Partners: ACR, anci lazio, Gemeente Almere, biomass research, CETAQUA Galicia, cetenma, CSCP, CluBE, DRAXIS, Greenovate, ITENE, BIR, Lipor, PRO curement, RDA, SAV, SAVONIA, Science for Change, Stadt Münster, 2GO OUT, Ayuntmiento de Murcia
Date: 2020 – 2024
Location(s): Europe-wide
The HOOP project supported 8 lighthouse cities and regions in developing large-scale urban circular bioeconomy initiatives focused on making bio-based products from urban biowaste and wastewater. HOOP enabled these local actors to unlock bio-based investments and deploy local bio economies in Europe through a systemic and cross-cutting approach. Its Project Development Assistance contributed to building the technical, economic, financial and legal competences needed to develop concrete investments to valorise biowaste and wastewater with the aim of obtaining safe and sustainable bio-based products.
The challenge lies in the European Union’s Bioeconomy Strategy, which envisages cities emerging as significant circular bioeconomy hubs, using biowaste as a foundation for developing safe and sustainable bio-based products. However, the reality is that only a few cities and regions have actively pursued the development of circular bio-based economy strategies or undertaken projects to innovate bio-based product production. In response to this challenge, HOOP took charge to act as the catalyst by providing essential assistance, with the aim of sparking progress in this crucial sector.
Approach
Through collaborative efforts, the initiative facilitated sustainable circular bio-based economy investments, supporting the launch of innovative projects focused on valorising urban biowaste and wastewater through the production of bio-based products. In addition, the established European network – comprising 129 cities and regions – and the HOOP Urban Circular Bioeconomy Hub, which catalogues the learnings and tools developed through HOOP, will continue to serve as a platform for the exchange of best practices and lessons learned.
Impact
Through collaborative efforts, the initiative facilitated sustainable circular bio-based economy investments, supporting the launch of innovative projects focused on valorising urban biowaste and wastewater through the production of bio-based products. In addition, the established European network – comprising 129 cities and regions – and the HOOP Urban Circular Bioeconomy Hub, which catalogues the learnings and tools developed through HOOP, will continue to serve as a platform for the exchange of best practices and lessons learned.
Cities and regions have an important role to play in accelerating the transition to a circular economy. The valorisation of urban bio-waste into innovative bio-products is associated with high up-front investment costs. In the HOOP project, we tackled this challenge by developing financial tools and frameworks that facilitate the attraction of capital. We are proud to say that the Project Development Assistance (PDA), which draws from the expertise of the HOOP partners, has proven to be successful. HOOP has unlocked, to date, €124.49M in investments across its eight lighthouse cities and regions, and we are sure the ripple effect will continue as the foundations have been laid.
– Johanna Reiland, Innovation Consultant
