Bioeconomy demonstration projects share €9m

Awards recognise work on whole island of Ireland

Life

Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland Andrew Muir, and Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, Martin Heydon

Two bioeconomy demonstration initiatives have secured a total of €9 million in funding.  

A total of €4.5 million is being awarded to the Recycling Phosphates and Nitrogen from Agricultural Residues (REGENERATE) project led by Greenville Energy, based in Co Tyrone. The project will bring together a range of partners from across the island of Ireland and will develop and produce a sustainable and bio-based fertiliser product. REGENERATE is committed to creating economically and environmentally sustainable products which can enhance industrial competitiveness while contributing to carbon reduction targets.

A further €4.5 million is being awarded to All Island Marine Bio-based Refineries for Circular Blue-Bioeconomy (AIMBIO), led by Teagasc Ashtown. Through collaboration and engagement with diverse stakeholders across the island of Ireland, the project will demonstrate the conversion of untapped resources from aquaculture, fisheries, and aquatic processors, into high-value ingredients for applications in the food, feed, bio-based chemicals, and cosmetics industries.

 
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Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, Martin Heydon said: “The bioeconomy has the potential to offer new and exciting opportunities for our agriculture, food, forest and marine systems, as well as for strengthening our food security and reducing our reliance on critical dependencies. To unlock these opportunities, there is a need to scale up bioeconomy processes and technologies, to accelerate the commercialisation of bio-based products and solutions, and to create new value chains in which farmers, fishers and the agri-food industry can play a leading role.

“I am pleased to announce these two new demonstration projects which will help to bridge the investment gap between research and commercialisation. Both projects have the potential to serve as flagship demonstrator projects for Ireland’s growing bioeconomy and to provide a blueprint for similar activities to be replicated across the island for the benefit of rural and coastal communities.”

Minister of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland Andrew Muir said: “The projects which have been awarded this funding will play a pivotal role in highlighting the role of the bioeconomy in driving sustainable growth and innovation within our agriculture and marine sectors. This is an exciting and important step in addressing the climate challenges we face which will also reinforce our Programme for Government commitments. I am delighted to announce this funding which will put into action bio-based innovation which can help drive economic, environmental, and social benefits.

“I also welcome the ongoing collaboration with partners from industry, academia and government across the island of Ireland. This collective effort demonstrates how together, we can make strides towards a greener and more resilient future.”

The projects will pilot and demonstrate the bioeconomy in action on a collaborative basis across the island of Ireland. The two awards arise from the €9 million Shared Island Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative competitive call. This funding is enabled by €7 million from the Government of Ireland’s Shared Island Fund, and co-funding of €1.5 million from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and £500,000 from the Dept of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland.

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