Circular Bioeconomy Cluster

💫The All-Island circular bioeconomy community is thriving and collaborating 💫 This week we hosted the BioDirect Summit in Belfast, a knowledge sharing and curated networking event for companies, researchers, non-profits and government stakeholders from across the the island to encourage adoption of bio-based products in Textiles, Construction, Agriculture and Packaging sectors. Our agenda for the day: 💡A showcase of innovative companies and researchers who responded to the sectoral BioDirect Challenges 🌟 Insights from industry in how they adopt and integrate circularity and biomaterials/bioproducts into their supply chains 🟡Shine a spotlight on how policy is an enabler of circular bioeconomy on the Island 🤝Highlight opportunities for continued collaboration with Synergy projects, clusters, research institutions Some key takeaways: ➡️A major shift in the business community from waste valorisation to full on integration of circularity into business strategy and supply chains to capture added value and be competitive. ➡️Incremental innovation is important in a business, new circular and sustainable business models take time. ➡️To adopt bio-based solutions, industry require validation and certification. ➡️Policy-makers are open to creating strategy to support bio-based markets based on evidence. ➡️Agriculture can help to decarbonise other sectors if we think from a systems perspective. 🤝The word 'collaboration', and especially the phrase 'cross sector collaboration', came up many times. At the Circular Bioeconomy Cluster we will continue to work with partners and bring companies together to create new bio-based and circular value chains. If you're interested in becoming a member, please reach out to Catriona Power FRSA Stephen Barry-Hannon and hear first hand about our programmes and events. Thanks to all our partners, panelists, challenge owners, pitchers, exhibitors and attendees for being part of BioDirect, and special thanks to InterTradeIreland for supporting this very important work. Stephen Barry-Hannon Alison Gault Caitríona Mordan Kieran O'Donoghue Bobby Woods, PhD Joanne McEvoy Damien McConville Alison Currie Stuart Mathieson Janet Toal Helena McMahon Ian Marshall OBE Geraldine Brennan, PhD Karl Crowley Colette van Jaarsveld Belfast Region City Deal at Queen's University Belfast Juan A. Morillas Aoife Mc Namara Kate Carmody Tony Martin Callaghan larry mcgarry Paul McAlister Jennifer Lienhard The Rediscovery Centre Irish Grown Wool Council Chris Weiniger Kate Carmody Jacqueline Gibson Donough McGrath Lynne Connolly Livefarm CARBON TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC

How to make Ireland's Construction Sector More Circular? Construction waste continues to be the largest waste stream in Ireland, increasing from 8.2 million tonnes in 2020 to 9 million tonnes in 2021. The current trends are not sustainable.  Construction activity comes at an environmental cost, putting pressure on our natural resources, biodiversity, and generating significant waste quantities. The scale of wasted resources and materials in the construction sector needs urgent attention. Embracing new approaches to design, materials choice and modern methods of construction will shift the sector onto a more sustainable path.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ireland has published new National By-product Criteria, which provide rules for the safe reuse of greenfield soil and stone (ie, uncontaminated soil and stone from land that has not been previously developed). The goal here is to prevent these materials from becoming a waste. Keeping materials in use is one of the fundamental elements of a circular economy. These criteria present a real and meaningful opportunity for the construction sector to follow a simple set of rules and in doing so reduce soil waste from sites and make tangible savings. They will enable suitable soil and stone materials from one site to potentially be reused for landscaping, reprofiling of land and other similar uses. This new system offers greater regulatory certainty to the industry while ensuring appropriate safeguards remain. The criteria provide a clear regulatory approach and significantly reduce regulatory timelines for determining soil materials as by-products. These latest criteria are the third in a series of national decisions introduced by the EPA to support improved material circularity in the construction sector.  More info here: bit.ly/45lpdtg   #circulareconomy #sustainability 

