Project description
Novel method for the biological production of butanol
Climate change is a worldwide threat to human health. As such, novel solutions for greener fuel alternatives are urgently needed. Recently, butanol, a four-carbon alcohol, usually used as an industrial solvent, has received attention as a potential renewable fuel. Unfortunately, it is mainly produced from fossil fuels, generating large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. The EU-funded BUTANOVA project will tackle this issue by introducing a novel technology that presents a biological alternative production method for n-butanol. This will ensure high purity while significantly decreasing emissions and bringing down costs.
Objective
Butanol is a 4-carbon alcohol generally used as an industrial solvent with a growing multi-billion market and with a high potential as a renewable fuel. It is commonly produced from fossil fuels through very pollutant processes, strongly contributing to GHG emissions, and thus requiring more sustainable and greener production alternatives. During the past decade, some of the limitations in the biological production of butanol were tackled with the development of solventogenic microorganisms and advances in fermentation approaches. However, none of these solutions has reached industrial production and are either focusing on the less interesting isobutanol or based on anaerobic processes and still limited by to the use of Acetyl-CoA as the pathway precursor for n-butanol biosynthesis, thus limiting the process yield and productivities and the diversity of hosts that can be used and, consequently, the choice of feedstock.
BUTANOVA technology is a novel biological alternative for the production of n-butanol based on an innovative and proprietary metabolic pathway developed by SILICO. BUTANOVA comprises a more efficient metabolic pathway, capable of higher yields, productivities and purity in either anaerobic or aerobic operation, for the production of n-butanol from a new precursor, alpha-ketoglutarate. Conversely to competing solutions, the use of alpha-ketoglutarate opens the door to a great variety of hosts and feedstock use.
The major objective of BUTANOVA is the technology demonstration and market introduction of a cost-competitive alternative for the biological production of n-butanol, including the scaling-up and process documentation as part of Phase 2.
To meet this end, it is required to first complete an IP risk analysis and technological/market feasibility evaluation in Phase 1. The successful accomplishment of the project objectives will position our company for high growth with expected revenues of more than 10M €, 5 years after project completion.
Fields of science
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivity
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcohols
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuels
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuels
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybioprocessing technologiesfermentation
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
4715 387 Braga
Portugal
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.