BEST - BIOENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH

Their core work

BEST is an Austrian research centre specializing in bioenergy conversion technologies, biomass processing, and the integration of renewable heat into industrial processes. They develop and test biorefinery concepts — converting organic waste streams into advanced biofuels — and work on solar thermal solutions for industrial applications, particularly in the food and agro-processing sectors. As an SME-classified research organization, they bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial-scale deployment of sustainable energy technologies.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

BEST's early H2020 involvement (2015–2016) centered on membrane reactor optimization and bioenergy policy coordination through the European Technology and Innovation Platform. From 2017 onward, their work shifted toward applied industrial integration — biorefinery waste-to-fuel conversion, solar thermal for food processing, and retrofitting existing plants for bioenergy. This trajectory shows a clear move from foundational research and policy engagement toward practical deployment of renewable energy in industrial settings.

BEST is moving from bioenergy research toward applied integration of renewable heat in food, agro-industry, and industrial retrofitting — expect them to seek partners with manufacturing and process engineering capabilities.

How they like to work

BEST operates exclusively as a project participant — they have not coordinated any of their seven H2020 projects, suggesting they contribute specialized technical expertise rather than leading consortium management. With 72 unique partners across 18 countries, they maintain a broad and diverse European network, indicating openness to new collaborations. Their mix of Coordination and Support Actions (3) alongside Research and Innovation Actions (3) shows they are comfortable in both technical delivery and strategic coordination roles within larger teams.

BEST has built a wide network of 72 unique partners across 18 countries, reflecting strong pan-European connectivity. Their Austrian base and energy-sector focus likely connect them closely to Central and Western European research and industrial clusters.

What sets them apart

BEST combines bioenergy expertise with practical industrial process integration — a relatively rare combination that lets them work across the full chain from biomass conversion to factory-floor heat supply. Their involvement in both EU-level bioenergy platforms (ETIP) and hands-on technology projects (SHIP2FAIR, BIOFIT) means they understand both the policy landscape and the engineering realities. For consortium builders, they offer a technically competent Austrian partner with deep bioenergy credentials and growing capability in renewable industrial heat.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BRISK II
  Largest single funding (EUR 763K) — a major European research infrastructure project for biofuels knowledge sharing, indicating BEST's role as a recognized infrastructure contributor.
• SHIP2FAIR
  Represents BEST's strategic expansion into solar thermal for the agro-food sector, combining renewable energy with industrial process optimization.
• Heat-To-Fuel
  Ambitious biorefinery concept combining hydrothermal liquefaction and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to convert organic waste into second-generation biofuels.