BIOVAL · Integrated BIOrefinery to VALorize CO2 and biomass for the co-production of advanced biofuels and bioproducts

The EU aims to reduce the overall energy demand and supply energy in a climate-neutral way. For that aim, energy must be sustainable, cost-effective and safe, by boosting innovative technologies. In this sense, the EU describes the Key Strategic Orientation C: “Making Europe the first digitally enabled circular, climate-neutral and sustainable economy through the transformation of its mobility, energy, construction and production systems”. Therefore, it is mandatory to develop new energy technologies that are circular, environmentally friendly, affordable, safe and socially positive. By 2030, the EU aims to have a 40-45 % renewable energy share with 2.2 % advanced biofuels by 2030 and to be climate neutral in 2050. BIOVAL is a 36-month action that will create, develop and scale up an integrated energy-driven circular biorefinery with near zero-waste and zero-carbon emissions. It is based on a multi-feedstock concept, allowing the valorization of biogenic CO2 emissions and biomass wastes. The biorefinery also targets a multiproduct operation by the feasible and sustainable production of biofuels (advanced algal Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil-HVO, bio-H2, biogas/CH4, and IPA) and high-added value bioproducts like pigments (e.g., astaxanthin), using microalgae and bacterial gas fermentation as core technologies in a cascade/parallel approach. The biorefinery will be designed by a circular concept to maximize energy and mass integration, targeting zero-waste/carbon emissions production and minimum energy needs. For that aim, computational tools will be significant methodologies to support the design, modelling, optimization and scale-up of the bioprocesses. The process will be assessed in terms of environmental, techno-economic and social impact, considering the regional/local levels too. The biofuels produced will be benchmarked with existing biofuels to target a competitive alternative. The core technologies will be scaled up and validated in relevant environments (TRL5).