Götz Markus How can the Valley of Death be overcome in process development? A discussion based on the example of a lignocellulosic HMF-biorefinery

To tackle the climate crisis greenhouse gas emissions from fossil sources must be stopped and biobased chemicals and materials must be promoted. This requires a transformation from a petroleum-based economy to a bioeconomy. In the chemical industry this shift has been referred to as "Green Chemistry" since the 1990s but only a small fraction of chemicals are currently biobased. This dissertation examines using the example of a lignocellulose biorefinery that produces platform chemicals like hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from Miscanthus the obstacles to its implementation. A major challenge is the "valley of death " caused by a lack of investment in technology transfer from research to practice. Using business design and literature studies it is shown that commercialization fails due to a lack of evidence for scalability economic viability and sustainability. The study tests the lignocellulose biorefinery concept for scalability and feasibility. Simulations demonstrate scalability. A techno-economic analysis (TEA) considers the necessary biomass supply and refutes concerns about biomass availability. The work also addresses the economic viability of the products. A value-based pricing model shows how higher prices for biobased chemicals can be justified. The environmental sustainability is evaluated through a life cycle assessment (LCA) which identifies Miscanthus as more advantageous compared to fructose. By integrating transdisciplinary methodologies including process engineering chemistry agricultural sciences economics and innovation management a comprehensive concept for a biorefinery is developed. This provides a foundation for attracting investors and partners and bringing innovative technologies into practice.