H2020 REHAP Project: A Systemic Approach to Reducing Energy Demand and CO2 Emissions from Processes That Transform Agroforestry Waste into High Value-Added Products
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2016 -2021
- Assigned Budget 6.743.545,00 €
- Scope Europeo
- Main source of financing H2020
- Project website REHAP
WP1: Identification of the most relevant agroforestry input sources with respect to European emergences and biochemical composition. Literature and database review on the current state of agroforestry waste management. Development of a forecasting model for future biomass emissions for all NUTS 1 regions in Europe, including waste cost (Three publications). Analysis of outputs from selected biomass samples for REHAP (TGA, TEML, and TGA methods). Predictive kinetic models (based on TGA) to determine the fractional weight composition of cellulose-hemicellulose-lignin-tannin in agroforestry biomass (Publication).
WP2: Optimization of purification processes to obtain lignin, tannins, and sugars from softwood bark. Analysis of the fermentability of 2G sugars. Optimization of the process to obtain bioethanol for the production of rich straw residues and woody biomass. Development of lignin fractionation/purification of the PROESA process residue. Study of the hydrolysis of the carbohydrate fraction to obtain fermentable sugar stream from the PROESA process residue.
WP3: Preparation of 2,3-BDO-based NiPUs. Modification of tannins and lignins for phenolic resins. Modification of phenols/sugars for the preparation of fire retardants. Preparation of polyellic biopolyesters from raw materials. Modification of commercial lignins by alternative routes to obtain superplasticizers. Production of fermentable sugars from alternative sources (cardboard waste). Optimization of fermentability of 2nd generation sugars to obtain building blocks from different biomass residues (pololo, spruce bark, cardboard waste). Revalorization of sludge and cells for energy and biogas production.
WP4: Optimization of biophenolic resin for wood-based panels with very good results on MDF and PLYWOOD, polypropylene biopolyesters for PIR foams, PU adhesives with better performance than fossil-based alternatives, and 100% biobased FRs (at laboratory scale). The developed plasticizers did not achieve superplasticization.
WP5: Design, construction, and validation of multilayer systems based on WP4 products (MDF/PLYWOOD, PIR foam, and PUR adhesive). Testing of the composites' mechanical, fire, thermal, and biological resistance. Design and construction of the DEMO building at the FORESA facilities in Galicia, Spain.
WP6: Final LCA, S-LCA, and LCCA analysis for REHAP products. Integration plan and resource efficiency analysis.
WP7: Internet, three videos, posters, press releases, newsletters, etc. Participation in several conferences and meetings. Organization of two workshops and two webinars. Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) for selected project processes. Five open access publications (one in press) and one patent application (one in preparation).
Europe's position in the production of biopolymers from biomass and by-products is limited to a few polymers, while demand for them is among the largest in the world, which means they must be imported, mainly from Asia and South America. Surprisingly, Europe has many world-leading chemical companies, with particular strength and great potential in the field of fine chemicals and building blocks. The development of chemicals and materials from lignocellulosic biomass is a particularly important area in terms of research. However, the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into a true chemical platform still has little commercial viability. For example, several processes have been studied at the research and development level, but none have yet been applied industrially.
The main objective of REHAP is the transformation of agroforestry residues into new sustainable and eco-efficient derivatives, comprising diol building blocks, high-performance additives (superplasticizers and flame retardants) and biobased polymeric resins (biophenolics and NIPU), through cost-effective innovative processes to demonstrate their potential use in various products at the industrial level and their application in sectors such as Construction.
The development of lignin/tannin-based bioreins has been demonstrated, with a 50% phenol replacement, achieving the same performance and a lower cost. 100% biopolyesterpolyols have also been developed from BDO and biodiacids and have been successfully applied to PIR foams and PU adhesives, showing improved performance and a slightly higher premium. Processes to obtain intermediates from bark and wheat straw have been implemented, and new projects will continue to produce these intermediates on an industrial scale. This is important for the new value chains created in REHAP. Comprehensive feedstock availability studies and biorefinery simulations, LCA, SLCA, and LCC of all processes compared with fossil-based alternatives led to the optimization of the biorefinery concept, sustainability, and economic viability through a holistic approach utilizing all project components (focusing on energy production but also other products such as biogas) and the reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions through process improvements. The scalability of the products has been demonstrated by a DEMO building.
