From start to completion, CELISE implemented coordinated research, training, mobility and outreach activities structured in five Work Packages. On the scientific side, the project delivered six major technical deliverables that cover the full chain from biomass understanding to processing routes and decision tools. Work included the characterisation of more than 10 types of biomass residues. This helped partners compare different raw materials and understand how their composition and structure affect processing performance.
In terms of processing, CELISE evaluated both established and novel pre-treatment methods. Acid and alkaline treatments and steam explosion were studied alongside more environmentally friendly or emerging routes, including hydrothermal/auto-hydrolysis processes and deep eutectic solvents. These pre-treatments help make plant residues more accessible for downstream conversion and material production. Building on these routes, the project reported the production and testing of cellulose fibres, nanocellulose, biochar and biocomposites, demonstrating several paths for converting residues into higher-value products. In parallel, CELISE developed modelling and optimisation tools to support decision-making in small biorefinery contexts, including Aspen Plus, Artificial Neural Networks for prediction and optimisation, complemented by environmental and economic evaluation approaches such as Life Cycle Assessment.
Mobility and training were central to CELISE. The project completed 105.24 person-months involving 49 researchers, with near gender balance (24 women and 25 men). The programme included 29 Experienced Researchers (ER), 17 Early-Stage Researchers (ESR) and 3 technical staff. Mobility flows were genuinely intercontinental.
CELISE also invested strongly in communication and dissemination. Over the project, partners produced 13 peer-reviewed scientific publications, 16 conference contributions and 2 outreach-focused publications. The project maintained a stable public presence through its website and social media, including measurable indicators such as LinkedIn (210 followers; 2,256 annual impressions), X/Twitter (40–463 impressions per post), and YouTube (595 total views). Outreach and education were significant, with more than 10 workshops delivered in rural or vulnerable settings, activities carried out with indigenous Wayúu communities in Colombia, and school/community engagement actions. These activities helped translate scientific concepts into accessible formats and supported the project’s societal mission.
Regarding exploitation, CELISE reinforced practical opportunities linked to its results. For example, the project strengthened know-how around pilot-scale and industry-relevant processes (e.g. steam explosion and pyrolysis collaborations), and the modelling and sustainability tools developed during the action are being reused by partners in follow-up research, education and new proposal development.
