Objective
WASTE2FUELS aims to develop next generation biofuel technologies capable of converting agrofood waste (AFW) streams into high quality biobutanol.
Butanol is one of the most promising biofuels due to its superior fuel properties compared to current main biofuels, bioethanol and biodiesel. In addition to its ability to reduce carbon emissions, its higher energy content (almost 30% more than ethanol), its ability to blend with both gasoline and diesel, its lower risk of separation and corrosion, its resistance to water absorption, allowing it to be transported in pipes and carriers used by gasoline, it offers a very exciting advantage for adoption as engines require almost no modifications to use it.
The main WASTE2FUELS innovations include:
• Development of novel pretreatment methods for converting AFW to an appropriate feedstock for biobutanol production thus dramatically enlarging current available biomass for biofuels production
• Genetically modified microorganisms for enhancing conversion efficiencies of the biobutanol fermentation process
• Coupled recovery and biofilm reactor systems for enhancing conversion efficiencies of Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol fermentation
• Development of new routes for biobutanol production via ethanol catalytic conversion
• Biobutanol engine tests and ecotoxicological assessment of the produced biobutanol
• Valorisation of the process by-products
• Development of an integrated model to optimise the waste-to-biofuel conversion and facilitate the industrial scale-up
• Process fingerprint analysis by environmental and techno-economic assessment
• Biomass supply chain study and design of a waste management strategy for rural development
By valorising 50% of the unavoidable and undervalorised AFW as feedstock for biobutanol production, WASTE2FUELS could divert up to 45 M tonnes of food waste from EU landfills, preventing 18 M tonnes of GHG and saving almost 0.5 billion litres of fossil fuels.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsliquid fuels
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologymetabolic engineering
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcohols
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuels
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybioprocessing technologiesfermentation
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
08940 Cornella De Llobregat
Spain
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Participants (22)
80138 Napoli
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47071 Valladolid
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1040 Wien
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R93 Carlow
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WC1E 6BT London
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13353 Berlin
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84105 Beer Sheva
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00185 Roma
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28040 Madrid
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50009 Zaragoza
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7610001 Rehovot
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CV1 2TT Coventry
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
80125 Napoli
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
28042 Madrid
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80122 Napoli
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
12277 Berlin
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
265 00 Rio Patra
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
46047 Porto Mantovano Mn
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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.
46047 Porto Mantovano
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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.
46047 Porto Mantovano
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Participation ended
41014 Sevilla
31077 Toulouse Cedex 4
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