National NonFood Crops Centre

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National Non-Food Crops Centre

• The Role of the
• National Non-Food Crops Centre
• within the Regions
• Richard Safford
• Regional Delivery Officer
• 21 September 2006

NNFCC Biocentre York Science Park York YO10
5DG Tel [phone] enquiries_at_nnfcc.co.uk ht
tp//www.nnfcc.co.uk
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NNFCC Remit

• The single, independent source of information
• on the use and implementation of non-food
• crop products and technologies in the UK
• Aims
• Help turn ideas into products and supply chains
• To increase knowledge and understanding
• Initiate and facilitate technology uptake
• Help deliver Government's objectives for
  sustainable development.

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Funding

• Government
• Defra core funding and project funding
• DTI funding via Bioscience for Business KTN
• Industrial sponsorship / subscription
• Sponsors (British Sugar, Frontier, HGCA, NFU,
  Springdale, Syngenta)
• Company subscription
• Individual subscription
• Project management / consultancy
• Events

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Services

• Technology Transfer - address opportunities and
  barriers in supply chains
• Thematic working groups- connecting supply chains
  
• Provision of independent advice
• Raising awareness
• Database of information (www.nnfcc.co.uk)
• Conferences, Exhibitions and Seminars
• Project studies / Consultancy
• Monitoring delivery of Government RD

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UK Drivers for Change

• Why grow Non-food crops?
• Promote sustainable development renewable
  materials for industry and energy
• New income streams, capture increased value
• Emerging demand bio-fuels, green products
• Reduction in GHG (Government targets - Kyoto) -
  positive environmental impact enhancing
  biodiversity
• Diversification spin-offs
• CAP reform
• Government commitment to sustainability,
  environmental responsibility and renewable inputs
  can assist in the development of future
  industrial strategy
• DTI /Defra Strategy for NFC launched Nov 2004

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Legislative Background

• Renewables Obligation
• Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation
• Climate Change Levy
• Waste Regulations
• Landfill Directive
• Packaging Directive
• Waste Incineration Directive
• Sector specific standards (e.g. Biopolymers)

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Renewable feedstocks

• Energy Fuel
• SRC, miscanthus, oilseed rape, wheat
• Oil crops
• Oilseed rape, crambe, linseed, calendula
• Fuels, lubricants, polymers, resins
• Fibre crops
• Hemp, flax, nettle, miscanthus
• Building and insulation materials, car composites
• Carbohydrate crops
• Wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beet, maize
• Fuels, chemicals, polymers, packaging, adhesives
• Speciality
• Borage, echium, chamomile, peppermint, poppy, etc
• Pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutraceuticals

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UK Non-Food Crops
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NNFCC Core Product Areas

• Bio-polymers
• Polymeric material major component of UK landfill
  
• Currently 0.1 EU packaging based on biopolymers
• Starch and oil-based crops used to make
  wrappings, packaging, plastics and resins for
  bio-composites
• Currently niche markets, but opportunities to
  expand
• TWG
• Bio-lubricants
• Oil crop products performance and environmental
  benefits
• Metal working fluids, hydraulics, engine coolants
• Slip agents, concrete release agents
• Potential spin off into vegetable oil-derived
  printing inks
• Legislation to encourage uptake of
  bio-lubricants-Eco label
• TWG

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NNFCC Core Product Areas

• Construction
• Large market to develop crop-derived products
• Hemp-lime as component in large construction
  projects
• Composites
• vegetable oil feedstocks for thermoset
  replacement
• natural fibres from hemp, flax and wool for
  replacement of glass fibre reinforcements
• Plant-derived pharmaceuticals
• Low volume, high value product markets
• Single compound pharmaceuticals, e.g., taxol,
  etoposide
• Whole plant extracts, e.g. cannabinoids for MS
• Therapeutic proteins, e.g. antibodies against HIV
• UK - world class science base home to major
  pharmaceutical companies
• UK agriculture is world leader in traceability
  critical for crops used in pharmaceutical
  applications
• TWG

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NNFCC Core Product Areas

• Fuel and Energy
• Enormous potential for UK production of biofuels
  and early signs of take-off from a very low base
• Will require highly integrated efficient
  complexes, multiproduct, gt100KT capacity
• Land availability food supply constraints (2010
  RTFO commitment will need around 2 Mt biofuel
  ca.1.3-1.5MHa wheat and OSR)
• Economic potential for miscanthus and annual
  crops inc by-products as feedstocks to fulfill
  the RO
• Needs firmer government committment on mandatory
  energy crop inclusion
• Biorefineries utilisation of whole crop,
  analogous to oil refinery
• Biorefinery TWG

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Biorefinery Concept
Ethanol Hydrogen Chemicals Platform Chemicals

• Whole crop utilisation
• Diverse products/markets
• Analogy with oil refinery
• Differences
• Diverse feedstock
• Diverse processing Biochemical Chemical
• Economies of scale (large market driver)

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Biomass to Chemicals/Fuels

• Thermochemical gasification (syngas)
  pyrolysis (bio-oil)
• Chemical
• Biological fermentation

Fuels Chemicals
Anaerobic Digestion
Methane
Fermentation
Fuels Chemicals
sugars
Hydrolysis
Biomass
lignin
Heat Chemicals
Pyrolysis
Bio-oil
Refining
Fuels Chemicals
Gasification
Syngas
Fuels
Catalysis
Chemicals
Heat
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Biomass Energy

• Biomass Task Force / Government response
• Biomass recognised as important contributor to
  renewable energy, particularly for heat
• Government support for energy crops under 2007
  RDP - TF estimate 1MHa. land available 8Mt
  energy crops
• Government leadership through public procurement
• Use planning system (PPS 22) to stimulate
  renewables development (minimum percentage RE)
• Government to work with RDAs to ensure effective,
  co-ordinated mechanisms for delivery of policy
  and advice

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Regional Issues

• Government to work with RDAs in setting regional
  carbon targets
• Several regions have set up energy agencies with
  clear biofuels / biomass remits (BEWM, RegenSW)
• NNFCC focus on working with RDAs each region
  will need a different delivery structure for
  their individual needs and resources, but there
  will be shared problems
• Engagement of all renewables groups woodland,
  agriculture, and users

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The regional delivery officer

• RDO to assist regional delivery of non-food crop
  policies
• Start dialogue and communication between and
  within regions
• utilise mechanisms currently in place
• To identify and share best practice and learn
  from mistakes across the regions
• provide case studies via NNFCC
• To help regions understand longer term government
  strategy/policy 
• Initiate road maps for each region

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Key considerations road maps

• Market options / research
• Outlets / demand
• Current cropping system
• Capital investment
• Incentives / support
• Collaboration (increase productivity / reduce
  risk)
• Financial returns
• Skills / expertise
• Labour requirements / availability

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Summary

• NFCs are major industrial raw material -
  technology not the main issue, but need to
  develop markets
• Barriers to commercialisation
• Need for commercial scale pilot plant to
  demonstrate product performance, process
  viability and market acceptance
• Robust feedstock supply at full commercial scale
• Need to restructure regulatory framework to
  address benefit renewables have on waste
  management and climate change
• Need for government to incentivise UK industry to
  adopt renewables as mainstream raw materials
• Cannot rely on market forces as this tends to
  promote the cheapest and most accessible
  materials

www.specialchem4polymers.com
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Thank You
www.specialchem4polymers.com
www.nnfcc.co.uk