CERNET · biogeniC gasEsous caRbon conversion into high added value chemicals and ingredients through a bio-based NETwork

Europe emits approximately 506.7 million tonnes of biogenic CO2 annually, much of which is released into the atmosphere. To harness this underutilized potential, it is essential to explore carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) pathways.CERNET aims to demonstrate the improved efficiency and sustainability of four Bio-Based Value Chains (BBVCs) that integrate four CCU systems using gaseous carbon sources (CO2 and CH₄) obtained from different industries, namely winery, waste management, and bioethanol production. These carbon sources, coupled with renewable energy will be used to produce six high-value chemicals and ingredients: L-alanine, protein hydrolysate, L-malic acid, sorbitol, PHA, and ectoine. The use of these products will be validated in the cleaning, cosmetics, packaging, and food industries.CERNET consortium comprises 21 partners from 10 EU countries, including underdeveloped bio-based sectors in Central and Eastern Europe. The team includes leading academia, technology developers, providers, and industrial partners from high biogenic carbon emitting sectors. Fourteen of the nineteen partners are Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) members, contributing significant self-funding and representing 26.2% of the project's in-kind contributions. CERNET aims to establish long-term strategies for adopting efficient CCU systems to convert biogenic gases, enhancing environmental performance over existing EU techniques. By producing chemicals and ingredients typically imported into the EU, the project aligns with the EU Industrial Strategy to bolster industry resilience and independence. Thanks to CERNET, up to 8.3 tonnes of gaseous carbon emissions will be abated in CERNET demonstrators. Replication and scalability will be driven by 16 Key Exploitable Results across technical, socioeconomic, policy, and academic domains. A Decision Support System tool based on the Emissions Trading System (ETS) market will facilitate expansion to other bio-based industries.