Read how we are working with a wide range of companies to help develop, scale-up and commercialise bio-based products and processes.
This case study explores how Valogen's pioneering bioprocessing technology, supported by the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC), is creating value by utilising often discarded agricultural by-products as feedstock for sustainable solutions that benefit multiple industries while addressing environmental concerns.
DyeRecycle represents a breakthrough in sustainable textile innovation, tackling one of the fashion industry's most pressing environmental challenges. As a pioneering pre-seed company, DyeRecycle has developed revolutionary chemical technology that transforms textile waste from an environmental burden into a valuable resource. Their approach enables the extraction and recycling of high-quality dyes from discarded textiles while simultaneously improving fibre recyclability, creating a truly circular system that addresses both waste reduction and resource recovery in the fashion industry.
Following on from the successful Hydrogen BECCS Innovation Programme Phase 1 funding for the H2Boost project, we and ten other partners have successfully been awarded £5 million for a phase 2 project. This is funded by the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) that has been awarded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Discover how Sun Bear Biofuture, in partnership with the Biorenewables Development Centre, is revolutionising the fats and oils industry with sustainable, plant-based alternatives.
We have supported Circa Group to grow and develop the commercial potential for their bio-based, biodegradable, non-toxic solvent.
The UK's reliance on food imports has exposed its vulnerability to global disruptions. This project aims to address this issue by developing a sustainable, circular model for nutrient-rich food production using vertical farming.
The BDC is involved in a research project which aims to help UK farmers and growers to target Net Zero and increase crop resilience.
GinGingers gel was found to be extremely effective however they struggled to find any previous research evidence that would support claims about the vinegar’s topical benefits or official guidelines regarding safe dermal limits.
Fontus Environmental Limited is an agri-tech start-up consultancy company from North Yorkshire focused on research and development projects investigating novel plant protection products and biopesticides.
The team examined the pre-treatment of various lignin rich sludges produced from waste streams generated through sugar extraction processes such as for the production of bioethanol or citric acid, as a means of converting them to alternative solid fuels. By using underutilised waste streams, such as biorefinery sludges, we can ensure we extract as much potential as possible from these feedstocks, be that for energy, fuels or sustainable chemicals rather than leaving the wastes to decompose in the environment.
Using interactive workshops and inspiring mentors from regional businesses, the THYME project has been firing up the entrepreneurial ambitions and developing the start-up business skills of university staff and students from across the THYME region.
The THYME project has brought together academics from the universities of York, Teesside and Hull to collaborate for the first time. Proof-of-concept (POC) grants offered up to £50K for them to work with each other and with an industrial partner for up to a year on research to help advance the bioeconomy.
Industry is increasingly turning to microbes to produce chemicals for use in sectors such as: food and drink, personal care, pharmaceuticals and biofuels. The THYME project has brought together academics from the universities of York, Teesside and Hull, along with industry partners, for new research that is generating exciting innovations across the whole fermentation process.
The THYME project has delivered an innovative range of activities and resources to educate pupils, students and the wider public about the bioeconomy: what it is and why it is vital to our economy and our sustainability.
The THYME Project is supporting research to make probiotics work more effectively to combat a range of health disorders. Probiotic products use ‘good’ bacteria to help improve and maintain gut health and the probiotics market has huge potential for economic growth.
The THYME Project is driving productivity through process improvements in the generation of energy from bio-feedstocks. Bio-based energy production is a growing element of the renewable energy mix with massive potential for economic growth via sustainable divestment from fossil fuels.
The THYME project has galvanised research into AD: a vital process that uses microbes to turn sewage, food waste and farming waste into energy. Although a well-established technology, AD’s productivity is low, presenting a major opportunity for THYME catalysed research to impact on our economy and our sustainability.
Dr Anna Alessi, Project and Communications Manager at the Biorenewables Development Centre has published a report on the circular personal care ecosystem for Yorkshire, following a successful completion of the Design Ecosystem Fellowship supported by the Future Observatory programme and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Bee Clean Soaps responds to consumer demand for cruelty-free, sustainable, eco-friendly products made from locally sourced ingredients.
Having observed at work that a number of promising project ideas needed to be parked due to lack of time or lack of funding, Darren saw this DTP as an opportunity to bring one of those unexplored project ideas to life as a research proposal for this programme.
The BioVale team at the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) has helped the University of York spin-out company, Earthbound Scientific identify groups of potential new customers for their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) monitoring technology.
