SELECTIVELI represents a strong BBI consortium, including full members Sappi (SAPPI), Idener (IDENER), associated members Vito (VITO), Leitat (LEITAT) and Sintef (SINTEF) in addition to industrial partners Chimar (CHIMAR) and LCEngineering (LCE) and leading experts in the field of preparative electrochemistry, University of Mainz (JGU). SELECTIVELI will provide proof of concept on the laboratory scale (at least TR3) to demonstrate the potential for converting low cost lignosulfonate feedstocks (by-product from paper and pulp industry) into high value bio-sustainable chemicals through the following: (I) Development and optimisation of the electrochemical process to convert bio-based feedstock (lignosulfonates) into target monomers, some of which can be converted into polymers for study in further downstream processes. (II) Development and optimisation of downstream separation and purification processes to extract the target products and conversion of intermediate building block monomers (mixed phenolic derivatives) into higher value polymers (III) Modelling the process to (a) prepare process designs and scale up strategies for future industrial scale production and ensuring commercial viability (b) assessing energy requirements and proving the process is capable of benefitting from surplus energy and accommodating energy fluctuations. (IV) Conducting a full life-cycle analysis to establish that a future biorefinery process can reduce environmental footprint of a value chain.

The process industry is continuously looking for new ways to improve resource efficiency due to high dependence on resources (energy, raw materials and utilities). In large scale production even small changes in using raw materials and in energy can significantly improve process efficiency. The MORSE approach is to adopt new software tools for model-based predictive control, multi-criterial through process optimisation and quality management with overall process coordination. The application of these new software tools will lead to process improvements - reducing the use of raw material and energy while increasing the high quality and production rates. The Morse project aims to further develop and to integrate a set of software tools that have partly already been validated in different process steps in steel industries. These software prototype tools and models were developed and evaluated by six R&D partners of the consortium in collaboration with three process industry partners. With the enhanced Morse tools companies of the process industry will be enabled to optimise the use of raw materials and energy by coordinated prediction and control of resource input and product quality along the entire process route from raw material and energy intake to customer delivery. The mission of the Morse project is to develop model-based, predictive raw material and energy optimisation tools for the whole process route. This approach will be demonstrated in steel industry, to increase yield and product quality in production of high-strength carbon steels, stainless steels and cast steels.