The GCCE have proven at laboratory scale that microwave treatment process of sustainable feedstock can be developed to convert bio-waste into sustainable products, replacing the conventional use of fossil-based chemicals.

To enhance and develop these novel processes, the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) was established in collaboration with GCCE, with the intention of creating a facility of open access, scalable processing capabilities. This facility would utilise plant derived materials as sustainable feedstocks for the production of high value, biorenewable chemicals.

Our Solution

The University of York appointed Bouygues Energies & Services as their scale-up partner for the turnkey Design & Build solution of their open access pilot scale facility: Biorenewables Development Centre. Involved from early design stage, we developed a strategic masterplan to provide a highly flexible processing facility. This would allow the client to achieve world class standards of excellence for biorefining technologies and would be relevant to industrial application.

Working within an existing live operational environment, our solution encompassed the integration and commissioning of novel extraction and processing technologies such as Microwave Technologies, Spinning Cone Separation, Supercritical CO2 Extraction and Ammonia Fibre Expansion. Our specialist team also assisted the client in the optimisation of the biorefinery facility, by including an upstream biomass feedstock Pellet Handling System and a biofermentation train. Our solution will offer clients a reduction in processing time from weeks to hours.

Benefits to the Client

A Single Point of Contact to Boost Performance
Providing detailed design, architectural, procurement, construction, installation, process engineering, mechanical and electrical services, and commissioning to offer seamless engineering solutions to the challenges facing our client.

Stepping Up the Scale
Science and vision accelerated from laboratory scale, to a highly technical industrial solution.

Academic Endorsement
Scale up supports academic and research partners in performing novel extraction and purification processes, transforming feedstock into biorenewable chemicals, materials and fuel.

Increased Efficiency
The development of a biorefinery train reduces processing time from weeks to hours, speeding up the entire process and increasing the practicality of biorenewable production procedures.

Contributing Towards a Bioeconomy
Our delivery contributes to the realisation of the BDC’s own vision; to bridge the gap between academia and industry. The facility can be used to develop greener processes and products, and to show organisations how they can achieve the same.