EU research project on algae-based polymers kicks off:

On 19-21 November 2012 the twenty partners involved in an EU funded research programme held their kick-off meeting in Wageningen, The Netherlands. Led by Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research, the 4-year project has the goal to develop a new biobased industrial platform using microalgae as raw material for the sustainable production and recovery of hydrocarbons and (exo)polysaccharides from algae and their further conversion to renewable polymers. SPLASH will deliver knowledge, tools and technologies needed for the establishment of a new industry sector: Industrial Biotechnology based on algae and/or algal genes for the manufacture of polyesters and polyolefins.

The project covers the whole process chain from optimized biomass production to product development and exploitation. In a first step, two industrial bioproduction platforms will be explored: the green alga Botryococcus braunii and the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, to which the unique hydrocarbon and polysaccharides producing genes from Botryococcus will be transferred. Biomass cultivation is targeted to reach a pilot scale.

Following steps will develop procedures for the production, in situ extraction and isolation of sugars and hydrocarbons, which will be further processed into polymers: Polyesters from sugars and polyolefins from hydrocarbons. Furthermore, the project will explore the possibilities for the production of high-value end-use applications, such as fibres for yarns, ropes and nets. This exploitation will also include market analysis and environmental assessments.

Project partners
The project comprises twenty partners, of which 55% are SMEs and large enterprises and the remaining 45 % are universities and research institutes. The research consortium is being managed by Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research. Institutes and universities include the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Universidad de Huelva, EGE Universitesi, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Wageningen Universiteit and Universität Bielefeld, while companies such as nova-Institut für politische and ökologische Innovation GmbH, PNO Consultants BV, Lankhorst Euronete Portugal SA, Rhodia Operations, Organic Waste Systems NV, Paques BV, Biotopic, Value for Technology BVBA (VFT), Avantium Chemicals BV, Lifeglimmer GmbH and Pursuit Dynamics PLC form the other part of the project consortium.

A project website will be available soon at: www.eu-splash.eu

SPLASH receives funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) under the grant agreement No. 311 956. For more information, contact the project coordinator, Maria Barbosa, Wageningen UR (University & Research centre, Netherlands) via maria.barbosa@wur.nl or by telephone: +31 (0) 317 48 00 79, or the Dissemination and Exploitation Officer Dominik Vogt, nova-Institute, via dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de or
+49 (0) 2233 48 14 49.

Download this press release as PDF file: 12-12-20_press_release_splash_fp7_eu

Responsible under press legislation (V.i.S.d.P.):
Dipl.-Phys. Michael Carus (Managing Director),
nova-Institute GmbH, Chemiepark Knapsack,
Industriestrasse 300, 50354 Huerth (Germany)
Internet: www.nova-institute.eu and www.bio-based.eu
Email: contact@nova-institut.de
Phone: +49 (0) 22 33-48 14 40

Source

nova-Institute GmbH, press release, 2012-12-20.

Supplier

Avantium Technologies B.V.
Biotopic
CERTH
EGE Universitesi
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Lankhorst Euronete Portugal SA
Lifeglimmer GmbH
nova-Institut GmbH
Organic Waste Systems (OWS)
Paques Biomaterials BV
PNO Consultants BV
Pursuit Dynamics PLC
Rhodia
The Chancellor
Universität Bielefeld
University de Huelva
University of Cambridge (UK)
Value for Technology BVBA (VFT)
Wageningen University
Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster

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