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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BIOSKOH (BIOSKOHâ€™s Innovation Stepping Stones for a novel European Second Generation BioEconomy)

Teaser

Summary

Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the most abundant resources of fixed renewable carbon on earth.
While bio-ethanol produced from food crops is already on the market, its production from lignocellulosic feedstock opens up large opportunities in terms of enhancing sustainability, avoiding land conflicts and expanding resource potential, in particular when complex but promising combinations of crops residues and dedicated crops are employed.
The General Objective of the BIOSKOH project is establishing a breakthrough for 2G biorefineries in Europe demonstrating a first of kind sustainable and financially-sound second generation Biorefinery within the EU. This is done through an economic sustainability concept that leverages on a combination of four replicable Innovation Stepping Stones, as such stimulating Europeâ€™s industrial Renaissance especially through the conversion existing industrial clusters and marginal land into sustainable and a profitable second generation regional bioeconomy value chains.
More specifically BIOSKOH aims to demonstrate that 2G bio-ethanol can be produced at lower and an economically viable price within current market context, and the potential for further cost reduction. This will be done by upscaling the successful 2G technology portfolio developed for the Italian 2G Biorefinery demonstrator, to an even more effective plant in a Brownfield chemical park of StrÃ¡Å¾ske in the East of Slovakia, using existing infrastructures, industrial symbiosis and cheap biomass (mainly thanks to the lack of alternative uses and of a consolidated market of agricultural residues). This will offer opportunities for the local economy to transform its agro-foundations into the bases of the new bio-economy that will drive new jobs, economic growth and environmentally sounds entrepreneurship.

Work performed

During the first reporting period (1RP, M1-M18), the overall BIOSKOH activities have advanced following the schedule and under the supervision of the Coordination Team (Biochemtex and Energochemica).
As for WP2, Agriconsulting defined the methodology for a Biomass Supply Master Plan (BSMP). A study of the agricultural rural contest and a territorial analysis in the East of Slovakia were done on statistical base. Four suitable sites were selected for semi-operational crops cultivation in the required and differentiated conditions, analyzed in terms of soil chemical properties. The crops stands were established on sowing in the most suitable agrotechnical expected term. The harvesting was monitored.
In WP3 first information of process performances on different biomasses was collected. FOB and NPPC evaluated the biomass production, harvesting and supply and several feedstock have been sent to Biochemtex for the conversion testing. According to the process flow, biomass was first analytically characterized and then the most promising feedstock were pre-treated and hydrolyzed at continuous pilot plant scale to produce the streams for the enzyme and yeast optimisation carried out by Novozymes and Lesaffre.
In WP4-WP5, extensive actions related to Engineering, Procurement and Construction, as well as permitting for the starting up of the biorefinery were performed. The necessary permits were discussed by Energochemica: EIA; permit for the proposed land use of the industrial area by the City of StrÃ¡Å¾ske; IPPC. It was decided to include an additional feedstock â€“ woody biomass â€“ 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.
In WP6, an inventory for the LCA was defined by Imperial College. Data regarding the study of spatial implications of each supply chain was collected in order to start the assessment of the land use changes. The social and economic impact was started through the identification of stakeholders with a strategic interest to engage in valorization of biorefinery side streams. A review of ICCS methodology was initiated. In parallel the valorization of lignin co-products was started by Energochemica and Innventia focusing on production of phenol formaldehyde resins and wood-plastic boards.
In WP7 as exploitation plan, four suitable brownfields location which could potentially hosting 2G biorefineries were selected from 150 by PNO and deeply analysed. In the dissemination plan, a website, LinkedIn and Twitter social media accounts were created by Sustainability Consult, as well as promotion materials (newsletters, presentations, Q&A). Project partners attended and also organized several conferences and trade fairs at EU level with the opportunity of presenting the project.
In the WP8, the selection of the Ethical Expert was made, which together with the Ethical Board will follow-up with the partners with ethics compliance requirements.

Final results

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 this first period.
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.
Engineering, Procurement and Construction, as well as permitting of the plant were performed. Energochemica decided to include an additional raw material â€“ woody biomass â€“ 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.
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.