BioNETT

Bio-NETT will enable and support attitudinal change and capacity building within public sector organisations, the agricultural sector (including young farmers and rural women) and the wider supply chain. This will help them to recognise the benefits of sustainable practices around the theme of the development and use of bio-fuels.

Ultimately the project seeks to increase the supply and demand of liquid bio-fuels by creating a more integrated and cohesive market structure, linking suppliers and users through regional networking in both the urban and rural context.

To achieve this, the Bio-NETT project will:

Establish local bio-fuels networks, which will provide a structure to co-ordinate the involvement of local representatives of regional and national advisory agencies and other renewable energy organisations. The networks will facilitate the co-operation and collaboration between Local Authorities and other public sector organisations in conjunction with the farming communities. This will provide a mechanism to tailor opportunities to local circumstances and assist in the dissemination of the project.

Increase the confidence and knowledge of the use of bio-fuels by public sector organisations and within farming communities for the supply of bio-fuels products, through training and capacity building initiatives. This will:

• Inform public sector organisations prior to making key transport procurement decisions of potential benefits of sustainable nature of the supply of bio-fuels.
• Encourage public sector organisations to access support and advice schemes, thus increasing the uptake of bio-fuels use in public sector transport programmes.
• Increase the number of agricultural businesses, which develop new diversification and entrepreneurial opportunities linked to sustainable agricultural practices.

Establish supply chain thematic groups by the project partners, in order to provide a detailed assessment of the key issues that form the supply chain for bio-fuels. Four groups will be established to address potential barriers relating to:

• Agriculture
• Bio-fuels production
• Distribution and Storage
• End use in Vehicles

Develop best practice tools to support the development of efficient local bio-fuel supply network, building on the work of the project networks and the thematic groups.

Disseminate the results of the project to further transfer the developed knowledge and support the growth of regional bio-fuel supply networks across the EU. The dissemination will be done at the EC, national and local level, and will include the establishment of regional bio-fuel information centres.