For many decades, Europe has enjoyed growth of wealth and wellbeing, based on intensive use of resources. Today, sources of energy, minerals and metals, as well as water, fertile soil, biomass, biodiversity and others are all under pressure, as is the stability of the climate system. While some people already worry about peak oil and the end of cheap energy, it seems that other resources like fertible soil and potable water are "peaking" even faster. In this document a new biomass conversion process called hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is presented, which has the potential to convert...