👋Seeking an opportunity to network and collaborate with leading companies, researchers and policy-makers in the Irish bioeconomy? Now is your chance, join us at the BioDirect Summit on 4th September in Belfast. BioDirect, an All-Island initiative, funded by InterTradeIreland’s Synergy Programme aims to accelerate the adoption of circular bio-based products and technologies across the Agriculture, Construction, Packaging and Textiles sectors and foster cross-border collaboration. The project is led by Circular Bioeconomy Cluster along with partners Ulster University, Irish Nutrient Sustainability Platform at Queen's University Belfast, atim cluster and AgriTech Ireland. At this event, you will: 💡Hear the latest innovative technology, products and services to encourage adoption of circular solutions for Agriculture, Construction, Packaging and Textiles sectors. 🟢Deep dive into the critical role of circular design in achieving sustainability and circular goals. 🌐Discuss the various industrial applications of biomaterials and how they contribute to sustainability and circularity. 🏗️Learn about case studies and examples of industries successfully adopting circular design principles, highlighting the benefits and challenges. 🤝Develop collaborations between different stakeholders, including industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and innovators, to promote the adoption of circular design and products.  💰Learn about funding opportunities to advance your circular economy project. Hear speakers from John Sisk & Sons, Kingspan Group, IKC3 - Ireland's Knowledge Centre for Carbon, Climate and Community Action, High Performance Building Alliance, SomaTech Ltd, Aoife Mc Namara, Donegal Yarns Ltd, Ulster University, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, InterTradeIreland Ireland and many more. Registration is essential, please register here: https://lnkd.in/etkdJrnm Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO) Munster Technological University CIRCULÉIRE Irish Bioeconomy Foundation BioConnect Innovation Centre BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre MaREI Cill Ulta Percy Foster Patrick Barrett Matthew Halpin Helena McMahon

This week, we published a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to explore the potential purchase of up to 250 gigawatts of biomethane. Working in consultation with the Commission for Regulatory of Utilities (CRU), we are looking to ascertain the scale of likely interest from producers in supplying biomethane. This is an exciting milestone in the process to grow the biomethane sector, building on the momentum from the recent National Biomethane Strategy release and going out to the market to determine levels of interest for booking capacity for our Mitchelstown central grid injection facility. View the PIN here for more information - https://lnkd.in/eWayQnJR

🙏 Thank you very much to Joe Lynam and the Newstalk team for having us on his Breakfast Business with Joe Lynam show today to talk about the BioDirect project. 👂Listen to our project manager Stephen Barry-Hannon discuss the opportunity for researchers, SME's, technology providers, and solution providers to bring their ideas to fruition https://lnkd.in/eVHwRNhy 👇 Taking part is easy: 1️⃣ click here https://lnkd.in/etZQkNQQ 2️⃣ scroll to What are the challenges? 3️⃣ Pick/ click a company you want to help 4️⃣ Fill out the form - here is one of the forms to show you we are not asking for much to take part https://lnkd.in/eCfq9rxP The challenges: 🏗️ Construction: Kingspan Group and High Performance Building Alliance Arcology System are seeking bio-based materials and side streams that can be used for insulation and interiors to meet green building requirements. 🚜 Agriculture: Ulster Farmers Union are seeking digital solutions for precision fertiliser application & ABP Food Group are seeking solutions for value add uses of biodigestate. 👕 Textiles: Saint Vincent De Paul Society wish to process textile waste on the island and Donegal Yarns Ltd @Fergusons linen are looking for bio-based dyes to be used on natural fibre textiles. 📦Packaging: atim cluster are working with hospital partners and seeking collaborators to reduce plastic waste and Dawn Meats Dunbia Group wish to engage with innovators developing high barrier flexible films for food packaging made from recycled and recyclable materials. Karl Crowley, Kieran O'Donoghue, Alison Gault, Damien McConville, Joanne McEvoy, Naomi McMullan, Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO), CIRCULÉIRE, iCRAG - SFI Research Centre in Applied Geosciences, Eva Greene, Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO), Helena McMahon, REEdI@MTU, Construct Innovate, Knut Klimmek, Robbie Quinn, MaREI, Donegal Yarns Ltd, Arigna Group, Dr Abigail Pattenden, Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre, Clean Technology Centre, MTU, B Lab Ireland Resolve Partners Cill Ulta Irish Grown Wool Council Renewable Gas Forum Ireland (RGFI) Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA), Alan Clarke, Bronagh Millar, Sam Turner

