GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Proposals under this topic should:

• Specify and justify the choice of one or more sustainable feedstock types to be valorised via optimised, scaled up fermentation processes, and the targeted bio-based products. With regards to the targeted bio-based products, non-volatile as well as thermally and/or chemically unstable compounds, presenting higher downstream purification constraints, should be in the scope.
• Demonstrate improved process design strategies to solve previously identified bottlenecks in industrially relevant fermentation processes considering both upstream and downstream steps. The proposed strategies can consider biocatalyst(s) optimisation, reactor design, process design innovation but also process agents (e.g. solvents) innovation. Address fermentation processes productivity (yield, titre, selectivity) as well as cost-, resource- and energy-efficiency in view of further scale-up to commercial level;
• Ensure the improvement of the energy and resource efficiency of downstream purification strategies for obtaining the end products in scope, thus also enabling cost-effective production, in particular when dealing with non-volatile or chemically/thermally unstable products.
• Target end products with tangible market applications and ensure that the products meet market and regulatory requirements (e.g. in terms of consumers safety and Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E)
• Include a task to integrate assessment based on the safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) framework, developed by the European Commission, for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials. Under this context, projects are expected to contribute with and develop recommendations that can advance further the application of the SSbD framework.
• Analyse and prove techno-economic feasibility as well as commercial viability of further scaling up the process to commercial scale.