Cost-effective production of 2nd generation liquid biofuel

Principle objective

Provide the necessary knowledge platform needed to develop an industrial process for efficient conversion of Scandinavian wood-based raw materials into fuel components.

Because wood-based ethanol production alone is not economically competitive, the project aimed at developing value-added products from wood lignin and extractives in a biorefinery concept.

Major scientific challenges

• Develop effective pretreatment and separation methods for effective isolation of the chemical components of wood (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and extractives)
• Develop processes for effective conversion of the lignin fraction into products suitable for use as transport fuels using existing motor technology.

PFI has served as project owner and coordinator. The project was carried out as a competence building R&D project under the RENERGI program of the Research Council of Norway. The project was finalised in 2018.