Improve fermentation processes (including downstream purification) to final bio-based products
TOPIC ID: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-03
Type of Action; HORIZON-JU-IA HORIZON JU Innovation Actions
Deadline model: single-stage
Opening date; 26 April 2023
Deadline date; 20 September 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time
Expected Outcome:
In line with the objectives of the Circular economy and the Zero pollution action plan, successful proposals will demonstrate processing technologies to facilitate the large-scale deployment of industrial bio-based systems. These systems will contribute to the EU Bio-economy Strategy implementation, demonstrating improved environmental performances, maximum resource- and energy-efficiency, and optimal cascading use of bio-based feedstock, aiming for ‘zero waste’ and ‘zero-pollution’ operations.
Project results should contribute to the following expected outcomes:
- Availability of new industrial biotechnology-based production routes to bio-based products from sustainably sourced biomass;
- Improved productivity, yield, titre and selectivity of scaled up fermentation processes to bio-based products;
- Increased competitiveness of European bio refineries;
- Significant improvement of environmental performance across the value chain against specified fossil and/or bio-based benchmarks;
- Improved circularity and resource efficiency via practical application of the circular (bio)economy concept;
- Social acceptance of circular bio-based solutions and products;
- Availability of broader range of bio-based products meeting market requirements;
- Facilitation of market uptake of scalable bio-based solutions
Scope:
Fermentation of bio-based feedstock is powerful but often still cost-intensive and resource-intensive process. This is mainly due to costly enzymes, low process yields, high by-product toxicity, poor microorganism growth, high nutrient requirements but also inefficiencies in downstream purification. Moreover, most used biocatalysts are optimised for converting conventional sugars and are less effective (or unable) to deal with second generation and non-food quality sugars, thus preventing the exploitation of additional sources of biomass feedstock. Solving all these issues may require the development of new metabolic pathways and the scale-up of related processes to industrially relevant scale. In addition, the presence of by-products often requires complex and expensive downstream purification processes, especially when the desired end products are non-volatile. This aspect adds to the complexity and cost of the process and needs to be optimised as well.
Topic Eligibility And Documents:
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