CONSORZIO PER LA RICERCA E LA DIMOSTRAZIONE SULLE ENERGIE RINNOVABILI

Their core work

RE-CORD is an Italian research consortium specializing in advanced biofuels production, particularly from lignocellulosic biomass and energy crops. Their core work spans the full biofuel value chain — from cultivating and sourcing non-food biomass feedstocks to converting them into drop-in fuels for aviation and transport. They have strong capabilities in biorefinery processes (pyrolysis, Fischer-Tropsch, hydrothermal liquefaction) and increasingly work on growing energy crops on contaminated or marginal lands, combining environmental remediation with fuel production. Their research directly addresses EU renewable energy mandates, particularly around low indirect land-use change (low-ILUC) biofuels.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

RE-CORD's early H2020 work (2017–2019) was tightly focused on converting lignocellulosic biomass into liquid biofuels — bioethanol, biojet, and pyrolysis oils — with emphasis on production capacity and GHG reduction targets. From 2020 onward, the focus broadened significantly: they moved into growing feedstock on marginal and contaminated lands (phytoremediation, low-ILUC crops), valorizing biomass into non-fuel products (bioplastics, biochar, essential oils), and connecting biofuels to real-world infrastructure like airport operations. This evolution shows a shift from pure fuel production research toward integrated land-use solutions and circular bioeconomy thinking.

RE-CORD is moving from lab-to-pilot biofuel conversion toward real-world deployment challenges — land sourcing, environmental co-benefits, and integration with transport infrastructure like airports.

How they like to work

RE-CORD operates primarily as an active research partner (5 of 8 projects) but has demonstrated coordination capability, leading two projects including BIO4A, their largest at EUR 1.8M. With 124 unique consortium partners across 22 countries, they are well-networked and comfortable in large, international consortia typical of EU energy research. Their mix of RIA and IA projects suggests they contribute across the research-to-market spectrum, from fundamental studies to innovation actions with industry deployment goals.

RE-CORD has built a broad European and international network of 124 unique partners across 22 countries, reflecting their involvement in large consortia. The Brazil-EU dimension of BECOOL and the international collaboration emphasis in GOLD indicate reach beyond Europe, particularly with biomass-producing regions.

What sets them apart

RE-CORD occupies a distinctive niche at the intersection of biofuel technology and sustainable land use — they understand both the conversion chemistry and where the feedstock comes from. Unlike university labs focused on catalysis or large energy companies focused on deployment, RE-CORD bridges the gap between growing biomass on difficult lands (marginal, contaminated) and turning it into aviation-grade fuel or bio-based materials. Their dual role as both coordinator and partner, combined with their consortium name emphasizing "demonstration," signals a focus on proving technologies work at real scale, not just in the lab.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BIO4A
  Their largest project (EUR 1.8M) and a coordination role — focused on scaling sustainable aviation biofuels, a topic now central to EU Green Deal policy.
• BECOOL
  International Brazil-EU collaboration on lignocellulosic biofuels, demonstrating RE-CORD's ability to work across continents on biomass supply chains.
• GOLD
  Combines phytoremediation of contaminated lands with energy crop production — a creative dual-purpose approach linking environmental cleanup with biofuel feedstock.