What we do
Biorefinery
We support industry in the development and scale-up of biorefinery products and processes, bridging the gap between research and commercial implementation. Our focus is on advancing integrated biological and chemical conversion technologies that transform waste biomass feedstocks into high-value chemicals and materials, contributing to the replacement of fossil-based feedstocks and promoting a circular bioeconomy. The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Technology Innovation Agency have funded numerous biorefinery projects at the CSIR through different support programmes
Biorefinery
We support industry in the development and scale-up of biorefinery products and processes, bridging the gap between research and commercial implementation. Our focus is on advancing integrated biological and chemical conversion technologies that transform waste biomass feedstocks into high-value chemicals and materials, contributing to the replacement of fossil-based feedstocks and promoting a circular bioeconomy. The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Technology Innovation Agency have funded numerous biorefinery projects at the CSIR through different support programmes
Biorefinery
We support industry in the development and scale-up of biorefinery products and processes, bridging the gap between research and commercial implementation. Our focus is on advancing integrated biological and chemical conversion technologies that transform waste biomass feedstocks into high-value chemicals and materials, contributing to the replacement of fossil-based feedstocks and promoting a circular bioeconomy. The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Technology Innovation Agency have funded numerous biorefinery projects at the CSIR through different support programmes
Biorefinery
We support industry in the development and scale-up of biorefinery products and processes, bridging the gap between research and commercial implementation. Our focus is on advancing integrated biological and chemical conversion technologies that transform waste biomass feedstocks into high-value chemicals and materials, contributing to the replacement of fossil-based feedstocks and promoting a circular bioeconomy. The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Technology Innovation Agency have funded numerous biorefinery projects at the CSIR through different support programmes
Contact information:
Highlights
South Africa’s biorefinery journey: From innovation to industrial impact
Imagine transforming forestry waste and agricultural by-products, such as sawdust and sugarcane residues, into high-value green chemicals, advanced materials, sustainable fuels and green energy. That is the promise of biorefineries: converting biological resources into a spectrum of market-ready products, much like petroleum refineries do with crude oil, but using renewable biomass as feedstock. Read more.
CSIR develops protein for commercial fishing industry
The CSIR assisted Ziziba (Pty) Ltd, a small, medium and micro enterprise, with a scalable biobased technology to produce single-cell protein that is used as an ingredient in fish feed. The CSIR’s single-cell protein prototype is produced using a fungal-based biorefinery process that exploits industrial food waste streams as essential feedstocks during the synthesis of single-cell protein. The final product comes in dried biomass and pellet form. Internal and external tests confirmed that it is nutritionally comparable to the protein-rich ingredients used in commercial fish diets. The project was funded by the Technology Innovation Agency.
Better, greener plastic products from waste streams
TThe CSIR has formulated a new biocomposite material using waste sawdust and recycled plastics as an alternative to fossil-based material. This innovation adds value to two waste streams: sawdust, a byproduct of the sawmilling industry and recycled polypropylene. Using melt extrusion techniques, researchers produced biocomposite pellets suitable for injection moulding and the manufacture of low-cost building materials with a reduced carbon footprint and improved performance. The work was funded by the Technology Innovation Agency.
Maximising the value of underutilised byproducts for a circular economy
The CSIR Biorefinery Industry Development Facility assists local industry to improve its competitiveness by providing access to specialised analytical and pilot-scale facilities to ensure a more sustainable way of using the country’s biomass resources. Watch.
CSIR broadens access to biorefinery technologies in support of circular economy
The CSIR has hosted its third annual workshop on biorefinery technologies in the circular economy. This session focused on the valorisation of biomass residues from the forestry, timber, pulp and paper industries, as well as agricultural operations using new circular-based technologies in support of industry and small, medium and micro enterprises. Read more.
Recovering useful fibres from used potato bags
The CSIR has developed a technology to recover fibres from used potato bags. Fibres recovered from used potato bags are repurposed to manufacture paper-based packaging materials such as fluting, a corrugated medium used in paper packaging. The use of waste paper offers economic and environmental benefits in line with circular economy ideals. This innovation is co-funded by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa.
Read more.
Unlocking high-value products from sawdust biomass waste
The CSIR is developing a protocol aimed at optimising the extraction of xylitol, a high-value product from xylose, a sugar isolated from wood or sawdust biomass. Maximising the value of underutilised byproducts or waste aligns closely with the principles of a circular economy. The new extraction protocol provides comprehensive guidelines for evaluating and processing parameters to convert xylose into an important platform for sustainable bioproducts, particularly targeting the xylitol market. The project was funded by the Technology Innovation Agency.
Our facilities
