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Improve fermentation processes (including downstream purification) to final bio-based products

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Thematic category
Beneficiary
Programme category
Call status
Closed

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking

Programme Description

The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) is a €2 billion partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) that funds projects advancing competitive circular bio-based industries in Europe.

CBE JU is operating under the rules of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme, for the 2021-2031 period. The partnership is building on the success of its predecessor, the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU), while addressing the current challenges facing the industry.

 

Programme Details

Identifier Code

HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-03

Call

Improve fermentation processes (including downstream purification) to final bio-based products

Summary

Fermentation of bio-based feedstock is powerful but often still cost-intensive and resource-intensive process. This is mainly due to costly enzymes, low process yields, high by-product toxicity, poor microorganism growth, high nutrient requirements but also inefficiencies in downstream purification. Moreover, most used biocatalysts are optimised for converting conventional sugars and are less effective (or unable) to deal with second generation and non-food quality sugars, thus preventing the exploitation of additional sources of biomass feedstock. Solving all these issues may require the development of new metabolic pathways and the scale-up of related processes to industrially relevant scale. In addition, the presence of by-products often requires complex and expensive downstream purification processes, especially when the desired end products are non-volatile.

Detailed Call Description

Proposals under this topic should:

  • Specify and justify the choice of one or more sustainable feedstock types to be valorised via optimised, scaled up fermentation processes, and the targeted bio-based products. With regards to the targeted bio-based products, non-volatile as well as thermally and/or chemically unstable compounds, presenting higher downstream purification constraints, should be in the scope.
  • Demonstrate improved process design strategies to solve previously identified bottlenecks in industrially relevant fermentation processes considering both upstream and downstream steps. The proposed strategies can consider biocatalyst(s) optimisation, reactor design, process design innovation but also process agents (e.g. solvents) innovation. Address fermentation processes productivity (yield, titre, selectivity) as well as cost-, resource- and energy-efficiency in view of further scale-up to commercial level;
  • Ensure the improvement of the energy and resource efficiency of downstream purification strategies for obtaining the end products in scope, thus also enabling cost-effective production, in particular when dealing with non-volatile or chemically/thermally unstable products.
  • Target end products with tangible market applications and ensure that the products meet market and regulatory requirements (e.g. in terms of consumers safety and Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E)
  • Include a task to integrate assessment based on the safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) framework, developed by the European Commission, for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials. Under this context, projects are expected to contribute with and develop recommendations that can advance further the application of the SSbD framework.
  • Analyse and prove techno-economic feasibility as well as commercial viability of further scaling up the process to commercial scale.

Call Total Budget

€15 000 000

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

70%

Expected EU Contribution: €7 500 000

Thematic Categories

  • Environment and Climate Change
  • Industry
  • Other Thematic Category
  • Research, Technological Development and Innovation
  • Rural development

Eligibility for Participation

  • Central Government
  • Farmers Unions
  • Farmers, Agriculturalists
  • International Organisations
  • NGOs
  • Non Profit Organisations
  • Other Beneficiaries
  • Private Bodies
  • Producer Associations
  • Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
  • Semi-governmental organisations
  • State-owned Enterprises

Eligibility For Participation Notes

For additional specific conditions, which are described in section 2.2.3 in the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2023.

Call Opening Date

26/04/2023

Call Closing Date

20/09/2023

EU Contact Point

Contact Info:

https://www.cbe.europa.eu/contact

Email: info@cbe.europa.eu

Website