BioRefineries Blog

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Valmet will rebuild the pretreatment system for RE Energy’s biorefinery in Kalundborg (Denmark). Press release: “ Valmet to rebuild pretreatment system for RE Energy’s biorefinery in Denmark ”, 30/09/2021. Related post: “ New Energy Blue intends to construct a cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Iowa ”, 26/07/2021. Figure 1. RE Energy’s biorefinery in Kalundborg (taken from the press release) RE Energy is a fully owned subsidiary of REE Holding and was established in 2020 with the purpose of bringing the old Inbicon Kalundborg biorefinery back in operation and thereafter operate the facility. RE Energy’s biorefinery will, based on straw, produce 2G bioethanol and lignin, and in collaboration with a partner, utilize the hemicellulose to produce new innovative ingredients. Valmet will replace the old feeding system of the plant with a new biomass feeding system based on Valmet’s patented Force feed technology and a new steam explosio...

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Sekab’s planned lignocellulosic biorefinery has been selected as a top ranked project among 311 applications to the EU Innovation Fund and is now one step closer to be granted funding. The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programs for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. Press release: “ Sekab’s technology is making progress in the EU ”, 22/04/2021. Related posts: - “ Sekab and Vertoro to build a demo biorefinery to produce a new platform for sustainable fuels, chemicals and materials ”, 11/03/2020. - “ Sekab starts a feasibility study for a plant to produce biobased chemicals and fuels ”, 17/11/2020. Figure 1. Sekab’s lignocellulosic biorefinery project selected for the next step of the EU Innovation Fund (taken from the press release) The first call for investment support for large projects is now being carried out. About 1 billion euros will be distributed. 311 applications have been sent i...

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.  Sekab is starting a feasibility study with the aim of investigating the conditions for building a production facility in which its own technology CelluAPP will be used to create green chemicals from forest waste.  Press release: “ Sekab is investing in its own technology: wants to build a production plant for green chemicals and biofuels ”, 3/11/2020.  Related posts:  - “ SEKAB has been selected by Kanteleen Voima as process technology provider for the NordFuel biorefinery ”, 24/04/2019.  - “ Sekab and Vertoro to build a demo biorefinery to produce a new platform for sustainable fuels, chemicals and materials ”, 11/03/2020.  - “ Praj and Sekab team up to accelerate a green transition ”, 25/05/2020.  Figure 1. Monica Normak, CTO at Sekab, in the demo facility at Örnsköldsvik (taken from the press release)  CelluAPP takes residual products from the forest (such as sawdust) and processes them...

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Resolute was recently announced as one of the winners in the 2020 BIG Innovation Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group (BIG) for the biorefinery project at its pulp and paper mill in Thunder Bay (Ontario). Resolute website - Awards and Recognition . Related posts: - “ FPInnovations will partner with Resolute to launch pilot-scale biorefinery ”, 25/8/2016. - “ FPInnovations and Resolute open a pilot biorefinery in Ontario to produce 2G sugars and lignin ”, 31/5/2019. Figure 1. Resolute wins innovation award for the biorefinery project at its pulp and paper mill in Thunder Bay Business Intelligence Group (BIG) is a global organization that recognizes business performance. The BIG Innovation Awards are presented annually to honour organizations that make new ideas into reality. Resolute was recognized for a biorefining unit which is developing new ways to efficiently produce and commercialize inn...

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS. Last month, Graanul Biotech ( Graanul Invest subsidiary) laid the cornerstone for the SWEETWOODS flagship plant in Estonia. It will be a first-of-a-kind demo facility using sustainable hardwood biomass as raw input material to produce sugars and lignin. Construction works started in July and the estimated time of completion of the first stage is the first half of 2020. Press release: “ Flagship plant received the cornerstone ”, 18/9/2019. Figure 1. A time capsule was set in the cornerstone of the plant by Raul Kirjanen (member of the management board of Graanul Invest), Peep Pitk (research and development manager) and Rait Pihelgas (Järva rural municipality mayor). The capsule included a cup with high purity lignin, pre-fractionated woodchips, the business plan of the project, the foundation articles of Graanul Biotech and the newspaper of the day. Partners of the engineering and construction works The technology licence o...

Type of post: NEWS. The Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal de Castilla-La Mancha (Regional Institute of Agrifood and Forestry Research and Development of Castilla-La Mancha) has issued on the State Contracting Platform the invitation to tender for the supply, construction and commissioning of an enzymatic hydrolysis unit for the CLAMBER. - “ Profile: CLAMBER R&D Biorefinery ”, 15/11/2017. - Invitation to tender on the State Contracting Platform (in Spanish) . Contracting body Dirección del Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal de Castilla-La Mancha (IRIAF) Contract object Supply, construction and commissioning of an enzymatic hydrolysis unit in plant CLAMBER - 5101CR19SUM00164 Budget bid base and estimated value of the contract 660.400,30 € End date of bid submission 02/08/2019 14:00 Figura 1. Upstream unit of the CLAMBER...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology) opened a pilot biorefinery earlier this month. In this facility, a team of scientists of the Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering will optimised processes that can be used to valorise residues that were previously simply thrown away or at most burned, including straw, wood waste from sawmills or paper mills, shrubs or biowaste from food production. Press release: “ Bioraffinerie: TU Wien eröffnet Pilotanlage ”, 6/6/2019. Figure 1. Prof. Herbert Danninger, Vice-Rector Johannes Fröhlich and Dr. Martin Miltner (from lefo right) at the plant opening (Photo: Martin Brenner) The team is using a specially developed system to break down those lignocellulosic residues into its main components: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. It can reach a pressure of up to 30 bares and temperatures of up to 250°C. Depending on the feedstock used, bioactive substances such as cannabinoids...

