more efficient use of nutrients in manure - the potential for reduced use of chemical fertilisers - the additional revenue stream for the livestock sector - innovative technological pioneering throughout Europe - solution to the environmental problem of excess manure - Potential benefits throughout value chain including for the agri-food, water purification, chemical processing and biogas industries Enabling factors - EU research and dissemination funding for projects focusing on nutrient recovery - Surplus of feedstock in the form of manure - Interest in initiative by public administrations - Possibility for funding of infrastructure development through regional and rural development funding 9

10 2.2. Case Study 2: Cargill Coating Starches Renewable Binders for the Paper Industry and phone number of key contact: Katrijn Otten Introduction to the Business Case Developments within the paper making industry are being driven both by the global economic downturn and by the higher degree of consolidation coupled with overcapacity in the graphic sector. Innovative technologies have been developed and deployed, with the focus being on cost optimization at maintained high quality, whilst creating more sustainable solutions based on renewable resources. Cargill has developed high performing and innovative solutions for paper coating applications which successfully replace petroleum based synthetic binders and chemicals thus enabling cost and energy optimisation of paper making processes. Coatings usually applied in the paper and board industry are suspensions composed of pigments and latex as synthetic binder used to fix (or bind) the pigments to paper. These developments support the need for renewable papermaking processes in the creation of more sustainable products. Cargill has almost 50 years of experience within the industry, creating a solid foundation of understanding and advanced expertise. Based on this experience the company has continuously developed its product range and portfolio in order to use energy efficiently, using the lowest amounts of chemicals possible in the production. This has allowed Cargill to meet evolving and demanding environmental standards. Made from renewable resources, Cargill s coating starches are produced from cereals and they can replace the traditional fossil fuel based binders. The products are 100% biodegradable, chlorine free and support more sustainable papermaking processes. There are two main centres involved in these developments, bridging the gap between research and the market; the Application and Development Centre in Krefeld, Germany and the site in Vilvoorde, Belgium focusing on product and process development for industrial starches. Additional collaborations with suppliers, universities and scientific institutions have also aided the development of more sustainable products in the paper industry. The Business Case Since Cargill set up its Application and Development Centre in Krefeld, Germany in the mid-1960s, they have been a key player within the field, and have advanced expert knowledge in research and innovation within the papermaking industry. Specifically, Cargill has a deep understanding of various coating technologies which is a combination of production processes and the actual machinery used to apply the coating to the paper for improving printability of the paper and thus its quality and value; this is the basis for their success as a leading manufacturer of coating starches. When partnering with Cargill, customers gain access to a team of experts who combine a unique breadth of knowledge and experience. Their local dedicated sales and technical teams are regionally connected and organized to best meet customers needs and to provide a reliable service network around the region. 10

11 Paper making productions and their innovation Sustainability is important, not just due to the need to keep costs of inputs to a minimum but also to satisfy customer needs and the transition to a more sustainable, resource efficient bioeconomy. The challenge today is no longer simply to provide customers with goods and service, but also to do this with minimal impact on the environment. Made from renewable resources, coating starches such as C*Film, C*iCoat and C*iFilm series are cost effective solutions allowing the replacement of petroleum synthetic binders. Cargill products are developed to meet the technical requirements in terms of production efficiency and quality. Cargill has developed some coating starch series that are specially designed for high solids coating. These high powder solids captured the imagination of coating technologists, who have known about the advantages of high solids coating for a long time. In the coating area there is excellent rheology or fluidity (which is a physical test method indicating the flow properties of the coating during the application process which has a high influence on its processing at the normally high speeds) of the coating starches which perfectly meets the requirements of this demanding application. Advanced instrumentation techniques have helped in the understanding of rheological behaviour of starch, its interactions with other coating colour components and its interactions between the coating colours and the base paper. Mastering this complexity allowed Cargill to develop products that provide solutions for the different coating processes under a variety of conditions. There are many integral processes in the development of novel technologies within the paper making industry including desk and laboratory research, pilot schemes and customer testing. Throughout these processes, teams of senior managers from the research and development, sales and productions teams govern the process. Based on the market assessment and the ability to identify customer requirements, market needs are identified and the focus is on innovation activities. Economic and market challenges For all products from renewable resources the cost of raw materials is an important competitive factor. But the use of renewable resources also implies that cereal farmers will continue to be an essential partner in the bio-based value chain. In addition to the feedstock, because starch production, in general, is an energy intensive industry, the cost of energy is the second most important competitive factor. The economic and market challenges faced by the European paper industry over the last years have been analysed by various interactions with customers, institutes and universities. Results have been subsequently validated, prioritised and converted into new product development activities which have led and will continue to lead to new improved products that were introduced in the market enabling higher replacement rates of synthetic components. Due to the significant investment costs in machinery the paper and board industry needs to run at high machine utilisation rates in order to remain profitable. Therefore, new products and solutions have to be proven before they can be implemented in production, to avoid the risk of production downtime. This validation process can be very time consuming and intensive for the industry, requiring good knowledge and planning and involves extensive lab and pilot scale testing. 11

