Award details

MaxBio - Maximizing Conversion Yields in Biorefining

Reference	BB/N023269/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Leonardo Gomez
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr D MacQuarrie, Professor Simon McQueen-Mason
Institution	University of York
Department	Biology
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	443,648
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/09/2016
End date	31/08/2022
Duration	72 months

Abstract

MaxBio will improve conversion yields from plant biomass into biofuel and chemical products, focusing on sugar production, sugar release and sugar conversion. By taking an holistic approach to increase yields across the whole process, and deploying novel multifactorial experimental design to combine improvements at various stages, we aim to transform process economics for biorefining. Targeting industrially relevant products including fuel butanol, expert UK academics will improve conversion yields at each processing step but more critically optimise yields across the entire process chain. Project deliverables include integrated process concepts for target products that have been validated at bench-scale. We will first maximise sugar yields from cereal straw, then optimise yields for novel pre-treatment, saccharification and fermentation technologies. Finally we will determine process economics, calculate reductions in greenhouse gas emissons and quantify societal benefits.

Summary

In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate global warming while still managing to fuel and feed the world, many industries need to move towards using renewable carbon neutral feedstocks and away from using oil and petrochemicals. 'Bio'refineries making advanced transportation fuels and chemicals from plant biomass (i.e. agricutural wastes such as straw, or wood cuttings) have the potential to revolutionize the industrial landscape and make production of our fuels and chemicals more sustainable, but this will only succeed if sufficient value can be extracted from the feedstock to make the refining economically competitive with oil refining. This MaxBio project aims to improve the economics of biorefining by optimizing several different stages of the process in a holistic way that ensures that yields of end products are increased beyond what's currently possible.

Impact Summary

As described in proposal submitted to IUK

Committee	Research Committee A (Animal disease, health and welfare)
Research Topics	Bioenergy, Crop Science, Industrial Biotechnology, Microbiology, Plant Science
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst (IBCAT) [2014-2015]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

Associated awards:

BB/N022718/1 MaxBio - Maximizing Conversion Yields in Biorefining

BB/N023455/1 MaxBio - Maximizing Conversion Yields in Biorefining

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