By substituting fossil resources with renewable resources, the bioeconomy in Baden-Württemberg supports a climate-neutral economy. In order to avoid conflicting goals with food security, the focus is on agricultural residues. However, increased use of residues can cause conflicts of interest with existing use or climate protection if humus build-up and carbon storage in the soil are at risk. At the same time, the use of the residues offers opportunities for new regional value chains in rural areas. Realizing these opportunities and avoiding conflicting goals therefore requires a holistic evaluation of the residual material potential.

The aim of the ReBioBW project is to record the current and future potential of residues from agriculture and landscape conservation for the bioeconomy in Baden-Württemberg. Using statistical data, the theoretical potential is calculated as the absolute volume of residues and, minus the quantities for humus build-up, the sustainable potential. A representative survey among farmers is intended to provide information on the current use of the residues in order to determine the economically available potential. Qualitative surveys among companies and farmers show hurdles and framework conditions for calculating the practical potential. By developing a regional bioeconomy sector model and coupling it with an agricultural operating model, the knowledge gained is used to estimate the economic and ecological effects of residue use and future residue potential against the background of economic, social and political drivers. The surveys are accompanied by knowledge transfer along the value chain of agricultural residues in order to close knowledge gaps with regard to the nature, demand and supply and to increase the practical potential.
The project is being carried out in close coordination with the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection and is based on the state strategy for sustainable bioeconomy.