**5. The Spanish bioeconomy strategy**

*Elements of Bioeconomy*

will become a reality.

even to prescribe a certain decision.

and reduce the dependence on external energy.

such as ocean energy or the mineral exploitation of the seabed.

document of SCAR [17] also explored these issues.

decision of this type, if it is not modified, could inhibit the scientific development

• The areas of engineering (mechanization, automation, robotization, avionics, and artificial intelligence) will revolutionize both the work itself and, above all, the precision in the handling and application of inputs, allowing progress in arable and livestock farming in the coming years. The use of the means of production at the correct moment and in the exact quantity that is extracted by plants or used by animals improves efficiency and, at the same time, reduces the use of natural resources, the impacts on the environment, and the final waste output of the productive processes. Some of the current objectives, such as reducing the use of fertilizers, phytosanitary products, or antimicrobials,

• The application of information and communication technologies in agri-food production processes will facilitate precision in the use of inputs. Decision support tools will be developed based on the capture and storage of data, or images, for both the productive systems and external ones. The sensors and cameras placed in/on plants, animals, buildings, production chains, vehicles, drones, or satellites will continuously inform about the real productive situation. The processing of this information, and its combination with other external information from consumers or markets, will allow us to leave behind the descriptive analysis of the events that have happened, and instead to predict what may happen and

The aforementioned technological development is fully applicable to the sector of the production and transformation of forest resources. In Spain, there is a tendency to consider that the exploitation of forest resources entails a loss of natural capital and associated environmental services. This vision of the conservation of the environment has manifested itself in the preparation of the Spanish Bioeconomy Strategy [21]. As a result of this, the Juntos por los bosques initiative has arisen [22] that tries to install in Spanish society the concept that where there is forest management with sustainability criteria, the biomass, and therefore the sequestration of carbon, increases, thereby maintaining an economic activity and the preservation of the forests. This group defends the use of forest-based biomass as a unique opportunity to reduce the fire risk, create jobs, mitigate climate change,

Spain has almost 6000 km of coasts. If we leave tourism aside, the traditional use of the marine environment has focused on the extractive fishing industry. Aquaculture has developed slowly, and the extraction of algae for different purposes (to obtain active ingredients, animal feed, or human food) is incipient. The Blue Growth initiative [6, 23] identified other opportunities linked to marine biotechnology (understood as the exploration and exploitation of marine organisms in order to create new products), as well as other areas far from the bioeconomy

Paredes [24] grouped biomass conversion technologies into: biological (based on techniques of anaerobic digestion, fermentation, and enzymatic hydrolysis), mechanical (such as densification, extraction, and pressing), chemical (transesterification), and thermochemical (carbonization, combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis). However, this author pointed out that the main technological pathways for biomass research include: combustion, gasification, cogeneration, pyrolysis, transesterification, fermentation-hydrolysis, and anaerobic digestion. The foresight

in Europe in the coming years, making it difficult to advance in this field.

**148**

In 2014, the process of drafting the Spanish Bioeconomy Strategy began. It ended at the end of 2015, the strategy becoming public in early 2016. The essential milestones of this process, as it has been reported [1], were the following:


The definition of bioeconomy included in the document appears in the introduction to this chapter, as do its objectives. It is important to refer to some specificities of this strategy, which were widely discussed throughout the elaboration process, such as the scope, the bases, the particularities of Spain, and the essential elements.

The scope of the strategy is included in the definition: agri-food, forest production and marine resources, residual biomass, and bioproducts. The importance given to each of these areas is proportional to the specific weight that each currently has in the Spanish economy, with the proviso that the transformation of biomass into bioproducts and bioenergy should be an important objective since it was a field of activity that was still under development. From certain points of view, it was considered that agri-food should be excluded from both the concept and the scope, in the same way as in other European strategies that were being worked on. Subsequently, the same decision was made in some of the Spanish regional strategies. However, the agreement that it was necessary to address the production and transformation of all biological resources in an integral manner, from a rural and coastal development perspective, led to its integration.

The basis of this integration determined that foods were considered first, using productive methods based on efficiency and sustainability. Therefore, from the very beginning, the need to prioritize the use of agricultural and marine resources to provide food was considered, suggesting that the raw material for biorefineries should be the residual biomass of the agricultural industries. It was understood that the use of natural and biological resources is an economic decision of their owners. However, it was considered also that, as a principle, priority should be given to the alimentary use of agricultural products, as against the current European policy that promotes first-generation biofuels. Today, this policy has been changed, as a consequence of public opinion.