Europe's position in the production of biochemicals from biomass and by-products is limited to a few compounds, while its demand is among the largest in the world. However, Europe has many world-leading chemical companies. Furthermore, lignocellulosic waste constitutes one of the most abundant resources without competing with the food chain. The 16 REHAP partners aim to revalue agricultural (wheat straw) and forestry (bark) waste through their recovery and primary (sugars, lignin, tannins) and secondary (sugar acids, carboxylic acids, aromatics, and resins) processing into novel materials, considering green building as a business case.
The project will result in reductions in fossil fuel use of 80–100%, and in energy use and CO2 emissions of over 30%. Specifically, building blocks (1,4- and 2,3-butanediol, sterol polyols), materials (PU, phenolic resins, hydrolysis-modified lignin), and products (wood-based panels, insulation foams, cement, adhesives) will be obtained: Insulation of tannins and carbohydrates from forest residues to convert them into biophenolic resins for wood-based panels and isocyanate-free polyurethanes (PU) for insulation foams, respectively. Insulation of lignin and carbohydrates from agricultural waste to convert them into biophenolic resins for wood-based panels and biosuperplasticizers for cement, and sterol polyol PU for adhesives, respectively.
Fire-retardant lignin and sugar-based additives will also be developed. The developed processing technologies (chemo/thermo/enzymatic and fermentation) will be optimized at pilot scale (TRL6-7) for further exploitation and replication of the results. All products will be integrated into a prototype to demonstrate their industrial applicability in the green building sector. Throughout the project, life-cycle and cost assessments, market analyses, business plans, waste management strategies, and measures for future standardization will be implemented using a systems-based approach.
R1: Extraction and purification of tannin/sugar from European softwood species (Norway bee). Patents
R2: Extraction and purification of lignin from bioethanol production residue. Publication
R3: BioBDO and sugar-based polymers: Demonstration of BDO production from 2G sugars (agroforestry residues) and demonstrated at semi-industrial scale (1500L).
R4: Biophenolic Resins: Results comparable to the reference using lignin/tannins from soda firing and a partial 50% replacement of phenol. Similar performance and lower cost than fossil alternatives.
R5: Lignin modification for plasticization of cement and concrete: Plasticizing effect better than lignosulfonates but worse than PCE.
R6: New biofire retardants based on phenolic and sugar waste. Patent application
R7: BioPUR solutions: The NIPUs route proved successful for partial isocyanate replacement, but a 100% isocyanate-free PUR/PIR route failed. A new 100% BioPUR/PIR route has been developed using bio-BDO, biodiacids, and bioisocyanate.
R8: Demonstration of product performance in different applications: biophenolic resins in MDF and plywood, biopolyesterpolyols in PIR foams, and PU adhesives. Validation in the construction of the DEMO house with a multilayer system entirely based on REHAP products.
Identification of key exploitable outcomes, with three market outcomes, ten exploitable outcomes, and seven promising technologies requiring further research. Post-REHAP actions identified for all expected outcomes:
- Reduction of fossil materials (in thousand tons): biophenolic resins for wood panels (1,177), rigid bioPU insulation (4,675), Adhesives for the construction sector (2,000), Butanediol intermediate chemical products (2,000).
- Reduction of energy use and CO2 emissions (in %): Biophenolic resins for wood panels (30/47), Superplastizers for cements (145/216), Rigid bioPU insulation (16/8), Adhesives for the construction sector (147/52).
- Business models and cost calculations for KER. Lower prices than fossil alternatives due to process optimization, the use of waste materials, the revaluation of side streams, and improved efficiency in some cases.
- Direct new jobs in the companies involved in the project (50) and new indirect jobs due to the project activities (200).
- FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION (TECNALIA)
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