Using organic and ethically sourced plant-distilled ingredients such as lemon, herbs, verbena and sea buckthorn extracts, West Yorkshire based SME, Bax Botanics produces high-quality alcohol-free, gin-like soft drinks that are traditionally distilled in beaten copper alembics for the purest flavour.
A desk-based piece of work has helped Bayview Bees develop ideas for new products and improve their packaging for existing products.
To assist Verdant Biotech in advising their clients we have conducted a series of lab trials to assess the performance of Biopract enzymes on biogas outputs.
We have worked with Starbons to optimise their multi kilogram pilot operations to help increase the shelf life of food products.
Scientists in the UK and India have successfully come together to take a major by-product of the sugarcane industry and turn it into the valuable bio-based chemical, citric acid.
The BDC has helped Ellers Farm Distillery to understand routes to reuse and recycle biowaste generated by the distillery. .
Working with Simpson York Ltd and the Biorenewables Development Centre, Azotic Technologies have designed a bespoke lab and office facilities that will represent their global research and development going forward.
The Biorenewables Development Centre worked with Floreon to perform pilot-scale testing of the chemical recycling of their base PLA (polylactic acid) material.
The proof-of-concept project with the University of York Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE) evidenced the feasibility of extracting the protein from potatoes.
The FITCH Brew team collaborated with the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) to identify and improve the flavour and aroma compounds in a wide range of their cold brew coffee and tea drinks.
The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) team performed a comprehensive analysis of bioleachate nutrients and tested the bioleachate’s potential for use as a biofertiliser and pesticide.
The Slow Vinegar Company has enlisted the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) to identify the flavour profiles of its vinegar range.
Io-Cyte has enlisted the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) to undertake an anti-microbial challenge study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Io-Cyte material against the most common microbial pathogens found in wounds.
With Clara’s strong business vision, backed by a dedicated production team and some Yorkshire grit, this winning combination has seen Cosy Cottage Soap transition from its roots at the kitchen table to the successful and thriving skincare brand it is today. Ongoing support from BioVale and funded processing support from the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC), has helped to accelerate this growth.
To assist STRI in advising their clients, the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) has analysed biogas yields using biomethane potential analysis (an anaerobic batch system that monitors gas production throughout a 30-day trial), as part of the BDC’s Bioeconomy Growth Programme.
Chip[s] Board is a London-based producer of revolutionary bioplastics and bioplastic composites made from the food we leave behind. The company was awarded funding from the KTN Spark Awards to work with the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) to investigate the use of agri-food residues and side streams for their bioplastic production.
Rethink Food spoke at a webinar hosted by the Biorenewables Development Centre and BioVale about one of their three initiatives: Rethink Food Futures.
The BDC is playing a major role in the THYME project, which builds on the regional assets of Yorkshire, the Tees Valley and the Humber region to boost the productivity of companies operating in the bioeconomy sector.
Plate2plate Compost was offered support from the Bioeconomy Growth Programme to investigate the properties of the liquor and its microbial load produced from their in-vessel composting systems.
The team at Flower of Life enlisted the BDC to help them understand the microbial origin of the different flavours in their wide range of products and examine whether beneficial probiotic microorganisms were present.
A one-day workshop on the craft of beekeeping was hosted in the BDC Bioeconomy Outreach Centre and was facilitated by the BioVale team in association with Abelo Ltd.
The team at Conscious Co, enlisted the support of the BDC to help with optimising the solid-liquid separation of the ‘leftover residual solids’ in the Potato Wort, before the fermentation stage.
The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) worked with Clayton Hall Farm Biogas Products Ltd to measure the effect of a novel additive on anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas output.
The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) worked with Advanced Microwave Technologies (AMT) on a new method of feedstock pre-treatment for an anaerobic digestion process.
Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) has been working collaboratively with the GCCE and their spin-out company, Starbon® Technologies to optimise and scale up a manufacturing process of Starbon® material.
Researchers at the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) are involved in the implementation of a novel seaweed biorefinery – which is the whole process of refining sustainably cultivated seaweed biomass to become value-added end products.
The BDC and GSK identified potential new sources of glucose from food manufacturing, using starchy by-products such as bread heels and potato waste as a starting material.
In an effort to make the most efficient use of the wood pellets it uses, Drax is working with the BDC and our colleagues at the University of York to explore how to get added value from its biomass before it is used for energy production.
Leitat, a renowned R&D centre, is leading a consortium of eight partners from across the EU on a four-year project to scale up a process for converting renewable resources (potato starch, alginic acid and fruit pectin) into a building block for energy storage and chemical catalysis.
On behalf of WRAP, the BDC collaborated with consultants from Green Gain and Lucid Insight, we have been assessing commercial opportunities for using wastes from bread, cider and cheese production as well as vegetable packing.