12 Creating and maintaining new and novel networks and connections is an important part of the successful development of new more sustainable products and processes. In this case, collaboration with other innovative suppliers to the industry, providing a constant technology feed to the pipeline of projects executed together with other companies, universities and scientific institutions, was essential. Cargill s starch operations are spread across Europe and serve the customers base from the closest location, helping to ensure that supply chains and transport distances from feedstocks to processing plants to printers and customers are kept as short as possible. This helps demonstrate the necessary diffuse nature of bio-based value chains which is distinctively different from a fossil based linear model. Conclusions Cargill s coating starches are made from renewable raw materials, are biodegradable and chlorine free. These coating starches are replacing petroleum based binders to make the papermaking process more renewable, more resource efficient and more sustainable. These innovative solutions help support the need for greener papermaking processes and are relevant for all paper making industries across Europe. Barriers - Volatility of raw material prices and high energy prices - Lack of public co-funding for pilot and demonstration plants Enabling factors - Increasing consumer demand on recyclability or compostability of end products, could help increase the focus on the use of bio-based materials in paper and board industry (consumer demand could play a factor). - The development of standards around bio-based content for paper would assist in the increase uptake and use of coatings from renewable, rather than finite fossil based resources. - Increased access to public funding for research and development activities and pilot plants would help pave the way towards the market place for new and innovative products - Drive to use renewable resources over finite ones - Potential for adding value to the agricultural supply chain 12

13 2.3. Case Study 3: HempFlax B.v. (Netherlands), chosen as an example for the European Hemp Industry by the European Industrial Hemp Association ( and phone number of key contact: EIHA Managing director Michael Carus, Introduction to the business case HempFlax aims to reintroduce industrial hemp for the production of sustainable and affordable natural fibres and shivs (woody core). In the early nineties a Dutch entrepreneur learned about the possibilities of industrial hemp. Having discovered the Netherlands' proud and long history of hemp growing and processing as well as its ecological value, he found his purpose: to reintroduce an environmentally friendly, economically sound, traditional crop to his homeland and then to the rest of the world. With this in mind, Ben Dronkers established the HempFlax company in In 1994, 140 hectares (343 acres) saw HempFlax' re-launch hemp in the Netherlands. For a crop that had not been produced for 50 years fundamental adaptations to harvesting and processing machines were required. Like any plant, hemp has specific needs for planting and harvesting but the equipment available at the time could not meet these needs. Much time and money was and still is spent on research and development to adapt the equipment to the highly specific requirements of the tough, fibrous stalks of the hemp plant. Cannabis sativa L. is the scientific name for the hemp plant. Cannabis is a tall, woody plant that will grow in practically any climate. There are different kinds of cannabis. Certain varieties produce compounds that act as medicinal or psychoactive substances, whereas others with virtually zero drug content produce mainly fibre, shivs (woody part of the stem) and seeds. We call these varieties with little or no drug content under the collective name Hemp. It is the non-psychoactive cannabis varieties that are grown as a source of fibre, wood and seed. After processing, these parts of the Hemp plant are used in a number of industrial products. Since the early nineties Hemp is a favoured as crop for traditional crop rotations. Hemp needs less input and gives 13

