API Europe Receives Funding from EU Horizon 2020 for the Conversion of Woody Biomass to Lignocellulosic Sugars and Nanocellulose
Athens, Greece (PRWEB) September 12, 2016 -- API Europe (Athens, Greece), an affiliate of American Process Inc. (Atlanta, GA) is one of 14 partners under the BIOFOREVER PROJECT, “BIO-based products from FORestry via Economically Viable European Routes”, to receive funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program. A number of pretreatment and subsequent conversion technologies will be demonstrated by various partners, including delivering commercialization routes for the most promising value-added products. Woody biomass, including waste wood will be converted to lignin, nanocellulose and lignocellulosic sugars, and further converted to lignin derivatives and chemicals like butanol, ethanol and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) on industrial scale.
API Europe will demonstrate production of lignocellulosic sugars and high-value nanocellulose co-product using the proprietary AVAP® process. They will also provide the conceptual engineering design services for the project team, which will be employed to accelerate the transfer of successful technology demonstrations to full commercial implementation.
The demonstration project starts in September 2016 and will run for 3 years. The overall budget is € 16.2 million with a € 9.9 million contribution from The Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking, a new Public-Private Partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium, which operates under Horizon 2020. Horizon 2020 is the largest EU Research and Innovation program ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020).
Theodora Retsina, Ph.D., CEO of API Europe, commented “We are delighted to be part of BIOFOREVER consortium and to collaborate with the other members on this exciting European project. Woody biomass is an important European feedstock to fuel the bioeconomy and we look forward to evaluating the many different types of biomass included in the BIOFOREVER project. Biorefineries, as envisioned in BIOFOREVER, that produce commodity fuels and chemicals as well as high-value co-products like nanocellulose will have the most financial viability and impact.”
According to Stamatina Sideri, Business Development Manager for API Europe, “The team of API Europe is committed to the future of renewable energies and a sustainable bioeconomy. Our office in Greece has participated in many such projects worldwide and we are delighted to be part of this project that is focused in adding value to European biomass and cooperation between many technology companies.
BIOFOREVER consortium partners include:
• API Europe, Greece
• Avantium Chemicals BV, Netherlands
• Bioprocess Pilot Facility BV, Netherlands
• Borregaard AS, Norway
• Bio Refinery Development BV, Netherlands
• DSM, Netherlands
• Elkem Carbon AS, Norway
• Green Biologics Ltd, UK
• MetGen Oy, Finland
• Nova Institute, Germany
• Novasep Process SAS, France
• Phytowelt, Green Technologies GmbH, Germany
• Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands
• SUEZ Groupe, France
About API Europe
API Europe, an affiliate of US-based American Process Inc., is an engineering, research and development firm in the biotechnology space specializing in the development and scale-up of technologies for the production of biobased fuels, chemicals and materials.
For more information about API Europe’s role in the project, please contact:
Stamatina Sideri
Business Development Manager
API Europe
Karvela 5, Agia Paraskevi
Athens, Greece, 15342
Phone: +302106014887
E-mail: ssideri(at)api-europe(dot)gr
Stamatina Sideri, API Europe, http://www.api-europe.gr, +30 2106014887, [email protected]
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