The achievement of the Net-zero emissions target established by the European Commission is huge challenge which could not be achieved without re-thinking the conventional route (materials and energy chains). H2STEEL project proposes an innovative, disruptive solution to convert wet waste streams into green Hydrogen, Carbon and Critical Raw Materials. The proposed innovative solution aims at supporting the green transition of one of the most hard-to-abate industrial sector: metallurgy. In particular, H2STEEL combines the conversion of biowaste and bioCH4 through innovative catalyzed pyrolysis with chemical leaching, to fully convert biowastes into Green Hydrogen, Green Carbon (biocoal), and recovery of Critical (inorganic) Raw Materials. Biomethane pyrolysis is carried out in a brand new, ad-hoc designed, and proof-of-concept reactor, on a bed of biocoal made from pre-carbonized biowastes, i.e. on a very cheap fully carbon-based catalyst, very resistant to temperature and contaminants: this will enhance the efficiency of the methane cracking step to generate Green Hydrogen. As new solid carbon from methane cracking is generated on the biocoal surface, thus reducing the performance of the catalyst, new biocoal-catalyst is inserted in the reactor, while the spent biocoal is removed: the continuous renewal of the catalyst is feasible thanks to its low cost, and to the market value of the spent catalyst. This material, fully bio-carbon based, is then used in steel-making as a substitute of metallurgical (fossil) coke, generating a net GHG reduction, EU ETS (Emission Trading Scheme) compliant. The regeneration of the spent catalyst thus becomes unnecessary, as the biocoal is used in a downstream process, avoiding the release of CO2 in atmosphere (as it happens in the SMR process or in most of the catalysts regeneration steps).

Activated carbon is manufactured overseas (30% of production occurs in CHINA). As an example, in 2016, 12% of worldwide AC demand (0.23 million of tons) corresponded to Western Europe . A Europe import about 80% of their internal consumption of AC. PORTABLECRAC provides a successful business case to reduce overseas imports with negative competitive and environmental impacts in key industries in Europe. Furthermore, great exploitation and replication opportunities for circular-local economy development, at business and environmental perspectives, will be pursued and exploitation path assessed as key implementation task after feasibility analysis is completed. However, due to continuous use, EXHAUSTION of AC filters is a common issue with the consequent high cost in producing virgin filters again. Indeed, there is a side problem related to the manipulation and management of exhausted AC that has to be considered as highly contaminant waste and can vary at regional-national level. Accordingly, the viability of AC use at industrial level roots in the regeneration and reactivation of exhausted AC. AC can be regenerated (large facilities i.e. do it at this moment), reducing costs by about 50%. Regeneration of spent AC is mainly done by thermal regeneration (as is the case of EMIVASA). However, it requires off-site service, high energy input and carbon losses with negative environmental impacts against the solution provide by PORTABLECRAC as the key value proposition (Table 1) shows. PORTABLECRAC brings a sustainable and long term solution creating a direct and indirect employment in the “service-sector” from UE. PORTABLECRAC KEY VALUE PROPOSITION is to provide a solution to water treatment with 86% reduction in cost per kg/AC and 4 times reduction in CO2 emissions. Business model will be assessed and validated during the scope of the project, based on traditional key drivers for industry market penetration as cost reduction and legislation framework

Natural resources are being exhausted due to the great demand of their services and the insufficient actions taken for their preservation. Against this background, the use of waste components from industrial activities as raw materials to obtain high value-added products is of great relevance. Lignin from pulping process is present all over Europe and represents a big source of underexploited material. There is an estimated 70 million tonnes of lignin available from pulping processes worldwide, but much of this is not isolated but burned onsite to provide steam for heat and power production. Until now only about 2% of the lignins available in the pulp and paper industry is commercially used comprising of about 1,000,000 tons/year lignosulphonates originating from sulphite pulping and 104,000 tons/year of kraft lignins produced in the kraft process

Plastic waste poses an important environmental problem in Europe and worldwide, especially from leakage to natural habitats. Of more than 29 Mt of plastic post-consumer waste collected in the EU in 2020, the average recycling rate of packaging waste was less than 40%. Packaging is the largest end-use market of plastic demand (40.5%). Multilayer packaging (e.g. paper/plastic composites), widely used in the food and beverage industry, applies mostly polyethylene (PE) film as plastic coating. In the agriculture sector, plastics are used to enhance crop yield, save water and agrochemicals but bear the risk of being lost during operation. Agricultural plastics market represents 3.2% of the plastic demand and the 50% increase in global food supplies expected by 2050 will lead to a substantially higher demand of plastics for mulch films (today mainly made of PE). REBIOLUTION aims to design and synthetize novel fully bio-based and biodegradable polyester blends based on 2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and other bio-based monomers fit for specific product-market applications selected in this project for their widespread use and negative impact on the environment: (1) plastic coating for food packaging (e.g. for frozen/chilled food or ready meal trays) and (2) mulch films for agricultural applications. Well-defined properties will be established by carefully tuning the polymer blends for each application in order to boost the sustainability performance (non-toxic substances used, reduced non-renewable energy consumption, recyclable and at the same time home compostable and biodegradable in soil and aquatic environments) and improved functionality while ensuring product and processes safety. REBIOLUTION is committed to remove barriers to market penetration by providing a drop-in bio-based polymer blend replacement that fosters a seamless transition for the downstream value-chain, avoiding additional investment in the processing industrial lines and extra-costs for consumers