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Research & Development Request

Industrial partner with strong interest in a "green" production route to caproic acid and formic acid sought for H2020 BIOTEC-05-2017

Country of Origin: Germany
Reference Number: RDDE20170315001
Publication Date: 15 March 2017

Summary

A Northern German technical university is forming a consortium to address H2020 BIOTEC-05-2017 call stage 2. An additional industrial partner is sought, preferably SME, but also large companies with strong interest in a "green" production route to caproic acid and formic acid and commercial exploitation of these products. The company would ideally have expertise in the downstream processing, i.e. membrane based separation, of the products and some experience in scale-up.

Description

Objective of the project is to develop two novel microbial platforms and highly integrated new processes to overcome the technical and economical limitations in the reuse of CO2 for biosynthesis of value-added chemicals. The advantages and technical feasibility of the microbes and processes will be demonstrated with high productivities of appealing large-volume chemical compounds, such as caproic acid, formic acid and 1,3-propanediol, at pilot scale under industrially relevant conditions. Life cycle assessment and economic assessment shall accompany the process development and prove viability and sustainability of the new processes.



A consortium of academic and industrial partners from Germany, Belgium, France, Spain and Denmark has already successfully submitted a proposal for stage 1. In order to strengthen exploitation perspectives especially for caproic acid and formic acid an additional industrial partner would be highly welcome to join on short term.



Call Budget: 48,000,000 EUR

EOI deadline: 03.04.2017

Call deadline: 04.05.2017

Advantages and Innovations

- Novel metabolic pathways and more active and robust enzymes for the efficient conversion of substrate to specific target products



- Intensified process by integration of electrochemical, electrobiochemical, fermentation and separation technologies



- Both shall lead to sufficient productivity for sustainable and economically viable production of the target products

Expertise sought

The company would ideally have experience in the downstream processing, i.e. membrane based separation, and purification of the target products caproic and formic acid and an interest in scaling the process up to pilot-scale in collaboration with the consortium members. Working with microbes and experience with bioprocesses would be beneficial, especially for the purification of caproic acid, but it is not a must.

Stage Of Development

Proposal under development

Stage Of Development Comment

stage 1 proposal has been approved, stage 2 is in preparation

Requested partner

The consortium is searching for industrial partners, preferably SME, but also large companies with a strong interest in a "green" production route to caproic acid and formic acid and the commercial exploitation of these products.