Hydroblox Ltd explore the expansion of their product range for the horticulture sector, by using their material as a plant growth substrate in hydroponic systems.
Velcourt is a leading provider of farm business management and advisory services, with almost fifty years’ experience. Now they are collaborating with researchers and plant breeders to establish the commercial feasibility of a new type of oilseed rape (OSR) for use as an industrial lubricant in a three-year project.
Together, Ricardo E&E and the BDC have delivered data for Zero Waste Scotland’s “Sector Study on Beer, Whisky and Fish” – highlighting the potential £800M boost these by-products can make to the Scottish economy.
Citrefine are looking to expand their product range and move into new over-seas markets. They approached the BDC for assistance reducing the scent of their active ingredient which had been identified as a barrier for certain market segments.
AET are seeking to diversify their technology and have been accessing expertise and technology at the BDC, converting agricultural waste materials into building blocks for biofuel production and using anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories from food waste in cosmetics and food products.
NibNibs has been trialling rapeseed oil as a Yorkshire-grown alternative to the Mediterranean-grown olive oil. This trial presented some issues with shortened product shelf-life, causing a suspension in production and potential losses to the business.
BioElements are a manufacturer of natural products that stimulate plant development in commercially grown crops. They are a knowledge-based, research-intensive business that has the capacity to expand to new markets, strengthen the region’s reputation for novel agricultural products, and help tackle the issue of food scarcity.
A technical textile business using novel nanotechnology to develop high performance, recyclable textiles has benefited from capital funding from the Biorenewables Development Centre’s ERDF capital grants scheme.
An award-winning landscaping supplier, who recently expanded its business with the purchase of a respected wildflower seed company, is drawing on the BDC’s expertise to help drive change in the horticultural industry by investigating the germination rates of seed varieties from several seed sources.
Stunned by the explosive success of their luxury pet treats – made from locally sourced and animal welfare friendly products – the team behind The Innocent Pet Care Company found themselves running into capacity and product development constraints.
Researchers at the Biorenewables Development Centre are providing a supplier of fully recyclable products with the scientific know-how to develop a novel cardboard based product range suitable for outdoor and indoor use.
Funding provided by the BDC’s ERDF capital grants scheme enabled Sciantec to invest in equipment that now allows them to capture and analyse the gas produced during the AD process to determine its quality.
Using novel processing equipment available at the BDC, Quorn is exploring new uses for by-products from their vegetarian food production process.
A family-owned landscaping company in East Yorkshire is turning a low-value by-product – wood chippings – into a higher value source of fuel, using a novel production process developed with the technical and financial support of the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC).
The Wilson Bio-Chemical team has over 20 years’ experience in the waste industry, and has developed a process to convert waste materials into useful products by using steam in large rotating autoclaves.
A soothing gel, based on the glue used by bees to make their hives and embalm invaders, has been found to be effective in the treatment of mouth ulcers – with anti-microbial properties that could also help combat the increasingly antibiotic resistant superbug, MRSA.
Working in collaboration with oil extraction specialists at York’s Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC), New Holland Extraction is exploring ways to enhance the value of its products and improve its productivity.
The BDC is building a technology platform to help companies realise the potential of food waste as a source of valuable chemicals.
Advanced Extraction Technology Ltd is an East Yorkshire SME specialising in using green technologies to extract natural chemicals from plant sources.
The BDC have been working with regional microbreweries investigating avenues for adding value to their waste streams by analysing the materials and developing processes to separate the valuable chemicals.
The BDC worked with Aqua Enviro Ltd to test a novel technology for treatment of biomass used in anaerobic digestion.
The BDC is working with a small company, Citration Technology Ltd, to convert industrial waste streams into valuable chemicals using the fungus, Aspergillus niger.
Researchers from the GCCE have worked with Brocklesby Ltd to improve the quality of glycerine from biodiesel to achieve commercial specification product, thus converting a costly waste into a valuable product stream.
In a collaborative venture between CNAP and Boots the Chemist the full composition of hemp oil was analysed rigorously using state-of-the-art equipment and specialised analytical techniques.
Wheat straw, like many agricultural waste products, contains a range of valuable compounds. These include natural waxes with properties similar to industrial wax.
The medicinal plant Artemisia annua is the primary source of the leading antimalarial, artemisinin. However the yield of the drug is very low making it expensive and unprofitable to produce.
Investigating the commercial production of sustainable, locally sourced materials, such as municipal and woodland waste, to produce biomass boiler pellets.
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