Producing novel non-plant biomass feedstocks and bio-based products through upcycling and the cascading use of brewery side-streams

Project Information

CHEERS

Grant agreement ID: 101060814

DOI

10.3030/101060814

EC signature date 7 June 2022

Start date 1 September 2022

End date 31 August 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 7 355 347,00

EU contribution

€ 5 670 152,13

Coordinated by

MAHOU SA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CHEERS (Producing novel non-plant biomass feedstocks and bio-based products through upcycling and the cascading use of brewery side-streams)

Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The CHEERS project proposes an innovative method to valorize waste streams from the brewing industry. It combines insect and microbial platforms to convert waste materials like spent grain, wastewater, CO2, and methane into 5 valuable industrial products: insect protein, disinfectant, microbial protein, ectoine, and caproic acid.
Project Highlights
High Efficiency: maximizes waste utilization and achieves a 45% carbon footprint reduction.
Sustainable and EU-Aligned: supports the European Circular Economy and Bioeconomy strategies.
Collaborative: fosters knowledge exchange among European stakeholders.
Robust Methodology: covers waste stream identification all the way to pilot-scale product validation.
Comprehensive Analysis: considers environmental impact, economic aspects, and commercialization strategies.
The CHEERS project has the potential to generate transformative results in the biorefinery industry:
New biomass platforms: The production of 13.5 tons/year of insect protein from 40 tons/year of spent grain is expected, demonstrating the viability of this technology. In addition, the conversion of CO2 and CH4 into valuable ingredients is expected.
Producing circular and sustainable products, including protein for beverages, a mixture of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), a chlorine-based disinfectant product, ectoine for cosmetics, and single-cell protein (SCP)-based pet food.
Technological advancements: A technology readiness level (TRL) of 7 is expected to be achieved in 5 key biological conversions: spent grain to insect protein conversion, CO2 bioconversion to caproic acid and bioCH4, CO2 bioconversion to hypochlorite and bioCH4, CH4 bioconversion to ectoine, and CH4 bioconversion to high-quality SCP.
Large-scale implementation: The installation of 100 valorization plants in the EU is expected after 5 years of commercialization, representing a significant impact on the industry.
Knowledge transfer.
The CHEERS project presents enormous potential to transform the biorefinery industry towards a more sustainable and circular future. The integration of insect and microbial platforms, along with the development of high-value-added bioproducts, offers an innovative and efficient alternative for waste
management and the production of renewable materials.

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 CHEERS project has completed a series of technical and scientific activities that have significantly advanced the development of a circular and sustainable biorefinery:
1. Side-stream mapping and optimization of side streams generated in the brewing industry, including spent grain, wastewater, CO2, and CH4, was conducted.
2. Development and start-up of insect and microbial platforms: Insect (Tenebrio molitor) and microbial (Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis) platforms were optimized and scaled up for valorization of the target side streams. Cultivation and feeding protocols were developed to maximize conversion efficiency and bioproduct quality. Control and monitoring systems were established to ensure the efficient and safe operation of the biological platforms.
3. Integration and cascading of biomass processing: taking advantage of the synergies between insect and microbial platforms. Operating conditions were optimized to maximize bioproduct yield and minimize waste generation. Separation and purification strategies were developed to obtain high-quality bioproducts.
4. Bioproduct development and validation: The 5 target bioproducts – insect protein, disinfectant, microbial protein, ectoine, and caproic acid – were developed and validated at the laboratory scale. Stability studies were conducted to determine the shelf life of the bioproducts under different storage conditions.
5. Environmental and economic impact assessment considering aspects such as life cycle, cost-benefit analysis, and carbon footprint. The main opportunities and challenges for large-scale implementation of the project were identified. Implemented Commercialization strategies for the developed 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)

A new revision of the of the Key Exploitable Results expected from the project was performed by M36. As a result, the eight preliminary exploitable results foreseen in the Grant Agreement were transformed into 11 KERs, for which the description, ownership and application field was updated. No new results were identified by M36. However, the addition of new results to the list is not discarded, given that the validation of the 5 outputs or biotechnological products will be addressed along the last year of the project.

Preliminary list of Exploitable results included in the Grant Agreement:
R1 - Insect farming using bagasse in the diet, transformation of the insects in protein - PROTE/THUNDER, AINIA.
R2 - BES technology and optimal operating parameters (Cl2 disinfectant) - AQUA
R3- CO2 elongation and optimal operating parameters for caproic acid production - GEN, AINIA
R4 - Biofermentor design for improved gas-liquid transfer (for SCP from CH4) and optimal process parameters - SYS, AINIA
R5 - Taylor flow biofermentor design for CH4 fermentation to produce ectoine - UVA, SYS, AQUA
R6 - Process parameters for ectoine production - UVA
R7 - DSP technology and process parameters - UVA, AINIA, GEN
R8 - Brewery side-streams best management and pre-treatment for biorefinery model - MAHOU


At this stage, most of the results have initiated or are about to initiate the pilot demonstration or testing at the insect and microbial plants constructed in the frame of the project. In addition, a clearer picture of the innovation potential, target market and exploitation strategy proposed for each one of the results has been drafted.

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