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 amenities 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 would kind the premise of a spread of latest, greener, bio-based merchandise and processes. Supplies which are seen as waste or by-products from one business may very well 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 on account 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 corporations and traders determine and harness the potential alternatives that Scotland presents.
The database is believed to be one in every of solely three bioresource instruments out there worldwide, with researchers and growth companies in Eire and Andalucia having additionally developed related platforms to encourage native biotechnology exercise.
Armed with new details about the amount and areas of those necessary uncooked supplies, corporations contemplating subsequent steps in Scotland could make knowledgeable selections on components corresponding to essentially the most promising feedstocks to pick for scale up or one of the best location for establishing new amenities. Any corporations which are eager about utilizing the instrument to assemble info are invited to talk to IBioIC immediately or may be referred by their native enterprise company.
Kim Cameron, senior enterprise engagement supervisor at IBioIC, stated: “It’s usually stated that one business’s waste is one other’s gold, and the Scottish Bioresource Mapping Device is a good way to attach the folks 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 corporations, drinks producers and bug farmers, highlighting the big selection of potentialities the instrument presents.
“With entry to such a info, we hope to encourage extra companies to put money into Scotland’s bioeconomy, secure within the data that the feedstock they require for merchandise and processes is available right here. In the end, the instrument helps make sure the by-products produced by a number of industries discover extra sustainable and excessive worth makes use of.”
Amanda Ingram, Bioeconomy Accomplice at Zero Waste Scotland, stated: “The Bioresource Mapping Device permits enterprises to find potential feedstocks for bio-based processes which have native availability, are economically viable and supply resilience towards future useful resource shocks. We’re delighted to supply up to date knowledge for the instrument that may assist the event of upper worth alternatives for waste and by-products and allow a extra round bioeconomy in Scotland.
“By higher utilising food and drinks by-products alone, it’s estimated that £500-£800million per yr may very well be achieved for Scotland’s economic system. The environmental advantages are additionally evident; higher use of current supplies means we are able to scale back demand for pure assets and use renewable supplies to create sustainable alternatives for meals, feed, supplies and power, thereby rising useful resource resilience, lowering emissions, and serving to companies progress their web zero targets.”
For extra info, go to: www.ibioic.com/scottish-bioresource-mapping-tool
