1. Towards a circular economy?

The circular economy is a concept that advocates for a model that ensures sustainability, so that products, materials and resources like water and power stay within the economy as long as possible. It also calls for limiting production of resources as much as possible.

One of the seven strategic goals set under Europe 2020 is for the continent to effectively use these resources to generate growth and employment. However, as discussed by Suren Erkman, professor in the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), “We still have a long way to go before we reach a circular economy, which is more than just recycling. And biotechnology can play a key role.”

The flexibility of processes is key in this field, as mentioned by Javier Velasco-Álvarez, CEO of Granada-based company NEOL Bio. The goal is to develop advanced biofuels (especially for planes), construction materials, biomaterials and biosurfactants, which are active substances on the surface of liquids, that can act as detergents or emulsifiers to help mix two different substances.

One of the most promising applications is the use of CO₂ as a raw material to manufacture a wide range of products, including organic carbonates (for car bodies), acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), soft drinks, decaffeinated coffee or methanol as a substitute for gasoline.

Professors Pau Ferrer and Francesc Gòdia, of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, were the scientific leaders for this session. In their opinion, industrial biotechnology has huge potential, with numerous tools that can be applied to everything from producing chemicals to immunotherapy.

“It is key to have a global view and use digital platforms because, although it isn’t yet clear if this will be an evolution or a revolution, it is clear that industrial biotechnology will play a key role in the new paradigm of the industry of the future,” they stressed.