PACE

POTATO JUICE TO FATTY ACIDS FOR NEW BIO-BASED VALUE-CHAINS IN EUROPE

Project details

Type of project
Innovation Action – Flagship
Feedstock origin
Sidestreams from industry
Feedstock type
Food industry sidestreams
Project period
1 May 2026 - 30 April 2030
Status
In progress
CBE JU Contribution
€ 19 999 999,75
Call identifier
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025

Summary

Circular bioeconomy is crucial for achieving Europe’s competitive economy and climate targets, but it still faces technical and logistical barriers, and does not use waste resources to their full potential. The modernisation and integration of biorefineries, particularly through the use of local waste and sidestreams, offers sustainable solutions to boost domestic production, diversify the offer of bio-based products, and reduce environmental impact. 

PACE will demonstrate a first-of-its-kind full-scale biorefinery by retrofitting part of Avebe’s existing facility. This plant currently uses advanced fermentation and microbial chain elongation to convert potato juice into valuable bio-based medium-chain fatty acids (MFCAs), supporting zero-waste operations and new circular value chains in the chemical industry. 

The project will provide sustainable, bio-based alternatives to conventional MCFAs, which are often derived from crude oil or unsustainable palm oil. By involving a range of stakeholders through a collaborative approach, it will boost demand and acceptance of bio-based MCFAs, transforming the market. 

  • Build the full-scale biorefinery by retrofitting and upgrading Avebe’s existing facility, while recruiting and training a new workforce for PACE’s biorefinery. 
  • Maximise cascading transformation of residual streams and improve sustainability by lowering the biorefinery’s carbon footprint.  
  • Demonstrate successful industrial full-scale production of bio-based safe-and-sustainable-by-design products, while developing bio-based market-relevant solutions. 
  • Present the biorefinery concept and outcomes to key stakeholders and the general public, highlighting opportunities in circular bio-based value chains. 
  • Accelerate project replication by promoting the commercialisation of its results, extending the model’s impact in the European market and society beyond the project period. 
  • Disrupt the oleochemical and petrochemical-based MCFA market and establish the EU as a pioneer in deforestation-free, oil-free, and import-free MCFA production and applications. 

  • Reduce costs by retrofitting Avebe’s biorefinery plant, resulting in a 15% reduction in initial capital compared to greenfield construction. 
  • Save approximately €500,000 per year on feedstock transport thanks to the use of local biomass. 
  • Produce 20,000 tonnes per year of purified MCFAs from 300,000 tonnes of potato juice annually. 
  • Generate €40 million in turnover and approximately 63 jobs (direct and indirect), while re-skilling 67 Avebe employees. 
  • Enable novel technology to produce five different MCFAs, approximately 58 times higher in value than the product from the previous configuration, as well as six by-products. 
  • Reduce GHG emissions for MCFA production by 50-80% compared to palm-based and fossil-based MCFAs. 
  • Achieve 80% wastewater reuse, thereby improving resource and energy efficiency, leading also to natural gas and electricity savings. 

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • CHAINCRAFT BV Amsterdam, Netherlands

Consortium

  • STICHTING PDC RESEARCH FOUNDATION BREDA, Netherlands
  • ENA SYMVOULOI ANAPTYXIS G P XANTHI, Greece
  • COOPERATIE KONINKLIJKE AVEBE UA VEENDAM, Netherlands
  • Anorel NV Hove, Belgium
  • INNOV AD Essen, Belgium
  • ECOVER CO-ORDINATION CENTER MALLE, Belgium
  • ACONDICIONAMIENTO TARRASENSE ASSOCIACION Terrassa, Spain
  • SPECIALTY OPERATIONS FRANCE LYON, France
  • SYENSQO SOLUTIONS ITALIA S.P.A. OSPIATE DI BOLLATE, Italy
  • SYMRISE AG HOLZMINDEN, Germany