BioMates · Project

Drop-In Bio-Based Refinery Feedstock from Agricultural Waste for Greener Fuels

energyTestedTRL 5

Imagine taking leftover straw and fast-growing grass, cooking them at extreme heat to make a kind of bio-oil, then cleaning that oil up so refineries can blend it straight into their normal fuel production. That's exactly what BioMates did — they built a process to turn agricultural residues into a reliable, standardized intermediate that petroleum refineries can co-feed alongside crude oil, producing fuels with high bio-content. The trick is that existing refinery equipment doesn't need to change — the bio-based product just slots in. They validated the full chain at pilot scale, from chopping up straw to producing 200 litres of ready-to-use bio-intermediate.

By the numbers

49 million tons

CO2-equivalent savings potential

Crude oil imports reduction

7 billion €

EU savings from reduced oil imports

99%

Bioenergy content of bio-product

10%

EU target for biofuels in transport

200 litres

BioMates product validated

1000 kg

AFP bio-oil produced at TRL 5

6 kg/h

Biomass processing capacity of AFP plant

The business problem

What needed solving

European refineries face mounting regulatory pressure to increase renewable content in transport fuels, but second-generation biofuels remain expensive and hard to integrate with existing refinery infrastructure. At the same time, vast quantities of agricultural residues like straw go underutilized because there is no cost-effective pathway to convert them into refinery-compatible products. Refineries need a drop-in bio-based feedstock that works with their current equipment — not a complete technology overhaul.

The solution

What was built

BioMates built and validated a complete process chain: an ablative fast pyrolysis unit (TRL 4-5, 6 kg/h capacity) that converts straw and miscanthus into bio-oil, followed by a mild catalytic hydrotreating unit (TRL 5) using renewable hydrogen to upgrade that bio-oil into a standardized refinery co-feed with over 99% bioenergy content. They produced 1000 kg of intermediate bio-oil and 200 litres of final BioMates product with verified quality consistency.

Audience

Who needs this

Petroleum refineries seeking to meet EU renewable fuel blending mandatesBiomass processors and agricultural cooperatives with surplus straw or energy cropsGreen hydrogen producers looking for industrial off-takersBiofuel technology companies seeking proven intermediate-stage IP to licenseEnergy companies building decentralized biomass-to-fuel supply chains

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Petroleum Refining

enterprise

Target: Oil refineries looking to meet EU renewable fuel mandates

If you are a petroleum refinery dealing with increasing pressure to blend renewable content into your fuels — this project developed a bio-based co-feed with over 99% bioenergy content that drops into your existing hydrotreatment units without major equipment changes. They validated the product at TRL 5 and produced 200 litres of standardized BioMates intermediate. This means you can increase your bio-content without building a separate biofuel plant.

Biomass & Agricultural Residue Processing

mid-size

Target: Biomass processors and agricultural cooperatives with access to straw or energy crops

If you are a biomass company sitting on mountains of straw or miscanthus with limited outlets — this project proved a decentralized ablative fast pyrolysis process that converts 6 kg/h of stalk-type biomass into bio-oil at TRL 4-5 scale. They produced 1000 kg of validated bio-oil from these feedstocks. This opens a new revenue stream: selling standardized bio-intermediates directly to refineries instead of low-value biomass.

Renewable Hydrogen Production

any

Target: Green hydrogen producers seeking industrial off-takers

If you are a renewable hydrogen company looking for stable industrial customers — BioMates integrated renewable H2 into their mild hydrotreating step, validated at TRL 5. Refineries adopting this bio-feed pathway need a reliable supply of green hydrogen as make-up gas. This positions your product as an essential input in a growing bio-refinery supply chain rather than competing in crowded mobility markets.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt BioMates technology at my refinery?

The project data does not include specific cost-per-litre or licensing fee figures. However, the objective highlights that the approach targets cost-effective and decentralized biomass processing, and the overall pathway could contribute to over 7 billion € in EU crude oil import savings. Actual adoption costs would depend on scale and existing infrastructure.

Can this scale beyond pilot production?

BioMates validated the process at TRL 5 using a hydroprocessing plant and produced 200 litres of final BioMates product plus 1000 kg of intermediate bio-oil. The ablative fast pyrolysis unit processes 6 kg/h of biomass input. Scaling to commercial volumes would require engineering scale-up, but the pilot results demonstrate consistent product yield and quality.

Who owns the IP and how can I license this technology?

The project was coordinated by CERTH (Greece) with 9 partners across 6 countries, including 3 industrial partners and 3 SMEs. IP ownership is typically shared among consortium members under EU grant rules. You would need to contact the coordinator or relevant industrial partners to discuss licensing arrangements.

Does this meet EU renewable fuel regulations?

The project was specifically designed to support the EU target of replacing 10% of transport fossil fuels with biofuels. The bio-intermediate has over 99% bioenergy content and uses non-food biomass (straw, miscanthus), which aligns with advanced biofuel criteria under EU renewable energy directives.

How long would integration into an existing refinery take?

Based on available project data, the BioMates intermediate is designed as a drop-in co-feed for existing refinery hydrotreatment units, which minimizes retrofit requirements. The project ran from 2016 to 2022, with TRL 5 validation completed. Actual integration timelines would depend on refinery-specific engineering and permitting.

What feedstocks does this work with?

The project validated the process with two feedstocks: agricultural straw and miscanthus (a fast-growing perennial grass). Both are non-food, non-feed biomass sources. The ablative fast pyrolysis plant was designed for stalk-type biomass at 6 kg/h capacity.

What environmental impact can I claim?

The project objective states a potential of over 49 million tons CO2-equivalent savings and at least 7% reduction in crude oil imports for the EU. These are sector-wide projections for full adoption, not per-installation figures. Individual environmental claims would need to be calculated based on your specific throughput and baseline.

Consortium

Who built it

The BioMates consortium brings together 9 partners from 6 countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Sweden, UK), with a balanced mix of 3 industrial companies, 2 universities, and 3 research organizations, plus 1 other entity. Three of the partners are SMEs, giving a 33% industry ratio. The coordinator is CERTH, a major Greek research centre. The geographic spread across Northern and Southern Europe, combined with the presence of both research-heavy and industry-facing partners, suggests the technology was tested with real industrial input and market feedback. For a business buyer, the involvement of 3 industrial partners increases confidence that the technology was designed with commercial constraints in mind, not just lab performance.

ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXISCoordinator · EL
RISE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CENTER ABparticipant · SE
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINEparticipant · UK
HYET HYDROGEN BVparticipant · NL
VYSOKA SKOLA CHEMICKO-TECHNOLOGICKA V PRAZEparticipant · CZ
IFEU - INSTITUT FUR ENERGIE- UND UMWELTFORSCHUNG HEIDELBERG GGMBHparticipant · DE
RANIDO, SROparticipant · CZ

How to reach the team

CERTH (Greece) coordinated the project. Contact their technology transfer office for licensing discussions.

Order a report on this consortium See ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the BioMates team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people and prepare a tailored briefing for your refinery or biomass operation.

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