National and international network regarding the quality assurance of biofuels, their subproducts and the promotion of an FW7 project, BIO-Q-NET

• Promoting the participation in European research programs regarding the biofuels field in general and in their quality assurance field in peculiar;
• The increasing of Romanian research visibility through:

o Supporting the development of R/T partnerships between the Romanian research organizations and their corresponding European organizations;
o Increasing the national and international cooperation;
o Developing feasible partnerships in order to realize common project proposals in the FP7 frame;
o Developing an adequate national and international environment to present the local research results obtained in biofuels field in the last years.

BIO-Q-NET aims:

• to establish a national and international (European) network in the field of assurance the biofuels quality;
• to promote the developed national network to enhance, at international level, the visibility of the Romanian research in the field of biofuels;
• to develop a European network in order to participate at the FP7 research programme and within the European Technological Platforms;
• to integrate the established multidisciplinary network in the corresponding European network;
• to elaborate a FP7 application regarding the assurance of the biofuels quality.

• 2 FW7 project proposals having “biofuels” as subject;
• A seminary dedicated to the promotion of Romanian research and results in biofuels field;
• Trained young researchers;
• Web page, including the results and the applications;
• Data Base;
• 2 round tables, first dedicated to the official presentation of the project and the second having as subject the assurance of biofuels quality;
• Development of a national network for biofuels quality assurance;
• Development of an European network in order to participate at FP7 research program in biofuel field;
• Integration of a proper network in the European research networks in biofuel field;
• Identification of optimum modalities to implement the biofuels on Romanian market.

Stage I
Period: Aug. 2006 – Dec. 2006
Initiating the BIO-Q-NET project

Results:

• The necessary steps for network forming were made. A number of 18 organizations and institutions from 4 UE member states and representatives of the General Director for Research of European Council were directly contacted;
• The component of the Coordination Group and its functioning mechanism were established;
• Materials to promote and enhance the visibility of BIO-Q-NET scientific accomplishments such as: presentation portfolio, BIOCOMB t-shirt and a web page, were realized;
• A round table dedicated to the official presentation of BIO-Q-NET project was organized. This presentation was successful due to a great national and international audience, to the presence of mass media representatives which assured the necessary emission of the event.

Stage II
Period: Dec. 2006 – June 2007
The enhance of researches visibility in the field of biofuels

Results:

• A number of 17 organizations and institutions from 5 UE member states and representatives of the General Director for Research of European Council were directly contacted;
• The materials necessary to promote and enhance the BIO-Q-NET scientific accomplishments were completed by an ICIA portfolio including a general presentation pliant, presentation brochure and presentation CD;
• A seminary dedicated to promote the Romanian researches and results from biofuels field within international community and to present the European legislation regarding the requests and biofuels quality norms was organized;
• The EUREC member position as observant was obtained;
• The foundation of Biofuels Romanian Platform was begun, the approval of The Minister of Economy and Finance and Minister of Education and Research being obtained.

Stage III
Period: June 2007 – Dec. 2007
Establishment of international networks for developing a FW7 project in field of I/II generation biofuels

Results:

• Work visits in which important personalities from universities and organizations of European space were contacted. They shown interest to make part of an international Network regarding the proposal of a FP7 project in biofuels quality assurance;
• The next international personalities were invited to visit: Prof. PhD Gualtiero Baraldi – Universita degli studi di Bologna, Facolta di Agraria; PhD Joachem Adler – MECAN, Switzerland;
• The members of the implementation team participated to sessions of FP7 proposal preparing to familiarized with the FP7 guidelines: objectives, estimated results, specific calls, thematic, submitting terms, electronic submissions: national and international sessions;
• The foundation of Biofuels Romanian Platform has begun;
• A FP7 project was proposed: Title: Glycerin conversion into 2nd generation biofuel, GLYFUEL;
• Call Selected: FP7-ENERGY-2007-1-RTD;
• Sub-Scheme Selected: CP-FP;
• Proposal ID: 211893.

Stage IV
Period: Dec. 2007 – July 2008
Integration of created network in European research network in the field of biofuels (I&II generation). Dissemination

Results:

• BIO-Q-NET team participated at project proposal preparation for European program FP7 and some European research projects at national and international level;
• BIO-Q-NET consortium members join EnergiE FP7 database in order to integrate in European projects, in energy from renewable sources field;
• Biofuels Romanian Platform – BIOCARO was built;
• The necessary documents to join EUREC were elaborate and the monitoring visit has come. At the last EUREC General meeting, the ICIA Cluj-Napoca file was analyzed and the year 2009 was established to be the year when ICIA will became full member;
• The necessary documentation regarding the signing up in EUBIA was elaborated, ICIA requesting to join it as titular member;
• A round table was organized having as thematic the assurance of biofuels quality “Assurance of biofuels quality – primary condition to implement them on the market”;
• The possibility to certify the final product, the biofuel obtained from biomass;
• Another FP7 proposition was submitted: Strategic development framework for sustainable expansion of second generation biofuels in Latin American countries – SUBSIOLA COOPERATION THEME 5 ENERGY Call: FP7-ENERGY-2008-1; Topic energy.2008.3.2.1: Enhancing international cooperation between the EU and Latin America in the field of biofuels.

The technology platform BIOCARO was affiliated to European Yechnology Platform (see: Biofuels Technology Platform – www.biofuelstp.eu – National Biofuels TPs).

Project proposal transmitted to intenational programs:

1. Glycerine conversion into 2nd generation biofuel, GLYFUEL
Call selected: FP7-ENERGY-2007-1-RTD
Sub-scheme selected: CP-FP
Proposal ID: 211893

2. Strategic development framework for sustainable expansion of second generation biofuels in Latin American countries – SUBSIOLA
COOPERATION THEME 5 ENERGY
Call: FP7-ENERGY-2008-1
Topic energy.2008.3.2.1: Enhancing international cooperation between the EU and latin America in the field of biofuels

Official visits:

• Prof. PhD Gualtiero Baraldi – Universita degli studi di Bologna, Facolta di Agraria;
• PhD Joachem Adler – MECAN, Switzerland;
• Prof. PhD Karlheinz Koller – prorector al Universitat Hohenheim-Stuttgart;
• Prof. PhD J. Boxberger – Universitat BOKU Viena, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems (Department für Nachhaltige Agrarsysteme), Sef al Division of Agricultural Engineering (Institut für Landtechnik);
• PhD Gerhard Moitzi – Universitat BOKU Viena, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems (Department für Nachhaltige Agrarsysteme), Division of Agricultural Engineering (Institut für Landtechnik).