As fossil resources are depleting fast due to the increasing world population and associated energy and chemicals demand, it is of strategic importance to search for renewable alternatives. Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising renewable resource which can be converted into jet and diesel fuels as well as chemicals via routes that include aldol condensation and hydrogenation reactions. At present, at the industrial scale, aldol condensations are typically catalyzed by homogeneous catalysts. However, in a pursuit of more sustainable chemical processes, heterogeneous, i.e., solid, catalysts are desired. Additionally, hydrogenations are, typically, catalyzed using materials containing precious metals which should be replaced with less expensive metals. This research proposal aims at optimizing the bio-refinery in general and the production of renewable fuels and chemicals via aldol condensations and hydrogenations in particular. The thermodynamic non-ideality of biomass based components will be elucidated which is essential for the adequate description of processes involving these species. Insoluble carbonates and Ni based catalysts will be investigated as potential alternative catalysts for aldol condensations and hydrogenations, respectively. The reaction mechanisms will be elucidated using kinetic modelling and a lab scale demonstration unit will be built. Finally, an intensified bio-refinery process scheme will be drafted.