Project facts
GreenSolRes will demonstrate the production of levulinic acid from lignocellulosic feedstock.
Project Acronym
GreenSolRes
Grant Agreement number 720695
Funding programme
Horizon 2020-BBI-PPP
Funding volume
7.45 million €
Project duration
64 months (09/2016 – 12/2021)
Coordinator
RWTH Aachen
This project has received funding from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 720695. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the Bio-based Industries Consortium.
Consortium
Members
RWTH – Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (Germany)
RWTH Aachen, is among the leading European educational and research institutions with its 260 institutes in nine faculties. The work of the research centers of RWTH Aachen is closely oriented towards the current needs of business and industry. This leads to numerous developments and inventions that are patented and exploited. The University’s innovative capacity is further reflected in the high number of business startups, currently more than 1,400. As a result, around 32,000 jobs have been created in the region in the last 25 years. In GreenSolRes, RWTH Aachen University will build and operate a demonstration plant for levulinic acid production at its Biorefinery. It will also design and optimize the process converting levulinic acid into desired products 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF), gamma-valerolactone (GVL) and 1-methyl-1,4-butanediol (MeBDO).
HENKEL – Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Germany)
HENKEL, founded in 1876, holds globally leading market positions in consumer (Laundry & Home + Beauty Care) and industrial businesses (Adhesive Technologies) with well-known brands like Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite. The Dax-30 company (headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany) is proud of its 49,000 employees from more than 120 nations worldwide, located at 164 manufacturing and 17 major R&D sites around the world. The main task of HENKEL in the GreenSolRes project is the demonstration of applications for the levulinic acid based solvents and the development of levulinic acid based building blocks for products of the business unit Adhesive Technologies.
LIKAT – Leibniz–Institut für Katalyse e.V. Rostock (Germany)
LIKAT is one of the largest publicly-funded research institutes in Europe in the area of applied catalysis, combining both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. The institute currently employs about 300 people. It is housed in modern laboratories and has an excellent infrastructure, including state-of-the art analytical facilities. The research for GreenSolRes will take place in the Department of Catalysis with renewables resources, headed by Prof. Dr. Johannes G. de Vries. The main task of LIKAT in this project is to develop new catalytic synthesis of poly-2-methyl-THF, poly-gamma-valerolactone, polyesters made from methyl butanediol and various diacids and then scale-up of these polymers.
SYNCOM – SYNCOM Forschungs- und Entwicklungsberatung GmbH (Germany)
SYNCOM is a consulting firm founded in 1997 with the focus on innovation management. Physicists, Chemists, Engineers and Business managers apply management expertise and scientific know-how to support their clients in realizing innovations. Key business sectors are bio-refineries, materials and mechanical/electrical engineering. In GreenSolRes, SYNCOM contributes management and administrative support to the consortium as a whole and assist the coordinator in some of the day to day management tasks of the project. Additionally, SYNCOM will assist in organisation and steering of the dissemination activities, contribute to the LCA and business case development.
HYBRID – Hybrid Catalysis BV (The Netherlands)
HYBRID has served the chemical industry with respect to contract R&D in advanced nanostructured catalyst development and automated screening since its launch in 2005. It has own IP on nanocatalysts that are in cases being subjected to plant trials. Currently, Hybrid has about 15 multinational customers. HYBRID was participant in FP7 granted programs NanoHost, HiCat, INCAS, DEMCAMER and REFORCELL as well as in CatchBio, a 29 M€ Dutch research effort related to catalytic utilization of renewable feedstocks. In GreenSolRes, HYBRID is responsible for the scale up of the production of the ruthenium complex catalyst required for the upgrading of LVA to 2-MTHF, GVL and MeBDO in the demo plant. After final quality control, HYBRID will provide technical support related to the catalyst application and the quality control.
VITO – Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek N.V. (Belgium)
VITO is an independent research and technology organisation in the areas of cleantech and sustainable development, elaborating solutions for the large societal challenges of today. VITO provides innovative and high-quality solutions, whereby large and small companies can gain a competitive advantage. The organisation advises industry and governments on determining their policy for the future. VITO has 750 highly qualified employees who work on international projects all around the world. The environmental impact assessment in GreenSolRes will be performed by experts of the Environmental Risk and Health Unit of VITO. Within GreenSolRes, VITO will be responsible for the hazard evaluation for human health and environmental impact assessment. The risk assessment of the biomass based chemicals will be done according to the EU guidelines.
BASF – BASF SE (Germany)
BASF creates chemistry for a sustainable future. Approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. BASF’s portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. The innovative strength is based on a global team of highly qualified employees with various specializations. The Intermediates Division (CI) of BASF develops, produces and markets a comprehensive portfolio of intermediates around the world. The main task of BASF in the GreenSolRes project is the demonstration and evaluation of a new route for a levulinic acid downstream product.
LENZING – Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft (Austria)
The Lenzing Group stands for ecologically responsible production of specialty fibers made from the renewable raw material wood. As an innovation leader, Lenzing is a partner of global textile and nonwoven manufacturers and drives many new technological developments. The Lenzing Group’s high-quality fibers form the basis for a variety of textile applications ranging from elegant ladies clothing to versatile denims and high-performance sports clothing. Due to their consistent high quality, their biodegradability and compostability Lenzing fibers are also highly suitable for hygiene products and agricultural applications. Lenzing’s sophisticated biorefinery process ensures that 100 percent of wood constituents are used to produce wood-based fibers alongside biorefinery products such as acetic acid, furfural and magnesium-lignosulphonate, and bioenergy. The main task of LENZING in GreenSolRes project is to provide expertise on the raw material wood and the analysis of its components, as well as to provide furfural as raw material for MeBDO synthesis.
Former Members
