CENTRO NACIONAL DE ENEGÍAS RENOVABLESNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTER OF SPAIN

Innovation and Circularity in Urban Biowaste ManagementBioeconomy Working Group Meeting. Exploiting the potential of urban biowaste

22 October 2019

01

CENER OVERVIEW

01 02BIOREFINERY &

BIOENERGY CENTRE

BIOMASS DEPARTMENT

03CIRCULAR

URBAN BIOWASTE

APPROACH &PROJECTS

04

INDEX

05COOPERATION FRAMEWORK

01CENER OVERVIEW

RESEARCH AREAS

Wind Energy Photovoltaic Solar Energy Solar Thermal Energy

Biomass Energy in Buildings Grid Integration of Renewable Energy

CENER MAIN FIGURES

Infraestructure Investments100 M€ Customers around the World / 5 Continents

> 500

2017 Annual Budget

Staff Employed

200

20 M€ 40 % COM

35 % CRP

25 % PUB

SERVICES

CENER Renewable

Energies Know How

Development of Technology through R&D

Projects

Testing Components

Services & Support for Certification

Training & Capacity Building

Technical Assistance & Feasability

Studies

02BIOMASS DEPARTMENT

TEAM AND TRACK RECORD

HIGHLY SKILLED MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS

LARGE EXPERIENCE IN BIOMASS VALORIZATION

The team:

• 25 researchers, engineers and technicians

• Biology, Chemical Eng., Agronomy, Chemistry, Biochemistry among others

Commercial projects:

• 300+ projects

• 100+ clients

Team’s expertise:

• Biomass resources assessment and characterization

• Biochemical and thermochemical processes

• Ash chemistry

• Bioprocesses sustainability assessment

R&D activity:

• 30+ public financed R&D projects

Participation in international forumsand groups of experts

Team

BIO2C

Biorefinery and Bioenergy Centre

Mexico

DominicanRepublic

Colombia

Argentina

Philippines

International presence. Europe and Beyond

• EERA BIOENERGY JP

• ETIP BIOENERGY

• BIOENERGY EUROPE

• BIC

• BIOPLAT

• ASEBIO

• SUSCHEM

• ASOBIOCOM

STRUCTURED IN 3 AREASSUPPORTING THE WHOLE INDUSTRY CHAIN AND INSTITUTIONS

1 – SOLID BIOFUELS 2 – BIOPROCESSES 3 – SUSTAINABILITY

• Process development:

• Torrefaction

• Pelletizing

• Gasification

• Solid Biofuels Characterization

• Simulation of Ash behaviour

• Process development:

• Enzymatic and fermentative processes

• Fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass

• Lignin depolymerization processes

• Separation and purificationtechnologies

• Feedstock Characterization

• Ad-hoc Sustainability services for:

• Bio-based products and processes

• Biofuels

• Bio-Power

• Thermal uses

BIOPROCESSESMAIN ACTIVITIES

Feedstock characterization Enzymatic hydrolysis & fermentation Fractionation and depolymerization

• Evaluation of fermentative potenctial

• Assesment of raw materialstechnical potential for specificapplications

• Process development and optimization

• Process upscaling and validation

• Development of processes for gas fermentation

• Development of the processes for the fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass

• Development of lignin depolymerization processes

• Development of separation and purification technologies applied to bioprocesses

From Lab to Demo Scale

03BIOREFINERY & BIOENERGYCENTRE (BIO2C)

BIO2C – Biorefinery and Bioenergy Centre

The Biorefinery and Bioenergy Centre (BIO2C) is asemi-industrial pilot scale test facility able todevelop production processes for bioproducts,solid biofuels, advanced liquid or gaseousbiofuels, as well as biorefinery conceptsintegrating different valorization routes, as anintermediate step between laboratory and theindustrial scale-up of these technologies.

The centre constitutes an integrated trial anddemonstration platform designed to developprocesses, equipment and specific, components,new bio-products or biofuels and bio-refineryconcepts.

