The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) has launched a refreshed Scottish Bioresource Mapping Device to assist extra companies make the case for investing in biotechnology services and processes.
The platform is designed to assist companies determine the provision of various feedstocks – from agriculture and forestry waste to food and drinks co-products, industrial carbon dioxide and seaweed – that might type the premise of a spread of latest, greener, bio-based merchandise and processes. Supplies which might be seen as waste or by-products from one trade might be reworked into excessive worth merchandise together with biofuels and bioplastics.
The brand new Scottish Bioresource Mapping Device builds on a pilot platform first launched in 2018 because of a collaboration between Zero Waste Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and IBioIC. For this newest iteration, Zero Waste Scotland funded work to replace knowledge from a variety of sources to assist biotechnology firms and buyers determine and harness the potential alternatives that Scotland presents.
The database is believed to be certainly one of solely three bioresource instruments out there worldwide, with researchers and improvement companies in Eire and Andalucia having additionally developed comparable platforms to encourage native biotechnology exercise.
Armed with new details about the quantity and areas of those vital uncooked supplies, firms contemplating subsequent steps in Scotland could make knowledgeable choices on elements similar to essentially the most promising feedstocks to pick for scale up or the perfect location for establishing new services. Any firms which might be occupied with utilizing the device to collect info are invited to talk to IBioIC straight or might also be referred by their native enterprise company.
Kim Cameron, senior enterprise engagement supervisor at IBioIC, stated: “It’s typically stated that one trade’s waste is one other’s gold, and the Scottish Bioresource Mapping Device is a good way to attach the individuals and companies producing co-products or extra supplies with potential customers throughout a spread of industries. Prior to now enquiries have included these from bio-energy firms, drinks producers and bug farmers, highlighting the wide selection of potentialities the device presents.
“With access to this type of information, we hope to encourage more businesses to invest in Scotland’s bioeconomy, safe in the knowledge that the feedstock they require for products and processes is readily available here. Ultimately, the tool helps ensure the by-products produced by multiple industries find more sustainable and high value uses.”
Amanda Ingram, Bioeconomy Associate at Zero Waste Scotland, stated: “The Bioresource Mapping Device allows enterprises to find potential feedstocks for bio-based processes which have native availability, are economically viable and supply resilience in opposition to future useful resource shocks. We’re delighted to supply up to date knowledge for the device that can help the event of upper worth alternatives for waste and by-products and allow a extra round bioeconomy in Scotland.
“By better utilising food and drink by-products alone, it is estimated that £500-£800million per year could be achieved for Scotland’s economy. The environmental benefits are also evident; better use of existing materials means we can reduce demand for natural resources and use renewable materials to create sustainable opportunities for food, feed, materials and energy, thereby increasing resource resilience, reducing emissions, and helping businesses progress their net zero targets.”
For extra info, go to: www.ibioic.com/scottish-bioresource-mapping-tool