Thank you to Kathleen O'Sullivan and the Irish Examiner for featuring two of projects Rural BioRefarmeries and BioDirect https://lnkd.in/etZQkNQQ. Have a read here: https://lnkd.in/esk-Nr8R Rural BioRefarmeries is where Munster Technological University is leading a new first-of-its-kind decentralised green biorefinery demonstration initiative funded under the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking. The BioDirect team are calling on researchers, SME's, Technology, and Solution providers to submit your idea/ solution. You will get the chance to have the joint resources of InterTradeIreland, Munster Technological University, Ulster University, Queen's University Belfast, atim cluster, AgriTech Ireland, and Circular Bioeconomy Cluster to help you bring your solution to fruition. Whether that is in the form of a project, funding, business development, investment, partnership building etc. It is really easy to take part and will not take you more than half an hour. Here is one of the forms as an example https://lnkd.in/ej3bcFwf The challenges you can help with: 👨🌾 ABP Food Group - Bio-digestate Higher Value Valorisation and Market Development for Products https://lnkd.in/eqVnVKsj 👩🌾 Ulster Farmers Union - Digital Solution for Fertiliser Decision Support Tool https://lnkd.in/eDeM2bA8 📦 atim cluster - Are working with hospital partners and seeking collaborators to reduce plastic waste https://lnkd.in/eztBjDjt 📦 Dunbia Group - Dawn Meats - Looking for high barrier flexible films for food packaging made from recycled and recyclable materials https://lnkd.in/eV-m2kvx 👷♂️ Kingspan Group - 1. Required specifications for biomaterial-based insulation 2. Life and End-of-Life considerations for materials 3. Use of side/waste bio-streams to provide bio-based pre-cursors for polymer foams. The Kingspan Challenges are found here https://lnkd.in/ePm5YFcm 👷♀️ High Performance Building Alliance & Arcology System High-Performance Integrated Design Challenge - Bio-based materials and that can be used for insulation and interiors to meet green building requirements https://lnkd.in/e2jZD7ku 👚 Donegal Yarns Ltd Ltd & Fergusons Linen - Exploring and developing bio-based dyes for use in natural fibres including wool and linen for textiles https://lnkd.in/evP4yQkG 👕 SVP - SVP - Society of St. Vincent de Paul Ireland - Circular economy process to deal with end-of-life textiles on the Island https://lnkd.in/ef_VuXiX Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO), BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre, RDI Hub, Helena McMahon, James Gaffey, AMBER Centre, Declan Devine, Novelplast, IDEAM, Bord Iascaigh Mhara - Ireland's Seafood Development Agency, Bord na Móna, JJ O'Hara, Celignis Biomass Lab, Brandon Bioscience, HaPPE Earth, Robert Shine, Mark Culleton, DPTC - Dairy Processing Technology Centre, Damien McConville, Joanne McEvoy

Thank you Conall for having us on your show That Great Business Show with Conall Ó Móráin! If you are interested in hearing about innovative Irish businesses add this podcast to your list. Such an interesting guest with Key Patent Innovations Limited. We got to talk about InterTradeIreland and their work, the Circular Bioeconomy Cluster and our BioDirect Project. If you are a researcher, SME, tech, and solution provider 10 major companies across Ireland want to work with you to solve their challenges across the Agriculture, Construction, Textiles, and Packaging sectors. We are here to connect you to them. To take part is very easy: 1️⃣ Go to the BioDirect page https://lnkd.in/etZQkNQQ 2️⃣ Have a look at the challenges in the green they are named by the company setting the challenge 3️⃣ Choose the Challenge/s you can help solve 4️⃣ Fill out the very quick form (it will take you at most half an hour to 45 minute - here is one of the forms to give you an idea https://lnkd.in/e2BScRXf) And that is it - what you will get in return if your solution is selected: ➡ 1:1 discussion with the challenge owner ➡ 1:1 session with experts to identify collaborative funding opportunities ➡ Mentorship to realise your solution ➡ Opportunity to be selected to speak at the All-Island BioDirect Summit ➡ Opportunity to display your company / institute at the All-Island BioDirect Summit (Sept 4th in Belfast). ➡ Option to become a member of a relevant network/cluster in your region Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO) Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre IKC3 - Ireland's Knowledge Centre for Carbon, Climate and Community Action Irish Bioeconomy Foundation BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre CIRCULÉIRE Clean Technology Centre, MTU, Resolve Growth Partners Cill Ulta Irish Grown Wool Council Renewable Gas Forum Ireland (RGFI) Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Teagasc, ConnectedHubs.ie, Skillnet Innovation Exchange, iCRAG - SFI Research Centre in Applied Geosciences, I-Form, the SFI Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, Tyndall National Institute, VistaMilk SFI Research Centre, Confirm SFI Research Centre for Smart Manufacturing, The Cantillon Academy, Nimbus Research Centre, DPTC - Dairy Processing Technology Centre, CAP Network Ireland Construction Industry Federation (CIF) Construct Innovate, Ulster University, Queen's University Belfast, AgriTech Ireland atim cluster, The Rediscovery Centre

