BioRefineries Blog

Versión en Español Type of post: RESEARCH NEWS. BioSTEAM (“Biorefinery Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis Modules”), a new open-source simulation software package in Python developed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, gives scientists, engineers, biotechnology companies and funding agencies a fast, flexible tool to analyse the economics of producing different biofuels and bioproducts. Press release (EurekAlert!): “ Scientists develop open-source software to analyze economics of biofuels, bioproducts ”, 19/2/2020. Research article: “ BioSTEAM: A Fast and Flexible Platform for the Design, Simulation, and Techno-Economic Analysis of Biorefineries under Uncertainty ”, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2020, 8, 8, 3302-3310. Publication Date: January 30, 2020. Figure 1. BioSTEAM (“ Biorefinery Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis Modules”) The research work, leaded by PhD Candidate Yoel Cortes-Pena and his advisor Jeremy Guest (both rese...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Earlier this month, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Task 42 Biorefining in a future bioeconomy issued a new report that investigates four case studies on biorefinery pathways via a technical, economic and environmental (TEE) assessment. Report: “ Technical, Economic and Environmental Assessment of Biorefinery Concepts: Developing a practical approach for characterisation ”. Figure 1. Cover of the report The assessment is based on available generic data and its objective is to establish an open access approach containing the assessment methodology and primary data origin to create a knowledgeable community within the biorefinery sector. The results are presented in the structure of biorefinery fact sheets in order to: make the calculations and primary data transparent, accessible and updateable; keep the results summary in a compact, illustrative form for information dissemination to a broader public; facilitate stakeholder involvem...

Type of post: PROJECT PROFILE. Two years ago, the Blog reported the launching of a BBI JU project focused on developing and demonstrating a new innovative biorefinery concept to valorize a waste from mushroom production: the Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS). The name of this project is BIOrescue and was born from an encounter between one of the world’s largest mushroom producer ( Monaghan Mushrooms ) and Europe’s bioeconomy research community. In order to make this new concept a reality, several partners from eight countries under CENER (the National Renewable Energy Centre of Spain) coordination are cooperating to transform used mushroom compost into sustainable biobased products. Related post: “ Launch of European project leaded by CENER to develop a biorefinery concept based on mushroom residues ”, 3/10/2016. On 11th October 2018, the consortium organized a workshop (“Towards a circular bioeconomy in Spanish industry”) to share the results of the project and discuss oppo...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. The Endeavour Fund Investment Plan is a program of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment of New Zealand that invests in research projects that aim to improve the lives of the New Zealanders by enhancing the economy, the environment and the society. In the last edition, a total of 249.1 million NZD has been awarded to 69 new research projects (see press release ). The “Bark Biorefinery” of Scion is one of them. This organisation is a Crown Research Institute (CRI), a government-owned company that carries out scientific research for the benefit of New Zealand. It is specialised in research, science and technology development for the forestry, wood and wood-derived materials and other biomaterial sectors. Figure 1. Scion will develop a bark biorefinery concept The full title of the project is “Bark Biorefinery: Unlocking new hydrophobic polymers”, it will last 5 years and have a contract value of 9.98 million NZD. It seeks to d...

Publication date: 17/10/2016 Last update: 17/10/2016 ABOUT THE SERIES OF POSTS “BIOREFINERY MODELS” This post belongs to a series called “ Biorefinery Models ”. This series is devoted to briefly describe the models or concepts of advanced biorefineries which have emerged in the last few years and that are rising currently. These models are simplified representations which enable us to understand in a simple way the structure and characteristics of a general biorefinery type. Some of these models refer to the type of feedstock while other focus on the technologies involved. A biorefinery may resemble these models or be the result of variations and combinations of them. It should be noted that although these paradigms are very useful and instructive, they show limitations in describing and classifying complex systems with high level of integration. In order to define and describe a specific complex case, the blog recommends use the classification proposed...

One of the clear strategies of the BBI JU is the support to projects that develop new concepts of valorization of agroindustry wastes. In this way, it attempts to create new business and value chains that boost the bioeconomy growth. For instance, the PULP2VALUE project since July 2015 tries to demonstrate a biorefinery system to refine sugar beet pulp and isolate high value components for detergents, personal care, coatings, composites and other applications. Now, other project focused on the use of spent mushroom substrate is beginning. Figure 1. Organic mushrooms (extracted from the web page of Monaghan Mushrooms). The feedstock in the biorefinery concept developed by BIOrescue is spent mushroom substrate BIOrescue, which is the acronym of this project, started last week with the kick off meeting of the work group in the 2G Biofuels Centre of CENER in Aoiz (Navarra). Below, the main available data about the project are summarize. Key information Title ...

The EU is the world’s leading producer of sugar from beet with around 50% of the total. Most production is processed into crystallised or liquid sugar for food applications. Only 2% of total sugar production is used in non-food applications (for instance, production of bioethanol in conventional sugar biorefineries). The sugar sector needs to develop new markets to grow. One of the opportunities is boosting the use of the sugar as a basis for fermentation. This will lead to simplified processes with lower energy needs and use of all the sugar content for value-added end products. A good example is the industrial project for the plant of PHAs biopolymer that Cristal Union (leading sugar beet producer in France) and Bio-on will build in France (see press release ). But, this is not the only way. During the processing of the beets, a major residual stream called sugar beet pulp is generated after extracting the sugar. In Europe, it accounts for approximate 13 million tons per...