Projektbeschreibung
Federn als nachwachsender Rohstoff für die Bioökonomie
In der europäischen Geflügelindustrie fallen jährlich etwa 3,6 Millionen Tonnen Federn an. Doch nur etwa ein Viertel davon wird zu Tierfutter oder Dünger verarbeitet, während der Rest als Nebenprodukt der Geflügelproduktion auf Deponien entsorgt oder verbrannt wird. Federn bestehen zu fast 90 % aus dem wertvollen Protein Keratin, das als Rohstoff für biologisch abbaubaren Kunststoff in der Landwirtschaft genutzt werden könnte. Das EU-finanzierte Projekt UNLOCK entwickelt und demonstriert wirtschaftlich und ökologisch nachhaltige Wertschöpfungsketten für innovative biobasierte Produkte in der landwirtschaftlichen Nutzung, u. a. Anzuchtkästen, Geotextilien, Mulchfolien oder hydroponische Schäume. Als Materialbestandteil hat Keratin gegenüber fossilen Rohstoffen Vorteile, da es kontrolliert biologisch abbaubar ist, Böden mit Stickstoff anreichern und ohne Reststoffe verwertet werden kann, was die Funktionalität erhöht und die Umwelt schont.
Ziel
Only in Europe 3,6 million tonnes of feathers are generated per year as waste of the poultry sector. Around 25% is used for animal feed or fertilisers while the rest is disposed in landfills or incinerated. Feathers contain nearly 90% of keratin, a valuable protein which can source for biodegradable materials, such as bioplastics for agriculture. However, to unlock the full potential of feathers as raw material for functional molecules, there are many technical, logistic and market hurdles to solve in the supply chain for the takeoff of profitable value chains and for the easy market uptake of keratin-based products. UNLOCK will design and demonstrate economically & environmentally sustainable value chains led by the primary sector, which will generate innovative bio-based functional products for agricultural applications: forest/seed trays, nonwoven geotextiles, mulch films and hydroponic foams. Keratin-based materials will outperform their fossil-based counter parts by providing additional functionalities during the product life span and environmental benefits at the end-of-life (controlled biodegradability, enrichment of organic nitrogen to soil and zero waste generation). UNLOCK will create 4 new bio-based value chains, 4 new agricultural consumer goods and at least 3 cross sector interconnections among the primary sector (poultry sector), the bioplastics industry and the agricultural sector, opening up new innovation-led market and job opportunities in the EU bioeconomy. UNLOCK conversion technologies will evolve from TRL5 to 7, demonstrating the full potential of keratin for circular bio-based plastics, through a multidisciplinary consortium of 15 partners (8 SMEs), supported by a strong stakeholder board. UNLOCK will enable the setup of 2 first-of-its-kind commercial biorefineries after the end of the project. The co-creation and replication will be reinforced through a specific regional cluster approach to multiply the impacts during and after the project.
Wissenschaftliches Gebiet
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsbioeconomy
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculture
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processes
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbioplastics
- agricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandryanimal feed
Schlüsselbegriffe
Programm/Programme
- H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.2.1.4. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Biotechnology
- H2020-EU.3.2.6. - Bio-based Industries Joint Technology Initiative (BBI-JTI)
Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigenFinanzierungsplan
IA - Innovation actionKoordinator
20014 San Sebastian
Spanien