Demo activities
How CERNET Demonstrators Turn Carbon into Value
The CERNET demonstration activities showcase how biogenic carbon emissions are transformed into valuable bio-based chemicals and ingredients. These activities span from feedstock logistics and carbon capture to conversion technologies and product validation.
1. Feedstock Management & Logistics
- Mapping and securing biogenic CO₂ and CH₄ sources (e.g. winery waste, manure, organic municipal waste).
- Pre-treatment protocols: purification, compression, and quality control.
- Coordination of transport, storage, and legal documentation.
- Environmental impact minimization strategies
2. Carbon Capture & Storage
- Existing infrastructure used at ACEA and ADM.
- New systems developed at BMAT and GALERA.
- Technologies include purification columns, membrane separation, and biomethane storage
3. Conversion Technologies
- Oxyhydrogen fermentation (DEMO 1): CO₂ → L-alanine & protein hydrolysate.
- Thermo-catalytic conversion (DEMO 2): CO₂ → methanol → sorbitol, malic acid, alanine.
- Microbial fermentation (DEMO 3): CH₄ & CO₂ → PHA & ectoine.
- Optimization of reactor conditions and scale-up designs
4. Downstream Processing (DSP)
- Extraction and purification of final products.
- Techniques tailored to each demo’s output (e.g. simultaneous recovery of alanine and protein hydrolysate).
- Ensuring product purity and readiness for industrial validation
5. Validation & End-Use Testing
- Products tested for use in food, cosmetics, cleaning products, and bioplastics.
- Examples:
- L-alanine for MGDA surfactants.
- Sorbitol and malic acid for food and plastics.
- PHA for wine-related packaging.
- Ectoine for cosmetics
6. Sustainability & Safety Integration
- Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework applied.
- Life Cycle Assessments (LCA, LCC, s-LCA) guide design and operation.
- Carbon removal potential assessed for each demo site