Interest of industrial actors in biorefinery concepts in Europe

To satisfy the rising demand for agricultural and forestry products it is becoming more and more important to use biomass as efficiently as possible. One way of achieving that goal is to implement biorefinery systems in which biomass can be utilized entirely by conversion through multiple processes into a number of valuable products. To pursue the implementation of biorefinery systems, it is important to know to what extent the industry is interested in such concepts. This perspective deals with the results of a cross-European survey investigating the interests of potential industrial actors in biorefinery concepts. A high resonance was identified amongst companies belonging to the biofuels industry; companies active in this sector, therefore, could possibly provide access to further integrated concepts. On the whole, the results reflect a very positive attitude toward biorefinery concepts. But there are also problems with respect to the political and legal framework; policy and legislation may be required to establish stable framework conditions and provide planning security for investment decisions. Oilseed and lignocellulosic feedstock is primarily utilized within the surveyed companies; fuel, heat and power are the primary products produced from biomass. Additionally, the survey showed that biorefinery concepts are highly influenced by aspects concerning regional value chains. On the upstream side ‘feedstock issues’ appear to be especially important for biorefineries. In general, sustainability aspects are considered to be a benefit of biorefinery concepts. This suggests opportunities for the design of marketing and communication strategies based on ecological aspects of biorefinery implementation. © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd