In accordance with its key aim of developing novel platform chemicals that can help the biobased sector to expand the range of fossil-derived chemicals that it can replace, BIONEER takes a multi-step and two-pronged approach in its production of BIONEER building blocks (BBBs). The first one is a new biorefinery concept for the fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass to obtain base compounds for the production of a new set of BBBs, while also providing sugars for their subsequent valorization using industrial biotechnology. Hydrolysate sugar streams available from the existing and newly developing biorefineries will be a starting point to produce a range of base compounds by microbial and enzymatic conversions. BIONEER will demonstrate the production of several carbohydrate and non-carbohydrate base compounds from lignocellulose hydrolysates at the scales of 300 L to 1 m3.
BIONEER will demonstrate new sustainable production routes and value chains from lignocellulosic biomass to produce biobased alternatives to fossil-based chemical building blocks for large volume market sectors. BIONEER is focusing on the UV-curable furniture coatings and personal care markets for two reasons 1. Preliminary positive results obtained in the EnXylaScope and PERFECOAT projects for these applications; 2. Hard to decarbonize chemical classes that are used in these two sectors that require next generation modular building blocks that can maintain the required high performances of finished products.