14 high yields without the need for any agro chemicals at all. This is rare in agriculture today. Fertilization of the soil is maintained mainly by manure from livestock, artificial fertilisers are often not necessary. Hemp fits perfectly into the normal crop rotation scheme due to its ability to improve soil structure and leaving perfect conditions for the following crop. Farmers have reported their best yields of cereals following a Hemp crop. As harvesting is done with specialised equipment the harvest is organised by HempFlax The company and appointed contractors have invested a great deal of money in specialized harvesting equipment. The grower is required to cultivate and fertilize the soil before sowing; seeds are provided to the grower by HempFlax. The best moment for sowing is early May when soil temperatures and humidity are optimal. Hemp likes a warm, moist, free draining soil for a good start in life. The harvesting starts in early August with mowing the crop. Special Hemp mowers cut down the crop and reduce the stems into 60 cm lengths. After cutting the stalks are left to cure (retting) on the field where the bast fibres will be loosened by the effect of rain and dew. During this time the stalks are frequently turned by a machine called a Hemp turner specially built for the job. When the stalks have been sufficiently retted they are picked up by an agricultural baler and pressed into neat square bales for economic transport and storage. Ready for further processing the bales are put in dry stores in the warehouses in Oude Pekela (Groningen, NL). Because HempFlax manages the whole harvest the grower only needs to invest 4 hours of labour per hectare compared to 8 hours per hectare for growing wheat. Advantages: - Labour efficient - Soil improvement - Zero chemicals use - No artificial fertilizer needed - Excellent weed control - Good for crop rotation or continuous growing. - Opportunities in Organic Situations Today HempFlax is cultivating Hemp in the Netherlands, Germany and Romania on a total area of 1200ha. Hemp fibres for innovative bio-based products Hemp fibre from the hemp plant can be used for innovative bio-based products such as manufacturing parts in the automotive industry, as well as insulation and construction materials. 14

15 HempFlax involves private owners via holding and local farmers. Hemp production and processing activities started in the Netherlands (Oude Pekala) in The company has continuously expanded since then, growing in North East Holland, North West Germany and also Romania since Case from Hemp and Kenaf fibre and PP Hemp fibre insulation material Hemp chair from Hemp Fibres and PP Door panel from Hemp fibres and PE 15

16 However, despite its environmental benefits and economic potential, hemp is not a crop that has been produced for industrial purposes for 50 years, until HempFlax started. As a result, in order to increase production and meet growing consumer demands for hemp-based products fundamental developments and modernization were required throughout the entire production chain. This included the growing, processing and marketing phases which had to be done over a short period of time. Owners and investors consequently suffered substantial financial losses in this initial phase. Indeed, the total investment cost to date amounts to 12 million. In addition to the necessary adaptation of the existing production and processing machinery, certain infrastructure developments were needed. As HempFlax s goal was to limit the growing area to a radius of 80km from the processing point, dedicated factory storage spaces for both raw material (hemp straw) and finished products were built. The construction of a decortication factory and fibre refinery as well as storage and packaging were also required. The business case Consumers and industry are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their activities. However, as there is still a need to maintain and improve living standards, the demand for products which are both as effective and which demonstrate sustainability, is on the rise. As a result, markets are being created for those producers who can deliver affordable, sustainable, high quality bio-based products. The automotive industry s commitment to lowering the carbon footprint of cars and to making them more sustainable has enabled the uptake of natural fibres like Hemp. These have applications for light-weight construction in bio-composites which ultimately lower fuel consumption. Unlike the United States, Europe allows industrial Hemp to be grown in most of its member states. In addition, a fibre subsidy was granted to producers for several years. This was especially important in the start-up period and enabled producers to decrease feedstock costs. Today however, the dedicated subsidies have been discontinued prompting fierce competition for cultivation areas with heavily supported energy crops. The HempFlax initiative came into play at the right time because there was a need for a new cash crop that could also fit well in the crop rotation (Hemp has a deep rooting system, has a favourable influence on the soil structure and curtails the presence of nematodes and fungi. After cultivation, the soil is left in optimum conditions (tilth) due to the complete weed suppression following on from the high shading capacity of hemp. A study by Bócsa and Karus 1998 reports percent higher wheat yields after the cultivation of hemp). At the time of the start-up, the region experienced low costs for main crops like potatoes, sugar beet and wheat. However, the initiative has also faced a series of challenges on its path towards market access. The 50 year gap in hemp cultivation and processing has prompted HempFlax to modernise not only the equipment to current needs but also reinvent the entire Hemp industry. This included the introduction of new types of products where no quality standards were in place and the adaptation 16

