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The bioeconomy provides tremendous potential for high-value products like pharmaceuticals, food and feed additives, and biopolymers. The potential for developing bioeconomy is limited to low-value applications such as bulk chemicals, bioenergy, and biofuels. The economic, environmental, and social benefits of a successful transition facilitated by market innovations must be primarily promoted by businesses, government agencies, and consumers. One of the most critical considerations in promoting bioeconomy is evaluating the market potential of biopolymer packaging materials. Leveraging the GE-McKinsey Nine-Box Matrix, a decision-making process was developed to assess the market attractiveness and competitive advantage of the four biopolymer packaging materials in the EU market: cellulose, PHA, PLA, and starch. The approach incorporates novel elements for competitive advantage, such as product sustainability, to deliver value-added benefits that render a product competitive in the market. The research findings indicate that the packaging material made of PLA biopolymer has the most marketing potential. The methodology for selecting biopolymer packaging materials and advancing the bioeconomy through agricultural waste valorization is well-suited for decision-makers.

The transition from a fossil fuel-based energy system to renewable energy sources has become a crucial consideration in both national-scale planning processes and local-scale energy system planning. Research has been conducted to seek technical solutions for a specific district of a university campus located on the peninsula of Riga to implement a smart energy system with multiple energy sources, storage systems, and energy efficiency measures. The solutions for the transformation toward a positive energy district include power generation by building integrated solar panels with different power storage alternatives, such as thermal storage, batteries, hydrogen, and fuel cells. The simulation also evaluates the potential for heat recovery and waste heat integration from the data centre and cooling systems to cover the heat demand. The interlinkage with energy efficiency improvements through improved building management systems provides an opportunity to increase RES utilization rates and improve overall energy efficiency. To provide a holistic overview of the future development of the urban area, the research also compares the connection to the district heating network. Results show that the analysed district can achieve up to 80% of the RES self-consumption level as cost-optimal solutions by combining off-site wind turbine, solar PV panels, water source heat pumps, waste heat recovery and adjusted power storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands can become valuable resources and greenhouse gas sinks through the use of different management practices. Peatlands provide carbon sequestration; however, they are also among the greatest greenhouse gas emissions sources. The estimated annual carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from peat worldwide are 220 million tons. Novel strategies, methods, and technologies must be developed to enhance the sustainable use of peatlands and achieve climate targets by 2050, as set forth by the European Commission. There is no consensus in the scientific literature on which strategies included in the policy documents are more fruitful for reducing emissions. There are uncertainties and knowledge gaps in the literature that summarise the cons and benefits of each strategy regarding the potential of GHG emission reduction. Currently, peat is undervalued as a resource in the bioeconomy and innovation—a way that could save costs in peatland management. This review paper aims to analyse existing and potential strategies to minimise greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands. Studies show significant debates in the literature on whether the rewetting of peatlands and afforestation of previously drained peatlands can be defined as restoration. A more effective management of peatland restoration should involve combining restoration methods. The rewetting of peatlands should be realised in combination with top-soil removal to minimise methane emissions. The rewetting of peatlands should be used only in combination with revegetation after rewetting. One of the promising solutions for methane emission reduction could be paludiculture using sphagnum species. Products from paludiculture biomass can reduce GHG emissions and store long-term emissions in products. Paludiculture can also be the solution for further income for landowners and innovative products using the biomass of harvested paludiculture plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]