Towards a Sustainable Bioeconomy: Assessing Reed Biomass Potential and Applications
Reeds are a renewable bioresource with available volumes constantly increasing accelerated by human activities. With careful planning and resource management, reedbeds can be seen as raw material reservoirs for biobased products with a high potential in many areas including energy, construction, packaging etc., while at the same time promoting their value as biological diversity hotspots. Although biomass availability and its potential are huge, currently in Latvia, reeds are used in small amounts mainly in the construction to produce roofing. The goal of the project is to thoroughly evaluate the potential of reed in Latvia’s bioeconomy by leveraging comprehensive biomass mapping, modelling and sustainability assessments. The project aims to evaluate the reed biomass availability, establish innovative applications for reed as underestimated resource, enhance scientific knowledge and provide practical guidelines for stakeholders to optimize the use of reed-based products in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner. The Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of existing and new reed biomass applications has not been previously reported, yet it is crucial to estimate the overall socio-economic and environmental impact of reed-based products. The project’s novelty lies in its comprehensive assessment using integrated approaches to evaluate the potential of reed in the bioeconomy context involving experts from various fields (RTU RTA, RTU IESE and RTU LA).
Keywords: reed, biomass, modeling, sustainability assessment, carbon footprint
PROJECT FUNDED BY:
Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFCA)
PROJECT DURATION:
1st October 2024 – 31st January 2026
PROJECT BUDGET:
147 717.00 EUR (total 200 000.00 EUR)
SCIENTIFIC LEADER OF THE PROJECT:
Baiba Ieviņa
PROJECT PARTNERS:
Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Latvia
Riga Technical University, Latvia
RTU Liepaja, Latvia
PUBLISHED:
02.10.2024.