👂 Have a listen to our BioDirect Project Manager Stephen Barry-Hannon Radio Kerry interview to learn about the 10 All island #circularbioeconomy BioDirect industry challenges. https://lnkd.in/e4SH8_3C 💡 If you have an idea, product, service, concept, or approach that can solve the following challenges set big industry players please submit. 👨🌾 ABP Food Group Group - Bio-digestate Higher Value Valorisation and Market Development for Products https://lnkd.in/eqVnVKsj 👩🌾 Ulster Farmers Union Union - Digital Solution for Fertiliser Decision Support Tool https://lnkd.in/eDeM2bA8 📦 atim cluster - ATIM Cluster are working with hospital partners and seeking collaborators to reduce plastic waste https://lnkd.in/eztBjDjt 📦 Dunbia Group - Dawn Meats - Looking for high barrier flexible films for food packaging made from recycled and recyclable materials https://lnkd.in/eV-m2kvx 👷♂️ Kingspan Group - 1. Required specifications for biomaterial-based insulation  2. Life and End-of-Life considerations for materials  3. Use of side/waste bio-streams to provide bio-based pre-cursors for polymer foams.  The Kingspan Challenges are found here https://lnkd.in/ePm5YFcm 👷♀️ High Performance Building Alliance & Arcology System  High-Performance Integrated Design Challenge - Bio-based materials and that can be used for insulation and interiors to meet green building requirements https://lnkd.in/e2jZD7ku 👚 Donegal Yarns Ltd & Fergusons Linen - Exploring and developing bio-based dyes for use in natural fibres including wool and linen for textiles  https://lnkd.in/evP4yQkG 👕 SVP - Society of St. Vincent de Paul Ireland - Circular economy process to deal with end-of-life textiles on the Island https://lnkd.in/ef_VuXiX ➡ Submitting your idea is easy will not take you long. ➡ Get the chance to get your ideas in front of some of the biggest industry leaders straight away. ➡ Get expert mentorship from the project partners including Circular Bioeconomy Cluster, atim cluster, Ulster University, AgriTech Ireland, Queen's University Belfast, InterTradeIreland ➡ A chance to fund your ideas and projects 📣 Showcase your innovation at the BioDirect Summit in Belfast on the 4th of September in the Crowne Plaza Belfast in front of industry leaders across the #agriculture #construction #packaging #textile sectors. Learn more about the BioDirect project here: https://lnkd.in/etZQkNQQ Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO) Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre IKC3 - Ireland's Knowledge Centre for Carbon, Climate and Community Action Irish Bioeconomy Foundation BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre BioConnect CIRCULÉIRE Clean Technology Centre, MTU, B Lab Ireland Resolve Growth Partners Cill Ulta Irish Grown Wool Council Renewable Gas Forum Ireland (RGFI) RGFI - Renewable Gas Forum Ireland Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) Bernal Institute, University of Limerick MaREI Teagasc, Hincks Centre for Entrepreneurship Excellence ConnectedHubs.ie

👏🏻👏🏻 Congratulations to cluster member Glanua on this fantastic strategic alliance with Variolytics to support the decarbonisation of the wastewater industry. Fabio Bacci PhD C.WEM Ann Mahony MJ Kearney