Europe selects Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant as a demonstrator pilot line for industrial biotechnology
| 11 Mars 2014
Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, a pilot plant for biobased products and processes located in the port of Ghent (Belgium) was selected by the European Commission as a demonstrator multi-KETs pilot line. KETs or Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) are considered to directly or indirectly stimulate Europe’s competitiveness and generate jobs, growth and wealth in the economy. Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is a European front runner in terms of industrial biotechnology, one of the six European KETs.
Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (Ghent, Belgium) was recently honored with the selection as one of the four European demonstrator multi-KETs Pilot Lines. Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is a flexible and diversified pilot plant for the development, scale-up and custom manufacturing of biobased processes and products. It is an independent and open innovation pilot plant, accessible for companies and research institutions throughout the world.
In 2009 Europe defined six Key Enabling Technologies: Industrial Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Nano- and Microelectronics, Photonics and Advanced Materials. Europe invests in these technologies to enable the shift to a low carbon, knowledge-based economy ensuring the competitiveness of European industries and the creation of jobs.
To support this policy, the European Commission launched the multi-KETs Pilot Lines project; multi-KETs Pilot Lines combine several KETs under one roof. In the frame of this project, four promising European pilot facilities will be scrutinized, resulting in a tentative implementation roadmap that can be used for the further development of a systematic EU policy to support pilot and other KETs activities.
Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is one of the four selected demonstrator projects. During the coming months, its entire eco-system will be mapped out: best practices, hurdles encountered, technological and organizational aspects, financing mechanisms… Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant will (1) organize monthly guided tours for interested parties: SME’s, large companies, policy makers … and (2) host workshops to give participants insight into its daily operations. The first guided tour is scheduled for March 25th, 2014. More information on the guided tours and workshops can be found at http://www.bbeu.org/nl/mkets-pilot-lines.
This acknowledgement strengthens the position of Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant in its mission to support small, medium-sized and large companies with their innovations. Prof. Wim Soetaert, founder and managing director of Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is very pleased with this international recognition: ‘Through the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, Flanders obtained a pole position in the field of industrial biotechnology.’
The cooperation between innovative SMEs and Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant was recently highlighted by the Business Planet Program of Euronews, an international broadcasting channel focusing on Europe. Business Planet highlights entrepreneurs who succeeded to create jobs and economic growth in Europe. The report was broadcasted in 155 countries and 13 languages.