Another founding principle was the requirement to give efficiency and sustainability—economic, social, and environmental—the same level of importance. There were two reasons for this: the first was related to the social perception in Europe of the bioeconomy, meaning that the European strategy had been launched thinking especially about the efficiency of the use of biological resources. This had provoked a reaction of rejection in certain groups that believed that behind the strategy, there was an interest in depleting forest resources. The second was the assurance that the future

of the agri-food and forestry sector would be based on the guarantee of both its viability in a globalized market and the maintenance and recovery of the natural capital that sustains it, due to the use of more efficient and sustainable production processes.

The triangle of science, economy, and society must be present throughout the process of creating the bioeconomy, and it has been demonstrated that the basis for the development of the bioeconomy is the availability of technologies. The emergence of new technologies is only possible if it is supported by new scientific knowledge of the existing environment. The generation of basic knowledge comes from different areas, such as fundamental biology, genomics, biotechnology, ecology, physics, chemistry, physics, nanotechnology, transformation technologies, biochemistry, and thermochemistry, as well as information and communication, without forgetting the social sciences associated with the social economy and its organization. This knowledge should be aimed at solving specific problems of the different processes or areas. For this reason, it is necessary to invest in research that is both cutting-edge and oriented to face the challenges that, progressively, arise in our society, thereby achieving technological development.

In our opinion, society must be aware of the bioeconomy, its justification, its challenges, its objectives and interests, and the tools to make it possible. Only in this way will it be possible for the population to support public financing of research activities, accept the extension of knowledge in certain controversial areas, and have a broader vision when voicing its opinion in relation to the derived technologies, such as gene editing or genetic modification. In addition, when new bioproducts reach the market, competing with those derived from fossil resources, the members of the public will be able to make sound purchasing decisions based on their knowledge. For these reasons, from the first moment, we have had representatives of consumers, NGOs, and other collectives in our working groups.

The last component of the bioeconomy is the companies capable of interpreting the current and potential demand for these new products and of integrating emerging technologies in a productive process, obtaining an economic benefit. Basically, this refers to innovative companies, which require these technologies that are controversial or, at least, different from the conventional ones present in the market. The source of knowledge for these activities is in research centers and consortiums, where new information or processes can be produced to remove old limitations or make previous transformations more efficient. These entities must be in a close relationship with research projects, technological platforms, and places where scientific results are presented, and they must participate in projects aimed at the assimilation of knowledge. In short, they have to maintain a close collaboration with research as the only possible way to innovate in a pioneering way in these areas.

Spain has a great diversity of agro-climatic areas, but in 80% of its territory, the availability of water is limited. Here, the water supply is a primary constraint on agricultural yields and, therefore, on the production of resources of biological origin or on the processes that require a large input of water.

The approaches of the Spanish Bioeconomy Strategy are aimed at promoting the development of the bioeconomy through the following routes:

• Public and private research and the investment of companies in innovation in the areas of the bioeconomy. Here, one can highlight the promotion and facilitation of multidisciplinary alliances between researchers and companies that can participate in all calls for the funding of projects, from European to national or regional levels. Another aim is to publicize the European models of publicprivate collaboration for the development of the bioeconomy, the search for financing of pilot-scale installations (both public and private), and the interaction between technology platforms and campuses of excellence.

**151**

*The Bioeconomy: An Opportunity for the Spanish Economy*

group of stakeholders focused on this discipline.

• The reinforcement of the social, political, and administrative environment of the bioeconomy, based on the creation of an observatory, the launching of a program of dissemination and social dialog, and the generation and training of a

• The improvement of competitiveness and the development of the bioeconomy market, which could be achieved by developing the concept of sustainability (by means of precise indicators), identification of the limitations for its development (both technical and legal or administrative), the identification and promotion of new chains of value, or the standardization and certification of

• The development of the demand for new products, through the identification of new products and the difficulties for their entry into the market, the development of innovative public sale campaigns applied to bioproducts, and

• Support for the expansion of the bioeconomy through the collection and

activities described in the five strategic areas. The promoter of this plan is the

connections can be made with international projects.

develop the latter in the field of biological resources.

ficient credibility to address the process.

presentation of success stories and cooperation and collaboration among stakeholders, so that specific strategies can be implemented at the regional level and

The strategy is promoted through annual action plans focused on developing the

Observatory of the Spanish Bioeconomy Strategy, which we will describe in a specific

