BBI2019.SO1.F1 – Valorise the organic fraction of municipal solid waste through an integrated biorefinery at commercial level
Background
This is a topic in the 2019 work programme of the Biomass Based Industries Joint Undertaking which was launched in April 2019. The deadline for submitting proposals to this call is September 4th 2019, with the results expected by the end of the year and projects expected to start in 2020.Celignis is an SME that was spun-out from an EU research project (the FP7 advanced biofuels project DIBANET) that was written and coordinated by Celignis's founder Daniel Hayes. It has now been five years since the end of that project and over that time Celignis has grown in size and reputation and now occupies a valuable niche as being the premier analytical provider to clients in the biomass sector. We provide a wide range of compositional analysis services and bioprocessing expertise to a diverse array of customers (including SMEs, multinationals, and universities) looking to utilise biomass feedstocks, residues and wastes for the production of biobased products, biofuels, and energy.
But we have not lost sight of the importance of science and in advancing the start of the art. We were born from pioneering research and we are still passionately committed to playing our part in advancing the bioeconomy. As a result we continue to be highly active in European research projects and are particularly excited by the calls presented in the 2019 BBI work programme.
Celignis is a partner in 2 ongoing BBI projects, BIOrescue and UNRAVEL. These are RIA (Research and Innovation Action) projects. Click here to read more about our involvements in these BBI projects. Celignis is also a partner in an Innovation Action (i.e. Demonstration scale) BBI project that is currently in the Grant Agreement stage and is expected to start in September 2019. In addition to these BBI projects, Celignis is also a partner in the Horizon 2020 Coordinating and Supporting Action project ENABLING. As we are a spin-out company from an EU research project we are well-versed in the preparation of proposals and in the implementation of projects.
Below we present a summary of this topic and indicate how Celignis could be a valuable project partner. Click here to see more details on our relevant expertise as well as summaries of how we can contribute to the other topics in the 2019 BBI work programme.
Contributions Celignis can Make to BBI2019.SO1.F1
- Dedicated analytical partner - A fully-operational flagship biorefinery will require detailed and extensive analysis to be undertaken of the feedstocks, products and everything in between. We have the capacity and experience to handle this throughput and provide accurate data that can aid plant operators in optimising process conditions for maximal yields and/or efficiency. In particular, we have an array of refined and validated analysis procedures for the sampling, preparation, and analysis of MSW/OFMSW samples and for the products of biomass pretreatment, including liquid process outputs.
- Feedstock seasonal profiling - MSW and OFMSW are highly heterogeneous feedstocks that can vary greatly in their compositions according to a multitude of factors, with the season being particularly important. We can collect and analyse samples over the course of a year to get a more detailed understanding of this variability and any trends. This will allow the plant operator to be able to predict how feedstock composition, and the associated process yields and outputs, may respond to changes in supply-side parameters.
- Testing of biopolymers - If the technology involves the conversion of MSW/OFMSW to biopolymers then Celignis personnel can undertake a range of analysis methods to investigate their biodegradability. These tests can follow OECD guidelines (e.g. OECD301, 302, 306, 310 or equivalent methods) and determine both ready and inherent biodegradability.
- Residue evaluation - While the call excludes having compost, digestate, biogas, methane, or biofuels as the main products it is likely that, given the heterogeneous nature of MSW and OFMSW, there will be solid and liquid residues from the main conversion technologies. We have an array of equipment for analysing these outputs and determining their suitability for combustion or anaerobic digestion.
Specific Challenge of BBI2019.SO1.F1
The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) produced annually in the European Union is estimated at 88 million tonnes, rising to 96 million tonnes annually by 2020. On a global basis, cities produced about 1.3 billion tonnes of solid waste in 2012, of which a significant percentage was organic. This figure is expected to rise to 2.2 billion tonnes per year by 2025.Containing mainly carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, OFMSW presents an important feedstock for biorefining to convert it into valuable compounds for applications in a variety of market segments. However, this precious feedstock is often perceived as a challenge for urban agendas due to its potential pressure on the environment and human health. Together with other waste streams, OFMSW is often used for energy recovery or sent to landfill. These disposal steps of OFMSW pre-empt exploiting its potential for valuable products achievable in cascading operations. Aerobic (composting) and anaerobic digestion processes on the OFMSW have been able to reduce this fraction going to landfill. However, these processes mainly result in low-value products such as compost, biogas and digestate.
Building on earlier projects on OFMSW, industry is ready to scale up the total value chain to first-of-a-kind biorefinery at commercial level. Successful operation at this level will start to realise a better exploitation of the potential of the OFMSW in Europe.
The specific challenge is to sustainably scale up the conversion of OFMSW into added-value products to commercial levels.
Scope of BBI2019.SO1.F1
Produce large-scale added-value end products from the OFMSW for identified market applications from a successfully operating, first-of-its-kind biorefinery.This topic excludes proposals having compost, digestate, biogas, methane or biofuels as the main products.
When dealing with unsorted MSW, proposals could address the efficient separation of the organic fraction.
The activities of this biorefinery must be included in a strategy for the valorisation of the OFMSW resources of the area where the biorefinery is operating. In particular, projects should realise a biorefinery that is integrated in the existing territorial waste management scheme and policies, involving all relevant stakeholders from the public and private sectors, and seek to improve and optimise current waste management schemes and practices in the subject territory. Proposals should be fit for replicability in other territories.
The envisaged biorefinery should fully integrate feedstock supply and processing technologies to deliver products with targeted functionalities to meet identified market demand at competitive prices. It should demonstrate effective and cost-efficient operation at a commercial level, applying where relevant the cascading use of the biomass feedstock to maximise resource efficiency. Proposals may include any processing technology (excluding those leading primarily to compost, digestate, biogas, methane or biofuels) that has been demonstrated in an optimised value chain at TRL 6-7 and should encompass all processing stages leading to intermediate and end products. Proposals should address all requirements for IA - flagship actions as shown in Table 3 in the Introduction.
The technology readiness level (TRL) at the end of the project should be 8. Proposals should clearly state the starting and end TRLs of the key technology or technologies targeted in the project.