CBE JU funded project LIGNOFUN has been launched to unlock the power of lignin for a fossil-free future

LIGNOFUN (LIGNin-based arOmatic FUNnelling to high-value biochemicals and biomaterials production) is an Innovation Action project funded by CBE JU under Horizon Europe (Grant agreement ID: 101214432) with a budget of 8.8 Million euros.

The project was officially kicked-off in Örnsköldsvik in Sweden. Hosted at the location of project coordinator RISE, the launch marks the beginning of a four-year innovation journey to transform lignin, an abundant by-product of the pulp and paper industry, into high-value bio-based chemicals and materials.

Underutilized lignin to high-value compounts

Each year, millions of tonnes of lignin are generated in pulp mills across Europe, but most of it remains vastly underutilized—typically burned for low-grade energy recovery. LIGNOFUN aims to change that. By optimizing two innovative lignin depolymerisation technologies—METNIN and OHRIGINS—the project will unlock aromatic-rich product streams and funnel them into sustainable applications such as biobased foams, adhesives, coatings, composites, wood panels, Nylon 66, cosmetics and personal care products, and antioxidant for rubber-based material production.

To ensure these processes move from lab to market, the project will advance both technologies to TRL 6–7 and demonstrate industrial relevance through prototype validation, performance benchmarking, and end-user integration.

Shaping a sustainable bioeconomy together

Beyond the technological breakthroughs, LIGNOFUN will evaluate the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of lignin-based innovations using life cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis (TEA), and social impact metrics. The consortium also emphasizes early stakeholder engagement, aiming to co-create market-ready solutions and build momentum for bio-based circular value chains in Europe.

The project brings together a robust consortium of 18 partners from 9 countries, including leading research institutes, SMEs, large industry players, and clusters—all united by a shared mission: to replace fossil-derived aromatic compounds with sustainable lignin-based alternatives.

RISE Processum AB (SE), RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB (SE), RISE Lignodemo AB (SE), VITO (BE), MetGen Oy (FI), Fundacion CENER (ES), Juno Composites Ltd (IE), NovelYeast (BE), Kastamonu Entegre (TR), Celignis Ltd (IE), CLIB (DE), IDENER R&D (ES), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (HU), FCBA (FR), Moses Productos SL (ES), Fundación AITIIP (ES), Helia-D Ltd (HU), and Centro Tecnológico Riojano (ES).

All project activities will be published on the projects LinkedIn page and on the project website.

 

Get in touch:

Technical information contact:

Vaskar Mukherjee, RISE

Project Coordinator

vaskar.mukherjee@ri.se

 

Your contact at CLIB:

Peter Stoffels

Communication & Dissemination

stoffels@clib-cluster.de