On October 18, 2023, FRACTION organized an online workshop to promote knowledge exchange among young scientists and identify gaps for future research. The event included 20 presentations of research projects and their findings, all addressing lignocellulosic biomass processing and its applications. The presenters introduced research from the projects: IMPRESS, FRACTION and TREASOURCE as well as research produced at Masters’ level.
Example of research gaps that appeared from the presentations:
- Focus more on reusing and recycling of solvents for increasing efficiency of process;
- Include energy and water use in process development;
- Investigate how a laboratory process would be undertaken under industrial conditions;
- Address feedstock quality, especially feedstocks from separated waste streams. Feedstock quality has an impact on the synthesis yield and product quality;
- More research is needed to find more efficient catalysts to improve yields of reactions and reduce formation of unwanted compounds like biochar;
- Target more research at small-scale facilities as not all biorefineries are working big-scale or high-tech;
It was also mentioned that there seems to be several differences between industry and academia with regards to research: Industry is interested in results that could be implemented in the short- to mid-term perspective for e.g., improving a product or process, whereas academia often works with a mid- to long-term perspective for example to achieve a research break-through. Also, it is important for industry that intellectual property rights (IPR) are protected trough industry’s ownership, or at least that industry can collaborate with the IPR owner (e.g., academia).
Contact: Karen Hamann, karen@ifau.dk