Valorise Extensive quantities of HemIcellulosic and Cellulosic sugars from Lignocellulosic biomass into high-value End products

Project Information

VEHICLE

Grant agreement ID: 837866

DOI

10.3030/837866

Project closed

EC signature date 29 April 2019

Start date 1 May 2019

End date 30 April 2023

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Biotechnology

Total cost

€ 9 641 856,64

EU contribution

€ 5 872 354,13

Coordinated by

AVANTIUM CHEMICALS BV
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - VEHICLE (Valorise Extensive quantities of HemIcellulosic and Cellulosic sugars from Lignocellulosic biomass into high-value End products)

Reporting period: 2022-05-01 to 2023-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The objective of the VEHICLE project was to demonstrate novel technologies for providing and valorizing low value sugar streams. The objective was to develop and demonstrate technologies in industrial scale that utilise 100% plant-based chemicals produced from renewable raw materials like lignocellulosic biomass from pulp mills and non-food feedstock from biorefineries. Further, the objective of the consortium was to establish new value chains throughout Europe to supply these plant-based chemicals and materials into a large array of industrial applications and consumer products like packaging applications, pulp and paper products and bioplastics-based consumer goods. The objective is to enhance the business potential of both existing and future European biorefineries and other bioeconomy companies as well as create economic benefits and new jobs in their value chains.
The VEHICLE project achieved all its objectives above, with the successful demonstration of the valorisation of the low value sugar streams with six demonstrators for the whole value chains of Biorefineries - Chemical company - Polymer producer – Converter - Brand owner. The project produced six new bio-based building blocks, namely MEG, MPG, diols, diacids, glucosone and fructose. Further, five new bio-based materials were produced: compostable bioplastics, bio-MEG, bio-MPG, non-food-based biopolymers and bio-based biodegradable polyesters. Seven new bio-based consumer products were created: Bio-PET for plastic bottles and bio-polyesters for films in packaging material; compostable bioplastics for extrusion paper coating & thermoformed trays; antifreeze / deicing fluids for aircrafts; unsaturated polyesters for sheet moulding compounds, bulk moulding compound; heat transfer fluids for engine protection and for solar panels; new bio-based compound for internal sizing of fiber packages. Altogether eight technologies were brought to a higher TRL level for closing the gaps in bio-based value chains .
The VEHICLE project resulted in 10 patent applications, 2 registered trademarks and 1 published scientific article. In addition, the project results have been presented in numerous conferences, workshops and seminars to academic and industrial audiences as well as to general public.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The VEHICLE project achieved its main goals and specific objectives, without major deviations - demonstrating the valorisation of hemicelluloses from pulping process side streams as well as wood residues fractionated with novel technologies.
With the exploitation plans and business models in place, the VEHICLE partners are gearing their activities for scaling up the demonstrated VEHICLE results:
Ecohelix has found a sound business case for building a production scale unit at the Domsjö mill, based on the foreseen host process benefits and application potential of the produced polymers.
Kemira has conducted laboratory scale screening successfully to identify the potential applications of Ecohelix LCC and achieved a good Techno-Economical evaluation on pilot scale. Full assessment with the larger scale trial results will be completed after the food contact approval. Once the approval is in place and performance validated with alpha trials, market entry could be possible within one year, using existing Kemira sales channels.
MetGen’s exploitation and IP plan follows closely the company’s business strategy to maximise the business value to the activated balance sheet. The commercialization of VEHICLE related technology consists mainly of two parts: MetGen does the research and development related to the enzyme solutions and to the processes and owns the IP, whereas the large-scale industrial production is done at contract manufacturers’ sites.
Fibenol has chosen the optimal process and purification steps for its sugar streams and validated the usability of the low-carbon sugar streams with the project partners. The selected purification step was commissioned at industrial scale in Imavere plant.
Avantium verified purification methods for Dawn sugar streams and technology ready for implementation at the Dawn Technology demonstration plant. Avantium is scaling up the Ray technology™ and developing an application validation plan of plantMEGTM & plantMPGTM in commercial processes. Avantium will approach third parties for validation experiments, followed by assessing technological suitability and business cases. This will advance commercial off-taking of the Ray Flagship plant.
Novamont has produced bio-based building blocks that have been validated in new biopolymers for packaging applications in the pulp and paper sector. This fosters interconnection between Northern and Southern European biorefineries, both upstream for the valorisation of 2nd generation feedstock and downstream for the realization of new eco-designed bioproducts.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Each of the demonstrated conversion routes is projected to have a significant market potential driven by stout consumer trends such as demand for bio-based products, as well as changing regulations and political support in Europe encouraging the replacement of fossil-based products. The market for bio-based building blocks and products is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4,5% to 12,6%.
VEHICLE conversion routes have comparable or improved performance in terms of water usage, between 10 to 90%.
Waste reduction is achieved in two ways: First, by valorising side streams and reducing organic waste material from pulp mills with 15000 tn annual production. Second, by reducing the amount of waste generation by producing compostable and biodegradable materials.
CO2 emission reduction of the three demonstrated conversion routes ranges from 40% to 92% over the life cycle when compared to bio/plant-based and petrol-based benchmarks.
In general, all conversion routes outperformed benchmarks in most impact categories evaluated. Some examples: Internal sizing agents with Ecohelix polymer, land use change and biodiversity impact where the use of sustainable feedstocks has minimal impact.
VEHICLE is actively contributing to SDG (8, 12, 13 and 15) by mitigating and promoting the production of sustainable materials, with the use of sustainable feedstocks, supporting the development of local economies and helping to reduce deforestation by the use forestry waste feedstocks.

VEHICLE

VEHICLE Concept with intermediate and end products