Periodic Reporting for period 1 - COUNTLESS (Cost-effective prOdUction of ligNin plaTform chemicaLs Extending the biobaSed chemicalS portfolio)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-09-01 al 2025-02-28
Europe´s ambitious sustainability and climate goals are heavily relying on the transition from fossil-based to bio-based chemical building blocks. Lignin as abundant natural resource has substantial potential to serve as starting material for the production of functionalized aromatic compounds. Only 1-2% of the lignin annual production is used in chemical conversion. Critical challenge to overcome is the heterogeneous and complex nature hampering the full exploitation of isolated lignins. To address this challenge, COUNTLESS will demonstrate the first catalytic hydrogenolysis process operated in continuous mode at industrially relevant scale for the cost-effective and sustainable production of ligninbased platform chemicals. COUNTLESS will demonstrate the applicability and cost-effectiveness of lignin-based platform chemicals in a variety of end-use cases from bulk to specialty applications.
This project is formed by key partners covering the whole value chain including feedstock suppliers, technology development experts, well-recognized industry players in the respective application fields, experts in dissemination, communication and exploitation, and experts in integrated sustainability, environmental, and techno-economic assessments. Revenue streams will result from licensing agreements and an increase in turnover and margin for COUNTLESS suppliers and application partners. We anticipate a positive NPV and IRR in 15 years of operation. COUNTLESS contributes directly to the CBE-JU SIRA and KPIs through the increased use of sustainably sourced biomass, reduction of GHG emissions through improvements in the pilot infrastructure (>50% reduction in GHG emissions and 85% using fully renewable supply) and the development of bio-based high-value products substituting current fossil-based compounds
This project is formed by key partners covering the whole value chain including feedstock suppliers, technology development experts, well-recognized industry players in the respective application fields, experts in dissemination, communication and exploitation, and experts in integrated sustainability, environmental, and techno-economic assessments. Revenue streams will result from licensing agreements and an increase in turnover and margin for COUNTLESS suppliers and application partners. We anticipate a positive NPV and IRR in 15 years of operation. COUNTLESS contributes directly to the CBE-JU SIRA and KPIs through the increased use of sustainably sourced biomass, reduction of GHG emissions through improvements in the pilot infrastructure (>50% reduction in GHG emissions and 85% using fully renewable supply) and the development of bio-based high-value products substituting current fossil-based compounds
The first supply of sufficient amounts (at least 100 kg) of the isolated lignin feedstocks was realized: 100 kg of AAF lignin and 1 ton of LIGNOVA Crude lignin was delivered to VITO by BLOOM and Fibenol, respectively.
VITO’s dedicated chemical pilot site in Mol, Belgium – designed to demonstrate the continuous processing of lignin-based platform chemicals through dissolution and catalytic hydrogenolysis – was successfully established. The chemical pilot site hosts 2 distinct pilot units (TRL 6-7) to validate and demonstrate the different process steps towards lignin-based platform chemicals:
• PILLAR II being the dissolution unit in which lignin is dissolved in a solvent medium;
• LignoValue being the catalytic reactor to perform the catalytic hydrogenolysis of the dissolved lignin into the monomeric and oligomeric platform chemicals.
Next to the pilot units, the chemical pilot site is equipped with the necessary utility units (i.e. gas supply, cooling water, instrument air, storage) to operate the pilot site in a safe and efficient manner. The pilot site of 5.000 m² is currently fully operational, including the necessary environmental permits and safety measures. Commissioning has been performed; the pilot infrastructure platform is ready to be used. Process validation and demonstration is currently in the start-up phase; tangible results on process validation will become available during further project execution.
The development of materials and products starting from the lignin-based platform chemicals, only started in August 2024. First samples of the platform chemicals were provided to the partners involved in such task; experiments and testing are being performed, focusing on applications across the following market areas:
• Lignin-based PU foams.
• Lignin-based functional additives (fire retardants, UV stabilizers) for synthetic waterproofing membranes and wood panels.
• Lignin-based functional additives for personal care products.
• Lignin-based bitumen binders.
• Lignin-based PU coatings.
• Lignin-based wood adhesives.
• Lignin-based high performance structural adhesives for automotive and windmill applications.
First results obtained for the different applications are promising; more detailed results will follow in the next reporting periods including comparison of their performance with commercial benchmarks.
VITO’s dedicated chemical pilot site in Mol, Belgium – designed to demonstrate the continuous processing of lignin-based platform chemicals through dissolution and catalytic hydrogenolysis – was successfully established. The chemical pilot site hosts 2 distinct pilot units (TRL 6-7) to validate and demonstrate the different process steps towards lignin-based platform chemicals:
• PILLAR II being the dissolution unit in which lignin is dissolved in a solvent medium;
• LignoValue being the catalytic reactor to perform the catalytic hydrogenolysis of the dissolved lignin into the monomeric and oligomeric platform chemicals.
Next to the pilot units, the chemical pilot site is equipped with the necessary utility units (i.e. gas supply, cooling water, instrument air, storage) to operate the pilot site in a safe and efficient manner. The pilot site of 5.000 m² is currently fully operational, including the necessary environmental permits and safety measures. Commissioning has been performed; the pilot infrastructure platform is ready to be used. Process validation and demonstration is currently in the start-up phase; tangible results on process validation will become available during further project execution.
The development of materials and products starting from the lignin-based platform chemicals, only started in August 2024. First samples of the platform chemicals were provided to the partners involved in such task; experiments and testing are being performed, focusing on applications across the following market areas:
• Lignin-based PU foams.
• Lignin-based functional additives (fire retardants, UV stabilizers) for synthetic waterproofing membranes and wood panels.
• Lignin-based functional additives for personal care products.
• Lignin-based bitumen binders.
• Lignin-based PU coatings.
• Lignin-based wood adhesives.
• Lignin-based high performance structural adhesives for automotive and windmill applications.
First results obtained for the different applications are promising; more detailed results will follow in the next reporting periods including comparison of their performance with commercial benchmarks.
More insights will become available during further execution once more results are available on process validation and demonstration in relevant industrial conditions, using VITO's pilot infrastructure platform, as well as on the performance of the lignin-based platform chemicals in the targeted applications covering different market areas.