Key documents and publications


Biotechnology for clean industrial products and processes.
This report made by the OECD in 1998 illustrates how modern process biotechnology is penetrating industrial operations, and highlights its environmental and economic advantages over other technologies. The report identifies technical and other bottlenecks, but also emphasizes that industry and governments must act together to address the challenges of industrial sustainability.
To see the full report: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/45/27/1895218.pdf

The application of biotechnology to industrial sustainability.
An OECD report, reporting environmental and economic benefits from 21 case studies drawn from a range of industries and OECD countries (October 2001).
This can be accessed via this link: http://www1.oecd.org/publications/e-book/9301061E.PDF

White Biotech: a gateway to a more sustainable future.
An EuropaBio study from 2003. Using bioprocesses, known as White Biotechnology, to produce antibiotics, vitamins, detergents, bio-plastics and new textile fibres decreases the environmental footprint while in a number of cases also creates economic.
To read the report: http://www.europabio.org/documents/100403/Innenseiten_final_screen.pdf

Industrial or White Biotechnology – A driver of sustainable growth in Europe (2005).
Working document from EuropaBio and ESAB to be used as input for the Industrial Biotechnology section of the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry
http://www.europabio.org/TPWhite/06corr.pdf

White biotechnology:  An opportunity for Germany (2004)
A position paper released by DECHEMA (German Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology) is a non-profit making scientific and technical society based in Frankfurt on Main shows how white biotechnologies can offer environmental solutions and economic opportunities for Germany. DECHEMA was founded in 1926 and has over 5000 private and institutional members. The association promotes research and technical advances in the areas of chemical engineering, biotechnology and environmental protection.
(Position paper) (PDF German only)

Industrial biotechnology: Delivering sustainability and competitiveness (2004)
A draft report by the UK Industrial Biotechnology Task Force says industrial biotechnology has the potential to play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gases and the use of fossil fuels and raw materials, leading to greener and more competitive industries and new added-value products. The report was supported by BIO-WISE a major UK Government Programme funded by the DTI. (Report)

Industrial biotechnology and sustainable chemistry (2004)
The report of the Royal Belgian Academy Council of Applied Science (BACAS) shows how biological production processes (white biotechnology) can create sustainable products and that white biotechnology is becoming a main contributor to green chemistry, where renewable resources such as sugars or vegetable oils are converted into a wide variety of fine and bulk chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biocolorants, solvents, bioplastics, vitamins, food additives, biopesticides, enzymes and biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel. (Link)

Article
Sea of dreams: Genetically modified microbes will lead to a revolution in industrial biotechnology; Economist; 29th April 2004 (Link) 

Biobased Industrial Products, Priorities for Research and Commercialization, 2000,
US National Academy of Sciences [info]

Top value added chemicals from Biomass - Volume I - Results of screening for potential candidates from sugars andsynthesis gas [info]

Biomass as feedstock for a bioenergy and bioproducts industry: The technical feasibility of a billion-ton annual supply. [info]

Roadmap for Biomass Technologies in the United States [info]

The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS)
The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) is one of the seven scientific institutes of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). Selection of studies:

The Introduction of Process-integrated Biocatalysts in Companies -
Effect of Dynamics in Internal and External Networks [info]

Biofuel potentials in the EU [info]

Biofuel Production Potential of EU-Candidate Countries - Final Report [info]

The Introduction of Alternative Fuels in the European Transport Sector:
Techno-economic Barriers and Perspectives. Extended Summary for policy makers. [info]

Promoting Environmental Technologies: Sectoral Analyses, Barriers and Measures.
(A report from the Sustainable Production and Consumption Issue Group
as a contribution to the Environmental Technologies Action Plan) [info]

Assessing the environmental potential of clean material technologies [info]
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The Assessment of Future Environmental and Economic
Impacts of Process-Integrated Biocatalysts [info]
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Clean Technologies [info]