Driving Innovation Webinar Merlin Goldman, Graham Mobbs and Colin Miles 5 March 2012

Driving Innovation Outline BBSRC and TSB Priorities Purpose of ERANETs ERANET in Industrial Biotechnology –Background –3 rd call: scope and funding rules ERANET in Bioenergy –Background –6 th call: scope and funding rules

Driving Innovation Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy New fuels

Driving Innovation ERANETs Mechanism launched in FP 6 To increase the cooperation and coordination of research activities by developing joint activities or calls More than 1000 programme owners and managers participate in the 71 ERA-NETs

Driving Innovation ERANET in Industrial Biotechnology Launched in 2006 with a budget of €2.5m First call –10 countries participated –32 proposals received, 8 funded –9.7M Euro Second call –11 countries participated, –46 proposals received, 10 funded –11.1M Euro

Driving Innovation ERA-IB Funded Projects Bio-based production of chemical building blocks: Corynebacterium glutamicum as a platform for new and efficient bioprocesses Implementation an Enzyme Engineering Technology Platform for the provision of tailor-made enzymes for biocatalytic synthesis Enzyme Production in Optimized Streptomyces Novel enzyme tools for production of functional oleochemicals from unsaturated lipids Integrated, multi-host approach for the improved microbial production of high quality therapeutic enzymes and proteins Other examples available from newsletters on

Driving Innovation ERA-IB Third Call Rules Submissions of proposals will be in two steps through ERA-IB site: –(1) pre-proposals must be submitted by 30 April 2012, –(2) full proposals must be submitted by 31 July Projects are expected to start in early Joint projects must have a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 participants from a minimum of 3 ERA-IB partner countries. List of other funders available on

Driving Innovation ERA-IB Third Call Topics Improved enzyme systems for new and more efficient bioprocesses Improvement of microorganisms by metabolic engineering and synthetic and systems biology approaches Innovative down-stream processing Innovative fermentation and bio-catalytic processes, e.g. for platform chemicals, including bio-monomers, oligomers and polymers Biological processing (including separation and conversion) of biomass, including from side streams, and other renewable carbon sources into value added products New valuable products by plant and animal cell cultures

Driving Innovation UK Rules for ERA-IB BBSRC –Standard eligibility rules will apply ( –£3m available Technology Strategy Board –Full rules available on _connect and innovateuk.org –£1m available, €300,000 Euros per UK participant in any single project. –The maximum amount of funds a single company can apply for in the call is €300,000. –Industry partners are eligible for 50% funding of project costs.

Driving Innovation ERANET in Bioenergy Launched in 2002 with a budget of €2.8m 5 calls: small-scale combustion, gasification, short rotation coppice, clean biomass combustion, sustainable forest management, biorefinery, syngas

Driving Innovation 6 th Call Rules Submissions of proposals will be in two steps: –(1) pre-proposals must be submitted by 13 May 2012 –(2) full proposals must be submitted by 20 August 2012 Projects are expected to start in early Proposals must include partners from at least three of the countries involved in the call It is strongly recommended that one or more industrial partners are included List of other funders available on

Driving Innovation Sixth Call Topics (1) –Pre-treatment technologies for new and existing crops for biogas production, with the aim to increase biogas yields –Making use of unexploited substrates such as locally important plants, new species, agricultural residues such as straw, grass and manure, industrial organic residues, or landscaping material and other more difficult substrates for digestion –Measurement and control: for plants of all scales, but especially for small scales: cost- efficient measuring technology for small plants. –System management of injecting biogas, not fully upgraded, into the grid, and management of biogas injection and biogas in combination with other renewable energies –Cost-efficient technologies for upgrading to natural gas quality at all scales, but especially at small scale: technologies with a high cleaning capacity and minimal emissions from the upgrading process –Management of the digestate (influence of different substrates/blends, treatment, upgrading/processing, use, health and safety) and effects on economic/environmental sustainability (e.g. closing of nutrient cycles) –System analysis as accompanying research, such as environmental or economic studies (comparing different production systems in LCAs, assessing GHG emissions)

Driving Innovation Sixth Call Topics (2) Optimising existing crops and testing new alternative ones through plant breeding and through cultivation techniques with regard to: –Increased yield and biotic & abiotic stress tolerance –Increased water and nutrient efficiency –Increased energy output –Qualities adapted to the planned end use(s) of the crops Studies including e.g. economic appraisals, comparisons of production systems under different climatic conditions, or environmental aspects (e.g. biodiversity, soil protection) Breeding and cultivation of crops for cascading use of resources and increase of value adding components; use of residues (multiple products should, in the frame of this call, always include energy) Breeding of new crops, including possible species for intercropping, break/catch crops and including analysis methods for phenotyping Logistics, such as harvesting and storage technologies, transport (pre-treatment of energy feedstocks and later stages of the value chain are NOT covered by this call)

Driving Innovation UK Rules BBSRC and EPSRC –The RCUK Energy Programme is pleased to provide in principle support for the 6 th Joint Call for Research and Development Proposals of the ERA-NET Bioenergy. –Standard eligibility rules will apply: –£3m available Technology Strategy Board (to be confirmed) –Full rules available on _connect and innovateuk.org –£0.5m available, €300,000 Euros per UK participant in any single project. –The maximum amount of funds a single company can apply for in the call is €300,000. –Industry partners are eligible for 50% funding of project costs.

Driving Innovation Contacts Vicky Jackson (BBSRC for Bioenergy) Colin Miles (BBSRC, for Industrial Biotechnology) Funding organisation: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council - BBSRC Postal address: Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1UH, UK Phone: ; Neil Bateman (EPSRC) Funding organisation: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council - EPSRC Postal address: Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1ET, UK Phone: ; Merlin Goldman (TSB) Funding organisation: Technology Strategy Board - TSB Postal address: North Star House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 1UH, UK Phone: ; Graham Mobbs (TSB) Funding organisation: Technology Strategy Board - TSB Postal address: North Star House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 1UH, UK Phone: ; Ewa Bloch National Contact Point, Technology Strategy Board - TSB Phone: +44 (0) ;