The BIOPLAT-EU proposal will promote and support the uptake of sustainable bioenergy projects on marginal, underutilized and contaminated lands (MUC lands). These lands cannot be used for food production or for recreational and conservation purposes, but in some cases, they still retain the potential to produce biomass for non-food purposes. Moreover such use of these lands is not known to stakeholders, therefore the proposal will promote and inform about such opportunities through a web-based platform which will include a public user friendly tool using global information system that will assess the environmental, social and techno-economic sustainability aspects of defined value chains for bioenergy production on MUC lands and through stakeholder engagement activities. In order to remove legal barriers for the uptake of such projects, communication activities with the responsible authorities will be organised. As for the technical and financial barriers, the proposal will support stakeholders and give guidance on how such projects can be implemented. Moreover, it will link biomass producers and processors with investors and will guide them on how to make their projects bankable.

Sustainable bioenergy production and use in the EU should be further developed in order to support Member States (MS) achieving 20-20-20 targets and foster rural development as set out in EIP AGRI. FORBIO will demonstrate the viability of using land in MSs for non-food bioenergy feedstock production without interfering with the production of food or feed, nor with land currently used for recreational and/or conservational purposes. Competition with other uses of the land is only one component of the sustainability of bioenergy and a number of cross-cutting environmental, social and economic aspects may present challenges to the extended deployment of these value chains, while assuring that biofuel sustainability standards are met. FORBIO will develop a methodology to assess bioenergy production potential on available “underutilised lands” in Europe (contaminated, abandoned, fallow land, etc.) at national and local level. In addition, in this context the project will provide multiple feasibility studies in selected case study locations in three countries that that aim to set the basis for building up local bioenergy value chains that meet the highest sustainability standards and improve efficiency and sustainability of those already available in the case study sites through the provision of roadmaps for bioenergy development.

The overall objective of TRACER is to support a number of coal-intensive regions around Europe to design (or re-design) their Research and Innovation (R&I) strategies in order to facilitate their transition towards a sustainable energy system. TRACER consortium partners have been carefully selected to involve organisations with complementary expertise and excellent long-term collaboration contacts with key public and private stakeholders of important coal intensive regions, proven by 40 Letters of Support provided during proposal preparation. Good geographical coverage among countries and regions with high dependence on coal production and use has been ensured through the inclusion of seven target regions in EU Members States (South East Bulgaria, North West Bohemia - Czech Republic, Lusatian Lignite District - Germany, West Macedonia - Greece, Upper Silesian Coalfield - Poland, West Romania, Wales - UK), and two in countries outside the EU (Kolubara - Serbia, Donetsk - Ukraine). Core activities of TRACER include the Implementation of an EDP (Entrepreneurial Discovery Process) to mobilise a wide range of stakeholders in each target region to develop an appropriate governance structure and to bring regional stakeholders together to discuss and agree on a shared vision and priorities for coal transition. R&I strategies, industrial roadmaps and decision support tools will be developed jointly with key stakeholders of the TRACER target regions. Further TRACER activities include the identification and analysis of best practice examples of successful and ambitious transition processes in coal intensive regions, a detailed assessment of social, environmental and technological challenges, the elaboration of guidelines on how to mobilise investment as well as dedicated activities to stimulate R&I cooperation among coal intensive regions in Europe and beyond.