Video “The ROKWOOD Project” on Youtube 

In the area of renewable energies, biomass is becoming more and more important. In order to answer the growing demand for biomass resources, focus is being placed on Short Rotation Coppice (SRC). This method of plantation describes the cultivation of fast-growing trees within short rotation periods with the goal of producing wood as a renewable energy source.
In a political context, biomass is increasingly being seen as an important energy resource for Europe. Production of wooden biomass from European Short Rotation Coppices is therefore indispensable.

The ROKWOOD project will support the cooperation between six European research-driven clusters in order to improve research and technological development (RTD), market uptake and to increase investments in wooden biomass production and utilisation schemes at regional level. The six participating regional clusters will be co-ordinated in order to develop a Joint Action Plan (JAP) at European level to drive economic development through research and technological development activities in the selected topics of sustainable production and efficient use of wooden biomass.

Each regional research-driven cluster is represented in the ROKWOOD project by three partners respecting the triple-helix concept (business entity, research entity and local/regional authority). Apart from these partners the European Biomass Industry Association (EUBIA) has joint the consortium in order to assure a broad dissemination of project results to a broad range of stakeholders (e.g. industry, biomass producer, research organisations). All partners have been actively involved in the development, implementation, monitoring and utilisation of short rotation plantations (SRPs) for the regional production of wooden biomass. Taking into account the knowledge and experience of the partners the project has the capacity to become one main driver of innovation in the wooden biomass sector in Europe. Some of the project partners have already been involved in various common research projects in the addressed sector. However, the need for a networking structure in order to enhance this collaboration was discussed several times among the participating regions. “Regions of Knowledge? is the perfect funding scheme for further discussions and implementation of ideas the proposing clusters have developed in the last years.

Further information on the ROKWOOD project:

• Press release: European regions: Green with energy
• Press release: Harvesting trees at the push of a button
• Project description: KUP-Netzwerk
• Project description: ROD-PICKER