TexMaTer aims at producing novel cellulosic fibres and bioformulations for textiles’ finishing using under-utilised biomass resources and wastes from agricultural practices and micro- and macroalgal production (typically rich in cellulose and other bioactive compounds) and post-consumer home textiles (as an extra source of cellulose). These functional and sustainable solutions will be further used in prototypes for fashion and home textiles’ markets. The project covers all steps required to produce novel cellulosic fibres and functional textiles for the envisaged markets: from the obtention and transformation of raw materials for application in textile production processes, to fibres/yarns production and bioformulations development (at laboratory, pilot and industrial scales), ending with eco-design and prototypes manufacture. To ensure recyclability and circularity of the developed solutions, and an efficient uptake of the products by the consumer, the development of TexMaTer products will be designed considering promising End-of-Life (EoL) alternatives and also functionality, safety, environmental sustainability and social and economic benefits for consumers. Consumer behaviour studies and raising-awareness actions are also planned, thus contributing to increase consumers’ acceptance for the developed products. By incorporating bio-based resources and promoting the upcycling of post-consumer textiles, TexMaTer will increase the competitiveness of the textile & clothing industry (T&CI), significantly reducing the negative environmental impacts commonly associated to this sector: 1) the intensive use of synthetic fibres, virgin cotton and wood-based cellulose (whose production is responsible for high CO2 emissions, water consumption and contamination, and inappropriate forest management, respectively); and 2) the overutilisation of synthetic dyes and chemicals in textile finishing processes (which are typically rejected in textile wastewaters and recalcitrant).

Photofuel studies and advances the biocatalytic production of alternative liquid transportation fuels, which require only sunlight, CO2 and water. Microbial cells directly excrete hydrocarbon and long chain alcohol fuel compounds to the medium from which they are separated, without the need to harvest biomass. This significantly improves the costs and energy balances as only a minimum of nutrients is required for self-replication of the biocatalyst, whilst cell harvesting, drying and lipid extraction is omitted. Such minimum-input systems are compatible with operation on degraded or desert land which avoids the pitfalls of most of the currently available biofuel technologies. The products are drop-in fuels that fully or partially replace their fossil counterparts without the need for new infrastructure. To set a benchmark for alternative solar fuels, three research groups will collaborate in the advancement of the biocatalysts from TRL 3. The best biocatalytic system(s) will be up-scaled and operated outdoors in photobioreactors modified for direct fuel separation at a scale of several cubic meters (TRL 4-5). The identification of optimal future fuel blends with a fossil fuel base and Photofuel biofuels as additives, as well as the analysis of performance and emissions in car or truck engines, will be evaluated by the oil- and automotive-industry partners. The entire pathway will be assessed for environmental and economic performance as well as social acceptance of large scale production in rural communities and by the consumer. All results will be combined to a business development plan, which clearly identifies the opportunities but also the challenges prior to an economic fuel production in compliance to the EC Fuel Quality Directive.

Algae biomass is highly underexploited and its efficient utilization is one of the main challenges in current and future EU marine policies towards sustainability. CIRCALGAE will boost the blue bioeconomy by applying an integrated biorefinery concept to valorise the massively produced (over 36 Mt of algae biomass annual world production) and vastly underexploited algae industrial waste streams (which can add up to 95% of the initial biomass) from the main existing sources to date: the phycolloid production from macroalgae and protein/lipid microalgae industries. CIRCALGAE’s simple, water-based technologies, will transform these waste streams into value-added ingredients to be used in specific texturized vegan foods, health-promoting food ingredients, protein rich feed, and cosmetic formulations incorporating texturizing or highly bioactive ingredients for topical use. 3 blue biorefinery schemes up-scaled to hundreds of kg will be demonstrated throughout CIRCALGAE project. 12 demonstrator products will be developed by food, feed and cosmetic industry partners validating the great potential of novel algae ingredients in these key sectors. Additionally, 2 final products will be qualified for market including their studies in consumer acceptance assessments. Through co-creating and co-learning, CIRCALGAE will connect all algae cross-sectional actors, including industrial end-user partners, RTOs, technological and consultancy SMEs, for the validation of all health-promoting effects and claims, regulatory aspects and environmental, economic and social impacts, engaging all relevant stakeholders in the primary sector to re-shape the current industrial network for a future thriving blue bioeconomy.

Livestock farming is a key sector that involves 40 % of the total agricultural activity in Europe. representing a total value for products equal to € 170 billion. However, there is an increasing concern due to livestock farming’s contribution to environmental pollution since it generates more than 1.4 billion tonnes/year of manure leading to significant greenhouse gases (GHG) and air pollutants emissions(NH3, NOX)as well as to soil and water contamination caused by hazardous manure chemicals and biological contaminants (called here emerging contaminants). In this context extensive effort has been carried out for years to assess the detrimental effects of farming systems and to develop abatement methods to be implemented. However, despite major advancements, many fundamental issues are beyond the scope of existing legislation. The main objective of NUTRITIVE is to develop a decision-making tool (DSS, decision support system) able to define the most efficient and sustainable (in its three pillars: environmental, economic, and social) manure management strategies for a given livestock farm limiting manure air emissions as well as soil and water contaminants. This will allow for the formulation of technical guidelines and recommendations that will support policy makers with enhanced knowledge to establish requirements for future European policies. To fulfill this objective, the project is divided into six work packages (WP): WP1 Up-to-date inventory; WP2 Novel management strategies/technologies investigation; WP3 Modelling and LCA; and WP4 Guidelines formulation; WP5 Communication, dissemination, and exploitation; WP6 Management. NUTRITIVE anticipates a wide spread of the project outcomes, with the synthesis of the consortium as a baseline: 22 partners (4 Chinese) from 8 different countries across Europe, covering 6 climatic regions (2 Chinese ones), representing the whole supply chain experts, from animal feed to soil application.

Microalgae can play a critical role in meeting EU targets to increase the share of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) in the aviation industry from 2% in 2025 to 64% by 2050. SusAlgaeFuel will develop integrated approaches in a circular production model towards the first cost-competitive (reduced by 49% from 12.3 to 6.3 $/kg HEFA) and efficient microalgae SAF: a) direct capture of CO2 emissions from biogas upgrading from Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and utilisation of waste liquid digestate as low-cost nutrient source to support algae growth; b) novel in-line process analytical technology complemented with machine learning and selective UV irradiation to monitor and purify bacterial contamination in algae culture; c) cascading biorefinery that relies on energy-saving autolysis and maximises solvent recycling to fractionate biomass into lipids (for jet fuel), protein serum (for feed) and cellulose-rich biomass residue (for further fuel conversion) at low energy & solvent requirements; d) algae-specific thermocatalytic pathways for efficient conversion of algae-lipids to Hydroprocessed Esters Fatty Acids-Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (HEFA-SPK) and residue to kerosene followed by a range of purification methods for fuel refinement to meet international aviation standards & certification. Process simulations, techno economic & LCA will be performed to assess scalability from economic, social & environmental perspectives and to identify process improvements. A dedicated commercialisation plan and policy recommendations will be produced to guide future technology transfer from lab to industry. SusAlgaeFuel will culminate in the building & operation of a pilot-scale algal facility on an AD operator site in Ireland (TRL5) with the capacity to directly capture CO2 from AD flue gas, use waste digestate and produce ≥10 kg of algae lipids per year. Successful future scaling of the technology has the potential to deliver 20% of EU’s projected SAF requirements of 5Mt in 2030.