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Chapter 3.2.3
Module:  3.
Novel bioproducts development and validation in an operational environment
Unit:  3.2.
Novel bioproducts development – strategies
Chapter:  3.2.3.
Thermochemical processing of biomass

The main research strategies regarding thermochemical processing of biomass are concentrated on rising the sustainability of the process. These include measures to increase the efficiency, to reduce the GHG emissions, and to realise a cost-competitive production of advanced biofuels and bio-products.

The identified research areas/objectives are related to:

For these objectives to be reached, KPIs are determined with a prospect levels of 2030 compared to 2020 ones. In the context of these KPIs and the challenges that they impose, the underlying principles in the research strategies are specified. They include:

Development of primary thermochemical conversion processes

The primary thermochemical biomass conversion processes are gasification (more 3.2.3), torrefaction (more 3.2.4), hydrothermal processing (more 3.2.5), and pyrolysis (more 3.2.6).

Downstream processing

The processing of downstream products needs optimisation is terms of cleaning, conditioning, and upgrading (more 3.2.7).

Advanced biofuel and intermediate carrier value chains

To realise successful conversion of biomass into advanced biofuels and intermediate bioenergy carriers with high GHG savings, the individual unit operations must be unified into a smart biomass-to-side-streams value chain design (more 3.2.8).

Biochemical processing of biomass into advanced bio-based products

The scope of this research strategy is to implement the biochemical and chemical processes and technologies for co-production of advanced biofuels other bio-based products in biorefinery approaches, including the biogas from anaerobic digestion, the syngas from thermochemical biomass and bio-waste processing, and the hydrogen from biological and renewable origin.

Alongside the entire conversion schemes, from the biomass pre-treatment to the recovery of side-streams and integration of bioprocessing technologies, needs have emerged for technological innovations and novel concepts development in the field of (bio)catalysis. New or improved process catalysts are desired to enhance the biological efficiency and product yields from the conversion process. The development of such catalysts is emphasised as a major research, development and innovation challenge.

The KPIs defined in the corresponding research strategy are an increase in the net efficiency of biomass conversion and a significant reduction in the production costs. To satisfy the KPIs, the main research areas are identified as:

The enzymes and cell factories

The enzymes and cell factories research area involves improving the robustness and efficacy of the total enzymes mixture used in biochemical processing of biomass while reducing the costs, and respectively - the cost of the technologies. Additionally, the design of novel enzyme possessing improved catalytic activity of broader substrate spectrum is also considered. The approaches for development of new/optimised enzymes foresee obtaining biocatalysts with increased efficiency and reduced production costs. This improvement will reflect the whole conversion process, since the enzymes are its main component regarding the technology economics.

Increasing the efficiency of microbial and algal biochemical pathways

Here, metabolic engineering strategies are concerned with the scope to deregulate the metabolism of the microbial cells in a way that the negative influence on the conversion processes is minimised. These strategies encompass tuning appropriate metabolic chains to increase the efficiency of the natural biochemical pathways in microbial and algal cell factories. Among others, the following research topics are identified:

Design of novel pathways and microorganisms

This is an ambitious goal whose strategic recourse reaches beyond 2030 and envisages construction of artificial cell factories.

In addition to these research areas, other strategic research priorities include:

Process, mass and energy integration coupled to waste and side streams integration is the overall goal of any conversion technology focused on minimising GHG emissions and aiming to reach zero effluents. These challenges are research priority, addressed by: