Michael Carus (MSc) (Germany) physicist, founder and managing director of the nova-Institute, working for over 20 years in the field of Bio- and CO2-based Economy. This includes biomass feedstock, processes, bio-based chemistry, polymers, plastics, fibres and composites.The focus of his work are market analysis, techno-economic and ecological evaluation as well as the political and economic framework for bio-based processes and applications (“level playing field for industrial material use”).
Carus was managing director of the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) (2000 – 2018); nova-Institute was executive office of EIHA was member of the Lead Market Initiative (LMI) „Ad-hoc Advisory Group for Bio-based Products“ (2010-2013), and is member of the Technical Committee, CEN/TC 411 "Bio-based products" (since 2011), member of the “Expert Group on Bio-based Products” of the European Commission (since 2013), member of the Thematic Working Groups "Biomass supply" and "Market-making" of the "Bioeconomy Panel" of the European Commission (2013 – 2014), as well as member of the SCAR Foresight experts group "Sustainable Bioresources for a Growing Bioeconomy" (2014 – 2015) (SCAR means Standing Committee on Agricultural Research) and Member of the “Expert group for the review of the bioeconomy and its action plan” (2016 – 2917) of the European Comission. In 2018 Carus created the “NEW Bio-based Expert Groupe” in Brussels.
Today, Michael Carus is considered to be one of the leading experts and market researchers in Europe on Bio- and CO2-based Economy and especially the industrial material use of biomass. He is actively involved in building networks in the fields of agricultural and forestry resources, bio-based chemicals and materials (bio-based polymers, plastics and biocomposites) and industrial biotechnology and biorefinery. Mr. Carus is a member in many societies, associations and international organisations. Carus is consultant on policy in different countries in Europe, Asia and America.
Michael Carus is main author of different fundamental reports and policy papers on Bio- and CO2-based Economy in the EU.
nova-Institute is a private and independent institute, founded in 1994; nova offers research and consultancy with a focus on bio- and CO2-based economy in the fields of feedstock, techno-economic evaluation, markets, sustainability, dissemination, B2B communication and policy. Today, nova-Institute has more than 25 employees and a yearly turnover of about 3 Mio. €.