Sophorosurf commercial demonstrator
Lead Participant:
HOLIFERM LIMITED
Abstract
There is increasing industrial, regulatory and consumer sentiment towards to the use of greener alternatives for a range of everyday products with a particular focus on formulated non-food items (with over 73% of eco-consumers researching environmentally-friendly credentials of household cleaning and personal care products, compared to only 61% for food products, GlobalWebIndex, 2018).
It is a key strategy for the government, associations and manufacturers to provide bio-based alternatives to surfactants as key components in such cleaning and formulated products. Bio-based and bio-manufactured replacements for synthetic surfactants (petroleum/vegetable/animal-derived) have existed since the 1990's, however, their current production process suffers from a range of limitations including low productivity (<2 gL-1h-1), high energy costs, high water usage, significant waste-water production and downstream processing requirements that lead to a high price point, limiting the full potential of market adoption.
Building on success launching Holiferm's pilot plant and first commercial product launch with Mix ([https://www.mixcleangreen.co.uk][0] ), Holiferm will build a commercial demonstration plant for the production of sophorolipids (key target molecule in synthetic surfactant replacement activities in household cleaning and laundry applications) at a cost-effective price point with a facility capable of producing 1000tpa enabling a number of formulators to replace synthetic surfactants with biosurfactants in their products.
Holiferm's technology enables a step-change in the cost of biosurfactant production, allowing manufacturers of formulated products to overcome current adoption barriers, passing savings onto potential users and consumers. This project will enable Holiferm to demonstrate both the technology and market at commercial scale whilst enabling formulators to switch over some products to biobased surfactants. This will facilitate building full commercial (20ktpa) plants and widespread adoption of biosurfactants to replace petrochemical surfactants over the coming years.
Holiferm's technology is also inherently applicable to a range of fermentation process for biosurfactants and other molecules, of which the next molecules Holiferm is already working on in a JDA with BASF. This innovative solution has the potential for global exploitation in a range of key sectors and will reduce the environmental impact of synthetic surfactants whilst being cost-competitive.
[0]: https://www.mixcleangreen.co.uk/
It is a key strategy for the government, associations and manufacturers to provide bio-based alternatives to surfactants as key components in such cleaning and formulated products. Bio-based and bio-manufactured replacements for synthetic surfactants (petroleum/vegetable/animal-derived) have existed since the 1990's, however, their current production process suffers from a range of limitations including low productivity (<2 gL-1h-1), high energy costs, high water usage, significant waste-water production and downstream processing requirements that lead to a high price point, limiting the full potential of market adoption.
Building on success launching Holiferm's pilot plant and first commercial product launch with Mix ([https://www.mixcleangreen.co.uk][0] ), Holiferm will build a commercial demonstration plant for the production of sophorolipids (key target molecule in synthetic surfactant replacement activities in household cleaning and laundry applications) at a cost-effective price point with a facility capable of producing 1000tpa enabling a number of formulators to replace synthetic surfactants with biosurfactants in their products.
Holiferm's technology enables a step-change in the cost of biosurfactant production, allowing manufacturers of formulated products to overcome current adoption barriers, passing savings onto potential users and consumers. This project will enable Holiferm to demonstrate both the technology and market at commercial scale whilst enabling formulators to switch over some products to biobased surfactants. This will facilitate building full commercial (20ktpa) plants and widespread adoption of biosurfactants to replace petrochemical surfactants over the coming years.
Holiferm's technology is also inherently applicable to a range of fermentation process for biosurfactants and other molecules, of which the next molecules Holiferm is already working on in a JDA with BASF. This innovative solution has the potential for global exploitation in a range of key sectors and will reduce the environmental impact of synthetic surfactants whilst being cost-competitive.
[0]: https://www.mixcleangreen.co.uk/
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| HOLIFERM LIMITED | £2,569,269 | £ 1,099,647 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Richard Lock (Project Manager) |