The overall objective of the BIOSKOH project is to establish a breakthrough for 2G biorefineries in Europe demonstrating a first of its kind sustainable, both environmentally and economically, second generation biorefinery within the EU. In order to achieve this core objective, four stepping stones have been defined, the fulfilment of which will serve as guideline for the overall project execution.
The first objective is to create a new local 2G biomass to ethanol value chain, which would combine the use of local agricultural residues and dedicated energy crops to feed the biorefinery, with the creation of direct and indirect green jobs in the Strazske area. A supply master plan, and the starting of the first crop cultivation trial demo scale have been constantly advancing in the first period. In the second period those activities continued and the preliminary outcomes at the end of RP2 show the feasibility of a LUC-free and cost effective supply chain that will include a mix of agricultural residues and dedicated crops, produced on marginal land.
The second objective was defined in the showcase of a breakthrough in economic sustainability of commercial scale 2G biorefineries, in order to move close the competition with 1G ethanol through process optimization. Testing at pilot plant of 5 different crops received from Slovakia confirms the feasibility and assesses the potential for optimization. In RP2, a number of areas for improvement have been identified; in RP3 the focus of technical activities will be the study or such areas and the drafting of solutions which will be embedded in the scale-up design of the flagship refinery.
Engineering, Procurement and Construction, as well as permitting of the plant were performed. Energochemica decided to include an additional raw material – woody biomass – based on production tests at demonstration scale. Due to this modification the start-up of the plant has been postponed and the procurement is in progress. After a deeper analysis of woody biomass, its impact on the supply chain strategy and on the flagship design and operations, the consortium decided to switch back to the original mix of feedstocks.
The third objective was related to the preparation of a second stage investment decision, with the double aim of increasing production volume and to achieve a valorization of the sides streams and differentiation of the products, which the introduction of ethanol-to-ethylene conversion.
First laboratory experiments dedicated on lignin valorization into materials, such as the inclusion in the synthesis of phenol-formaldehyde resins and the preparation of wood-plastic boards were performed.
The fourth objective is to produce a blueprint of the economics sustainability concept and replication scenarios for Europe, by stimulating the replication of the BIOSKOH concept. More than a hundred potential brownfields were evaluated and four were selected for getting into a second phase of deeper analysis and direct contact with the local responsible and stakeholders.
The BIOSKOH project was widely disseminated in European public events by the consortium, either through simple attendance and networking or through speaking and presenting the work and results of the project as well as exhibiting.
