During the final Reporting Period, significant progress was made in the SWEETWOODS project, culminating in the successful commissioning and continuous production at Fibenol Imavere biorefinery to produce low-carbon high-value cellulosic sugars (20 000 tons/year) and Lignova lignin (6500 tons/year) to replace fossil components in various applications. The commissioning process was completed in two phases: at first the core functionalities, including the Sunburst™ pretreatment were established, followed by the commissioning and ramp-up phase of the plant in production capacity.
MetGen concentrated on the On-Site Manufacturing (OSM) concept and tested raw ferment hydrolysis on Fibenol’s biomass. This approach achieved an 85-96% hydrolysis yield in 68 hours. MetGen also conducted techno-economic evaluations and successfully scaled up key enzyme technologies, including cellulase for hydrolysis, pyranose oxidase for sugar conversion, xylanase for hydrolysis, and laccase for lignin depolymerization, with industrial-scale campaigns in Bulgaria.
TECNARO showcased two demonstrators using SWEETWOODS high-purity lignin: a novel tree shelter and music instruments made from ARBOFORM®, a lignin-based thermoplastic compound.
Recticel screened lignopolyol grades and produced small hand-mix samples, which replaced up to 40 parts polyol with NANOPolyol.
GBE optimized and demonstrated the production of bio-IBN from Fibenol sugars and validated an alternative production protocol that achieved stable productivity. A new 5 m3 bioconversion unit for the production of cosmetic-grade IBN was commissioned, which successfully demonstrated the valorization of wood-based sugars into high-value IBN-derived products.
The environmental, economic, and social impacts of the SWEETWOODS technology have been comprehensively assessed through the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), which integrated LCA, LCC, and S-LCA results. The LCA results indicated that the SWEETWOODS technology significantly reduces environmental impacts compared to traditional fossil-based processes. The sustainability impact score was defined to relate these impacts, with higher scores indicating greater overall sustainability. This assessment confirmed the SWEETWOODS technology is a sustainable alternative, meeting stringent environmental and social standards while maintaining economic viability.
The project achieved significant outreach through participation in numerous conferences, events, and workshops, both online and on-site. Social media updates, scientific publications, and promotional materials played crucial roles in disseminating information and experiences. Fibenol has ensured comprehensive IP portfolio, securing a competitive advantage. SWEETWOODS project demonstrated the feasibility and scalability of Fibenol's biomass processing technology, achieving significant milestones in exploitation and production capacity, technological advancements and sustainability assessments.
