Fossil-based aromatic chemicals like phenol, bisphenol A (BPA), BPA derivatives and alkylphenols are produced on a million ton scale and are commonly used in surfactants, flame retardants and plastics. However, they also raise serious environmental and health concerns especially in applications that result in potential exposure to the body such as detergents, furniture, textile or food packaging. Therefore, this multidisciplinary EU project aims at developing renewable compounds as benign alternatives for current aromatic chemicals following the Safe and Sustainable-By-Design (SSbD) framework. The project will focus on the molecular design of novel biobased compounds as alternatives for substances of very high concern (SVHC) via an inventive catalytic biorefinery of biomass sides streams. New approach methodologies (NAMs) will be used for hazard assessment of the new chemicals in terms of human health and environmental toxicity. Machine learning models will be developed for the design phase and for the in-silico impact assessment of the novel chemicals. Successful products will be safe, follow the principles of green chemistry, demonstrate a lower carbon footprint than their petrochemical counterparts and will have a calculated life cycle and socio-economic impact. Formal SSbD reporting in RADAR will demonstrate the applicability of the framework and support EU policy. The selected RADAR chemicals will be upscaled to multi kg scale and investigated in industrial applications while they will be benchmarked against functional properties of standard flame retardant, surfactant or can coating materials. RADAR data will allow mapping of the substitution barriers in terms of supply, production cost and performance. To reach its goals, the RADAR consortium involves all relevant industrial actors along the value chain ranging from biomass refinery to chemicals production and brand owners in end markets supported by excellent knowledge institutions.

Fatty amines possess cationic and surface-active properties, finding applications in cosmetics, coatings, detergents, and more with a projected market growth to $5.54 billion by 2027. The traditional "nitrile route" for their synthesis is flawed by drawbacks like high energy needs, toxic catalysts, harsh conditions, and low selectivity, resulting in complex amine mixtures. Biotechnological alternatives, deploying enzymes, offer a sustainable alternative, characterized by mild conditions and high selectivity but their industrial implementation is hampered by cost and complexity challenges. Currently, there's a lack of a holistic approach that considers upstream, midstream, and downstream factors when designing biotechnological processes. FLEXIZYME aims to pioneer an interdisciplinary, systematic biotechnological platform for fatty amine production from fat and protein-rich residues, encompassing all process stages. Integrating cutting-edge technologies will address limitations hindering enzyme use in cosmetics, detergents, and agriculture. Scaling up and validation across these sectors is a pivotal project aspect. Key project elements include a chemo/enzymatic approach, enzyme engineering/improvement, machine learning tools applied to experimental and in silico data, reactor design and monitoring. These findings will culminate in a biotechnological platform for fatty amine production, encouraging widespread adoption of biotechnological industrial applications. Guided by Techno-Economic Assessment and Life Cycle Assessment, FLEXIZYME ensures productivity, yield, robustness, and flexibility. A multi-actor approach and interdisciplinary collaboration aligned with industrial needs will streamline the implementation of the biotechnological platform's outputs in industry. This flexible, versatile biotechnological platform marks an innovative departure from existing fatty amine production processes, addressing current limitations enhancing environmental performance.

