The total subsidy granted to the Industry Consortium “VEHICLE” consisting of 8 European companies, is EUR €5.9 million.
The consortium, coordinated by Avantium, works on developing 100% plant-based chemicals produced from renewable raw material.
During a four-year project, the VEHICLE consortium members aim to widen the business and market opportunities of existing and future biorefineries by demonstrating the applicability of their sugar streams in several downstream options.
The role of Avantium in VEHICLE is to provide sugar streams from nonfood feedstock.
This sugar is produced in Avantium’s Dawn Technology™ pilot biorefinery in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. Avantium will also convert industrial sugars from the consortium partners (including the sugars from Avantium’s DAWN pilot biorefinery) into plant-based mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) through its Mekong technology.
Plant-MEG is a drop-in component used in the production of many materials, including plant-based polyesters.
VEHICLE consists of several other leading companies across Europe: Ecohelix (SE), Metgen Oy (FI), Novamont Spa (IT), Spinverse (FI), Kemira (FI), Fundacio Universitaria Balmes (ES) and Graanul Biotech Ou (EE).
VEHICLE accelerates the establishment of innovative value chains throughout Europe for the production of plant-based chemicals and materials.
“The grant is a strong signal for Avantium and our partners in VEHICLE to continue our mutual work to develop 100% plant-based chemicals, produced from renewable non-food feedstock.
We share the common goal to replace fossil-based chemicals and materials with renewable alternatives”, says Zanna McFerson, Managing Director of Avantium Renewable Chemistries.
This project has received funding from the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 837866.
REFS