Our Projects
Ongoing R&D projects
At ecorbio, our project work is designed to push the boundaries of cleantech innovation, transforming waste and biomass into sustainable, high-value biochemicals. Each project reflects our commitment to decarbonization, circular economy principles, and creating a tangible environmental impact.
RePUComp: Developing and Demonstrating Advanced Direct Chemical Recycling of Polyurethane Composites
The co-developed RePUComp project
is implemented under the RESTART 2016–2020 Smart Growth Programme of the
Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) of Cyprus. The project focuses on
developing an integrated system for the direct recycling of polyurethane
(PU)-containing composite waste into high-value chemical products, including
recycled polyols for the production of new PU foams for industrial reuse.
RePUComp brings together ecorbio,
Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus Research and Innovation Center (CyRIC),
Nicolaides & Kountouris Metal Company, and Grupo Terma of the University of
Malaga. With their expertise, the project aims to advance environmentally
responsible technologies for the chemical recycling of PU composite waste,
promoting circular, closed-loop practices within the PU industry.
Bio4MorPUR: Market entry of truly-sustainable yet cheap biopolyols in Morocco
The Bio4MorPUR project, funded by the EU Eureka Innowwide, was a six-month collaborative effort between ecorbio and IOM Solutions to assess the feasibility of introducing ecorbio’s sustainable biopolyol products and technology to the Moroccan market. The project leveraged IOM Solutions’ expertise to conduct a focused market analysis of Morocco’s construction and building sectors, while also reaching out to distributors, suppliers, and manufacturers to explore potential partnerships. ecorbio applied its technical expertise to perform small-scale trials of polyurethane (PUR) foam formulations with biopolyol addition and characterizing their properties towards meeting critical industrial-scale requirements. The strong collaboration between ecorbio and IOM Solutions was key to the project’s success, opening up opportunities for future collaboration.
BIO4MAR: Waste biomass conversion technologies towards biochemicals for the maritime sector
The BIO4MAR project, founded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), focuses on developing sustainable biochemicals for the maritime sector through integrated biomass conversion technologies. The project brings together ecorbio, the Cyprus University of Technology, Frederick Research Center, CyRIC, Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research (WKI), and the Cellular Materials Laboratory of the University of Valladolid (CellMat). Leveraging expertise in liquefaction, pyrolysis, life cycle analysis, and advanced material synthesis, the consortium aims to produce biopolyols and phenolic compounds tailored for applications in the maritime sector.
ReNew-BIO: Advanced continuous upcycling technology towards energy-efficient construction materials
The REnew-Bio project, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), focuses on advancing sustainable biopolyols for polyurethane (PU) applications in the construction sector. This initiative combines the expertise of ecorbio, Cyprus University of Technology, CyRIC, and the Cellular Materials Laboratory (CellMat). Together, the partners are developing an advanced continuous biomass conversion system with integrated sensing and automation to produce biopolyols from waste biomass. The project aims to reduce production energy demands, improve product quality, and enhance environmental sustainability, supporting the construction industry’s transition to greener materials.
BIO2BIO: Feasibility study of energetic and material integration of biopolyol to biodiesel production
Bio2Bio introduces a novel production method for biopolyol synthesis that is directly integrated into existing second-generation (2G) biodiesel facilities. The method eliminates the need for glycerol purification and external energy inputs by exploiting internally generated by-product streams, enabling a cost-effective retrofit pathway for conventional transesterification plants.
The process employs by-product crude glycerol, in its unrefined state, as the sole solvent in a solvothermal liquefaction reactor fed with locally sourced waste biomass. Unlike conventional solvothermal processes that require purified polyols, water, or alcohols as reaction media, this method deliberately leverages the chemical composition of crude glycerol, including its impurities, as a functionally active solvent, negating the capital and energy cost of upstream glycerol purification.
The project COM-CONCEPT-ENERGY/0624/0169 was funded by the Research and Innovation Foundation, under the «Commercial Proof of Concept – Energy» Programme and through the Recovery and Resilience Facility of the NextGenerationEU instrument.
