During the first reporting period, the AFTER-BIOCHEM project implementation enabled the partners to start working towards the realisation of some of the project objectives. The activities focused on the preparation of the commissioning and start-up plan of the biorefinery to scale-up the whole process. The partners tested the different feedstock options for the biorefinery. The sugar beet molasses and pulp have been validated as relevant feedstock and are provided to AFYNEO for the biorefinery plant by the partner SUDZUCKER (Longterm agreement has been reached). SUEZ and AFYNEO have started to work on additional feedstock coming from the organic waste. First type of feedstock from organic waste have been identified. The Life cycle assessment of the bio-based products has been completed which will allow to characterize and demonstrate the social, economic and environmental benefits of the biorefinery. The first results demonstrated than the organic acids produced by anaerobic fermentation have a 81% lower carbon footprint than their fossil-based alternatives.
During the second reporting period, a pivotal moment arrived with the inauguration of the plant in September 2022. The feedstock supply plant was strategically chosen for its proximity and ability to validate and secure the required feedstocks. These sugar by-products met strict criteria, being GMO-free and in compliance with European food, feed, and hygiene laws. Exploration into potential non-food feedstock sources, such as sewage sludge, organic soups, and the residual fermentable fraction of household waste, revealed promising fermentative potential. Substantial progress was made in commissioning and launching the production unit, with a particular emphasis on unit operation and quality validation. The project also involved producing a biobased ester using AFYNEO's carboxylic acids with the assistance of a toll manufacturer. Efforts were made to achieve REACH registration for all commercial products, with the goal of securing 75% of the nameplate for commercially produced acid volumes. The project didn't only focus on production but also included a strategy for managing and valorizing potassium rich residues. Lastly, the project's results were disseminated to various target groups, sharing the knowledge and accomplishments with a wider audience.
During the final period of the AFTER BIOCHEM project, significant progress was achieved in demonstrating innovative biorefinery processes and validating their industrial feasibility.
The main results can be summarized as follows:
- Feedstocks : A selection of new feedstocks coming from SUEZ to be tested by AFYNEO was made.
- Technical Results: Significant progresses were made on the C&SU with the production of several tons of acids. Significant progress were made on design parameters, fermentation step, acidification, continuous production, distillation and production and selling of fertilizers. Despite the delay in starting the plant, major steps have been taken to ensure the smooth running of the industrial process for continuous production. Some work started to design a production unit for several esters that could be cost competitive thanks to process intensification and compliant with the market requirements. Agronomic trials with the K-enriched by-product were carried out. We studied the possibility of creating a granulation plant to valorize the K-enriched by-product and different granulation processes were tested (granulation, compaction).
- Environmental and Economic Impact: Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and techno-economic analyses confirmed substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional petrochemical routes, as well as competitive cost structures in specific product segments.
- Exploitation & Dissemination: Project results were actively shared through press release, articles,videos, events and dedicated communication materials (website).
