Project
Pilot scale electrochemical plant to demonstrate the commercial opportunities of converting low cost lignin feedstock in high value biosustainable chemicals such as vanillin, antioxidants or polyamide.
Objectives
- Electrochemical depolymerisation of kraft lignin to synthesise vanillin with a 7% yield.
- Electrochemical depolymerisation of organosolv lignin to synthesise mixed phenolic derivate oligomers with a yield of > 35%
- Electrochemical oxidation of biosustainable cyclohexanol derivatives to synthesise propyl adipic acid with a yield of up to 80%.
- A biorefinery process:
- Capable of accommodating renewable energy fluctuations without loss in efficiency
- Exhibits a 95% improvement in the energy efficiency of the process and 350% improvement in resource efficiency
- Produce 29 times less CO2 than the conventional petrochemical alternatives.