PROJECTS

Bioplastics from the grapes wastes to the package biograppa

PROJECT TYPE

Pathfinder - explores relevant climate arenas to identify and prioritise innovation opportunities

LOCATION

Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Central Hungary, Hungary

START DATE
July 2016
LEAD PARTNER

University of Bologna - CIRI Energia e Ambiente, Italy

PROJECT MANAGER

Paola Galletti, paola.galletti@unibo.it

THEME

Sustainable Production Systems

PARTNERS
PannonPRO, Hungary

SO.F.TER., Italy

Caviro, Italy

Bioplastic social acceptance is advancing and improving, yet bioplastics are still in the early stages of market development and will only be considered as an alternative if cost, performance, or regulations allow it. The goal of this project is to perform a market survey, demand analysis and, based on their outcomes, a technical and economic analysis of concept using by-products of grape processing.

The bioplastics product is the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) obtained through fermentation and potential use in the packaging sector. By using cheap and renewable feedstock the cost of PHAs could be reduced and by improving technological properties (e.g. blending with other polymers or additives) it can become more suitable for packaging.

Project will mainly focus on the investigation of market sectors, identification of potential clients and their needs, and competitors, as well as the assessment of the technological properties of PHAs: understanding what kind of characteristics for packaging this polymer should possess, based on the demand needs. Furthermore, the impact of PHAs production and its use in packaging on greenhouse effect (GHE) and CO2 emission will be studied.