BIO2C Proccess Units

Pretreatment Unit Gasification Unit Biochemical Unit

2MWt-500kg biomass/h 2MWt-500kg biomass/h 1,5t biomass/week

Gasification Island

Thermal Oxidizer

Flue gases treatment

Pretreatment

Solid / Liquid Fractionation

Biological Processes (Enzymatic Hydrolysis & fermentation)

Chipping and choping

Drying

Torrefaction

Milling

Pelletizing

Since 2008

Since 2012

Since 2013

Up to TRL 6-7

CENER’s Biochemical Platform

Bench Pilot Demo

Lab

R&D

Market

BIO2C BIOPROCESS UNIT

Modular and flexible facility. Main equipments:

• High solid enzymatic reactors (2 x 3 m3)

• Press Filter/Centrifuge for solid- liquid separation,

• Fermentation train consisting of several monitorized bioreactors (1, 3 and 6 m3)

BIOCHEMICAL PROCESS UNIT

Feedstock/Product characterization Fractionation/Separation Enzimatic Hydrolisis & Fermentation

• Liquid Chromatograph HPLC

• Carbohydrates/sugars

• Organic acids

• Inhibitors

• HP-SEC average molecular weight

• Gas Chromatograph GC-FID & MS

• Methanol, ethanol, butanol

• Lipids

• Elemental Analysis

• Proteins

• 4 pressurized stirred tank reactors (from 50 ml to 4L) :

• Up to 220 bar

• Up to 450ºC

• Pressure control

• Gas injection possibility

• Filtration system: MF, UF & NF

• Up to 15 bar

• Permeate flow: 0,03-6 L/h

• Interchangeable membrane module

• Process parameters optimization in:

• From microplates: < 1ml

• Erlenmeyers or flasks: up to 1L

• Bioreactors: 2-5L

• Batch, Feed-batch, continuous

• Adjustable agitation speed, air/gasratios, pH, nutrients

• Chambers for aerobic/ anaerobe microorganisms

• Incubator with adjustable agitation, temperature, gas inlet

LABORATORY

BIOCHEMICAL PROCESS UNIT

Pretreatment Enzymatic Hydrolysis Fermentation

• Continuous horizontal reactor

• Feed flow: up to 5 kg/h

• Pressure up to 14.5 bar

• Temperature up to 200ºC

• High flexibility in feedstocks

• High solids enzymatic hydrolysis stirred tank reactor

• 200l capacity

• Temperature: 20-80 ºC

• Atmospheric pressure

• Fully monitored bioreactors

• 40l and 100l capacity

• Temperature: 23-80ºC

• Adjustable agitation speed, air/gasratios, pH, nutrients

PILOT PLANT

BIOCHEMICAL PROCESS UNITINDUSTRIAL PLANT

Modular and flexible facility. Main equipments:

• High solid enzymatic reactors (2 x 3 m3)

• Press Filter/Centrifuge for solid- liquid separation,

• Detoxification of inhibitors

• Liquid fraction concentration

• Fermentation train consisting of several monitorizedbioreactors (1, 3 and 6 m3)

04CIRCULAR URBAN BIOWASTEAPPROACH & PROJECTS

Urban Biowaste Potential in Europe

• Availability in Europe: 100 million t/y (Eurostat 2017),

• Steady generation, distributed every where

• Existing/developed logistics. Separatebiowaste collestion compulsory in 2023 for allmember states.

• No more than 10% of MSW should be sent to landfill by 2030

• Composition with a high valorization potentialinto bioproducts

CENER Towards Circular Urban Biorefinery

URBAN BIORESIDUE valorization

BIOREFINERYconcepts

BIODEGRADABLE BIOPLASTICS

% dry basis range

Carbohydrates 41 (24-57)

Protein 15 (11-18)

Lipids 13 (4-23)

Lignin 9 (4-10)

Inorganics 16 (11-24)

