The First Industrial-Scale Commercially Viable & Environmentally Sensitive System For Empty Fruit Bunch Waste Disposal

Project Information

MATE

Grant agreement ID: 877090

DOI

10.3030/877090

Project closed

EC signature date 26 July 2019

Start date 1 August 2019

End date 30 November 2019

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

AUTODISPLAY BIOTECH GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MATE (The First Industrial-Scale Commercially Viable & Environmentally Sensitive System For Empty Fruit Bunch Waste Disposal)

Reporting period: 2019-08-01 to 2019-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

MATE is the first industrial-scale, commercially viable, and environmentally sensitive system for the valorisation of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFBs), a waste by-product from palm oil production. The application of this solution to EFBs allows for the monetization of what currently is a waste stream with large environmental impacts, processing EFBs into lignin and second-generation sugars for the biofuel, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries.
Our proprietary MATE technology uses cellulases displayed at the surface of Gram-negative bacteria to produce cellulosic sugars using EFBs as a feedstock. Our enzymatic solution is highly efficient and re-usable, reducing costs of current solutions by 50%, and rendering EFBs a feasible and profitable source of sugars for the first time. We want to scale-up MATE into an industrial-scale Process Design Licensing (PDL) Package for the implementation of MATE-based biorefineries.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

This Feasibility Study Report has proven the viability of developing a PDL Package: a cutting-edge biorefinery concept for industrial-scale manufacturing of cellulosic sugars from EFB, open to customer requirements, and that can be adapted to specific biomass-pretreatment combinations. This FS defines a Roadmap, Execution Plan, and Risk Analysis, comprising all necessary activities to scale MATE up to commercialisation as a PDL package. We have performed an in-depth analysis of the palm oil and biofuel markets, and updated our Stakeholder Engagement, Commercial, Marketing, and IPR (including FTO analysis) Strategies. Finally, we have drafted Financial Forecasts on a 5-year-projection, based on a B2B business model and pricing policies.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

By providing the first solution of its kind, with MATE we aim to become pioneers in the second-generation sugars sector, creating new market opportunities for the palm oil and biofuels industries, and exploiting current market trends in green energy sources to create a whole new market for EFBs.

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