The BIOLYFE project

The BIOLYFE project aims at improving critical steps of the second generation bioethanol production process and at demonstrating the whole supply chain, from feedstock sourcing via fuel production to product utilisation. The main result will be the construction of an efficient second generation industrial demonstration unit with an annual output of about 40.000 tons of lignocellulosic bioethanol, which can then be used for process optimization through extensive testing.

Please see www.biolyfe.eu for more information.

BIOLYFE is co-funded by the European Commission in the 7th Framework Programme (Project No. FP7-239204). Project activities started in January 2010 with the kick-off meeting at the Chemtex R&D Centre in Tortona, Italy.

This Newsletter

In this newsletter issue, we would like to take the opportunity to introduce our readers to other initiatives within the European framework programme with relevance to the field of second generation biofuels.

The KACELLE project

Together with BIOLYFE, three other projects on the industrial-scale demonstration of second generation bioethanol production are co-funded under the 7th framework programme.

The LED Project (ledproject.eu) is coordinated by Abengoa Bioenergy. The aim is to use 522 dry tonnes of biomass feedstocks per day in a new second generation bioethanol plant.

The FibreETOH Project is led by UPM Kymmene (www.upm.com) and focusses on the production of second generation bioethanol from paper fibre.

The third project is KACELLE which is briefly presented in the following.

In November 2009 six partners signed the Kalundborg Cellulosic Ethanol Project (KACELLE), devoted to demonstrating and further optimizing the Kalundborg bioethanol plant.

The aim of the KACELLE project is to bring the patented Inbicon Core Technology to industrial scale, making the technology available in the market and attractive to investors.The project will demonstrate 4t/hr continuous operation at industrial scale and further develop selected process steps resulting in significant cost cuts in ethanol production. The aim is to:

• Reduce the energy consumption
• Improve the water balance
• Add a fermentation step for C5 sugars
• Reduce the enzyme consumption
• Increase the plant capacity.

The ethanol produced will be characterized and tested in engine test rigs and in cars, thus covering the whole value chain from the straw entrance to the gate of the ethanol production plant to the end-use in cars. The process will be assessed from an environmental perspective through LCA analysis and results will be published for scientific purposes and for expanding the use of the technology to future business partners.

The team of partners in this project are industrial players who have a relevant business role in the demonstration of this value chain, a research center, and universities with internationally recognized competences in key areas. Partners are INBICON, DONG Energy, Royal DSM, Statoil, University of Copenhagen – LIFE, University of Minho, Braga, and the German Biomass Research Centre.

For further information on KACELLE, please visit www.kacelle.eu or contact the project coordinator Jeppe Bjerg: jepbj(at)dongenergy.dk

The project brochure can be downloaded here.

The NILE project

The objective of this 4½ -year FP6 Integrated Project was to find an improved way of producing ethanol from lignocellulosic raw materials like spruce and wheat straw using a biochemical process. NILE worked on raw material pretreatment, enzyme design, yeast design, process design (at pilot scale) and studied the possible uses of by-products and their influence on economic viability. The pilot plant enabled the project to obtain reliable data for the technical, socio-economic and environmental performance of a possible future demonstration unit.

The BIOMAP project

BIOMAP is a 7th Framework Programme Coordination and Support Action contract aiming providing a complete information and dissemination tool for biofuels with main emphasis on technology development.

BIOMAP provides detailed information both for European Commission contracts funded under Framework Programmes FP5, FP6 and FP7, the Intelligent Energy Europe programme as well as for industrial projects and plants developed by the industry.

Furthermore the BIOMAP includes also information on numerous players in the biofuel sector such as associations, industrial organisations, technology developers et al, and gradually will have information from all EU Member States on national legislation and research institutions per Member State. It also has a section on all relative standardisation work undertaken by CEN whether under EC mandates or independently.

This information is now accessible via http://biomap.kcl.ac.uk.

BioTop conference - Biofuels cooperation: Latin America and Europe

The BioTop project provides a broad overview of the existing biofuels sector in Latin American countries. Key focus of the project was the identification and assessment of improved 1st and 2nd generation biofuel conversion technologies. Sustainability, standardization and trade aspects of future large-scale biofuel production are investigated, and scenarios, roadmaps and recommendations were developed. Exchanges between stakeholders active in RTD of biofuel conversion technologies were promoted. Outcome of the BioTop project is increased awareness about EU-LA opportunities for collaboration in the area of biofuels and the identification of suitable areas for biofuels RTD cooperation.

The International Conference on “Biofuels cooperation: Latin America and Europe” was organized as final event in the framework of the BioTop project. Around 100 participants from industry and research attended the conference on 13-14 July 2010 in Brussels, Belgium.

Specific objectives of the conference were:

• To present BioTop results to representatives of the European Commission and to the European research community
• To provide a platform for knowledge exchange among biofuel stakeholders from Latin America and Europe
• To promote cooperation opportunities between biofuel scientists from Europe and Latin America
• To inform interested stakeholders about biofuel sustainability, standardization, markets, policies, and trade
• To discuss current and future biofuel production and conversion technologies in Latin America.