The biobased economy is one of the pillars of our future society. Everyone agrees on that. However, a real biobased industry – the economy – has yet to appear. Biomaterials and biochemicals have significant growth potential, but little success has been achieved yet. Time to change tack?

An active and properly organised European biobased industry is not developing evenly across the continent. The focal point of the activities lies in Northwest Europe, and yet Central and Eastern Europe have more than enough biomass and residual flows available from agriculture, fishing and forestry. The reason the biobased economy in these countries is lagging behind is the subject of investigation by the Bio-Based Industries Consortium (BIC) through its country reports.

On the volcanic ash in Iceland, on mountain slopes in Austria and in the bone-dry, dense Greek soil: the fabaceous Andean Lupin grows and flourishes almost everywhere in Europe. The originally South American plant provides a sustainable alternative to soya and contributes to soil improvement.