Vienna (OTS) – Bioeconomy Austria, a lighthouse project of the national bioeconomy strategy, can point to considerable successes at the halfway point of the project: More than 220 organisations from regions, clusters, companies, research institutions, politics and society are already part of the nationwide network for bioeconomy in Austria.
“Especially when it comes to replacing climate-damaging raw materials with sustainable ones, Austria shows its enormous innovative strength. Bioeconomy Austria ensures that this energy is bundled and channelled in the right way. Because a continuous flow of knowledge plays a decisive role in accelerating the economic transformation,” explains project manager Florian Kamleitner.
In preparation for a national bioeconomy cluster, as anchored in the government programme, Bioeconomy Austria – funded by the Austrian Forest Fund – is networking relevant actors throughout the country with an initial focus on wood as a raw material: In the east, for example, Holzcluster Steiermark has joined forces with ecoplus, Lower Austria’s business agency, to jointly reveal the potential of wood and other biogenic raw materials for the aviation industry.
Business Upper Austria is conducting a regional needs analysis of companies and is bringing Innovation Salzburg and Holzcluster Steiermark on board for this: “To identify the right measures, we need to have a precise understanding of the challenges and needs of companies and SMEs. In this context, supra-regional cooperation plays a crucial role in order to jointly support Austrian companies in maintaining their competitiveness,” says Katharina Perfahl, project manager in the Upper Austrian Cleantech Cluster of Business Upper Austria.
At the same time, further west, proHolz Tirol is looking at how best to keep the valuable material wood in use: “We need an awareness of what wood is really worth. Only in this way can we exploit the full potential of our natural resources and at the same time ensure sustainable and efficient use. Bioeconomy Austria and proHolz Tirol provide the optimal framework for exchange and progress in this regard,” emphasises Hubert Sint from the Land Tirol, Forestry Group.
“Bioeconomy Austria is an essential step towards a sustainable and climate-friendly future. Locally, supra-regionally, nationally and internationally, we bring together the best ideas to further advance the bioeconomy. This is unique in Europe,” Kamleitner concludes.