Imagine taking the leftovers from farms—like grass, olive branches, and cotton scraps—and treating them like raw gold instead of trash. This project uses specialized 'kitchens' (biorefineries) to break these scraps down into proteins for food or strong fibers for packaging. It's basically a way to turn farm waste into a second paycheck for rural communities.
Farmers in rural Europe have massive amounts of agricultural waste (grass, olive prunings, cotton by-products) that are underutilized. This represents a lost revenue opportunity and a waste management burden.
Six pilot process concepts including fermentation for proteins, fiber-forming for packaging, and pyrolysis for biochar.
If you are a feed producer dealing with high raw material costs—this project developed fermentation processes that turn underutilized grass and cotton by-products into protein-rich feed ingredients. This allows you to source cheaper, local raw materials while maintaining nutritional quality.
If you are a materials manufacturer dealing with a need for plastic alternatives—this project developed fiber-forming technology that converts agricultural residues into packaging and construction materials. This provides a steady stream of bio-based feedstock from rural areas.
If you are a fertilizer company dealing with the demand for organic soil enhancers—this project developed a pyrolysis process that turns olive and cotton waste into biochar. This creates a high-value soil amendment from materials that were previously discarded.
Based on available project data, specific pricing and cost structures are not provided, but the project focuses on creating new business models to ensure economic viability for farmers.
The project is piloting 6 process concepts in rural areas of Finland and Greece, specifically targeting locations where pilot and demo plants are currently rare.
Based on available project data, the project uses an open innovation call to promote the ecosystem and will communicate outcomes via a stakeholder platform for wide exploitation.
The project runs from 2025-05-01 to 2029-04-30, indicating a multi-year development and piloting phase.
The project uses a multi-actor approach to develop replicable business models and provides direct guidance to farmers and SMEs on integrating these valorization processes.
The consortium is heavily weighted toward practical application, with a 42% industry ratio comprising 5 industry partners and 2 SMEs. Led by VTT (a major Finnish research center), the 12-partner group spans 3 countries (EE, EL, FI), balancing technical research (3 research centers, 1 university) with operational implementation (3 other entities), which suggests a strong focus on moving from lab to field.
Contact TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY in Finland
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