Novel technology for biobutanol production

Descrizione del progetto

Un nuovo metodo per la produzione biologica del butanolo

I cambiamenti climatici costituiscono una minaccia a livello modale per la salute umana. Per questo motivo, sono urgentemente necessarie soluzioni innovative per trovare combustibili alternativi più ecologici. Di recente il butanolo, un alcool a quattro atomi di carbonio di solito impiegato come solvente industriale, ha attirato l’attenzione come potenziale combustibile rinnovabile. Purtroppo, viene principalmente prodotto a partire dai combustibili fossili, che generano ingenti quantità di emissioni di gas a effetto serra. Il progetto BUTANOVA, finanziato dall’UE, affronterà questo problema introducendo una tecnologia inedita che presenta un metodo di produzione alternativa biologica per l’n-butanolo. Ciò garantirà un’elevata purezza, riducendo al contempo le emissioni e i costi.

Obiettivo

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.

Campo scientifico

Programma(i)

Argomento(i)

EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020 - SME instrument

Invito a presentare proposte

H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

Vedi altri progetti per questo bando

Bando secondario

H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1

Meccanismo di finanziamento

SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

Coordinatore

SILICOLIFE LDA

Contribution nette de l'UE

€ 50 000,00

Indirizzo

RUA DO CANASTREIRO 15
4715 387 Braga
Portogallo

PMI

Sì

Regione

Continente Norte Cávado

Tipo di attività

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Collegamenti

Contatta l’organizzazione Sito web

Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE

Rete di collaborazione HORIZON

Costo totale

€ 71 429,00