Webinar – Lignin Bioeconomy: The Path Forward

Presentation Summary

Lignin, regardless of its origin, is increasingly playing a leading role in the forest bioeconomy. With the global lignin market size expected to exceed US $ 1 billion by 2027 and anticipated to expand at a revenue-based CAGR of about 2%, there is a strong interest in thriving lignin biorefinery-based value chains, as a key step in the transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy.

Some of the hurdles limiting the widespread adoption and utilization of lignin include variability of chemical structure and functional complexity when dealing with diverse lignins, knowledge gaps with respect to emerging valorisation pathways, as well as market development despite product and geographical segmentation. Creating value from lignin requires considering a broad range of technical and non-technical factors and the relationship between them.

This webinar will highlight the following:

• The role of lignin in bioeconomy markets, emerging trends and insights
• Challenges and complexity of dealing with diverse lignins
• Knowledge gaps to enhance lignin applications
• Lignin recovery processes
• Tools for evaluating the implementation of lignin biorefineries

Dr. Ajao has been a process engineer with the Industrial Systems Optimization group of CanmetENERGY-Varennes since 2014. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Ilorin (Nigeria), a master’s degree in process energy and environmental systems engineering from the Berlin University of Technology (Germany), and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Polytechnique Montréal. His experience over the past decade cut across process design and modeling, analysis and numerical simulation, pilot scale process evaluation, power plants and Rankine cycle development, process integration and energy optimization, as well as safety assessment and risk analysis of industrial processes. Dr. Ajao’s current professional interests include development of novel biorefinery technologies, techno-economic and environmental assessment and feasibility studies of biorefining technologies, process simulation and optimization as well as technology prospecting and intellectual property creation.