Ph.D. Program in Bioenergy USP UNICAMP UNESP
21/08/2017

Brazilian-Danish Collaboration on Biorefineries

Brazilian-Danish Collaboration on Biorefineries

There is a strong need for renewable carbono sources for fuels and chemicals. Denmark and Brazil have strong expertise and know-how in producing bioethanol both using 1st generation bioethanol plants (using sugar cane/beet) in Brazil and 2st generation bioethanol plants (producing cellulosic ethanol from non-food biomass i.e. wheat straw or bagasse) in Brazil and Denmark. While 1st generation plants have been running successfully and sustainably for decades in Brazil, there is today a strong focus on establishing 2nd generation bioethanol plants both in Denmark and Brazil. The biorefinery research environments in Denmark and Brazil are strong and this is reflected in activities at various university departments, including Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Geosciences, Biology, Systems Biology, Biosustainability at all major Danish universities as well as at major Brazilian universities such as USP, UNICAMP and UNESP, and research institutes e.g. CTBE/CNPEM, Embrapa, etc.

 

The 1st and 2nd Danish Brazilian Workshop on Biorefineries

The 1st and 2nd Danish Brazilian Workshop on Biorefineries for university and industry in December 2013 at CTBE/CNPEM in Campinas, Brazil and in September 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark explored the synergies between both countries and update on recent trends. Workshop topics included among others, enzyme technology, microbiology and biomass processing as well as industry update and policy status. The first collaborations have been established by exchange by PhD and Master students using travel stipends from FAPESP and Danish foundations, and at the last workshop the exchange of Master and PhD students has been further promoted using existing funding possibilities. However, there is potentially a much larger synergy to be explored by both industry and universities, thus there is a need for even more coordinated activities.

 

Principles for continuing collaboration

  • Develop technologies and biomass supply for 3rd generation biorefineries –integrated production of fuels and chemicals.
  • Cross disciplinary effort from field to factory, fermentor and reactor.
  • Identify and use synergies between, technologies, and infrastructures (research, industry and agriculture).
  • Develop common project ideas.
  • Graduate education of MSc and PhD.
  • Build a long lasting and strong collaboration through exchange of PhD´s and researchers and sharing of ressources.

 

Photos from 2nd Danish Brazilian Workshop on Biorefineries

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