Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HOOP (HUB OF CIRCULAR CITIES BOOSTING PLATFORM TO FOSTER INVESTMENTS FOR THE VALORISATION OF URBAN BIOWASTE AND WASTEWATER)
Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2023-09-30
Each European generates around 200 kg of urban biowaste per year, making biowaste one of the most important environmental issues. Urban circular bioeconomy (UCBE) approaches offer innovative solutions using biowaste/wastewater as resources for the production of high added-value bioproducts. However, their implementation on industrial scale faces significant barriers, not only technical, but also economical, legal and administrative, among others. The HOOP project offers project development assistance (PDA) and tools to overcome these barriers in 8 cities and regions of Europe, known as the HOOP Lighthouses (LH): Albano Laziale (IT), Almere (NL), Bergen Region (NO), Greater Porto Region (PT), Kuopio (FI), Münster (DE), Murcia (ES), and Western Macedonia (GR). This PDA is provided by a multidisciplinary team of 14 technical partners with the aim to unlock bio-based investment and deploy local circular bioeconomies. The Consortium is composed of 22 partners from 9 European countries. HOOP continues the work of the Horizon 2020 projects VALUEWASTE, SCALIBUR and WaysTUP!
The PDA consists of technical and environmental studies, business models, financial engineering, assistance to launch innovative public procurement and stakeholder engagement. It results in financial and non-financial leverage, paving the way for an effective transition to a circular bioeconomy.
The experiences and best practices from the LHs follow a replicability strategy through the Urban Circular Bioeconomy Hub (hoop-hub.eu) a web-based platform. The Hub makes accessible resources about urban circular bioeconomy to its users: the Virtual Academy compiles resources about UCBE (existing and original); the HOOP Network of Cities and Regions offers a framework for discussion, exchange of experiences and knowledge about UCBE among cities and regions around Europe; and other sections of the platform provide self-assessment tools to evaluate the circularity of a territory or a project, as well as the possibility to request assistance from the HOOP technical partners.
The PDA consists of technical and environmental studies, business models, financial engineering, assistance to launch innovative public procurement and stakeholder engagement. It results in financial and non-financial leverage, paving the way for an effective transition to a circular bioeconomy.
The experiences and best practices from the LHs follow a replicability strategy through the Urban Circular Bioeconomy Hub (hoop-hub.eu) a web-based platform. The Hub makes accessible resources about urban circular bioeconomy to its users: the Virtual Academy compiles resources about UCBE (existing and original); the HOOP Network of Cities and Regions offers a framework for discussion, exchange of experiences and knowledge about UCBE among cities and regions around Europe; and other sections of the platform provide self-assessment tools to evaluate the circularity of a territory or a project, as well as the possibility to request assistance from the HOOP technical partners.
To allow the 14 technical partners to provide the PDA, it is essential to get an in-depth knowing of each LH’s situation. This request of information takes place through the Local HOOP Committees - the PDA management bodies, formed by technical partners and representatives from the LHs, which support data collection, and presentation of the results and discussion about the UCBE projects in the LHs. During the second reporting period (RP2), the UCBE projects have become the core of the action, making the scope of the Local HOOP Committees project-specific.
The circular bio-based economy context for the eight LHs (urban metabolism analysis and baseline studies) is the basis for understanding how they function and setting multidisciplinary HOOP Urban Bioeconomy Indicators to evaluate the impact. State-of-the-art technologies for the valorization of urban biowaste and urban wastewater sludge have been evaluated, considering a wide range of bioproducts and market sectors. In addition, different opportunities for financing UCBE projects have been identified, including the different options on national, regional and local level and considering EU Taxonomy. In addition, Biowaste Clubs kept engaging key stakeholders of the quadruple helix (science, policy, industry, and society).
The final list of UCBE projects (currently 12), which are the basis of the tailored PDA, was officially confirmed in April 2022, and associated tailored business models developed in September 2022. Important advances have also been made in terms of financial opportunities and innovation public procurement. Since its creation, the Circular Investors Board (CIB, which now counts 20 members) has attracted high interest among the LHs. Important financial stakeholders, including the European Investment Bank, are members of the CIB. Five online meetings and 2 in-person Circular Investors Day have already taken place. In terms of innovative public procurement, 1 open market consultation is under preparation and another is foreseen, moreover LHs are receiving training to deploy this procurement tool.
The HOOP Hub was launched in September 2022, hosting the HOOP Network of Cities and Regions which has 77 members by September 2023. The launch of dedicated actions such as study tours has significantly increased the impact of the project’s replication activities.
Of the 20 deliverables due during RP2, 95% of them were submitted on time. All the 6 milestones for RP2 were achieved on time. In general, HOOP is running accordingly to the Grant Agreement.
Zenodo is the chosen public repository where public deliverables and publications are being uploaded. Public deliverables are being also published in the Virtual Academy in the HOOP Hub.
To provide evidence-based support for EU policies, HOOP promoted the creation of the policy initiative ROOTS and contributed to the organization of the ROOTS policy conference (Brussels, September 2022), and preparation of a manuscript published on Open Research Europe.
The HOOP project has an important presence in social networks, and several webinars and networking events with other projects have taken place.