17 of the process to fit the modern customers needs. Considerable time and money has been spent on addressing these issues, allowing the start-up losses to soar. In addition, very few supportive measures were in place at the time of the company s launch. There were frequent discussions about modifying the End of Life Vehicle directive in favour of green materials but, to date, this has not been accomplished. While a German market introduction programme for natural insulation materials has existed in the past, some current Members State regulations pose significant barriers in terms of market access. Nevertheless, HempFlax has grown to be a professional hemp processing company currently employing 22 people. The company has enabled the development of state of the art Hemp (bast fibre) decortication and fibre separation technology (breaking the woody core, separation of bastfibre and shivs (woody core), cleaning of fibres) which is now available on the market. In addition, contracting 1200 ha of hemp in the Netherlands, Germany and now Romania provides an important source of income to farmers and benefits the rural economy in general. The challenges for B2B and B2C communications on HempFlax mainly concerned the fact that in the early nineties until early 2000, hemp was stigmatised because it was associated only with recreational drugs. Subsequently, processors have successfully differentiated themselves from this other use. Conclusions Communication and awareness raising: In order to achieve the overall objective of using industrial hemp as a sustainable, bio-based alternative for non-renewable manmade fibres, several communication efforts were necessary and, indeed, are still ongoing. Communication and dissemination are helping to raise awareness about natural fibre materials with both industry and to the public. Today, hemp-fibre composites are used in many middle and high-class automotives. Whilst this market has the potential to expand further, other sectors such as the furniture industry could also make good use of this new material group. Unfortunately, these sectors are currently unaware of the existence of such a sustainable, renewable bio-based alternative, making communication on the subject all the more necessary. Standardisation and authorisation: As an emerging sector, another significant challenge that the Hemp industry faced was that tests and standards, in both the automotive and the construction industry, were originally set up for conventional materials but they were not in place for natural materials. This lack of evaluation criteria initially posed a barrier to market entry for hemp products as these are necessary for industry to have assurances of the quality and safety of products and materials. Today, in the case of hemp fibre and shiv based products, there are several technical hurdles in the field of standards and regulations: - Lack of specifications which results in prejudices against bio-based properties - Irrelevant or misleading information for the consumer - A lack of compliance with less important specifications due to the intrinsic, physical properties of bio-based products - A lack of incorporation of bio-based alternatives due to a low level acceptance or awareness 17

18 Support for Innovation Innovation plays an important role in enabling new functionalities for fibres to meet the quality standards of the market. Innovation can, for instance, help provide extremely low weight biocomposites for automotive interiors such as door panels made using natural fibres which have only 40% of the area weight of glass fibre reinforced plastic alternatives. Adapting fibres to market needs, so that they can be used in conventional applications and technologies, has increased their market potential tremendously. In addition, the whole supply chain benefits from the developments in the natural fibre sector because it encompasses a large number of actors, from farmers to processors, to Tier 1 companies and Original Equipment Manufacturers. Today, every European car contains an average of 2 kg of natural fibre, but the technical potential reaches up to 5 times more, amounting to tonnes of natural fibres per year. Tackling Regulatory Barriers The increased use of hemp as an insulation material is currently hampered by individual Member State building regulations and a lack of coherence in policy. For example, current legislation does not recognise some of the intrinsic benefits of bio-based insulation and imposes unnecessary limits to its use. Legislation could, instead, play an enabling role in creating new markets for bio-based products if it considered the energy savings throughout the entire life cycle of a product, rather than focusing only on the use-phase. In addition, if legislation was such that the use of renewable materials was, to a certain extent, compulsory, bio-based alternatives would have a real market opportunity. Cost barriers levelling the playing field With regards to the price of inputs, the cost of raw material is one of the most important price components of bio-based products. The heavy focus on subsidising bioenergy has had a hugely increasing effect on the cost of growing. Farmers indeed benefit from a higher income if they grow biomass crops for bioenergy purposes rather than for bio-based products. Unfortunately, the great potential of bio-based products, including those produced from hemp, cannot be realised due to this existing political framework. On the other hand European hemp fibres are completely unprotected by the competition from imported exotic fibres like jute, kenaf or sisal, which may not even show a sustainability certification like imported biofuels. The social and environmental standards of these tropical fibres can be low. The EIHA is calling for a binding sustainability certification for all imported (and domestic) natural fibres to guarantee fair competition. Conclusions Overall, hemp processing is based on one third technology and two thirds operator skills. Investment decisions are however also based on the transportation distances between the growing region and processing installation. Subsequently, putting in place the necessary infrastructure for processing is required in feasible growing regions such as Romania for example. 18

