Industrial bioeconomy model regions in Germany

As part of the work of the Industrial Bioeconomy Dialogue Platform, the idea arose to compile an overview of Germany’s industrial bioeconomy model regions. In some areas of Germany, new value creation has already emerged – or is in the process of emerging – with the help of the bioeconomy. The focus is on replacing fossil raw materials with bio-based raw materials and sustainably using (cascade utilisation) biogenic raw materials for industrial production as well as in industrial production processes. In some regions, such an industrial bioeconomy is already supported by corresponding strategies. Yet despite individual approaches, a systematic identification of such regions has been lacking so far.

In order to be able to identify regions with bioeconomic potential in the industrial sector, the stakeholders involved in the Industrial Bioeconomy Dialogue Platform and Germany’s Federal Economic Ministry would like to find out where such potential for the industrial bioeconomy exists and to what extent it is (already) being realised (or could be realised).

Interested municipalities, states, regions and industrial parks have already been able to apply for the next steps by submitting a simple form. The submissions will be reviewed by the Federal Economic Ministry together with experts from the Industrial Bioeconomy Dialogue Platform.

Qualified applicants will be invited by the ministry to a webinar in mid-April, where they will be able to present themselves to the Dialogue Platform in a “pitch” and learn the next steps as well as more details on how to provide the necessary quantitative information. In the second phase, applicants will be given three weeks to identify and submit comprehensive regional qualifications.

The model regions will be selected in late May and will be included online in the Dialogue Platform’s official industrial bioeconomy map – alongside best practice examples of industrial bioeconomy companies and demonstration plants.