The preparation of the Carnot 3BCAR activity report remains a most valuable exercise, enabling us to take stock of the wealth of achievements from the previous year. That said, it is essential to make choices to keep the report at a manageable length, while best illustrating the diversity of our highlights. We also conducted this exercise with our colleagues from Carnot@INRAE to organise the day of 11 September 2024, which showcased fruitful collaborations across the five Carnot institutes supported by INRAE and their supervisory bodies. You can find the link to the portfolio produced for the occasion on page 31.
I would like to emphasise that, in the face of the immense challenges posed by the bioeconomy — encompassing both environmental impact and economic development — the Carnot scheme is a crucial lever for transforming public research into concrete solutions for businesses, from micro‑enterprises to large groups. Since 2011, Carnot 3BCAR has united scientific and technical excellence at the national level in the areas of bioenergies, biomolecules, and biosourced materials through a unique network of outstanding public laboratories and technology‑transfer entities (CRT, CRITT, CTI), dedicated to innovation for the bioeconomy. Between 2011 and 2024, the leverage effect is undeniable, with a 350 % increase in contractual revenues from collaborative research.
In 2024, additional Carnot funding enabled us to select 12 transdisciplinary resourcing projects for support, thus continuing to prepare credible solutions to transform our economy — currently reliant on unsustainable fossil carbon extraction — into a viable, high‑performing bioeconomy based on the durable use of renewable carbon (biomass). Among these 12 projects, 5 are inter‑Carnot, reflecting greatly enhanced cross‑network collaboration, fostered by the initiatives launched since 2023 within the Carnot network for biosourced products for the bioeconomy (a network coordinated by 3BCAR in partnership with Carnot Chimie Balard Cirimat, I2C, Icéel, MICA, Plant2Pro, Polynat and IPGG Microfluidics).
Finally, the Carnot label is also a guarantee of quality, exemplified by the professionalisation of research contract management with our socio‑economic partners: our ISO 9001 quality process certification was successfully renewed in June 2024.
I wish you an enjoyable and inspiring read of this activity report.
Nathalie TURC
Director of Carnot 3BCAR
