General presentation of the Sustainable Bioenergy Solutions for Tomorrow (BEST) research program

1. Sustainable Bioenergy
Solutions for Tomorrow (BEST)
A public-private research program
2013-2016
Coordinated by CLIC Innovation

2. What is bioenergy?
Bioenergy is the oldest known source of consumer
energy, and it will continue to have a role in the
future sustainable energy system!
Bioenergy = Use of biological sources (biomass) for
energy, and all the different aspects (technical,
scientific, economic and social) related to it
Biofuel = fuel derived from biological sources
(sometimes used narrowly to describe liquid bio-
based fuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol)
Photo by Steve Jurvetson

3. BEST in a nutshell
• The program runs for 4 years in two phases (2013-14 and 2015-16)
• Checkpoint after the first phase: The work plan of the second phase was refocused based
on the results and learnings of the first phase
• The volume of the program is roughly 4 MEUR annually
• >50% comes from Tekes, the Finnish Funding agency for Innovation
Photos: Stora Enso,
Timo Lötjönen/Luke,
Andritz
BEST is a pre-commercial bioenergy research program and an extensive
collaboration of industry and academia

4. BEST vision
Biomass
producers
Forest
companies
Technology
providers
Energy
companies
Consultants
and service
providers Finnish
bioenergy
ecosystem
Finnish bioenergy companies and R&D community possess the top bioenergy know-
how in the world and are able to utilize and affect the development of the operating
environment to create new sustainable bioenergy business both in Finland and globally.

5. Why do we need bioenergy?
Global
economic
growth →
growing
energy
demand
Local self-
sufficiency can
be supported
with bioenergy
Climate
change
mitigation
Bioenergy is
an essential
part of the
bioeconomy
concept
Excellent
competence
platform;
opportunity for
Finnish
leadership

6. BEST develops existing competences to answer to
critical developments in the business environment
BEST builds on the existing
Finnish strengths in energy
technology, forest biomass
utilization and integrated
concepts, which have been
applied successfully by the forest
industry and the energy
companies
Major global developments such
as policy-related uncertainty,
urbanization, increased demand
for energy and biomass and the
rise of other renewables have
posed new challenges for
bioenergy
New competences, operating
models, networks and system-
level approaches are needed in
order to create winning and
sustainable bioenergy solutions
to the global challenges

7. The program projects from the current strengths
of the Finnish industry to the future

8. Expected impact: A strong Finnish bioenergy
ecosystem that can boost sustainable bioenergy
opportunities both in Finland and globally
• Bioenergy finds its competitive and optimal role in the future energy
system and bioeconomy / circular economy frameworks
• Subsidy requirements decrease or disappear when the cost efficiency
of the bioenergy chains improves
Improved
competitiveness
• Bioenergy helps mitigate climate change
• Bioenergy supports local self-sufficiency as well as local employment
strategies
• Proactive sustainability strategies can be a source of growth for
companies
Sustainable
solutions and
growth
• Finnish companies are able to expand their businesses both globally
and nationally
• Finland’s position as an attractive and influential partner in the
bioenergy field is strengthened
Boosted business
both nationally and
globally

9. The 34 BEST partners include
- 22 companies (forest, energy, technology, consulting...)
- 12 research organizations
Former partners: European Forest Institute, Finnish Geodetic
Institute, Inray Oy, Metsähallitus Oy, MW Power Oy

10. Structure of the program in 2013-14
Bioenergy systems and concepts & technological solutions
Policies,
strategies,
business
environment
WP 0 Management
WP 2 Radical improvement of
bioenergy supply chains
WP 3 Advanced integrated
concepts and new markets
WP 1
Bioenergy
scenarios
and
strategies in
global and
local scales
WP 4
Enhanced
business
opportunities
through
securing
sustainability

11. Structure of the program in 2015-16
Bioenergy in relation to other renewable
energy sources
Bioenergy in relation to other elements
of the bioeconomy
Supply chains for biomasses –
ensuring quality & cost efficiency
WP1
Bioenergy as a part of the
solar economy energy system
WP2
Bioenergy in bioeconomy
WP3
Biomass on the way to a bio-
product mill
WP4
Sustainability, health and safety

12. Research theme 1: Bioenergy as a part of
the future sustainable energy system
 Potential of
bioenergy in
balancing the
supply of
renewable
electricity
 Bioenergy
storage
concepts  Biogas
 Urban
bioenergy
concepts

13. Research theme 2:
Bioenergy in bioeconomy
Where does bioenergy
create the most value in
the bioeconomy
framework in combination
with the production of
materials, chemicals or
food, so that the different
uses complement rather
than compete with each
other?

14. Research theme 3: Resource and cost
efficient, flexible and reliable supply chains

15. Research theme 4:
Sustainability, health & safety
Goal:
Creating and disseminating best
practices, methods and tools related to
the sustainability of various bioenergy
chains in different operating
environments, taking into account all the
different dimensions of sustainability:
o Economic
o Environmental
o Social (including health and safety of
workers in the bioenergy value chains)
Prerequisite: All of the activities along the biomass supply chain and in
bioenergy production must be accomplished in a sustainable way.

16. More information / contact
• Program Manager:
 Kaisu Leppänen, Spinverse Ltd.
 kaisu.leppanen[at]spinverse.com
• Website: http://clicinnovation.fi/activity/best/
• Twitter: @BESTbioenergy
• Blog: https://bestbioenergy.wordpress.com/

17. CLIC Innovation in brief
CLIC is an open innovation cluster with the mission of creating breakthrough
solutions in bioeconomy, energy and cleantech.
CLIC Innovation coordinates R&D&I project portfolios to construct systemic
solutions which are beyond the resources of individual operators.
The cluster is a cross-organizational fast-moving network. The shareholders
of the nonprofit CLIC Innovation Ltd. Include 30 companies and 17
universities and research institutions.
www.clicinnovation.fi