19 EU, national and regional public authorities hold at their disposal many possible instruments to support market development. These include investment support, market introduction programmes, support for communication and dissemination, public procurement and incentives to use materials with lower carbon footprint in automotive, construction and consumer goods. As for the more specific case of natural fibre products like hemp, modifying and adapting existing regulations to the properties of natural fibre products (especially, but not only for insulation material), the development of new norms and standards, as well as including natural fibre products in the emission trading system could drive the market uptake. The bio-based material market is at the heart of the bio-based economy and hemp fibres are an important part of this economy. The combination with bio-based polymers for fully bio-based biocomposites is especially relevant in that context. A level playing field between energy and material uses of biomass is essential and existing incentives for biofuels and bioenergy should be opened for hemp-based products too. The main barrier for the scale up of investment in integrated biorefineries is the missing market opportunities for by-products like hemp shivs (woody core, pith) and dust. In the absence of a viable commercial and local market for hemp by-products the business case cannot be profitable. Subsequently, incentives for the development of new markets for these by-products should be developed. A prime example is the development and use of shiv in the construction market. The marketing and development of products like Hemcrete as a construction material should be stimulated in other EU countries, like it has been done in France and the UK. A healthy growth of the EU hemp industry with reliable suppliers of hemp fibres and other hemp products to the various markets will enable the successful integration of natural hemp fibres in the value chain. For instance, a continual and reliable supply is of utmost importance for the automotive industry. The insulation and construction industry as well as furniture and the whole reinforced (biobased) plastic market also hold great potential. Barriers - The need for direct structural funds towards putting in place infrastructure for hemp cultivation and processing in member states with high potential to contribute to this market - The need for investment support, market introduction programmes, support for communication and dissemination, public procurement and incentives to use materials with lower carbon footprint in automotive, construction and consumer goods (eg. through Horizon 2020 and regional smart specialisation strategies) - The need to modify and adapt existing regulations to the properties of natural fibre products (especially for insulation material: fire rating regulations, insulation value, heat transfer delay, regulation of moisture) as well as conducting high quality LCAs. - The need to develop new norms and standards, as well as to include natural fibre products in the emission trading system ETS) - The need to level the playing field between energy and material uses of biomass: existing incentives for biofuels and bioenergy should be opened for hemp-based products too - The absence of incentives for member states for the development of new bio-based markets (directives and bans in construction and insulation due to GHG reductions and for mulch 19

20 films to avoid micro-particles from fossil plastics films); these and additional instruments have to be evaluated. Benefits and enabling factors - Non labour intensive creating higher profit margins within the value chain - Potential for soil quality improvement - Zero chemical use or artificial fertilizers not needed - Good potential for crop rotation and continuous growing maximising land use efficiency - Numerous applications as materials where non-renewable feedstocks would otherwise be used - Applications in food and feed sector - Compatibility with organic farming 20

21 2.4. Case Study 4: Protein Hydrolysates from Microalgae and phone number of key contact: Dr. Nieves Gonzalez Ramon, Feyecon, +31 (0) Introduction to the Business Case Proteins are of major importance in human nutrition and the lack of them is one of the biggest factors in malnutrition. Proteins that are used as a food additives or supplements are currently produced from whey and milk sources and can therefore provoke milk protein allergies. Proteins obtained from whey and milk sources have also been shown to have a higher carbon footprint than proteins isolated from plant-based origins. Microalgae have been identified as an alternative source of protein, although initially the availability, high cost of production and difficulties incorporating the algal material food preparations hindered the use of this source. More recently, increased availability of algal biomass and the development of methods to extract other interesting components with the proteins, have balanced the initial high growing and harvesting costs. Comprehensive analyses and nutritional studies have demonstrated that algal proteins are of high quality. The amino acid composition of the proteins from algae shows a more balanced proportion of the essential amino acids than other currently produced vegetable proteins. Furthermore, algae do not contain any substances with detrimental nutritional effects, providing a niche in the market. In 2010, a project in the Netherlands to develop the large scale production of the algal species Spirulina (that contains up to 60% protein) was initiated. Spirulina is a good example of a high nutrition food that can be grown quickly with low energy demands in comparison to other natural products such as carrots and spinach (1 g of Spirulina and between g of carrots/spinach, provide the same amount of micronutrients and Spirulina is cheaper to produce). One of the main consumer markets of the protein hydrolysates from Spirulina is in the sports industry, for the increased formation and repair of muscles and bones after exercise. The Business Case From the numerous species of microalgae available, Spirulina was chosen because the downstream process of protein extraction is more economical in comparison to other species because they lack a hard cell wall, facilitating extraction of the proteins. Also, unlike other species, Spirulina is one of the few species of microalgae that is easy to cultivate as a monoculture because it grows at a high ph, which helps to avoid contamination in large scale cultivation systems. The scaling up process required investment in simple stainless steel tanks with mild heating (up to 50 C) and equipment for protein separation and analysis. To date, research and innovation in Industry, have neglected microalgae strains because investments into the basic microalgae research was not producing high business benefits. 21

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