Emerging biorefinery concepts and research infrastructure development needs Anna Leinonen (VTT Oy) Frederik de Bruyn (BBEPP), Benoit Joffres (INRA), Jonas Joelsson (SP), Klaus Niemelä (VTT Oy) Christine Roßberg (Fh CBP), Ingemar Svensson (Tecnalia),
Foresight for future intelligence What is foresight? a systematic, participatory, future intelligence gathering and medium-to-long-term vision building process Why? Preparedness Proactivity Holistic view informed decisions Goal in ERIFORE: To produce future insight on the technology development and infrastructure requirements
Roadmapping process STEP 1: Scoping Brainstorming: What is relevant? Information gathering INTERNAL WORKSHOP IN BORDEAUX STEP 2: Evaluation OPEN WORKSHOP IN LEUNA Evaluation survey: 31 respondents Products Development needs STEP 3: Roadmap Roadmap drafting Deliverable 5.2 Technology platforms Expert views on the platforms Dissemination & Use of results
SUGAR PLATFORM Pretreatment & Fractionation Sugar refining Hydrolysis purification Conversion Biochemical Chemical Product recovery End use Polymerisation Chemical synthesis Direct use Main development challenges: Logistics of raw material Installing large-scale, cost-effective biomass fractionation technologies Upgrading of the purity of the sugar streams Creation of robust catalysts and micro-organisms Enhanced integration and intensification of processes, gas fermentation More effective downstream processing, separation technologies
A. FOOD PACKAGING FIBRE PLATFORM Stock preparation (Foam) Forming, Moulding Coating, Lamination Development challenges: Development of biobased liquid barrier & grease resistant cellulosic materials Casting and coating methods for 3D shaped materials and viscous fluids Light weight high performance, hybride materials Active and intelligent features Chemicals and food safety, recyclability Cutting, Creasing Pulping End use Dissolving & Regeneration Yarn making Spinning Fibre yarn Textile making Weaving Knitting Nonwoven B. TEXTILES Dyeing & Finishing Development challenges: Efficient and environmentally friendly dissolution and processes New technologies without a need for dissolving and regeneration (nanocellulose, fibre yarn) Improved nonwovens produced in a modified paper machine Process for nonvowens directly from solution Recycled and lower quality raw materials Fibres with enhanced mechanical properties
LIGNIN PLATFORM Pretreatment Lignin extraction Fibre separation Lignin treatments Depolymerisation Functionalization Activation Fibre treatments Polymerization & Polymer processing Composite processing End uses Fuels/Additives Chemicals Bioplastics Lignin Based Composites Development challenges: Lignin as a material is still not fully known, lignin properties are not consistent Large scale lignin production and secure lignin feedstock supply Industrial depolymerization processes Activation, modification, plastification Purification, odor, color
Market potential: Biochemicals and biomaterials SHORT TERM LONG TERM Sugar platform In general, sugar platform products, Surfacants based on lignocellulosic raw materials, will first be introduced based on agricultural residues, Polymers Pharmaceuticals like straw, bagasse and corn stover. Many such products are already Specialty on sugars the market. Proteins Flavours / Fragrances The wood-based sugar platform products will thus come in a Biofuels / Fuel additives Solvents second wave, if ever. Fast food, pizza pack Liquid packaging Fibre platform Disposable cups and plates, wraping papers Textiles for home decoration (B2B) boxes and cartons, Bag-in-box solutions Ovenable trays Multilayered pouches Textile fibres from cellulose are hot topic currently, especially in countries having tradition for forest industry. New environmentally friendly Clothes, Sports wear Hygienic technologies products exist in lab scale but Textiles for medical care (e.g. from nonwoven) scaling up to industry is still not done. European players will concentrate on technology development. Technical textiles (including work wear) Lignin platform Material solutions utilising lignin polymer are already growing and Platform chemicals Biopolymer & Bioplastics by scale-up Lignin-based is in composites focus, while polymerization of aromatic Biopolymers production & Bioplastics of aromatics and other building blocks chemicals from lignin requires (Lignin grafted still research. polymers or Lignin polymer blends) As first step, liquid energy products from lignin may be the first to be scaled-up. Fuels and additives High market potential and agreement among experts Low potential / disagreement among experts
Different timelines in development needs SHORT TERM LONG TERM Sugar platform Improvement of downstream processes Technology for increased sugar purities Political engagement Improvement of biomass fractionation Development of robust strains Integration and intensificaton of processes Cluster with petrochemical sector Zero-waste approach Building large scale forest-based biorefineries Short to medium term Light-weight materials Liquid barrier materials CNF/CNC-based materials Fibre platform Lignin platform Safety issues Adaptation of cellulose pulp for desired properties New cellulose dissolving / regeneration methods Improved product performance for nonwovens Improve scientific knowledge on various technical lignins Develop large scale lignin production Hemicellulose-based barriers Casting and coating Develop new extraction processes towards new qualities of ligning Recycling issues Non-fluorinated grease resistant materials Textiles with designed properties through integred processes Improved solution spinning methods Develop large scale lignocellulosic biomass fractionation technologies Improve the purity of lignin Improve lignin activation to increase reactivity Solution blowing to produce nonwovens Active-intelligent features Spinning of nanocellulose to avoid dissolving Develop cascading approach for the lignin valorization Develop depolymerisation processes Upgrade the purity of the platform molecules Short term Medium to long term High importance and agreement among experts Low importance / disagreement on importance among experts
ERIFORE roadmap Outcome: A technology roadmap exploring emerging technology concepts and capability requirements Time scale: 10 to 20 years ahead Roadmap identifies the development steps of biorefinery concepts and the main enabling R&D needs Conceptual model of the change Regional factors affect the progress and outcomes Strategic decision making is separate from foresight outcome
Development needs Biorefinery concept Landscape ERIFORE Summary roadmap Present / short term (1-5 y) Medium term (5-10) Long term (beyond 10) Policy supporting circular bioeconomy Protectionism as a threat Changing consumption habits and globally growing middle class : increased demand for hygiene and packaging products Green values transform to green actions Limits of growth restrict consumption Interruption of market logic based on digitalisation Single line Multipurpose Production ecosystem Industrial symbiosis Fractionation technologies & increased purity Development of novel added value products Waste and side stream recovery Development of gasification and pyrolysis Process Integration & intensification Industrial integration / collaboration between Chemical & Forest industries Novel converting technologies for wood-based materials High consistency processes Development of robust strains Integrated thermochemical processes with chemical production Symbiosis of biomaterials and bioenergy Carbon dioxide capture and use
Conclusions Foresight exercise provides information for strategic decision making Emphasis on new products: biochemicals and biomaterials Need for distributed research infra in those platforms that are technologically versatile More detailed analyses in case studies
Acknowledgement This project has received funding from the European Union s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654371. Consortium: ERIFORE Workshop 27.3.2017 Stockholm, Sweden