CERISEA: Competitive production of HMF and derivatives for a sustainable and resilient industry

The European CERISEA Project aims to produce bio-based chemical 5-HMF at industrial scale for the first time from fructose derived from non-food side streams. This key chemical intermediate, known as the “Sleeping Giant,” can replace fossil-based raw materials in applications such as resins, functionalized polymers, polyesters, polyamides, and plasticizers, providing sustainable solutions that meet market and technical performance requirements.

CERISEA follows a fully circular approach, valorizing by-products (humins) in applications like resins and agricultural biostimulants, creating a “grain-to-grain” system. The consortium of 15 partners covers the full value chain and collaborates with other bio-based projects, such as PEFerence, to promote the production and adoption of sustainable bio-based products in Europe.

Context

The European chemical industry, responsible for significant CO₂ emissions and highly dependent on fossil resources, needs to advance toward a circular and resilient bioeconomy. Currently, only a small share of chemicals and polymers is derived from non-fossil feedstocks, and many bio-based processes face challenges in cost and performance compared to petrochemical alternatives.

CERISEA, coordinated by Michelin Engineered Polymers, aims to produce 5-HMF at industrial scale from non-food fructose side streams. This versatile intermediate can replace fossil-based raw materials in resins, polymers, polyesters, polyurethanes, and plasticizers while meeting market and technical requirements.

The project applies a circular approach, valorizing by-products like humins in resins and agricultural biostimulants, optimizing costs, reducing CO₂ emissions, and strengthening the resilience of European industry against import dependence.

Summary and objectives

CERISEA, coordinated by Michelin Engineered Polymers (MEP), aims to demonstrate for the first time in Europe a cost-effective, sustainable and resource-efficient industrial process for the production of HMF (5-Hydroxymethylfurfural) with an annual capacity of 3,000 tonnes. The project focuses on optimizing the conversion of fructose derived from non-food side streams into HMF, while reducing energy and water consumption during separation and purification, ensuring environmental and economic sustainability at industrial scale.

The project will also expand the range of applications of HMF and its derivatives in araminolic resins, functionalized biopolymers, compounds, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes and plasticizers, ensuring that these products meet market, technical and safety requirements. In addition, CERISEA follows a circular approach by valorising by-products such as humins in agricultural and material applications, demonstrating a “grain-to-grain” circular system.

This approach will enable the development of the first complete industrial HMF value chain in Europe, from feedstock supply to market uptake, paving the way for future replication and commercialization of sustainable bio-based chemical processes.

Specific Objectives

• OB1 – Industrial HMF production plant
  Build and operate the first industrial-scale HMF production plant, optimizing the process to reach 3,000 t/year with high yields and energy efficiency.
• OB2 – Sustainable feedstock supply
  Secure a reliable supply of fructose and develop the conversion of non-food side streams into advanced fructose for HMF production.
• OB3 – Validation of HMF applications
  Demonstrate the feasibility of HMF in applications such as araminolic resins, functionalized biopolymers, crop science, FDCA and other functional compounds.
• OB4 – By-product valorisation
  Reuse humins generated during production to reduce costs and environmental impact, including applications in resins and agriculture.
• OB5 – Safety and regulatory compliance
  Ensure the safety, quality, purity and regulatory compliance of the process, HMF and its derivatives in line with SSbD Framework and OECD standards.
• OB6 – Overall sustainability
  Demonstrate the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the HMF value chain, including CO₂ reduction, competitive costs and job creation.
• OB7 – Full value chain demonstration
  Establish a complete value chain from feedstock supply to end-users, supported by guidance from the project Advisory Board.
• OB8 – Social acceptance and market uptake
  Promote public acceptance and market adoption of HMF and bio-based products across relevant industrial sectors.
• OB9 – Replication and expansion
  Prepare the replication of the CERISEA concept through licensing, enabling the development of future large-scale plants in Europe.

Consortium

The CERISEA consortium consists of:

• MICHELIN ENGINEERED POLYMERS (MEP) (France)
• ADM Bazancourt SASU FR Partner (France)
• ADM Hamburg Aktiengesellschaft (France)
• ARKEMA (France)
• AVANTIUM RENEWABLE POLYMERS (Netherlands)
• BIOECONOMY FOR CHANGE (B4C) (France)
• CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS) (France)
• ENERGIEINSTITUT AN DER JOHANNES KEPLER UNIVERSITAT LINZ VEREIN (Austria)
• ESCOM – École Supérieure de Chimie Organique et Minérale (France)
• IFEU – Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg gGmbH (Germany)
• IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES (IFPEN) (France)
• INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DEL EMBALAJE, TRANSPORTE Y LOGISTICA (ITENE) (Spain)
• KRATON (Netherlands)
• UNIVERSITE DE POITIERS (France)
• UNIVERSITE DE TECHNOLOGIE DE COMPIEGNE (France)

Its expertise in toxicology, ecotoxicology, and chemical exposure is essential to guarantee that the new bio-based materials developed by CERISEA are safe, sustainable, and ready for industrial applications.