• The bioeconomy has been included, in a comprehensive fashion, among the Spanish research and innovation objectives, within the framework of the revision of the State R & D Plan for the period 2017–2020. It is considered globally, integrating all the economic and social challenges associated with the agri-food, marine, and maritime sector and bioproducts, clearly establishing that the bioeconomy is a tool to advance towards the circular economy. In this context, the EU is moving in the same direction, in research and innovation, both in its work package within H2020 and in the ideas that are emerging for the 9th research program. In addition, the connection and interaction between the bioeconomy and the circular economy are considered, considering the former as a tool to

• A project has been carried out to determine the social perception of the

bioeconomy in Spain, based on discussions with 20 focus groups, throughout the country, representing different age groups, professions, and levels of study. Particular emphasis was placed on knowing the opinion of the people active in social networks and environmental NGOs. The conclusions were varied; among them, one can highlight the scarce knowledge of what underpins the bioeconomy, the interest it provokes for the sectors linked to the production of biological resources, the doubts that its implementation raises in certain groups actively involved in the defense of the environment, and the need to improve information and communication, identifying the administrations related to science, technology, agriculture and food as the only ones that will have suf-

In the first 3 years of operation of the strategy, progress has been made in differ-

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.84917*

new bioproducts.

ent areas, as discussed below:

section.

the labeling of such products.

*Elements of Bioeconomy*

ing technological development.

of the agri-food and forestry sector would be based on the guarantee of both its viability in a globalized market and the maintenance and recovery of the natural capital that sustains it, due to the use of more efficient and sustainable production processes. The triangle of science, economy, and society must be present throughout the process of creating the bioeconomy, and it has been demonstrated that the basis for the development of the bioeconomy is the availability of technologies. The emergence of new technologies is only possible if it is supported by new scientific knowledge of the existing environment. The generation of basic knowledge comes from different areas, such as fundamental biology, genomics, biotechnology, ecology, physics, chemistry, physics, nanotechnology, transformation technologies, biochemistry, and thermochemistry, as well as information and communication, without forgetting the social sciences associated with the social economy and its organization. This knowledge should be aimed at solving specific problems of the different processes or areas. For this reason, it is necessary to invest in research that is both cutting-edge and oriented to face the challenges that, progressively, arise in our society, thereby achiev-

In our opinion, society must be aware of the bioeconomy, its justification, its challenges, its objectives and interests, and the tools to make it possible. Only in this way will it be possible for the population to support public financing of research activities, accept the extension of knowledge in certain controversial areas, and have a broader vision when voicing its opinion in relation to the derived technologies, such as gene editing or genetic modification. In addition, when new bioproducts reach the market, competing with those derived from fossil resources, the members of the public will be able to make sound purchasing decisions based on their knowledge. For these reasons, from the first moment, we have had representa-

The last component of the bioeconomy is the companies capable of interpreting the current and potential demand for these new products and of integrating emerging technologies in a productive process, obtaining an economic benefit. Basically, this refers to innovative companies, which require these technologies that are

controversial or, at least, different from the conventional ones present in the market. The source of knowledge for these activities is in research centers and consortiums, where new information or processes can be produced to remove old limitations or make previous transformations more efficient. These entities must be in a close relationship with research projects, technological platforms, and places where scientific results are presented, and they must participate in projects aimed at the assimilation of knowledge. In short, they have to maintain a close collaboration with research as

Spain has a great diversity of agro-climatic areas, but in 80% of its territory, the availability of water is limited. Here, the water supply is a primary constraint on agricultural yields and, therefore, on the production of resources of biological

The approaches of the Spanish Bioeconomy Strategy are aimed at promoting the

• Public and private research and the investment of companies in innovation in the areas of the bioeconomy. Here, one can highlight the promotion and facilitation of multidisciplinary alliances between researchers and companies that can participate in all calls for the funding of projects, from European to national or regional levels. Another aim is to publicize the European models of publicprivate collaboration for the development of the bioeconomy, the search for financing of pilot-scale installations (both public and private), and the interac-

tion between technology platforms and campuses of excellence.

tives of consumers, NGOs, and other collectives in our working groups.

the only possible way to innovate in a pioneering way in these areas.

origin or on the processes that require a large input of water.

development of the bioeconomy through the following routes:

**150**


The strategy is promoted through annual action plans focused on developing the activities described in the five strategic areas. The promoter of this plan is the Observatory of the Spanish Bioeconomy Strategy, which we will describe in a specific section.

In the first 3 years of operation of the strategy, progress has been made in different areas, as discussed below:


In 2018, work began to develop a Circular Economy Strategy in Spain. Since its implementation, the Bioeconomy Strategy has been present as such. The activities of the observatory, with its annual action plans, have become one of the measures of the Circular Economy Strategy itself, which shows the complementarity between the two strategies with regard to promotion of economic development and sustainability.
