Biowaste Collaboration Initiative Between EU & India
Image Credit: Shutterstock/ ruskpp 12 November 2012 A project aimed at developing strong Indo-European links between on-going and future research and innovation projects with the aim to exploit cooperation synergies for sustainable development in biomass and biowaste industries has been outlined at a stakeholder meeting in India. The joint Indo-European initiative - SAHYOG (Strengthening Networking on Biomass Research and Biowaste Conversion - Biotechnology for Europe India Integration) has been formed under the joint sponsorship of European Commission and the Indian government's Department of Biotechnology. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has been selected to coordinate the project in India. According to SAHYOG initial work will focus on developing comprehensive inventories of research activities both in the EU and in India, in order to identify common areas of interest as well as knowledge gaps and cooperation opportunities. This work will be supplemented by inventories to document biomass production and bio-waste availability in both the regions to predict future potentials and limitations. "This joint initiative will effectively link research activities implemented within European Union's research programmes and related activities of Indian national institutions to provide a policy framework for future research initiatives in areas of bio-economy," explained Dr. Philippe Du Poet, Minister Counselor, Delegation of European Union to India, while inaugurating the programme's stakeholder meeting held at TERI. The SAHYOG project aims to establish a road map through a joint initiative on what the EU and its Member States could do together with India to find solutions for existing challenges and needs in biotechnological research activities on biomass production and biowaste conversion. The integrated activities planned for the project will be carried out through a partnership of stakeholders from the EU and India, involving public and private organisations that conceive and fund research programs as well as representatives from the scientific community. Stakeholder meeting "SAHYOG aims at providing a strategic research agenda and roadmap in order to facilitate concerted planning of future joint EU-India research initiatives," commented Dr. Neeta Sharma, the European coordinator from the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), responsible for international cooperation on bioenergy. Meanwhile at the stakeholder meeting, Dr. R. K. Pachauri, director general of TERI, emphasised the importance of a radical change required in the area of biomass technologies for a sustainable bio based economy. "This joint collaboration will help to identify opportunities for joint research initiatives between Europeand Indiain the field of biomass production and biowaste conversion through biotechnological interventions," added SAHYOG's Indian coordinator from TERI, Dr. Priyangshu Sarma. Citing the importance of biomass storage depots, Mr. K Krishan, representing the taskforce of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) on bioenergy, emphasised the role of comprehensive inventories for biomass availability for implementation of economically viable bio-based energy projects. Plan of action The project will investigate the twinning of similar existing projects, as well as short term exchanges among researchers which will serve as important tools to strengthen collaboration and promote networking in areas of shared strategic interest. In order to provide opportunities to explore the opinions and perspectives of European and Indian scientists and R&D program managers, several stakeholder workshops, conferences and summer schools have also been planned. Finally, SAHYOG said that a strategic research agenda and an R&D roadmap will be developed in order to facilitate concerted planning of future joint Indo-European research initiatives. The project is thereby intended to help to identify opportunities for joint initiatives between the European Union and its Member States and India in the field of biomass production and bio-waste conversion through biotechnological interventions. Goals At its conclusion, the project said that it seeks to attain the following outcomes: A full inventory of biomass production (including agriculture and forestry) and biowaste availability (including wastewater sludge) and future potentials and limitations (in Europe and India) An inventory of ongoing and past research projects (upstream and downstream) with a strategy for optimal use of the on-going research A strategy toward new trends in agriculture in the EU and Indiatowards high biomass yields and qualities in a multipurpose approach (agriculture policy) A strong interaction with all kinds of stakeholders in EU and India (twinning of existing projects, stakeholder workshop and exchange visits) A road map that describes integrated biomass management towards 2050 in the Future Green Economy of Indiaand Europe (including new biomass-based trade opportunities between both sub-continents) A Strategic Research Agenda that will indicate the needs and the gaps in research that must be solved in order to implement the road map and to define the strengths and focus of the EU and Indiarespectively. 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