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FIRST2RUN

Flagship demonstration of an integrated biorefinery for dry crops sustainable exploitation towards biobased materials production

Project details

Type of project
Innovation Action – Flagship
Project focus
Bio-based chemicals
Feedstock origin
Agri-food waste
Feedstock type
Dedicated crops
Project period
1 July 2015 - 30 June 2019
Status
Completed
CBE JU Contribution
€ 16 995 882,00
Call identifier
H2020-BBI-PPP-2014-1

Summary

FIRST2RUN project demonstrated the environmental sustainability and economic profitability of an integrated biorefinery where low-input and underutilised oil crops grown in arid and marginal lands, without competing with food or feed, were valorised for extracting vegetable oils. These oils were then further converted into bio-based monomers, mainly pelargonic and azelaic acids, serving as building blocks for high-value products such as bio-based lubricants, cosmetics, plastics, and additives through the integration of chemical and biotech processes.

By extracting cardoon seeds oil and converting it to bio-based solutions like lubricants and plastics, Novamont played a crucial role in transforming arid and marginal lands in Sardinia into a platform for sustainable bio-based business.

The project created a sustainable closed-loop system that generated new incomes for local farmers while having no impact on valuable land for food production. 

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • NOVAMONT SPA NOVARA, Italy

Consortium

  • SIP LIMITED LONDON, United Kingdom
  • MATRICA SPA Porto Torres, Italy
  • CHEMTEC UK LIMITED BEITH, United Kingdom
  • SOLIQZ BV DELFT, Netherlands
  • ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA Bologna, Italy
  • ROELMI HPC SRL ORRIGIO, Italy
Former member
  • BIOPHIL CENTRAL EUROPE SRO BRATISLAVA, Slovakia