Research

Enabling Actions

Knowledge to Real-World Impact

Empowering the Circular Bioeconomy

Translating Knowledge into Practical Action

The Enabling Actions pillar ensures all challenges have access to critical services and expertise. Each challenge is supported with frameworks, tools, and guidance to integrate life cycle thinking, public engagement, training, and scale-up of bioeconomy innovations.

Economic, Social & Policy Aspects

Expand

This challenge explores how knowledge, innovation, and policy can support a sustainable circular bioeconomy in Ireland. Researchers are developing frameworks to translate research into practical strategies that benefit businesses, communities, and the environment.

Key Research Areas

Develop sustainable bioeconomy value chains and business models.
Support governance, policy coherence, and stakeholder engagement.
Assess economic, social, and environmental impacts of new technologies.

Education & Public Engagement

Expand

This challenge focuses on engaging citizens and communities in bioeconomy research. Researchers develop frameworks, tools, and strategies to embed participatory approaches, including co-design, citizen science, and cultural narratives, especially in rural areas.

Key Research Areas

Develop blueprints for citizen engagement.
Connect rural communities to the bioeconomy.
Promote co-design and living labs.

Green Chemistry for the Bioeconomy

Expand

This challenge aims to enable Irish and international industries to replace fossil-derived and waste-intensive processes with scalable green chemistry solutions, guided by the principles of green chemistry

Key Research Areas

Continuous flow chemistry and modular reactor design.
Catalysis, biocatalysis and microbial biotechnology.
Polymer design for biodegradability and circularity.

Sustainability Assessment

Expand

This challenge ensures all bioeconomy research incorporates life cycle thinking. Researchers provide expertise to quantify environmental and social impacts, share learning across challenges, and integrate consistent data and methods.

Key Research Areas

Coordinate sustainability assessment activities across challenges.
Capture social and environmental impacts.
Upscale sustainability assessment methods across the centre.

Developing Future Leaders

Expand

Scaling the Bioeconomy

Expand

Energy drives every stage of the bioeconomy. This challenge ensures that bio-based systems use renewable, carbon-neutral power and that energy is managed efficiently across all sectors.

Key Research Areas

Create fossil-free energy systems for the bioeconomy
Integrate renewable energy forecasting and flexible technologies
Develop carbon-negative fuels and energy recovery methods

Gain a competitive edge

BiOrbic is inviting expressions of interest from researchers and businesses to co-develop innovative bioeconomy solutions across Ireland’s agri-food, forestry, marine and biotechnology sectors.

MORE INFORMATION

Active Projects from

Across This Area of Research

Ensuring a just, inclusive, and fair transition to a climate neutral circular bioeconomy

Understand new opportunities for entrepreneurship, jobs, and opportunities for innovative and inclusive business models and supply chains in the circular bioeconomy.
Dairy Farming and Sustainability: Perceptions of what farming was, is and will be through the eyes of producers and consumers

With a global, EU and national focus on sustainability, this PhD investigates how perceptions of dairy farming – past, present and future – shape and…
Exploring Social Acceptance of the Bioeconomy: A Case Study of the South-West Region of Ireland

The overarching aim of this research is to gain insight into the acceptance of bioeconomy regarding land use and facility siting in the South-West region…
Agrowise

Agrowise Guidelines for farm-specific or crop-specific rules for mitigating pesticides impacts while ensuring sustainable agriculture
ROSETTA

Reducing food waste due to marketing standards through alternative market access
ComMEATted

Committed to the responsible development of meat replacement products and practices

Integrating Irish language and knowledge into the bioeconomy

A central aspect of our work is the exploration of the intersection between language, heritage, culture, and bioeconomy, encapsulated in our BioCultúr project.
Empowering BiOrbic researchers with frameworks and tools to engage with the civic society at large

To empower BiOrbic researchers with frameworks and tools to engage citizens in the research they are carrying on. The activities will focus on embedding bottom-up…
Negotiating a cultural narrative for the development of the bioeconomy with rural communities in Ireland (BioCultúr)

Build on a cultural narrative to implement a programme that will enhance rural awareness & knowledge of the bioeconomy and connect isolated, rural communities with…
BLUEPRINT

Building Living Urban Ecosystems through Participatory Renovation and Innovation Tools
TenConnecT

Innovative ways to maximize the intra-regional benefits of TEN-T corridors
C-NEWTRAL

smart CompreheNsive training to mainstrEam neW approaches for climaTe-neutRal cities through citizen engAgement and decision-making support for innovative governance and integrated pLanning

Bioinspired catalysis for CO2 copolymerization

Synthesis of CO2 based biodegradable polymers using novel catalyst systems and enhancing the properties of polymers by developing nanocomposites and blends.
Porous 2D nano-photoreactive materials for carbon dioxide capture and photochemical conversion

For sustainable large-scale utilization of CO2, the commodity products of CO2 conversion processes should be economically viable and in high demand. However, there are a…

PROSPLIGN

Prospecting natural lignin biodiversity towards unlocking value-added bioactive motives and molecules

National Biorefinery Pilot Plant

Ireland’s first dedicated open-access and integrated bio-based product and process scale-up facility.
ReBioCycle

A new European blueprint for circular bioplastics upcycling solutions

Explore more research ->

Impact

Why This Research Matters

Maximise Research Potential

A strong enabling framework accelerates the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. Our work empowers researchers, connects communities, and supports industry, creating knowledge that translates into real-world impact.

Maximise Research Potential

Equip researchers with tools, training, and frameworks to deliver ambitious projects.

Engage Communities

Connect citizens to the bioeconomy, incorporating culture, and heritage.

Scale Innovation

Help novel technologies grow from lab to market efficiently and sustainably.

Integrate Life Cycle Thinking

Ensure all projects account for environmental and social impacts.

Goals

Aligned with BiOrbic Targets

Translating BiObric's Knowledge

This pillar supports translation of knowledge into practical solutions, enabling industry collaboration, scaling bioeconomy technologies, and fostering open science, inclusive participation, and the next generation of bioeconomy leaders.

Translation of knowledge generated within BiOrbic into practice to support a transition to a climate neutral circular bioeconomy

Education & Public Engagement
Demo farms
Scale up of technology
Collaboration with industry
License technology to industry
Policy development

Enabling Actions

Knowledge to Real-World Impact

On this page

Empowering the Circular Bioeconomy

Translating Knowledge into Practical Action

Economic, Social & Policy Aspects

Expand

Education & Public Engagement

Expand

Green Chemistry for the Bioeconomy

Expand

Sustainability Assessment

Expand

Developing Future Leaders

Expand

Scaling the Bioeconomy

Expand

Gain a competitive edge

Active Projects from

Across This Area of Research

Why This Research Matters

Maximise Research Potential

Maximise Research Potential

Engage Communities

Scale Innovation

Integrate Life Cycle Thinking

Aligned with BiOrbic Targets

Translating BiObric's Knowledge

Translation of knowledge generated within BiOrbic into practice to support a transition to a climate neutral circular bioeconomy