ValChem
ValChem - Value added Chemical building blocks and lignin from wood
Project details
- Type of project
- Innovation Action - Demonstration
- Feedstock origin
- Forest-based
- Feedstock type
- Lignin & wood residues
- Project period
- 1 July 2015 - 30 June 2019
- Status
- Terminated
- CBE JU Contribution
- € 13 125 940,15
- Call identifier
- H2020-BBI-PPP-2014-1
Summary
The ValChem project aims to demonstrate the viability, both technically and economically, of producing wood-based chemicals that are competitive with similar products based on fossil-based raw materials in terms of quality and production costs.
All the processes that will be used have already been demonstrated at least at a pilot scale. The main process aims to demonstrate valorisation of over 75 percent of the wood-based raw material.
- Demonstrate a sustainable and integrated process whereby wood is transformed into lignin-based performance chemicals and mono-propylene glycol as the selected platform chemical.
- Show that this process can produce wood-based chemicals that are competitive with identical or similar-in-application products based on fossil raw materials in terms of quality and production cost.
- Perform pre-marketing and application tests in the largest markets for mono-propylene glycol (unsaturated polyester resins, paints and coatings, heat-transfer, de-icing, and personal care) as well as the envisaged lignin-based performance chemicals (main market: reactive applications with a high value added).
- Increased regional development and investment, as potential future plants based on this technology will need to be located in rural areas due to biomass availability.
- Valorisation of over 75 % of the wood raw material, and 2-6 times higher added value of wood-based chemicals compared to traditional products.
- Increased sustainability of wood production (as more wood with PEFC and FSC certificates will be used) and industrial processing.
Consortium map
Project coordination
- UPM-KYMMENE OYJ Helsinki, Finland
Consortium
- UPM GMBH Augsburg, Germany
- METABOLIC EXPLORER SA Saint Beauzire, France
- SEKAB E-TECHNOLOGY AB Oernskoeldsvik, Sweden
- TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DARMSTADT Darmstadt, Germany
