Wood-Based Bioeconomy

Abstract

The wood-based bioeconomy describes the innovative use of wood as a raw material in all areas of the bioeconomy. In particular, it sees itself as a strategically familiar, but above all as an expanded, novel innovation space of a circular economy with the entire wood value chain. This ideally takes place in the form of a so-called utilisation cascade: from forestry via forestry service providers, the sawmill industry, timber construction, the pulp/paper industry, the wood-based materials industry and, increasingly, through to the chemical industry and into modern consumer and capital goods. The use cascade thus affects the entire economic cycle at its core. In contrast to the previous, scale-economically determined economic area, the bioeconomy must take into account the limited availability of resources and observe target-oriented sustainability criteria. Consequently, competing uses are to be largely avoided through intelligent, valuable use of the respective wood, residual wood and waste assortments, whereby a truly meaningful overall benefit for society appears possible. In order to implement the bioeconomy and establish it economically, there are a number of European, national and regional policy programmes, initiatives and structures aimed at research and development, the promotion of industrial implementations and the establishment of new business models. German colleges and universities are adjusting to the corresponding expansion or adaptation of courses of study.