Synergetic integration of BIOteChnology and thermochemical
CaTalysis for the cAscade coNvErsion of organic waste to jet-fuel

Project

Detailed information about the BIOCTANE research project, its goals, and the next steps.

News

BIOCTANE’s recent developments and up-to-date news.

Partner

Our project partners and their contribution to the project’s success.

About

Reducing GHG emissions, in line with the Paris Agreement, is particularly challenging regarding producing “green” liquid fuels with a high energy density, especially for the aviation sector. The BIOCTANE project aims to develop and optimize an innovative process for converting organic waste materials (e.g., food-waste, organic material from the food processing industry) into carbon-neutral market-ready drop-in jet fuels. A proof of concept on the synergetic coupling of biotechnological and thermocatalytic processing routes will be developed by employing a disruptive and interdisciplinary strategy. The project targets the efficient valorization of organic wastes into renewable jet fuel and maximizing the recovery of chemical energy, nutrients, and carbon use. In order to achieve this, the complex organic waste will be converted into platform molecules (acetoin and 2,3-butanediol).

Subsequently, a novel one-pot chemical process will be developed by combining different catalytic steps through which the platform molecules are converted to jet-fuel range hydrocarbons. Based on an extensive process flow modeling, the process efficiency and the techno-economic requirements for full market integration and the environmental impact will be assessed. Furthermore, to achieve the best environmental performance, efficient recovery of nutrients for reuse will be aimed throughout the process development. Therefore, BIOCTANE will establish a novel pathway involving hybrid processes and multifunctional catalysts, contributing to implementing sustainable, secure, and competitive renewable energy technologies in Europe, boosting the use of advanced biofuels, and with a direct impact on strategic areas like aviation transport.

News

  • Bioctane joins Conference for Sustainable Aviation

    Recently, Marta Paniagua Martin, Senior University Lecturer at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos held a presentation about “Sustainable fuels in transport: Advances and challenges from the point of view of Research”. You can find the slides here.

  • Executive and Governing Board Meetings held in Madrid

    On April 25th and 26th, IMDEA Energy hosted all project partners to discuss the current status of our project. Simultaneously, it was the first in-person meeting of the project consortium. The status of each workpackage was checked and interactions with other project partners were discussed. In between both days, the participants even had the opportunity […]

  • EU Research project BIOCTANE develops novel pathway to produce sustainable aviation fuels

    In November 2022, the BIOCTANE project was officially launched. Led by Fundacion IMDEA Energia (IMDEA) as the project coordinator, six research institutions partner to develop a new production pathway for sustainable aviation fuels. During the kick-off meeting on 16. November the partner the European Commission’s representative of the project welcomed the partners and introduced the […]