CIRCULAR URBAN BIOREFINERY

✓ Integral✓ Flexible✓ Cascade✓ Zero waste

Aim

san

d s

cop

e

Design a new concept of integral and cascade valorization of biowaste

Closing the gap between development and industrial applications

Development of sustainable processes for the production of cost-competitive biobased

products

Reduce urban biowaste and create new bussiness models contributing to circular

biobased economy

Innovative Strategy & Biowaste Bioconversion

Urban Biorefinery Concept

Upscaling and Downstream Development

Optimization and pilot plant testing• Validation of pre-treatment methodology• Fractionation optimization• Enzymatic hydrolysis at high-solids loadings:• Optimization of the enzyme mixture during

enzymatic hydrolysis• Validation of hydrolysis and fermentation processes

at pilot scale (100-200 L)

Upstream/Downstream definition• Separation and purification of fractions• Downstream and upgrading of the hydrolysate• Bioproducts recovery according to the established

specifications

Processes demonstration• Validation of hydrolysis (up to 3000L) and

fermentation (1000 L, 3000 L, 6000 L) at DEMOscale

Sustainability Assesment• Industrial feasibility analysis• Comprehensive environmental assessment

Application

Innovation

R&D and Demo Projects for Urban Biowaste Valorisation

At National Level:

BioUrbaNa

At European Level:

PERCAL project (H2020-BBI) CENER is leading the research line ofbiosurfactants production by valorising the fermentation by-productremaining after bioethanol, succinic acid and lactic acid production.

SCALIBUR demonstration project (H2020) CENER leads the pathway related toOFMSW valorization; executing the enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation inits BIO2C demonstration plant (TRL7), for a later production of biopesticidesand bio-based polyesters and the development a comprehensiveenvironmental assessment of the whole valorization process.

NextGenRoadFuels research and innovation project (H2020) CENER leads theresearch line related to the challenge of handling feedstocks with highorganic nitrogen content. Firstly a pretreatment of feedstock using enzymatichydrolysis is executed. Secondly an extraction & purification processes areundergone for protein-derived amino acid and peptides valorization.

“Circular Urban Biorefinery in Navarra” BioUrbaNa project, funded by theRegional Government of Navarre, aims at designing a new concept ofintegral

integraland cascade valorization of the different fractions that make up the

OFMSW to obtain bioproducts with greater added value.

Circular Urban Biorefinery in Navarre

PROJECT SCOPE

Design a new concept of integraland cascade valorisation of thedifferent fractions that make upthe organic fraction of urban solidwaste (OFMSW) to obtainbioproducts with greater addedvalue.

CENER ROLE

Process development for :

• OFMSW fractionation methods

• Valorization of protein fraction

• Valorization of lipid fraction

• Valorization of lignin fraction

Fermentation process optimizationand upscaling

Upstream / downstream processesfor the separation and / orpurification of the different fractions

Process flows / Material balances /Feasibility studies

BioUrbaNA

2018-2022

Development of the bio-wasterefinery through the applicationof the circular economy concept

BIOURBANA: Expected Results and Impact derived from CENER activities

Specific goals:• Evaluation and selection of processes and their conditions by means of concept proofs and

their subsequent optimization.• Design and scaling-up of processes for validation of OFMSW valorisation.• Assessment of the feasibility of the selected processes

Expected results: • Availability of stable substrate for the conversion processes selected during concept trials.• Obtaining a stream rich in fermentable sugars for the production of biopolymers and their

precursors (PHA, succinate, etc.).• Obtaining bioproducts through the conversion of the fractions (protein, lipids, lignin, etc.) that

compose the OFMSW.

Potential Impact:• Reduce environmental impact and provide knowledge to urban biowaste management.• Contribution to the development of biowaste-refinery processes and bio-based products.• Validation of technical and economic feasibility

General overview of CENER Biochemical Process Unit

Scalable Technologies for Urban Biowaste Recovery

• Biowaste valorization by enzymatic hydrolisis andfermentation in BIO2C demostration plant (TRL7), for alater production of bio-based polyesters andbiopesticides

• Sustainability assessement of the whole value chain

2018-2022

Innovative strategy for biowaste bioconversion

Urban Biorefinery Concept

SCALIBUR: Expected Results and Impact derived from CENER activities

• Demonstration of high-solid enzymatic hydrolysis of biowaste in 3,000 L high solidsloading specially designed bioreactors with tailor-made impellers: Approximately 5,000 Kg of sugar enriched hydrolysate will be produced.

