Precision hydrothermal processing for more resilient circular supply chains

BioEcoUVa researcher Danilo Cantero explores the potential of precision hydrothermal processing to transform local biomass, residues and industrial side streams into reliable sources of fuels, chemicals and materials.

In his latest contribution to Chem Circularity, titled “Precision hydrothermal processing for resilient circular supply chains”, Danilo Cantero examines the role that hydrothermal technologies could play in the development of more resilient and locally connected circular supply chains. The article was published online on 29 July 2026.

Circular chemistry is increasingly concerned not only with reducing emissions or recovering specific waste streams, but also with developing supply chains that can remain reliable in the face of changes in energy, carbon and resource markets.

Within this context, hydrothermal processing offers a particularly interesting technological route because it can process wet, heterogeneous and oxygen-rich feedstocks using hot compressed water. By adjusting reaction severity — mainly through the combination of temperature and residence time — different transformation pathways can be achieved, from hydrolysis and liquefaction to carbonisation and more selective hydrothermal reactions.

The article highlights an important shift in perspective: hydrothermal technologies should not be considered solely as tools for converting waste into products. Instead, they can form part of a broader strategy for connecting regional resources with regional product needs.

This means considering not only whether a particular feedstock can technically be converted, but also whether the resulting products respond to specific regional challenges, such as waste management, fuel security, material supply, nutrient recovery, industrial decarbonisation or the resilience of chemical supply chains.

For Danilo Cantero, this requires moving from a feedstock-centred approach towards a more system-centred vision of circular processing. The availability and characteristics of local resources need to be considered together with product demand, energy availability, process integration and the wider industrial context.

This approach could open opportunities for regions with significant biomass, forestry residues or industrial side streams to develop tailored conversion routes and generate products adapted to their own needs.

The perspective is therefore not about replacing petroleum-based systems everywhere, but about identifying those situations in which local hydrothermal processing can provide a stronger technological and strategic option by bringing together available resources, energy, infrastructure and market demand.

With extensive experience in hydrothermal technologies, Danilo Cantero’s contribution reflects the research carried out within PressTech at BioEcoUVa, where the development and intensification of sustainable processes for biomass and resource valorisation form part of the group’s research activity.

📖 Read the full article:
Precision hydrothermal processing for resilient circular supply chains
Chem Circularity, 2026, 100108