Objective
Biobutanol is an attractive commodity chemical and advanced biofuel with superior properties but the 1st gen process suffers from technical and economical constraints. ButaNexT project aims to overcome some of those technical barriers through a novel combination of innovations. Individual stages of the process supply chain will be developed, validated and optimized at lab-scale and then integrated and demonstrated at pilot scale. A holistic approach is proposed to produce cost-competitive biobutanol from 3 types of lignocellulosic biomass and waste in a sustainable way being flexible to accommodate regionally specific feedstocks.
Project exploitable outputs include:
(1)novel low CAPEX two-step pretreatment process that releases hemicellulose and cellulose from recalcitrant feedstocks for further enzymatic and/or fermentation processing,
(2)new tailored enzyme cocktail yielding highly fermentable sugars at low enzyme dosages and lower cost,
(3)superior clostridial strains with enhanced production characteristics i.e. butanol and inhibitor tolerance,
(4)high productivity fermentation process including a novel in-situ product recovery step.
Technology advances allow sustainable feedstock diversification, improve conversion yields and efficiency, reduce energy requirements, and water usage. We expect significant reductions in cost (target $800/T which equates to 50% of current 1st gen solvent production in China) as well as enhanced energy balances and reduced GHG emissions vs 1st gen biofuel production (target a 85% reduction).
The project output (a technically and economically-validated process) will provide the EU with a tremendous opportunity to build an advanced biofuel business from sustainable feedstocks. This is strategically important to contribute to the European 10% target for renewable transportation fuels for 2020.
The proposed project fits into the topic ”Developing next generation technologies for biofuels and sustainable alternative fuels” (LCE-11-2014)
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsliquid fuels
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdistillation
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcohols
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuels
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybioprocessing technologiesfermentation
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
OX14 4SD Abingdon
United Kingdom
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Participants (11)
28050 Madrid
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31621 Sarriguren
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Participation ended
6709 PA Wageningen
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
CH1 6EH Chester
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
13071 Ciudad Real
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2400 Mol
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SW1H 0HW London
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
1006 Lausanne
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
31192 Mutilva Alta Navarra
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
1040 Bruxelles
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20780 Kaarina
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.