The circular bio-based economy context for the eight LHs (urban metabolism analysis and baseline studies) is the basis for understanding how they function and setting multidisciplinary HOOP Urban Bioeconomy Indicators to evaluate the impact. State-of-the-art technologies for the valorization of urban biowaste and urban wastewater sludge have been evaluated, considering a wide range of bioproducts and market sectors. In addition, different opportunities for financing UCBE projects have been identified, including the different options on national, regional and local level and considering EU Taxonomy. In addition, Biowaste Clubs kept engaging key stakeholders of the quadruple helix (science, policy, industry, and society).
The final list of UCBE projects (currently 12), which are the basis of the tailored PDA, was officially confirmed in April 2022, and associated tailored business models developed in September 2022. Important advances have also been made in terms of financial opportunities and innovation public procurement. Since its creation, the Circular Investors Board (CIB, which now counts 20 members) has attracted high interest among the LHs. Important financial stakeholders, including the European Investment Bank, are members of the CIB. Five online meetings and 2 in-person Circular Investors Day have already taken place. In terms of innovative public procurement, 1 open market consultation is under preparation and another is foreseen, moreover LHs are receiving training to deploy this procurement tool.
The HOOP Hub was launched in September 2022, hosting the HOOP Network of Cities and Regions which has 77 members by September 2023. The launch of dedicated actions such as study tours has significantly increased the impact of the project’s replication activities.
Of the 20 deliverables due during RP2, 95% of them were submitted on time. All the 6 milestones for RP2 were achieved on time. In general, HOOP is running accordingly to the Grant Agreement.
Zenodo is the chosen public repository where public deliverables and publications are being uploaded. Public deliverables are being also published in the Virtual Academy in the HOOP Hub.
To provide evidence-based support for EU policies, HOOP promoted the creation of the policy initiative ROOTS and contributed to the organization of the ROOTS policy conference (Brussels, September 2022), and preparation of a manuscript published on Open Research Europe.
The HOOP project has an important presence in social networks, and several webinars and networking events with other projects have taken place.
HOOP represents not only a step forward in the state-of-the-art but also a change of paradigm converting the LHs in the main focus, finding tailor-made solutions in technical, environmental and financial terms. Some features making HOOP different are:
• Customer-oriented approach, considering the local particularities and interests for the implementation of UCBE, with LHs being part of the consortium.
• Alternative technologies to conventional anaerobic digestion and composting, covering a wide range of market sectors.
• Multidisciplinary PDA, unlocking several barriers simultaneously.
• Innovative UCBE project-oriented focus.
• Project without pilots, but using the experience from other projects with pilots.
• Development of tools to evaluate the circularity of cities and projects. Available on the HOOP Hub.
• Strong focus on stakeholder engagement through Biowaste Clubs.
The most important expected impacts are:
• Increase both financial and non-financial leverage in the UCBE of the eight LHs.
• Ensure the replication and use of the tools and methodologies which have been developed.
• Boost the exploitation of the obtained results.
• Consolidate the HOOP Network of Cities and Regions for exchange of knowledge about UCBE.
• Bring the LHs into a frontrunner position in terms of UCBE.
• Raise awareness among citizens about separate collection of urban biowaste for increasing the recycling rate.
• Contribute to the creation of jobs in local economies.
• Provide important feedback and orientation for larger initiatives, such as the CCRI.
In terms of impact and implications, the project is producing a considerable and valuable legacy in the form of know-how, methodologies and tools, which is offered to an ever-growing Network of territories through the HOOP Hub where they can network and exchange knowledge with the project’s LHs and partners. In addition, HOOP is contributing to change the mindset of European territories and project developers towards innovation in biowaste management and valorization.
In summary, HOOP contributes to society, the environment and the economy by paving the way for the efficient transition to circular bioeconomy in several LHs across Europe, thus contributing to the EU circular economy roadmap.
• Customer-oriented approach, considering the local particularities and interests for the implementation of UCBE, with LHs being part of the consortium.
• Alternative technologies to conventional anaerobic digestion and composting, covering a wide range of market sectors.
• Multidisciplinary PDA, unlocking several barriers simultaneously.
• Innovative UCBE project-oriented focus.
• Project without pilots, but using the experience from other projects with pilots.
• Development of tools to evaluate the circularity of cities and projects. Available on the HOOP Hub.
• Strong focus on stakeholder engagement through Biowaste Clubs.
The most important expected impacts are:
• Increase both financial and non-financial leverage in the UCBE of the eight LHs.
• Ensure the replication and use of the tools and methodologies which have been developed.
• Boost the exploitation of the obtained results.
• Consolidate the HOOP Network of Cities and Regions for exchange of knowledge about UCBE.
• Bring the LHs into a frontrunner position in terms of UCBE.
• Raise awareness among citizens about separate collection of urban biowaste for increasing the recycling rate.
• Contribute to the creation of jobs in local economies.
• Provide important feedback and orientation for larger initiatives, such as the CCRI.
In terms of impact and implications, the project is producing a considerable and valuable legacy in the form of know-how, methodologies and tools, which is offered to an ever-growing Network of territories through the HOOP Hub where they can network and exchange knowledge with the project’s LHs and partners. In addition, HOOP is contributing to change the mindset of European territories and project developers towards innovation in biowaste management and valorization.
In summary, HOOP contributes to society, the environment and the economy by paving the way for the efficient transition to circular bioeconomy in several LHs across Europe, thus contributing to the EU circular economy roadmap.