2026/06/15 by Lukas B. Nainggolan, Julia Höhler, Alfons Oude Lansink · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Engineering · #Bioeconomy and Sustainability Development #Biofuel production and bioconversion #Forest Biomass Utilization and Management
paper · doi:10.1111/1467-8489.70124
openalex publication_date 2026/06/15 · openalex created_date 2026/06/16 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/26
ABSTRACT Contracts and ownership structures play a critical role in fostering innovation in the bioeconomy. However, identifying which designs best promote bioresource circularity and collaboration remains challenging, as existing studies use diverse frameworks and are often limited to specific contexts or regions. Therefore, we conducted a review to clarify the types of contracts and ownership structures within bio‐based value chains and evaluate their roles in fostering innovation. To this end, we followed PRISMA‐P guidelines when collecting studies and organised them based on methodologies to facilitate the synthesis. Using a framework of the ownership distribution along the value chain between primary producer and biorefinery, we categorise three main categories of ownership structures: vertical integration, individual ownership and joint ownership. Some literature argues that primary producers prefer low‐risk attributes and therefore shift much of the responsibility onto biorefineries. While such structures can encourage participation, they hinder innovation by concentrating power within the biorefinery. Joint ownership structures, such as cooperatives, emerge as promising alternatives, offering a more balanced and collaborative approach to sharing risks, costs and profits. Our findings highlight the need for future research to explore joint ownership structures and apply different methods to support substantial advancement.