LIFT will maximise the impact of Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs) by valorising their outcomes and promoting the collaboration among them. Lift aims at identifying gaps to be addressed to ensure a stimulating environment boosting the bio-based economy. In short LIFT will: 1)Provide a global vision of objectives and results of past and ongoing Coordination and Support Actions 2)Maximise the impact of CSAs results, and make them actionable by industries and policy makers. 3)Analyse existing CSA programming gaps and identify challenges to be addressed, through multistakeholders’ collaboration 4)Raise awareness and communicate the CSAs’ contribution in addressing bioeconomy-related challenges 5)Provide actionable recommendations and suggestions for new CSA topics for AWP 2020 LIFT will start with thorough mapping of relevant CSAs, the synthesis of their results and the analysis of CSA programming gaps vis-à-vis long-term bio-based industry objectives. LIFT will cover the identification of all relevant stakeholders and the creation and animation of a network of stakeholders. Next, LIFT findings and assets will be made readily available, integrated and especially actionable by industries and policy makers. To this end LIFT will unlock bio-economy CSA outputs through an online library, transform LIFT findings and results into Actionable Knowledge, and organise active stakeholder dialogue through Mobilisation and Mutual Learning (MML) workshops. LIFT activities, events, achievements, findings and online library results will be disseminated widely. The project will culminate in recommendations for future CSA programming contributing to the creation of a stimulating environment for a sustainable, strong and competitive bio-based industry in Europe. The recommendations will be validated with EC, BIC and BBI JU. They will include clear measures to ensure sustainability and exploitation of results. The LIFT consortium is industry-led and well- experienced in BBI JU.

The on-going energy transition towards a decarbonized economy is changing profoundly the infrastructure of the power grids worldwide. Conventional high-power transformers are not fully prepared to overcome these challenges, as they do not have intrinsic capabilities regarding active system support. Instead, Solid-state Transformers (SSTs) have emerged in the last years as a disruptive technology able to extend the typical functionalities of a regular transformer, optimizing the power flows and introducing a high degree of digitalization and intelligence in the network. However, SSTs are not still a mature technology and only prototypes of up to 15 kV and 15 modules have been developed in the range of high frequency (40 kHz) so far. Therefore, their use is currently restricted to low-voltage applications. In this context, SSTAR aims to increase the operation voltage level of SSTs to enlarge their applications within the energy power sector while improving its performance in a reliable, cost-optimized and sustainable way. To do so, three main R&I Lines will be developed: 1) Sustainable biobased dielectric fluid able to increase the SST modules insulation voltage while achieving up to 50% of CO2 saving comparing to traditional oils 2) New SST module based on SiC with a bidirectional Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) system able to increase the individual voltage and switching frequency of SST modules up to 1.5 kV and 50kHz respectively with a total efficiency of 98.5% and 3) Decentralized control cascade H-bridge (CHB) converter to scale-up the number of modules in a single SST device to achieve the voltage levels of transmission grids. The combined effect of these innovations will be validated at TRL 4 in two certified test-beds in Spain and Portugal. Hence, SSTAR seeks to pave the way for the development of new disruptive HV SST devices more attractive for commercial purposes than the prototypes made so far, and able to be used in distribution and transmissions grids.

VEHICLE will demonstrate novel biotechnological and non-biotechnological technologies for providing and valorising low value sugar streams, thereby enabling significant progress in holistic & sustainable utilisation of lignocellulosic biomass. The main goals for this project are to demonstrate valorisation of dilute hemicellulose-containing prehydrolysate streams from pulp mills, which are currently waste streams with little value. The demonstration will take place by Ecohelix at the Domsjö Fabriker dissolving pulp mill in Sweden. In addition to widen the business and market opportunities of existing biorefinery investments by demonstrating the applicability of their sugar streams in several downstream options. Sugar streams will be provided by Avantium and Graanul from their demonstration and flagship facilities that are currently under construction. Subsequently the use of hemicellulose polymers from prehydrolysis streams in different pulp and paper product applications will be demonstrated by Kemira as well as the conversion of hemicellulose and cellulose based sugars into intermediate and building block chemicals – glycols (MEG and MPG), butanediol and long chain diacids – as well as into specialty sugars (glucosone, fructose) by Metgen, Avantium and Novamont. VEHICLE project will give special attention to secure the market demand and marketability of the produced intermediate molecules by demonstrating their use in a minimum of 5 end applications. In all 3 business cases VEHICLE maximises the weighted % of valorised feedstock, by covering more than one component and more than one product. UVIC will utilize well established LCA methodologies to assess the environmental and economic impacts of the developed products and processes. VEHICLE is based on sound business cases and business plans of three very promising value chains demonstrated by Ecohelix/Kemira, Avantium and Novamont. Combined with the 3 feedstock sources, up to 9 new value chains can be created.

FIRST2RUN project aims at demonstrating (TRL8) the techno, economical and environmental sustainability at industrial scale of a first-of-kind value chain where low input and underutilized oil crops (i.e. cardoon) grown in arid and/or marginal lands and not in competition with food or feed, are exploited for the extraction of vegetable oils to be further converted through chemical and biotechnological processes into bio-monomers (mainly pelargonic and azelaic acids) and esters that will be applied in the formulation of bioproducts (biolubricants, cosmetics, bioplastics). By and co-products from the process will be valorised both for energy, feed for animals and added value chemicals productions in order to increase the sustainability of the value chain. Standardization, certification and dissemination activities will support the project in relation to increased marketability as well as social acceptability of developed biobased products in view of their penetration in the market.

The SYMBA project aims at creating a new and innovative IS method to be replicated within EU according to the local/regional bio-based industrial ecosystem. SYMBA will implement a user-friendly and accessible AI database suggesting regional IS innovative processes to create zero-waste value chains, ensuring more local supply chains; a better distribution of economic and social benefits among the stakeholders and an increase in the economic value of final products. SYMBA solution, aligned with the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, is based on a threefold approach: 1) Creation and validation of new IS methodology for the bio-based sector, starting from existing knowledge and lessons earned from SYMBA consortium partners. 2) Individuation of criteria to select regional hubs 3) AI database including Monitoring tools, waste relation matrix, networking and cooperation with ongoing EU and local networks. The partnership has been intentionally selected by its expertise, network with key external stakeholders and geographical reach, bringing together 5 EU countries (IT, ES, BE, NL, DE) to consolidate the maximum outreach of the initiative. It consists of 9 partners with complementary competences: 4 RTD centers (CIRCE, CTB, AIMPLAS; CET); 1 large industry (NVMT); 1 pilot facility (BBEPP); 1 innovative SME (ENCO) and 2 networks (CKIC and ICLEI) with a valuable background in applying IS approach in the bio-based sector, providing services to companies and creating awareness and networking among citizens, policy makers, EU initiatives. Through the involvement of different industrial sectors: agri-food (NVMT); packaging (AIMPLAS); wastewater (CET); textile (CTB); waste valorisation (BBEPP), SYMBA will demonstrate how to shift from a linear to a circular economy contributing to deliver bio-based solutions with reduced environmental impacts on soil, water and air quality.