Developing a sustainable biorefinery from coffee waste

Currently coffee waste is either sent to land-fill, poured down the sink or used as a low-value fertiliser. However, coffee waste contains a wide range of exciting molecules, making it a perfect feedstock for a sustainable bio-refinery. These compounds include a lipid akin to vegetable oil, polysaccharides, monosaccharides, terpenes, sterols as well as a wide range of odour compounds. It is the aim of the project to create a range of products of varying values from the coffee waste feedstock, including high value pharmaceutical precursors and biofuels, with as high atom economy as possible. In this PhD you will be working in collaboration with Bio-bean (www.bio-bean.com) a London based start-up company. Firstly, we will establish what major compounds are present in coffee waste, and investigate the efficient extraction of these higher value compounds. The remaining biomass will be assessed as a source of lipid for biodiesel production, a solid fuel product and a fertiliser. To achieve these objectives, the work will be primarily done in the laboratory at the University of Bath, however, there is scope for applying any successful innovation in the technology on Bio-bean’s industrial plant by the end of the project. Please contact me directly ([Email Address Removed]) if you want any further information.