Project description
Organic waste gives wings to sustainable aviation
The EU-funded BIOCTANE project aims to develop and optimise an innovative process for converting organic waste materials containing high amounts of water (e.g. food waste and organic material waste from the food processing industry) into carbon-neutral, market-ready drop-in jet-fuels. Combining biotechnology and hydrothermal gasification, researchers will convert complex organic waste into platform molecules. A novel one-pot synthesis process will be developed to convert these molecules to hydrocarbon molecules (jet fuel). BIOCTANE will offer a pathway to sustainable, secure and competitive renewable energy technologies in Europe, boosting the use of advanced biofuels especially in the aviation sector.
Objective
The reduction of GHG emissions according to the Paris Agreement is particularly challenging regarding the production of “green” liquid fuels with a high energy density for the aviation sector (drop-in biokerosene). In this context, the BIOCTANE project aims to develop and optimize an innovative process for the conversion of organic waste materials naturally characterized by a high-water content (e.g. food-waste, organic material from the food processing industry) into carbon-neutral market-ready drop-in jet-fuels.
In particular, BIOCTANE project will develop a proof of concept on the synergetic coupling of biotechnological and thermocatalytic processing routes by a disruptive and interdisciplinary strategy that will result in an efficient valorization of the organic wastes into renewable jet-fuel, maximizing the recovery of chemical energy, nutrients and carbon use.
First, the complex organic waste will be converted into platform molecules (acetoin and 2,3-butanediol) by creating a breakthrough link between biotechnological processing of biowaste and hydrothermal gasification technology. Subsequently, a novel one-pot chemical process will be developed by the combination of different catalytic steps through which the platform molecules are converted to jet-fuel range hydrocarbons. Based on an extensive process flow modelling, the process efficiency and the techno-economic requirements for full market integration as well as the environmental impact will be assessed. Best environmental performance, including recovering nutrients for reuse will be aimed for throughout the process development.
Therefore, BIOCTANE will establish a novel pathway involving hybrid processes and multifunctional catalysts, contributing to implement sustainable, secure and competitive renewable energy technologies in Europe, boosting the use of advanced biofuels and with a direct impact on strategic areas like aviation transport
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsliquid fuels
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energy
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryhydrocarbons
- natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysis
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuels
Keywords
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
28935 Mostoles Madrid
Spain