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Start Date

January, 2019

End Date

April, 2019

ENAC

Alternative fuels for civil aviation



The project goal is the production of a sustainable advanced biofuel for civil aviation obtained from GMO Chlorella biomass, cultivated under mixotrophic/heterotrophic condition in semi-batch reactor. The project is divided in 2 phases; the first one is concluded in 2018, the second one is currently under authorization by ENAC. Phase 1 main activities were about: GMO Chlamydomonas and Chlorella growth and performance studies for improved production of recombinant enzymes and lipids accumulation (UniVr); enzymes performance improvement for lignocellulosic and cell wall lysis (UniRoma); technical pre-feasibility study of the pilot production plant (CREAR/UniFi). Phase 2 it is planned to develop the results obtained in Phase 1, in order to build a pilot plant aimed at the production of sustainable advanced biofuel starting from results obtained in Phase 1. The algae strains will be further improved, in order to increase the efficiency of oil production and extraction, as well as the enzymatic cocktails used for obtaining sugars from lignocellulosic biomass as carbon source for the algae coltures. RE-CORD/CREAR main activities will consist in: plant realization; algae oil production and characterization; and bio-jet-fuel production at pilot scale.


Founded by ENAC (Ente Nazionale Aviazione Civile/National Civil Aviation Authority) BANDO ENAC-PROT-03/08/2017-0080531-P