Zelcor

Zero Waste Ligno-Cellulosic Biorefineries by Integrated Lignin Valorisation

Project details

Type of project: Research & Innovation Action
Project focus: Bio-based chemicals
Feedstock origin: Agri-food waste
Forestry waste
Feedstock type: Food industry sidestreams
Lignin & wood residues

Project period: 1 October 2016 - 28 February 2021
Status: Completed
CBE JU Contribution: € 5 256 993,00
Call identifier: H2020-BBI-PPP-2015-02

Summary

Lignocellulosic feedstocks (dry matter plant biomass) are commonly used in the production of biofuels and bio-based chemicals. However, a major disadvantage of these feedstocks is the presence of substantial amounts of lignin, an aromatic polymer that is difficult to break down. This so called "recalcitrance" means lignocellulosic feedstock is often considered primarily as a waste product, utilised to produce energy through burning.

The Zelcor project intends to demonstrate the feasibility of transforming lignocellulose recalcitrant side streams (lignocellulosic residues from ethanol production, lignins dissolved during pulping and lignin-like humins formed by sugars conversion) into high added-value bio-based products, including fine chemicals. This will be achieved by combining chemical and enzymatic catalysis with insect-based bioconversion.

Demonstrating of the project's feasibility will be performed by process scaling-up, formulation of end-product prototypes and value chain sustainability and safety assessment.

Zelcor aims at demonstrating the feasibility of transforming recalcitrant by-products considered as waste, namely lignin- and humins-rich streams, into high added value biobased products, including fine chemicals.

The specific driving idea is to combine chemical and enzymatic catalyses with microbial bioconversion to develop an integrated flexible biorefinery system for the conversion of these heterogeneous and variable by-products.

Optimise the economic values from agricultural residues.
Valorise the lignin fraction of lignocellulosic biomass into valuable products, reaching at least a 3-fold value increase as compared to the current energy value.
Achieve technological validation of at least three new bio-based products resulting from purified lignin.
Contribute to the development of two convergent routes to produce valuable bio-based products from lignin: the microbial bioconversion exploiting termite or isolated termite microbial consortia and the catalytic depolymerisation by enzymatic cocktails.
Improve the environmental and economic performance of different actors of the value chain, in particular of end-user sectors by diversifying the sources and types of bio-based products supply.

High added value bio-based products from lignocellulosic biorefinery wastes
01 June 2018
Find an article on our project Zelcor which is exploiting the potential of termites to demonstrate the feasibility of transforming by-products considered as waste into high-added value materials. Read more

Consortium map

Project coordination

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENT Paris, France

Consortium

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE L ENVIRONNEMENT INDUSTRIEL ET DES RISQUES - INERIS Verneuil En Halatte, France
ARTERRA BIOSCIENCE SPA Napoli, Italy
INSTITUT NATIONAL DES SCIENCES APPLIQUEES DE TOULOUSE Toulouse, France
NOVA-INSTITUT FUR POLITISCHE UND OKOLOGISCHE INNOVATION GMBH Hurth, Germany
AVANTIUM SUPPORT BV Amsterdam, Netherlands
AVANTIUM CHEMICALS BV Amsterdam, Netherlands
AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR Espoo, Finland
YNSECT EVRY, France
BIOME TECHNOLOGIES PLC Southampton, United Kingdom
TEREOS PARTICIPATIONS Origny Sainte-Benoite, France
INSTITUT NATIONAL DES SCIENCES ET INDUSTRIES DU VIVANT ET DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT - AGROPARISTECH Palaiseau, France
UNIVERSITE PARIS XII VAL DE MARNE Creteil, France
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK COVENTRY, United Kingdom
UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE Marseille, France
Quantis Sarl Renens Vd, Switzerland
SABIC PETROCHEMICALS BV GELEEN, Netherlands
STICHTING WAGENINGEN RESEARCH Wageningen, Netherlands

Former member

ARDILLA TECHNOLOGIES UK LTD HASSOCKS, United Kingdom
INRAE TRANSFERT SAS PARIS, France
W 42 INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY GMBH Dortmund, Germany

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The AFTERLIFE project proposes a flexible, cost- and resource-efficient process for recovering and valorising the relevant fractions from wastewater...

Project focus:

Packaging

Completed

BIOrescue

Europe's mushroom industry generates approximately five million tonnes of spent mushroom substrate (SMS). This is the extraneous substrate and...

Project focus:

Crop protection & fertilisation

Completed

VIPRISCAR

Isosorbide is a mainly bio-based chemical with the potential to help manufacture a range of products, many of which currently rely on fossil-based raw...

Project focus:

Bio-based polymers & plastics

Completed

BIOCOMEM

The supply of many precursors and ingredients relies on chemical separation techniques to isolate the various components. Currently, many of these...

Project focus:

Bio-based polymers & plastics

Completed

EFFORTE

Forests and forestry will play a key role in making a European bio-based economy a reality. By applying modern technology to forestry techniques, the...

Project focus:

Sustainable forestry

Completed

EnzOx2

Biomass bio-refineries can be greener and even more effective if they use efficient bio-based chemical technologies. EnzOx2 explores the potential use...

Project focus:

Bio-based chemicals

Completed

CARBOSURF

If biotechnology is to deliver molecules and derived products to the market, these need to meet market demands. Hence a close collaboration with the...

Project focus:

Bio-based chemicals

Completed

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FRACTION

The EU’s drive towards a circular economy has seen increasing numbers of biorefineries established in Europe. As a result of the EU’s bioeconomy...

Project focus:

Bio-based polymers & plastics

Completed

PHENOLEXA

In the pursuit of a circular economy, it is important to identify and use potential feedstocks to their maximum potential and value. Despite this...

Project focus:

Food, feed & cosmetics

Completed

PERFECOAT

The pursuit of a climate-neutral Europe and a truly circular economy requires attention to virtually all fields of production if fossil-based...

Project focus:

Bio-based polymers & plastics

Completed

Prolific

Agro-industrial residual biomass, side streams and food production by-products such as legumes, fungi and coffee are likely to constitute rich sources...

Project focus:

Food, feed & cosmetics

Completed

BioSupPack

The increasing public desire for sustainable products is driving a growing demand for bioplastics in the packing sector in order to minimise...

Project focus:

Packaging

Completed

OLEAF4VALUE

Olive groves are a common sight throughout southern Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean countries and in Portugal. While the fruit of the olive...

Project focus:

Food, feed & cosmetics

Completed

Zelcor

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