Map of 224 European biorefineries published by BIC and nova-Institute
Biorefineries are the heart of the bioeconomy. Here, different types of biomass are fully utilised and transformed into a large variety of chemicals and materials.
The map distinguishes between “Sugar-/starch based biorefineries”, producing bioethanol and other chemicals (63), “Oil-/fat-based biorefineries – biodiesel” (64) and “Oil-/fat-based biorefineries – oleochemistry” (54), “Wood-based biorefineries” (25) excluding those that produce pulp for paper only, “Lignocellulose other than wood” (5) and finally “Biowaste-based biorefineries” (13).
The prevalence of biorefineries differs considerably between countries. The type of biorefinery is clearly dependent on the locally available biomass. Wood-based biorefineries can be found mainly in Northern Europe and “Sugar-/starch based biorefineries” mainly in France, Belgium, Germany and Hungary, where we see high yields in sugar and starch.
To create this map, Cologne-based nova-Institute conducted a comprehensive survey of all European biorefineries in summer 2017. The project was done on behalf of the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC).
For this purpose, a large number of sources were evaluated and an online survey was carried out, during which biorefineries could register themselves. Eventually, 224 biorefineries were identified and mapped across Europe.
