The European Union co-funds Lignin Industries expansion to create a green industry to replace fossil-based plastics

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Lignin Industries is one of the few selected companies among 232 proposals to be supported by the European Union Innovation Fund that will co-fund Lignin Industries by financing the expansion of the first-of-its-kind large-scale production site, located in Sweden.

The European Union, through the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), has signed a grant agreement of EUR 4,4 million with Lignin Industries. The funding was given under the call “Innovation Fund” with the aim to support projects demonstrating highly innovative technologies and products that have a significant potential to reduce greenhouse emissions. 

Lignin Industries will use the funding to build a first-of-a-kind large-scale production site able to produce 10,000 tonnes per year initially with a potential to increase up to 50 000 tonnes, at an industry site located in Sweden.

The large-scale production site will produce the patented, renewable, and high functional bio-based material RENOL® from lignin, a by-product of the kraft pulping industry. RENOL® can be used in bio-composites for producing packaging films, such as wrapping plastics and plastic bags. The innovative solution will replace fossil-based plastics, such as polyethylene, and help avoid more than 70% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by conventional materials.

Lignin Industries CEO and founder, Christopher Carrick: “We see the investment of our first large-scale production site in Sweden as our first big step in creating a new green industry that has the potential of an important contribution to a climate-neutral economy. We are proud to have the support of the Innovation Fund in our effort to reduce greenhouse gas by replacing fossil-based plastics with our renewable material.”

Background information:

Lignin Industries is a Swedish innovation company that transforms lignin, the most abundant unused biopolymer on earth, into a renewable and functional biomaterial called RENOL®. Lignin Industries aims to supply the plastic industry with high-performance granulates that will be converted into plastic bags, packaging materials, bottles, or injection molded pieces.

The Innovation Fund (INNOVFUND) is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. InnovFund-SSC-2020 by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), supports small-scale projects demonstrating highly innovative technologies, processes or products, that are sufficiently mature and have a significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Projects to be funded by this Innovation Fund call are expected to contribute to the transition to a climate-neutral economy and to achieve the policy objectives as set out in the European Commission’s communication - A Clean Planet for All - A European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy long-term strategy, also referred to as the Long-term strategy, the European Green Deal and 2030 Climate target plan. Projects are also expected to contribute to achieving the objectives of the Recovery Plan for Europe.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.


Source: Lignin Industries