The Competence Centre for Bio-refining and Bio-energy (CCBB) is an organisation of industry members, academic experts and government agencies working together to expedite the commercial development of this potential.  Based at NUI Galway, and involving third-level partners from NUIG, UCD, UL and TCD, the CCBB has been established in 2010 with funding from Enterprise Ireland and the IDA Ireland.

Biomass is organic plant matter, including animal, food and municipal wastes. It is generally sourced from agriculture, forestry and aquaculture.

Ireland has one of the highest growth rates of agricultural biomass per hectare of any country in Europe. Combined with an extensive shoreline area the country has enormous potential for development of an efficient, viable biomass industry.

The CCBB provide Industry members with the ability to leverage the extensive expertise, knowledge and facilities available in third level institutions in order to create energy and valuable industrial materials from sustainable sources of biomass.

In its Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (2006-2013), the Irish Government proposed the establishment of ‘Competence Centres’ to address the ’key issue of building and reinforcing areas of strength within both industry and the academic sphere and ensuring that these are highly networked with each other’. The central objective of the competence centre initiative is to achieve competitive advantage for industry in Ireland by accessing the innovative capacity of the research community.  The CCBB is one of a number of these centres established across the country.

For more information contact Mr. Bart Bonsall, CCBB Technology Leader or visit the CCBB website http://www.ccbb.ie