SPLENDOR aims to demonstrate a groundbreaking one-step depolymerization technology that efficiently converts lignin from black liquor, a pulping industry byproduct, into valuable aromatic chemicals, without the need for pre-treatment, additional chemicals, or catalysts. This process integrates seamlessly into pulp mills, enhancing scalability and cost-efficiency. It achieves complete conversion of lignin into bio-aromatic monomers, dimers, and oligomers, while recycling inorganic chemicals back to the mill in a zero-waste approach. SPLENDOR will optimize the conversion of black liquor into high-value aromatic chemicals like vanillin and syringol using advanced analytics and microkinetic modeling to manage lignin variability. The long-term continuous operation of the hydrothermal depolymerization process will be performed to address engineering challenges. Separation and purification technologies will be designed and integrated to ensure a 99% product recovery, optimized for further valorization. A 250 L/h prototype will operate for six months in an operational pulp mill, providing data for future scale-up to a 5000 L/h plant. The project will also develop four industrial applications - fine chemicals, waterproofing coatings, plasticizers for tires, and fuel components - and showcase their market potential. SPLENDOR supports a circular economy by converting black liquor into high-value bio-based chemicals, improving resource efficiency, and boosting the European chemical industry's economic viability. By reducing reliance on fossil-based chemicals and integrating production at the lignin source, SPLENDOR enhances European competitiveness and reduces transport-related emissions. The project complies with EU safety regulations and REACH standards, emphasizing safety, sustainability, and environmentally friendly products. Upon commercialization SPLENDOR is expected to save over 800,000 tons of CO2 annually, advancing Europe’s climate goals and circular economy targets.

The PROMISERS project goal lies in the advancement of new non per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) components for PEMFCs and PEMELs utilizing materials based on hydrocarbons and cellulose. The project will achieve this objective by focusing on developing multiple disruptive approaches for ionomers, membranes, electrode inks and MEAs which are free of PFAS. The project is aligned with sustainability principles, with no projected environmental barriers. Sustainable-by-design approaches and non-harmful materials will be targeted to ensure the environmental compatibility. Besides sustainability and zero pollution for the material fabrication also aspects such as safe-by-design, scalability and processing routes will be taken in account. PROMISERS represents a powerhouse consortium, including four major multinational companies: Syensqo (SOF, Chemicals and Polymers), Fumatech (innovative membranes for energy applications), Industrie De Nora (electrochemical industry) and RINA Consulting, two SMEs: Cellfion (sustainable membrane solutions) and Hysytech (engineering), two international research and technology organisations: Leitat, TNO, and an European university: IIT. PROMISERS will deliver and validate short stacks of PEMFC and PEMEL, targeting performances of > 1.5 Wcm-2 at 0.65 V for PEMFC and 3.0 Acm-2 at 1.8 V for PEMEL and with a degradation rate < 5 V/hr. A techno-economic evaluation and exploitation plan will be executed to move from the technological concept (TRL2) to a laboratory scale multicell-stack (TRL4) PEMFC and PEMEL to ensure a fast-track for its commercialisation.

CLEANHYPRO gathers some of the most recognised experts in Europe on the electrolysis field for clean hydrogen production and acknowledged facilitators of technology transfer, corporate finance, funding and coaching, making available (i) the most promising and breakthrough manufacturing pilots and (ii) advanced characterization techniques and modelling together with (iii) non-technical services through this Test Bed: while relevant improvement metrics can be defined, the potential network of reachable stakeholders counts thousands of businesses on an international scale. Key facts are reported below. Within the scope of CLEANHYPRO, several circular innovative materials and key components, four main electrolysis technologies and geometries will be covered, providing for the first time a single entry point for industrial partners, mainly SMEs, aspiring to answer their concerns but with minimum investment costs and reduction of risks associated with technology transfer, while opening-up opportunities for demonstration of materials and components (TRL7) and thus faster opening the market for these new products. The main KPIs for CLEANHYPRO: Technical: >20% cell productivity improvement, 30% faster verification, 27-58% and 22-79% cost reduction of technologies in CAPEX and OPEX respectively, 3-9% efficiency enhancement. Non-Technical: 4 Showcases, 4 certification schemes, ≥16 Democases, >100 reachable SMEs and > 300 reachable investors. INNOMEM stems from the consideration that the development of products based on key materials and components for electrolysis require access to finance and an optimised business planning, relying on a sound prior analysis of the market, of the economic impacts and capacity of a company. The project aims at developing and organizing a sustainable Open Innovation Test Bed (OITB) for electrolysis materials and components for different applications. The OITB will also offer a network of facilities and services through a SEP to companies.