Customer story
A commercial pilot biorefinery plant demonstrating a novel method for biomass fractionation based on ionic liquids
"Spinverse was an invaluable partner in reaching the next big milestone in our venture to turn the vision of sustainability into everyday reality for us all. Their patience and dedication helped to translate our complex, deep-tech proposal into a successful grant application - they were team members in every sense, and we are grateful for their expertise and support. We very much look forward to working with the team again in the near future!"
Krisztina Kovacs-Schreiner, CEO, Lixea Sweden AB.
Customer story in numbers
21.5
M€
2028
Expected entry into operation
526 360 t
estimated CO2eq emission avoidance
Funding instrument
Innovation Fund
Lixea Sweden AB aims to build and operate a commercial pilot plant, demonstrating a completely new method for biomass fractionation based on ionic liquids. The project will enable the replacement of fossil materials with biobased alternatives in applications where it has not been previously possible, thereby advancing the transition to a bio-based economy.
Key challenges
Today the world is heavily dependent on materials that are derived from unsustainable and non-renewable, fossil sources. As the energy sector is transitioning away from fossil raw materials, the material sector needs to do the same. However, every year over a billion tonnes of plant, agricultural and wood waste are discarded or burnt worldwide. These bio-based and sustainable raw materials hold significant potential for materials production. The problem is that to date, there has not been a technological solution for cost-efficient processing of that raw material into useful chemicals and materials.
How we reached the goals
Spinverse experts worked together with Lixea in all aspects of the proposal preparation, including project concepting, GHG calculations, business plan and feasibility study, leading to success in the highly competitive Innovation Fund call. After the positive outcome, Spinverse also supported Lixea in the Grant Agreement process.
Key takeaways
The L1X project led by Lixea will scale up the technology and build a first-of-its-kind production plant in Slovakia. The plant will process 25 000 tonnes of biomass per year and produce cellulose, lignin and furfural which will be used to replace fossil-based materials in diverse application areas, including moulded fibre and packaging solutions, thermoplastics and resins.
Impact of the project
The biorefinery plant aims to produce high-quality cellulose, lignin, and furfural from residual biomass, resulting in the estimated avoidance of 526 360 tonnes of CO2 emissions over the course of 10 years.
Photo credit: Lixea Sweden AB