Transform2Bio

Integrated Transformation Processes and their Regional Implementations: Structural Change from Fossil Economy to Bioeconomy

Duration:  2019 – 2022

Funding:   Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Projektpartner:  Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (ILR: Institute for Food and Resource Economics & ZEF: Center for Development Research). Forschungszentrum Jülich (IBG-2: Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Plant Sciences & IEK-STE: Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Systems Analysis and Technology Evaluation).

Project:

The phase out of coal requires ambitious transformation processes in the Rheinische Revier. One option is to establish a bioeconomy which is a challenging task, especially in a region with the largest connected lignite deposit in Europe. Moreover, the current value chains are strongly intertwined with the energy intensive industries in North Rhine-Westphalia. Against this background, Transform2Bio will assess the potentials of establishing a robust bioeconomy in Rheinische Revier considering the technological, economic, social and environmental dimensions. The project aims at designing optimum transformation pathways, analyzing the prospective value chains, highlighting the potentials and limitations of this challenging change, and offering a set of recommendations on how to make this shift ecologically desirable, techno-economically feasible and socially acceptable.