Sustainable Bioenergy

Solutions for Tomorrow (BEST)

A public-private research program

2013-2016

Coordinated by CLIC Innovation

What is bioenergy?

Bioenergy is the oldest known source of consumer

energy, and it will continue to have a role in the

future sustainable energy system!

Bioenergy = Use of biological sources (biomass) for

energy, and all the different aspects (technical,

scientific, economic and social) related to it

Biofuel = fuel derived from biological sources

(sometimes used narrowly to describe liquid bio-

based fuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol)

Photo by Steve Jurvetson

BEST in a nutshell

• The program runs for 4 years in two phases (2013-14 and 2015-16)

• Checkpoint after the first phase: The work plan of the second phase was refocused based

on the results and learnings of the first phase

• The volume of the program is roughly 4 MEUR annually

• >50% comes from Tekes, the Finnish Funding agency for Innovation

Photos: Stora Enso,

Timo Lötjönen/Luke,

Andritz

BEST is a pre-commercial bioenergy research program and an extensive

collaboration of industry and academia

BEST vision

Biomass producers

Forest companies

Technology providers

Energy companies

Consultants and service providers Finnish

bioenergy

ecosystem

Finnish bioenergy companies and R&D community possess the top bioenergy know-

how in the world and are able to utilize and affect the development of the operating

environment to create new sustainable bioenergy business both in Finland and globally.

Why do we need bioenergy?

Global economic growth → growing energy

demand

Local self-sufficiency can be supported

with bioenergy

Climate change

mitigation

Bioenergy is an essential part of the

bioeconomy concept

Excellent competence

platform; opportunity for

Finnish leadership

BEST develops existing competences to answer to

critical developments in the business environment

BEST builds on the existing Finnish strengths in energy technology, forest biomass utilization and integrated

concepts, which have been applied successfully by the forest

industry and the energy companies

Major global developments such as policy-related uncertainty,

urbanization, increased demand for energy and biomass and the rise of other renewables have

posed new challenges for bioenergy

New competences, operating models, networks and system-level approaches are needed in

order to create winning and sustainable bioenergy solutions

to the global challenges

The program projects from the current strengths

of the Finnish industry to the future

Expected impact: A strong Finnish bioenergy

ecosystem that can boost sustainable bioenergy

opportunities both in Finland and globally

• Bioenergy finds its competitive and optimal role in the future energy system and bioeconomy / circular economy frameworks

• Subsidy requirements decrease or disappear when the cost efficiency of the bioenergy chains improves

Improved competitiveness

• Bioenergy helps mitigate climate change

• Bioenergy supports local self-sufficiency as well as local employment strategies

• Proactive sustainability strategies can be a source of growth for companies

Sustainable solutions and

growth

• Finnish companies are able to expand their businesses both globally and nationally

• Finland’s position as an attractive and influential partner in the bioenergy field is strengthened

Boosted business both nationally and

globally

The 34 BEST partners include- 22 companies (forest, energy, technology, consulting...)

- 12 research organizations

Former partners: European Forest Institute, Finnish Geodetic

Institute, Inray Oy, Metsähallitus Oy, MW Power Oy

Structure of the program in 2013-14

Bioenergy systems and concepts & technological solutions

Policies,

strategies,

business

environment

WP 0 Management

WP 2 Radical improvement of

bioenergy supply chains

WP 3 Advanced integrated

concepts and new markets

WP 1 Bioenergy

scenarios

and

strategies in

global and

local scales

WP 4 Enhanced

business

opportunities

through

securing

sustainability

Structure of the program in 2015-16

Bioenergy in relation to other renewable

energy sources

Bioenergy in relation to other elements

of the bioeconomy

Supply chains for biomasses –

ensuring quality & cost efficiency

WP1

Bioenergy as a part of the

solar economy energy system

WP2

Bioenergy in bioeconomy

WP3

Biomass on the way to a bio-

product mill

WP4

Sustainability, health and safety

Research theme 1: Bioenergy as a part of

the future sustainable energy system

Potential of

bioenergy in

balancing the

supply of

renewable

electricity

Bioenergy

storage

concepts Biogas

Urban

bioenergy

concepts

Research theme 2:

Bioenergy in bioeconomy

Where does bioenergy

create the most value in

the bioeconomy

framework in combination

with the production of

materials, chemicals or

food, so that the different

uses complement rather

than compete with each

other?

Research theme 3: Resource and cost

efficient, flexible and reliable supply chains

Research theme 4:

Sustainability, health & safety

Goal:

Creating and disseminating best

practices, methods and tools related to

the sustainability of various bioenergy

chains in different operating

environments, taking into account all the

different dimensions of sustainability:

o Economic

o Environmental

o Social (including health and safety of

workers in the bioenergy value chains)

Prerequisite: All of the activities along the biomass supply chain and in

bioenergy production must be accomplished in a sustainable way.

More information / contact

• Program Manager:

Kaisu Leppänen, Spinverse Ltd.

kaisu.leppanen[at]spinverse.com

• Website: http://clicinnovation.fi/activity/best/

• Twitter: @BESTbioenergy

• Blog: https://bestbioenergy.wordpress.com/

CLIC Innovation in brief

CLIC is an open innovation cluster with the mission of creating breakthrough

solutions in bioeconomy, energy and cleantech.

CLIC Innovation coordinates R&D&I project portfolios to construct systemic

solutions which are beyond the resources of individual operators.

The cluster is a cross-organizational fast-moving network. The shareholders

of the nonprofit CLIC Innovation Ltd. Include 30 companies and 17

universities and research institutions.

www.clicinnovation.fi