EU Business and Biodiversity Platform Workstream 2: Innovation for Biodiversity and Business Innovation for reed bed biomass fuel and biodiversity by FIELDFARE – ANALYSIS OF THE OPPORTUNITY October 2015 Author: Guy Duke Contributing author: Paul Goriup (FIELDFARE) 1 BASIC INFORMATION 1.1 Companies and contact points FIELDFARE Contact: Paul Goriup, Managing Director, FIELDFARE Email:
[email protected] Web: www.fieldfare.biz 1.2 Summary of the opportunity An innovation offering significant benefit to small rural businesses in a particular region of the EU (lower Danube) and offering significant enhancement of reed bed biodiversity in this region as well as larger populations along flyways of migrants benefiting from these reed bed enhancements. It offers a financially sustainable solution to reducing the extent of overgrown reed beds and eventually reverse ecologically unsustainable floodplain management in the lower Danube region. Good scalability in the lower Danube region with possible transfer to other reed bed areas in Europe, limited by reed bed area. There is a potential €40+ million per annum market from the lower Danube resource, generating 2000-2500 jobs. Feasibility currently constrained by inflexible standards, slow rate of innovation in management and processing technologies, and low diffusion of appropriate boiler equipment. 1.3 Description of the innovation FIELDFARE harnesses ethical investment in Western Europe to promote ecologically sustainable development and wise use of natural resources in Eastern Europe. It is particularly active in the Danube Delta, a region of high biodiversity, where relatively modest investment can generate large biodiversity benefits. The main innovation is the production of biomass fuel from overgrown, low biodiversity reed beds that have become widespread as a result of floodplain modification since the 1950s.