The increasing human population, the expanding energy costs, the use of fossil fuels, and the concerns about the global climate change are mainstreaming the worldwide efforts towards transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. The sustainability principles of economic development are grounded on strategies that outline the main pillars of the global policy towards a climate-neutral society by 2050. Essential components of the policy agenda are the sustainable production and processing of biomass, the bioenergy gaining and use, the production of bioproducts, and their public acceptance. The research focus on sustainable biomass production is placed on making best use of biomass resources while assuring safety and flexibility of supply, quality of the biomass, ecological sustainability, and decrease of the costs of biomass feedstock. The main research strategies regarding processing of biomass are concentrated on rising the sustainability of the process - increase the efficiency, reduce the GHG emissions, and realise a cost-competitive production of advanced biofuels and bioproducts. The strategies for increased public acceptance are focused on the economic and social sustainability dimensions of bioproducts development.

Anna Kujumdzieva, Trayana Nedeva (R&D Center Biointech Ltd)