• The hydrolysate will comply with quality requirements applying separation, purification and concentration processes to obtain high sugar syrup suitable for microbial conversion.

• Demonstration of bacterial biopesticide production in 1,000 L bioreactor.

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the entire urban biowaste value chain.

Chemical Building Blocks from versatile MSW biorefinery

PROJECT SCOPE

To exploit Municipal Solid Waste(MSW) as feedstock to developintermediate chemical productsand derived final products at highyield and low impurity level withhuge industrial interest:

• Ethanol to produce:

• Biofuels

• Lactic Acid to produce:

• Eco-friendly ethyl lactatesolvents

• Hot-melt adhesives

• Succinic Acid to produce:

• Polyols for thepolyurethane industry.

• Biosurfactants

CENER ROLE

To lead WP and research line ofbiosurfactants production byvalorising the bioethanol, lacticacid or succinic acid fermentationby-products in order to increasethe recovery from the organiccontent of MSW:

• Hydrolization and extractionof protein and lipid fractionof the fermentation by-product

• Synthesis of biosurfactant

• Validation with industry

2017-2020

www.percal-project.eu

PERCAL: Expected Results and Impact derived from CENER activities

• Valorise the fermentation by-products in new biosurfactants made from amino acids and lipids, in order to increase the recovery from the organic content of MSW by 25 % → due to an improved sorting of the pristine MSW the recovery is above 30% (w/w fermentation residue)

• Synthetize a biosurfactant out of the amino acid and lipids extracted from the fermentation residue

• The biosurfactant is being validated by a company (HAYAT) as a standard formulation of washdishes detergents

• Develop a processes for extracting the proteins (amino acids) and lipids from the fermentation residue that can be valorised through alternative routes besides through biosurfactants

Sustainable Drop-In Transport Fuels fromHydrothermal Liquefaction of Low Value Urban Feedstocks

PROJECT SCOPE

To prove the HTL technologypathway as a viable, sustainableand efficient route forproduction of liquid drop in fuelsfor road transport.

Use of advanced HTL technology ,and low H2 upgrading techniquesfor the valorization of low valueaggregated urban sewage wastesand biowastes into drop-inquality synthetic gasoline anddiesel.

CENER ROLE

To lead the research line relatedto the improvement sewagesludge as feedstock for reducingthe organic nitrogen content insewage sludge before itstreatment by HTL to meet thespecifications on biofuelemissions during combustion:

• pretreatment of feedstock using amild & low temperatureenzymatic hydrolysis.

• extraction & purification forprotein-derived amino acid andpeptides valorization

Sustainability Assessment

2018-2022

https://www.nextgenroadfuels.eu/

NEXTGEN: Expected Results and Impact derived from CENER activities

• Technologies for pretreatment and fractionation of by products to revalorise protein fractions

• Methodology development for biological processes and upscaling– Hydrolysis at high solid loads– Separation and purification

• Set-up and development of methodology starting from wastes to added-value bioproducts

• Open infrastructure to produce novel bioproducts• LCA analysis of Hydrothermal liquefaction of low value urban feedstock

05COOPERATION FRAMEWORKS

COOPERATION FRAMEWORKS

DIRECT SERVICE TO CUSTOMER NATIONAL COOPERATION EU LEVEL COOPERATION

• Direct contracting by customer

• Agility in project preparation and execution

• Ad-hoc services for each customer

• CENER as partner, WP leader or coordinator

• Long term projects executed in consortium

• Projects depend on the work programme

• Examples

• H2020

• BBI

• CENER subcontracted for specific tasks

• Support and collaboration in the proposal preparation and execution

• For example:

• RETOS COLABORACION

• PROYECTOS CIEN

• MISIONES CDTI

• PROYECTOS CDTI I+D INDIVIDUAL

¡THANK YOU!

THANK YOU VERY

MUCH!

Inés del CampoSenior R&D Engineer & Project Manager idelcampo@cener.com