Objective
There is an urgent need to foster the transition to renewable energies, decarbonize the EU economy, and consolidate a circular economy. This requires the development of alternative and sustainable routes for producing fuels, chemicals, and intermediates. Biorefineries are a promising solution for producing a wide range of energy and marketable products while addressing another global environmental problem: organic waste management. Globally, > 9400 Mt of agricultural lignocellulosic waste could be used for biorefinery purposes. Syn2Value will engineer and validate a novel integrative biorefinery platform capable of converting lignocellulosic waste-derived syngas (H2:CO:CO2) into value-added liquid fuels and medium-chain carboxylates (MCC). Syn2Value will address two critical scientific challenges of syngas fermentation and chain elongation, namely the poor mass transport of gas substrates and the low metabolic selectivity, which limit its full-scale implementation. Syn2Value approach is based, first, on the bioprospection and assessment of thermophilic (45-55 °C) and acidophilic (pH: 4.5-5.5) microbes capable of a high-performance conversion of syngas into MCC. Second, the development of a groundbreaking single-stage syngas-to-MCC platform based on an innovative high mass transfer gas-lift bioreactor with in-situ product extraction. Third, ad-hoc mathematical models, techno-economic analysis and business planning will set the ground for a mid-term full deployment of a new generation of cost-effective and sustainable biotechnologies that will contribute to comply the Green Deal objective of making Europe the first climate-neutral region by 2050 while keeping the economic competitiveness of its world-leading chemical industry. The fellow, Dr. Rodolfo Palomo, will conduct this action at the Institute of Sustainable Processes of the University of Valladolid under the supervision of Dr. Raúl Muñoz, with secondments at Wageningen University & Research and the SME Greene.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsliquid fuels
- engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationbioreactors
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste management
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybioprocessing technologiesfermentation
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
47002 VALLADOLID
Spain