Project
Detailed information about the BIOCTANE research project, its goals, and the next steps.
Partner
Our project partners and their contribution to the project’s success.
Research
BIOCTANE’s recent publications and dissemination events.
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
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General assembly at PSI
Earlier this month, the BIOCTANE consortium gathered for its General Assembly on 3-4. April – this time in person at the PSI Paul Scherrer Institut in Villigen, Switzerland.🇨🇭All project partners presented and discussed their latest results, and once again it became clear how valuable physical meetings are – even in times of Zoom and Teams.…
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BIOCTANE at the 12th Stakeholder Plenary Meeting of ETIP Bioenergy
On March 12, the BIOCTANE project was presented at the 12th Stakeholder Plenary Meeting, organized by the European Technology and Innovation Platform (ETIP Bioenergy) in Brussels. In an invited talk project coordinator Patricia Pizarro showcased how BIOCTANE aims to develop sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by combining innovative biotechnological and thermocatalytic processes. The event brought together…
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BIOCTANE Engages with Future Scientists at the IES Victoria Kent Institute
On February 13, 2025, Patricia Pizarro represented the BIOCTANE project at IES Victoria Kent in Fuenlabrada (Madrid), where she delivered a series of talks to high school students on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Her presentation, titled “Investigating to Valorize Waste”, introduced students to the importance of research…
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BIOCTANE at the BIOCIRCULAR SUMMIT 2025
On February 11, 2025, the BIOCTANE project was presented at the BIOCIRCULAR Summit in Spain, a key national event focused on biocircularity, sustainability, and the regulatory landscape for renewable energy, fuels, and waste management. The summit brought together experts from various sectors, including agriculture, forestry, and industry, to discuss innovative solutions for advancing circular economy…
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New Team Member!
We are exited to announce that Lucia Braga Nan has joined the BIOCTANE project! Lucia is an accomplished researcher with a B.Sc. specializing in microbiology and a master’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of the Republic in Uruguay. She earned her PhD at the AgroInstitut, Montpellier, with INRAE in Narbonne, France, focusing on the…
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Scientific Workshop in Madrid
In October, we held our first Scientific Workshop at the facilities of our project partner IMDEA Energy in Madrid. It was a great success, with around 45 participants. The program featured numerous presentations, complemented by a scientific poster session by PhD students, a guided tour of IMDEA’s research facilities, and a shared lunch. Here is…
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New Team Member
We are excited to welcome Xujun Li as a new team member of the BIOCTANE project! Xujun brings a strong academic and research background to the BIOCTANE project. After earning a PhD from Xi’an Jiaotong University in December 2023, Xujun expanded their expertise as a joint training student at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany. Their work…
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HE Cluster Meeting for aviation/maritime fuels and biomethane projects
Prof. Patricia Pizarro, coordinator of the BIOCTANE project funded by the European Union, has participated in the HE Cluster Meeting for aviation/maritime fuels and biomethane projects organized and held at CINEA (Brussels) last October 15. During that meeting, there was the opportunity to receive information about relevant policy frameworks as well as to exchange and…
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Scientific Workshop: Thermochemical conversion of biogenic waste to jet fuel
The BIOCTANE Scientific Workshop will encompass a full day of lectures and poster presentationstailored for all who would like to learn more about thermochemical processes for the production ofrenewable fuels. The different lecture topics cover the full process chain, starting by the conversion of feedstock,such as biogenic wastes into platform molecules in the morning. The…
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Webinar 6: Catalysis development for hydrothermal gasification
Our most recent Webinar, with David Baudouin from Paul-Scherrer Institute is now online. Hydrothermal gasification is used within the BIOCTANE project, to process the dark fermentation residues for a full utilization of wet organic residues. In order to achieve this goal, PSI is developing catalysts which are selective towards the production of hydrogen but also…