Exploring the re-emergence of the lignin bioeconomy through systematic integration of business and technology practices

Abstract

Lignin production and the advancement of lignin-based products at the commercial scale has slowed in recent years, however, will inevitably return in the context of the many valuable lessons learned in recent years. In this thesis, we capture the state-of-the-art related to the emerging lignin bioeconomy and describe a systematic methodology for developing a strategy to produce and valorize lignin at a kraft pulp or pulp and paper mill. We examine a policy scenario of green procurement for renewables in asphalt having a sunset date, concepts of rapid market analysis and phased implementation for reduced technology and market risk are placed in perspective. The systematic methodology is applied to a hypothetical case, where the importance of tailoring lignin to optimize its market value is highlighted, and the MetGen METNIN™ technology is used as a best-in-class technology to achieve this goal, and where phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins substitution is a critical application for the near-term. The strategy includes transitioning from lignin as renewables in asphalt to PF resins, to a portfolio of ligninbased products, resulting in a robust lignin strategy resilient to technological and market shifts while seeking strong margins.