• Primary production and harvest - To develop and assess crop cultivation and primary processing for non-food purposes. This will involve application of leading edge technology at the commercial scale in the fields of agronomy and bioscience to maximise crop yield and quality, address issues concerning crop supply, consistency of product quality as well as measurement of inputs and emissions arising from crop cultivation, harvest and primary processing. In all cases, emphasis will be placed on developing techniques consistent with the protection of the environment through minimal use of pesticides and fertilisers.


• Primary processing - To address existing barriers in the manufacturing supply chain by developing and assessing commercial scale process technology for the manufacture of industrial raw materials from harvested crops. Examples of this are the need to develop efficient technologies to produce high quality natural fibres or extract high value chemicals from crops. Mass balances, environmental analyses and techno-economic studies will deliver confidence in the initial supply chain to deliver cost competitive industrial raw materials for further processing downstream.


• Manufacture - To further industrial scale production and evaluate their technical and environmental performance and market impact. Quantitative techno-economic studies will be performed to extrapolate economic metrics such as materials production and capital costs. Where appropriate detailed comparisons will be made with existing products derived from non-renewable resources to identify performance, environmental and economic benefits.


• End-use - To illustrate the use of crop-derived materials at a commercial scale and measure the technical performance of the material in use. Such demonstrations should include analysis of the environmental and other impacts of the technology and will provide market confidence in non-food crop products through extensive consumer trials.


• Waste - To investigate the commercial feasibility of environmentally acceptable waste management options.


• Modelling - To deliver quantitative modelling tools for the further optimisation of feedstock supply and process technology design to maximise financial value and minimise the environmental impact of new non-food crop supply chains. Quantitative modelling tools will also be utilised to define the environmental benefits of new non-food crops technology.


• Dissemination - A critical objective of the programme is to publish the results of the work funded and to disseminate information on non-food crop technologies as widely as possible to ensure that their potential benefits are realised.

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