ReWoBioRef Mobilisation and utilisation of recycled wood for lignocellulosic(lc)bio-refinery processes Dr. Guido Hora, Fraunhofer WKI, GERMANY
Background and objectives There will be a growing demand within the next decade for alternative LC feedstock to operate biorefinery processes. An enormous not yet explored feedstock potential lies in recycled waste wood (RW) as secondary raw material source. The project had four main scopes: Chemical and Physical characterization of recycled waste wood materials Ethanol based organosolv cooking and modified alkaline oxidation as pre-treatment for maximal utilisation of cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose fractions. Proof-of-concept of patented syngas technology for heavily contaminated waste wood class. Hydrolysable cellulosic pulp for production of chemicals by fermentation route. Valorisation of polymeric and oligomeric lignin and hemicellulose fractions. Target products: Lignin based hot-melt adhesives and hemicellulose based surfactants. Techno-economic and environmental assessments by LCA of recycled waste wood as secondary raw material in LC biorefinery processes.
Partnership
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS TRL 5-6 TRL 4 TRL 1 TRL 2-3 TRL 4 TRL 3 Illustrated Project Scope and Technical Achievements expressed in the respective advancements of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)
Achievements (II) RW deriving from larger annual process capacity volumes with sophisticated sorting systems contains less contaminations. Pulping of A I recycling wood was successfully realized and acid catalyzed ethanol/water OS- pulping increases yield of lignin. Process parameters effect functional groups in OS-lignin. No toxic contaminations. RW is a potential lower cost raw material for bioethanol production after efficient sorting. Two-stage alkaline oxidation (AlkOx) pretreatment produced well hydrolysable pulp from RW, and ethanol yields nearly comparable with fresh spruce. Lignin can serve as tackifier in hot melt adhesives (HMA), and novel sustainable HMA formulations were developed with cellulose based cohesive polymer. Side-stream sugars offer cost-efficient source of hydrophilic components for biosurfactants, sustainable method for production of sugar based surfactants with controlled architectures was developed using click chemistry. Economics improve significantly with lower feedstock prices of RW and stable multi-product revenues; LCA model within a gate to gate concept indicates trends for GWP 100 and five other major impact factors.
Expected results and impacts Selected project highlight and expected impact Turning trash into clean fuels and chemicals. With its proprietary technology, Enerkem converts nonrecyclable municipal solid waste into methanol, ethanol and other widely used chemical intermediates. SUCCESSFUL PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR HIGHLY CONTAMINATED A IV or D CLASS WASTE WOOD Main target groups to be addressed with the project outcomes: Recycling companies: Generation of an additional sales channel for recycled secondary wood waste products with higher value. Biofuel and biochemical producers: Higher profitability of the process by the use of recycled wood feedstock, and secondary products by valorization of the lignin and hemicellulose side streams. Machine suppliers: New markets through investments in biochemical production plants with novel process technology for biomass deconstruction. Chemical industry: New and more sustainable bio based products are generated for markets.
Lessons learnt and open questions 1. Good complimentary European consortium to reach the targeted technical, economical and environmental goals. 2. Strong industrial partnership and commitment is absolutely mandatory for optimal industrial dissemination efforts reaching towards exploiting further B2B activities after project termination. 3. ReWoBioRef had contributed to a significant mind-set change not only on academic but also on industrial and stakeholder level to valorize recycling waste wood further instead of investing purely in direct incineration. 4. Harmonisation of funding mechanisms, budgets and clear datelines among the national bodies would contribute significantly to uniformly distribute tasks and duties and comparable levels. 5. Medium-size consortia with a maximum of 10 partners and at least equal share between academia, institutional and industrial participants are favorable for an effective coordination and flexible adaptions to work tasks.