Co-funded by the European Union under the European Funds for a Modern Economy 2021–2027 program
Action: 2.3 TEAM NET
Priority 2: Innovation-Friendly Environment
Call Number: 1/2025
Project value:
Funding amount:
Recommended funding amount:
Project value (Łukasiewicz – PORT share):
3 598 226,69 PLN (amount subject to change during negotiations)
Project implementation period:
Project manager:
Consortium Leader: Poznan University of Technology
Consortium Partner: Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development (Łukasiewicz – PORT)
WABIO is a research and implementation project aimed at using biowaste as a feedstock, thereby reducing reliance on fossil resources. Instead of treating organic waste as a liability, the project proposes converting it into valuable products for industry, agriculture, and energy applications.
The WABIO project focuses on the development and demonstration of an innovative biorefinery integrating hydrothermal treatment (HTT) of organic waste with biological chain elongation (CE). This integrated approach enables comprehensive utilization of both liquid and solid fractions of biowaste, converting them into high-value-added products – primarily medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) and hydrochar.
The project includes optimization of HTT and CE parameters for various waste streams (agricultural and food-processing waste, municipal waste, and industrial waste), construction and commissioning of a prototype biorefinery system, and subsequent validation under near-real operating conditions.
A key component of the project is the development of real-time process monitoring methods in accordance with the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) framework, which will enhance production stability and predictability. The technology will undergo techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) to confirm its competitiveness relative to existing solutions and its alignment with sustainability principles.
The project also includes the preparation of a feasibility study and commercialization plan, enabling market entry with a new generation of biowaste processing technologies that produce valuable bioeconomy products, reduce emissions, and support the circular economy.
WABIO addresses growing challenges related to biowaste management and the energy and raw materials transition.
Implementation of the technology will deliver measurable economic benefits by creating new revenue streams from waste materials with negative market value – such as sewage sludge – as well as low-market-value waste and byproducts, including agricultural residues and food-processing byproducts. The production of medium-chain carboxylic acids provides access to rapidly expanding markets in feed additives, cosmetics, bioherbicides, and sustainable aviation fuels – markets valued globally in the billions of euros.
Research Activities at Łukasiewicz – PORT
The following research stages are planned at Łukasiewicz – PORT:
- Technological research on hydrothermal treatment (HTT) of waste, using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to optimize yields of intermediates for subsequent biological and thermochemical valorization
- Construction of a prototype biorefinery system (in collaboration with the Consortium Leader – Poznan University of Technology)
- Optimization of biorefinery operation under near-real operating conditions (in collaboration with the Consortium Leader – Poznan University of Technology)
- Techno-economic and environmental validation of the technology (in collaboration with the Consortium Leader – Poznan University of Technology)
