Plants instead of petroleum – making new bio-based material solutions tangible on a pilot scale

February 01, 2021

The INN-PRESSME joint project, funded by the European Union with around 14 million euros, was launched three years ago. The aim of the 27 project partners from nine European countries is to establish a Europe-wide ecosystem for the development and production of plant-based, recyclable, and/or biodegradable packaging, energy, and transportation solutions, as well as consumer goods. The planned nine test cases with prototypes have currently been completed, and the results are very encouraging.

The European Green Deal aims to create a sustainable, green European economy with zero net emissions by 2050, supported by the HORIZON research program through initiatives such as INN-PRESSME. This program promotes the development of plant-based, recyclable materials using nanotechnology to match or exceed the performance of fossil-based materials. It also promotes digitization to help companies model the entire lifecycle value chain and optimize raw material use in a circular economy with comprehensive LCA, LCCA and LCI studies.

After three years, INN-PRESSME has completed nine test cases across multiple sectors, successfully demonstrating pilot-scale production of bio-based materials for green applications in packaging, energy, transportation and consumer goods, with expansions to existing pilot plants.

In the INN-PRESSME project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC took on the challenging task of preparing the products made from plant-based raw materials with special bio-based functional coatings for their respective requirements in use. The Fraunhofer ISC was involved in a total of six test cases. The institute modified the bioORMOCER^® materials, which were designed as barrier layers for the packaging sector. In addition to barrier layers for paper-based packaging, scratch-resistant and optical layers for automotive applications were produced by using these special ORMOCER^® materials. Antimicrobial and easy-to-clean coatings for sports products and shoe soles were also developed.

A rocky road from lab to pilot scale

Scaling up from lab to pilot scale is complex, as demonstrated by the Fraunhofer ISC's efforts to upscale to a 100-liter reactor for coating synthesis and a roll-to-roll system for applying barrier layers to nano-coated paper. Adapting the coating formulations to the specific needs of bio-based substrates proved challenging due to their delicate and diverse surfaces. Despite these difficulties, the successful test cases demonstrated the effectiveness of a Europe-wide network of pilot plants, facilitating smooth collaboration across different stages.

Well-established infrastructure for companies

In the future, companies will have access to a network of pilot plants through a Single Entry Point (SEP), which will support them in the up-scaling of biobased solutions without having to invest in their own infrastructure. The INN-PRESSME project reduces entrepreneurial risks and prepares plant-based products for the market. The final year of the project will focus on establishing the SEP and conducting life cycle analyses and end-of-life assessments to evaluate biodegradability and recyclability.

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Funding authority:

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 952972.

Project duration:

1/1/2021 – 12/31/2024

Project partners:

INN-PRESSME is a joint collaborative network of 27 partners from 9 countries from North (Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom, Belgium), South (Spain, Italy, France), and Central Europe (Germany, Poland). All technical and market-oriented services are provided by project partners.

Project INN-PRESSME