Page 10 - Biorefinery 2030

Executive Summary

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Faisons nos affaires nous-me ˆmes .
Gustave de Bohan (1849–1928)

A Pioneering Study

This study of the Bazancourt-Pomacle biorefinery, an integrated biorefinery near
Reims, in the Champagne region of France, aims to highlight the potential of the
industrial bioeconomy to replace fossil fuel (coal, oil and natural gas) with
resources produced from more sustainable biomass (mainly agro-resources) that
perform well both economically and socially: a major challenge for the twenty-first
century.
According to a number of reports (OECD, US Presidency, European Commis-
sion), industrial bioeconomy is the most promising branch of the bioeconomy for
2030–2050: it could result in the transformation of industry via the large-scale
implementation of discoveries in natural sciences and engineering in the fields of
health, agriculture, industry and marine resources.
The Bazancourt-Pomacle biorefinery, also known as the European Biorefinery
Institute (IEB—Institut Europe ´en de la Bioraffinerie), the result of 70 years of
continuing initiatives, is the first operational integrated biorefinery with varied
industrial facilities and production, an innovation platform and the operation of a
genuine knowledge economy.
Today the Bazancourt-Pomacle site employs nearly 1200 people (permanent and
seasonal staff) and is responsible for 600 indirect jobs. It operates 24 h a day
transforming three million tonnes of different types of biomass (mainly sugar
beet and wheat, but also alfalfa) on a site of more than 160 ha.
Two world-scale agro-industrial cooperative groups are closely involved on the
site: Vivescia and Cristal Union (the owners of Cristanol, Chamtor, ARD, etc.).
Over time, their involvement has enabled nearly a billion euros of investment to be

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Let’s do it ourselves.
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