EMBEDED

Impact

Matching market challenges

Description

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the agricultural sector generates more than 140 billion tonnes of biomass every year. However, a significant share of this raw material does not enter bioeconomy cycles, mainly due to challenges that compromise its profitability.

In recent years, there has been growing investment in circular economy business models that aim to increase value throughout the production chain. These models prioritise durability, reuse, and recycling, reducing waste and costs, while extending the lifespan and value of materials and products.

It is in this context that the EMBEDED Project emerges, with the main goal of demonstrating, over a 36-month period, alternative business models for the valorisation of agri-food industry residues. By transforming these by-products into biochar and construction boards, they gain a new life cycle, promoting long-term carbon storage and contributing to the creation of shorter, more resilient, and sustainable value chains.

The project is implemented through five case studies, involving four European countries — Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, and Ireland — and explores both residues with greater economic volume (such as olive pomace and grape marc) and undervalued or commonly discarded residues (such as cork bark left in the field, fresh grass, and grape stems).

To achieve these goals, EMBEDED uses three modular units: a pyrolysis unit, an ohmic heating unit for the extraction of bioactive compounds, and a unit for the production of construction boards.

Sogrape plays a central role in revalorising grape marc and stems resulting from wine production. These residues are transformed into biochar, which is then tested in vineyards to assess its potential as a biofertiliser and plant protection agent. The pyrolysis unit demonstrations take place over two harvest campaigns.

With this approach, the EMBEDED Project actively contributes to advancing towards a carbon-neutral bioeconomy, demonstrating how local technologies can generate value from agricultural by-products. In addition, the project strengthens the role of primary producers, promotes more sustainable soil management practices, helps reduce the risk of forest fires, and improves the quantification of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions through specific regional data.