Integrated European Network for biomass and waste reutilisation for Bio-products

Aquaterre will promote the cooperation between research centres, business and other stakeholders in Europe devoted to the research, development and application of biomass and biofuel production and valorisation. It will aim for integration and unification of efforts and the exchange of knowledge and expertise between partners, to promote the creation of a network of improving biomass and waste reutilisation. Mainly, Aquaterre aims to make an inventory of existing biomass feedstock in Europe and quantify the potential and identify of the best ones. In addition, to study the best possibilities for implementing different biomass sources in different environments to improve their utilisation. Pursuing this target, literature and data survey and current research review will be carried out. Furthermore, the scope of Aquaterre consists also in mapping European biomass feedstock using different tools as Geographical Information Systems (GIS). These systems permit to capture, store, analyze and manage data and associated attributes which are spatially referenced to the earth. The implementation of GIS to this project will contribute to the good management of the database and also will play an important role as dissemination tool. Additionally, Aquaterre expert members will identify economic and environmental impacts schemes to define the optimum Life Cycle Assessment scenario (LCA). LCA is a standardized and structured method for calculating the environmental load of a product, process or activity throughout all its phases. The implementation of a new bio-product/biofuel in the market requires the analysis of economical, social and environmental aspects, with the objective of attaining enough information for the decision making progress. The contribution of a LCA study to this project can be framed in the identification of best sources of biomass feedstock as well as other agricultural waste for the sustainable obtaining of biofuels and other added value products.