Insights
Algae asphalt paves way for cleaner roads
The modern economy revolves around immense sources of ambient pollution: agriculture, personal cosmetics, building paint, or petrol cars. Today, scientists are drawing attention to yet another toxic emitter: asphalt. Asphalt on our roads and roofs continually releases toxic airborne particles,…
Bio-based circuit boards could cut down electronic eco-toxicity
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a major component of e-waste, the fastest growing type of waste globally. This item is currently made from non-biodegradable and hard-to-recycle substances but researchers think that making them from biobased ingredients is a firm possibility. …
The US plans a biomass supply chain for Biden’s biomanufacturing push
In 2022, the US Biden administration launched the country’s first ever nationwide bioeconomy plan, the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative. In mid-March 2024, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) published one of the bioeconomy plan’s early deliverables: a report on…
Irish bioeconomy foregrounds commercialisation, not just innovation
Ireland has been building its high-value bioeconomy ever since its 2018 National Policy Statement for the Bioeconomy (NPSB). Things have moved speedily in the last year, with the release of Ireland’s first National Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025. Yet even in…
Four perspectives on how Europe can scale its bioeconomy
Europe’s bioeconomy is replete with renewable innovations that could cut our dependence on fossil fuels. However, the difficulty lies in scaling these products. Only high volume substitutes at reasonable cost can set biobased products on a course to cutting petrochemicals.…
Re-flooded peatlands could unite the bioeconomy with conservation
Peatland covers just 3% of global land surface but stores twice as much carbon as the world’s forests combined. Despite its rarity and importance, the habitat has on the decline for centuries. Farmland expansion and the over-extraction of its dark,…