BiOrbic, Bioeconomy Research Centre is providing an enabling platform for collaboration between research performing organisations and industry through a new landmark bioeconomy scale-up initiative for Ireland. Funding of €5 million has been awarded to ‘The Lisheen Bioeconomy Scaleup Initiative (BioScaleUp)’, as part of the EU Just Transition Fund Call for Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiatives, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
BioScaleUp will enable the conversion of renewable biobased feedstocks into biobased chemicals, materials, food ingredients, biofuels and other bioproducts, demonstrating six innovative biotechnologies at the national bioeconomy pilot biorefinery facility at the National Bioeconomy Campus, Lisheen Thurles, Co. Tipperary. The facility will function as a platform for the collaboration through the BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre, SMEs, and large industry for biorefinery and biomanufacturing.
Director of Biorbic and Professor at UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Prof Kevin O’Connor, is the scientific lead on the project.
He said, "This much needed investment is timely and will facilitate scale up and demonstration of novel biotechnological approaches for biomanufacturing. It builds on Enterprise Ireland infrastructure Investment in pilot scale facilities at the The National Bioeconomy Campus, and will provide a direct route for Industry and academia collaborations through BiOrbic, Research Ireland, national bioeconomy research centre to progress technologies closer to market. The integration of chemical technologies, biotechnology, precision fermentation, and downstream processing at pilot scale will enable the demonstration of biomanufacturing solutions.”
He continued, “The publication of the EU strategy on biotechnology and biomanufacturing in March 2024 identified the need to update the EU bioeconomy strategy to reflect the existing and future importance of Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the Bioeconomy. BioScaleUp is a significant step and demonstrates Ireland’s continued commitment to invest in projects and enable infrastructure to support biotechnological innovation in the bioeconomy."
Minister Charlie McConalogue T.D. commented, “The bioeconomy has the potential to improve the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the agri-food sector through offering diversification opportunities, through the development of new products, business models and value chains, and reducing the use of non-sustainable inputs in all economic sectors including in the agri-food sector.”
The BioScaleUp project will include significant training and upskilling opportunities across a range of scientific, technical, and engineering, facilitation, business and finance areas related to biorefinery and biomanufacturing.
Minister Ossian Smyth T.D. said, “It is imperative that communities and workers who are most affected by the shift to a climate neutral future are provided with targeted supports to address the social and economic impact of the transition. The changes we need to make have to be just, ensuring that the needs of people and planet are supported. This will help build new economic strength and identity for the region while also supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.”
Stefan De Keersmaecker, European Commission Coordinating Spokesperson for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Regional Policy and Reforms, “The EU Just Transition Fund is a tangible and impactful tool to support Ireland’s Midlands in its path towards a net-zero economy, ensuring that no region in Ireland gets left behind during the green transition. We welcome the new bioeconomy projects announced today, which are building on existing local assets in biotechnologies to create and strengthen new value chains in the Midlands’ region. They are fully in line with the JTF’s objective, to support innovative and place-based opportunities that will have a lasting impact on the territory and on its people”.
Visit gov.ie for further information on EU Just Transition Fund Calls and the successful projects.
Photo image: (L to R) Shay Hannon (Teagasc), Neil Rowan (Technological University of Shannon, TUS), Lorna Walsh (TUS), Patrick Murray (TUS), Elaine Cullinane (Tipperary County Council), Liam Browne (TUS), Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., Minister of State, Martin Heydon T.D., Minister of State, Ossian Smyth T.D., Simon O’Neill (Tirlan), Kevin O’Connor (BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre & UCD), Bernie Roe (EMRA EU JTF Managing Authority), Helena Stromberg (EMRA), Andrew Murray (Offaly County Council), and Damien Toner (Bord Iascaigh Mhara)