The goal of B4EST is to increase forest survival, health, resilience and productivity under climate change and natural disturbances, while maintaining genetic diversity and key ecological functions, and fostering a competitive EU bio-based economy. B4EST will provide forest tree breeders, forest managers and owners, and policy makers with: 1) better scientific knowledge on adaptation profiles and sustainable productivity, and added value of raw materials in important European tree species for forestry, 2) new and flexible adaptive tree breeding strategies, 3) tree genotypes of highly adaptive and economical value, 4) decision-support tools for the choice and use of Forest Reproductive Material (FRM) while balancing production, resilience and genetic diversity, including case studies developed with industrial partners, 5) integrative performance models to guide FRM deployment at stand and landscape level, 6) economic analyses of risks/benefits/costs, and 6) policy recommendations. B4EST will capitalise on the resources developed by past and current EU projects to produce -together with tree breeders, forest managers and owners, and the industry- operational solutions to better adapt forests to climate change and reinforce the competitiveness of the EU forest-based sector. To cover the geographical, economic and societal needs of forestry in the EU, B4EST will work with 8 (six native, two non-native) conifers and broadleaves with advanced breeding programmes (Norway spruce, Scots pine, maritime pine, poplars, Douglas-fir, eucalypts) or that are case studies of pest-threatened forests (ash) or valuable non-wood products (stone pine). Our approach will result in a high degree of data and knowledge integration, involving multiple and new target traits and their trade-offs; genomic information; temporal and spatial assessments in a wide range of environments; stakeholder demands; and forest owner and manager risk perception and acceptability of new breeding strategies.

We will adapt, tailor, and advance the results from the Horizon 2020 project SteamBio (Grant agreement 636865). SteamBio demonstrated innovative continuous Superheated Steam processing of agro-forestry biomass into clean burning solid biofuel. This was recognised by the EU Innovation Radar as a market ready innovation with three SMEs identified as key innovators, bringing these innovations to SteamBioAfrica. Across Southern Africa invasive encroachment by bush and other woody species, aggravated by climate change, is creating environmental, social, and economic damage. We will demonstrate superheated steam processing of invasive woody biomass into clean burning biofuel and water in rural Namibia. Operating at an industrially relevant scale (250kg/hour throughput) for over one year, we will validate this biofuel with domestic and industrial customers in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa. We will prepare sustainable and inclusive business plans to justify post project investment in large scale replication that will result in economic impact, and jobs across the region. Our objectives will be to validate this superheated steam biomass processing as a viable and sustainable source of large scale, clean burning, secure and affordable energy across Southern Africa. We will confirm market acceptance and ensure that it creates greater value than the cost of harvesting and processing. Quantifying over five different market opportunities, we will create a plan for post project exploitation that will stimulate bush harvesting and reverse encroachment. This will lead to long term socio-economic and environmental benefit across the region. SteamBioAfrica will enable large scale, clean, secure, and affordable energy in Africa. It addresses multiple challenges facing Southern Africa, low carbon energy, climate change impacts and resource efficiency. It will transform these challenges into a resilient source of clean and secure energy, water, and sustainable rural economies.

Our vision is to develop a flexible and cost-effective gasification-based process for the production of pipeline-quality biomethane, high-value biochar and renewable heat from a wide variety of low-quality biomass residues and biogenic waste feedstocks. The combination of gasification process development and feedstock supply chain optimization will lead to significant cost reductions that allow lowering biomethane production costs by more than 30% compared to state-of-the-art biomass-to-SNG technologies. The target is at medium-scale conversion plants, which allows the use of local biomass residues and biogenic wastes without heavy transport logistics. The key innovative technology of FlexSNG is the flexible gasification process that can switch between two operation modes according to price signals and market demand: 1) co-production of biomethane, biochar and heat, and 2) maximised production of biomethane and heat. The produced biomethane can be readily injected into the existing gas infrastructure for distribution in the transport sector, heat/power production, industries and households. The co-produced biochar can be used to displace fossil fuels in energy production and industry or in material applications. The FlexSNG concept is based on the European partners’ advanced technologies in the field of oxygen production, gasification and gas clean-up and methanation. The innovative key enabling technologies will be developed and validated to TRL5. The Canadian partners bring their expertise in feedstock supply chain management, modelling and optimization of integrated biorefinery concepts, and the Canadian perspective into the project. FlexSNG will demonstrate the targeted 30% cost reduction in concrete case studies representing both European and Canadian conditions. The proposed activities are well in line with the goals set in the work programme for international cooperation with Canada to develop new sustainable solutions for biofuels/bioenergy production.