Type of post: NEWS. FPInnovations and Resolute Forest Products Inc. have just announced the commissioning of a new biorefinery at pilot scale in Thunder Bay (Ontario, Canada). The facility is focused on developing new ways to efficiently manufacture and market innovative wood-based biochemical products and it is based on the TMP-Bio technology developed by FPInnovations. Press release: “ FPInnovations and Resolute Inaugurate Thermomechanical Pulp Bio-Refinery in Thunder Bay ”, 27/5/2019. Related post: “ FPInnovations will partner with Resolute to launch pilot-scale biorefinery ”, 25/8/2016. Information about TMP-Bio technology: “ Sweetening the bioproducts’ market ”, 1/15/2018. Figure 1. Logos of FPInnovations and Resolute Background In view of the downturn in the demand for pulp and paper in North America and the growing demand for bioproducts from renewable resources, the research team of FPInnovations designed a process to obtain an alternative revenue...

Type of post: NEWS. Leaf Resources Limited has recently announced advancements in its two main projects. Below, the highlights are summarized. Source: ASX (Australian Securities Exchange). Related posts: - “ Leaf signs land purchase option for a biorefinery project in Malaysia ”, 20/11/2017. - “ Leaf and B&G sign MOU for the feedstock supply of the first Malaysian Glycell biorefinery ”, 16/7/2018. Completion of a prefeasibility study on a second-generation commercial biorefinery in Queensland - The study assessed plans to develop a biomanufacturing hub in a sugarcane producing region of Queensland. The proposed biorefinery would use Leaf’s patented Glycell™ technology to speed up and reduce the cost of converting plant waste, in this case sugarcane fibre, into sustainable chemicals, biofuels and bioplastics. - There are currently 12 million bone dry tons of available biomass in Queensland (more than 90% from the sugar cane industry and 80% produced in North ...

Type of post: FLASH NEWS. - Fortum has just announced the launching of a development project that aims to manufacture high-value products from agricultural residues ( for instance, straw ) and woody biomass unsuitable for human food consumption . Fortum together with technology partners will conduct research to create an industrial ecosystem in which biomass is refined in biovillages through collaboration between companies. - The two-year project has received 14.4 M€ in funding from Business Finland. It is part of its Bio and Circular Finland Program , focused on making Finland the forerunner of the circular economy. Press release: “ Fortum aims for global bioproduct markets by refining agro and woody biomass ”, 3/1/2019. Related posts: - “ Fortum considering to invest in a pilot biorefinery based on Chempolis technology ”, 24/10/2016. - “ Chempolis, Fortum and NRL seal a deal for the building of a cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in India ”, 5/5/2018. Note: In Octobe...

Type of post: NEWS. Late last month, the Chancellor of the University of Hohenheim officially opened the on-farm biorefinery technology center at the research station Unterer Lindenhof. This facility is destined to demonstrate a small-scale biorefinery concept for the conversion of all components of lignocellulosic biomass into platform chemicals. Press release: “ Bioraffinerie-Technikum: Wie aus Gras Plastikflaschen warden ”, 23/10/2018. The technology center has a modular design and is fed with miscanthus coming from the nearby farm. The core of the plant is the hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) module that includes a reactor for the conversion of biomass into HMF and the unit for separating HMF from water. In order to create an integrated biorefinery concept, new modules for the valorization of hemicellulose and lignin will be added in the future. The nutrient-rich solution, which is obtained as residue in the biorefinery, is returned to the fields after be treated in a bioga...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Last November, Clariant confirmed the approval of the investment in the first large-scale commercial Sunliquid plant for the production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues (see “ Clariant gives the green light to the building of the LIGNOFLAG biorefinery in Romania ”, 3/11/2017). Now, its construction is officially underway (see press release , 12/9/2018). The occasion was marked with a traditional groundbreaking ceremony in Podari (near Craiova in southwestern Romania), which was attended by official representatives of the Romanian government, the Swiss Ambassador and a Clariant representation. Figure 1. Groundbreaking ceremony for Clariant cellulosic ethanol plant in Podari (extracted from the press release) The decision in favor of Craiova was due partly to the existence of a secure regional supply of feedstock and partly to the existing logistic and industrial infrastructure in the area. The investment represents biggest ...

Type of post: NEWS. According to a recent press release from Chemelot Inscite , Innovación Verde Sostenible SL (IVS, Seville), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sainc Energy (Sainc, London), has secured a lease on land to set an advanced biorefinery in Andalusia (Spain). Project details Location Province of Cordoba (Andalusia, Spain) Feedstock and processing capacity 75,000 tons of lignocellulosic dry biomass. It will be procured locally.  Products First stage: platform products of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The technology to be used will deliver high purity fractions. Cellulose will be made available to the pulp and cellulosic ethanol industries. Plans are afoot for producing xylitol from hemicellulose. Technology The biorefinery will be based on Abengoa technology (definitive terms of purchase are close to finalization). Construction The biorefinery construction will b...

Type of post: NEWS. Late last month, Avantium announced that it would officially open the pilot biorefinery for its Zambezi technology in July (see post , 29/6/2018). Yesterday, the Dutch company unveiled the new name of the technology during the opening event in Amsterdam: DAWN, the future of biorefining . The new facility located in Delfzijl has a maximum capacity of processing 20 tons of dry wood chips per year. Figure 1. Logo of DAWN technology The Zambezi technology has been previously featured on the Blog but Avantium has just released new information of the process renamed as DAWN. Some interesting data are summarized in the table below. Background It is an innovative and modern development of an industrial process that has been proven at commercial scale since the 1930s. Avantium has radically improved this process through proprietary inventions. Those inventions reduce water consumption by 70% with significantly reduced energy needs....