Sustainable up-cycling of agro-, agrofood and fisheries residues in horticulture and agriculture as bioenergy, biochar and chitin-rich products

Programme 2014 - 2020 INTERREG V-A France - Belgium - The Netherlands - United Kingdom (Les Deux Mers / Two seas / Twee Zeeën)

Date of latest update: 2024-12-17

Description

Description (EN):

Increase the adoption of new circular economy solutions in the 2 Seas area by sustainable up-cycling of agro-, agrofood and fisheries residues in horticulture. Up-cycling and combining resources for sustainable soilless greenhouse cultivation into one concept based on sustainable growing media, greenhouse heating and CO2 fertigation. Reinforce the institutional framework conditions and the capacity of stakeholders to adopt these innovations. Combine all knowledge of separate materials as feedstock and low temperature gasification as processing technique into sustainable products and application techniques ready for commercialization for use in greenhouses with a low-C heating and fertilization technology. Optimize the use of chitin and biochar as innovative amendments for closing loops at regional level. Provide decision models for 4 valorization chains and increase the adoption of these new solutions through targeted implementation, dissemination and valorization.

Achievements (EN):

We aim at solving bottlenecks and adopt solutions for sustainable growing media and for upcycling waste streams in horticulture. Horti-BlueC proposes to substitute non-renewable feedstock materials such as peat or stone wool with locally-produced, renewable feedstock materials. The materials that are currently used in growing media are not sustainable. The production of mineral wool is energy-demanding, while peat extraction from pristine peatlands threatens these sensitive ecosystems and carbon sinks. The project is quite ambitious, as we aim at adoption of a new greenhouse concept with 30% reduction of fossil fuel, 30% reduction in chemical pesticide application, 30% peat and stone wool replacement, and replacement of 20% virgin CO2. Horti-BlueC has explored the potential for upcycling 5 local waste streams: CO2 emitted by greenhouse heating, shellfish waste streams (feedstock for chitin), spent growing media (feedstock for biochar), green waste (feedstock for biochar) and plant fibers to contribute to sustainable soilless horticulture. Shellfish waste (e.g., shrimp shells) provide chitin, which can be used as an additive in growing media. Biochar (charred material) is rich in carbon, and has the potential to help mitigate climate change via C sequestration. Batches of biochar have been produced, based on plant fibers, spent growing media and the woody fraction of green waste. CO2 from flue gases was captured at a pilot installation, and can used for CO2 fertilization in greenhouses. The processing of residual materials into building blocks for growing media is supported by a decision tool, and innovative blends are now tested for the second year in greenhouse trials in three regions. Both chitin and biochar have the potential to increase the fertility of growing media, increase horticultural productivity, and increase the resistance of plants against specific foliar and soil-borne diseases. These trials were the subject of virtual and real-life visits. Several videos on the outputs related to the processing of the materials and the greenhouse trials are online. By optimizing waste pretreatment and processing techniques, the goal of the project is to prove the feasibility of 4 valorization chains for producing innovative materials for soilless cultivation. This will save resources (less fossil fuel use, less chemical crop protection and fertilizer application, among others) and will drastically reduce CO2 emissions from greenhouse horticulture.

Website: https://www.horti-bluec.eu/

Delivered Outputs (EN):

The project outputs are: 1. Operational pilot gasifier (installation) at relevant scale for growers to demonstrate the combined production of biochar and bioenergy in greenhouses 2. Pilot on chitin/biochar as amendment for use in sustainable growing media to reduce the pesticide and nutrient use and increase the disease resistance 3. Pilot on peat, coir and rockwool replacement by local renewable materials (plant fibres, biochar and woody fraction) in sustainable growing media 4. Decision tool on conservation, pre-treatment, and processing options and sequence for one gaseous and four solid waste streams 5. Economic feasibility study for valorisation chains, one integrated business model and cost model for 5 waste streams for adoption of technologies 6. Functional online platform supporting the shellfish and horticultural target groups for a more circular economy implementing the 4 valorisation chains 7. Interregional policy action plan for sustainable up-cycling of agro-, agrofood and fisheries residues in horticulture and to facilitate adoption Check the “Outputs” section below to download related material and see “Main Achievements” section for further information about the achieved results.

Thematic information

Sustainable management of natural resources Energy efficiency Agriculture and fisheries and forestry

Specific Objective: Increase the adoption of new circular economy solutions in the 2 Seas area

Thematic Objective: (06) preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by:

Investment Priority: (06g) supporting industrial transition towards a resource- efficient economy, promoting green growth, eco-innovation and environmental performance management in the public and private sectors

Partners (12)

Lead Partner: Instituut voor Landbouw- en Visserijonderzoek (ILVO/EV-ILVO)

Department: Plant sciences unit and animal sciences unit

Address: Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 92 , 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium

Legal status: public

Total budget: EUR 987 781.06

ERDF budget: EUR 592 668.62

Agaris

Name: Agaris

Department: Agaris Belgium NV

Address: Skaldenstraat 7a, 9042 Gent, Belgium

Legal status: private

Total budget: EUR 250 918.17

ERDF budget: EUR 100 367.27

Université de Lille

Name: Université de Lille

Department: Institut Charles Viollette

Address: Cité Scientifique, Bât. A3, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France

Legal status: public

Total budget: EUR 187 391.05

ERDF budget: EUR 112 434.62

Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek (TNO)

Name: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek (TNO)

Department: ECN/Bio-energy and energy efficiency

Address: Westduinerweg 3, 1755 LE Petten, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Total budget: EUR 328 952.07

ERDF budget: EUR 197 371.24

Proefcentrum Hoogstraten vzw

Name: Proefcentrum Hoogstraten vzw

Department: Research Centre Hoogstraten

Address: Voort 71, 2328 Meerle, Belgium

Legal status: private

Total budget: EUR 314 609.90

ERDF budget: EUR 188 765.94

University of Portsmouth

Name: University of Portsmouth

Department: Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries

Address: Winston Churchill Avenue, PO1 2DJ Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Legal status: public

Total budget: EUR 488 885.57

ERDF budget: EUR 293 331.35

NIAB EMR

Name: NIAB EMR

Department: Department of Pest and Pathogen Ecology

Address: New Road, ME19 6BJ Kent, United Kingdom

Legal status: public

Total budget: EUR 174 286.30

ERDF budget: EUR 104 571.78

Cato Engineering BV

Name: Cato Engineering BV

Department: Cato Engineering

Address: Leemansweg 31-G, 6827 AV Arnhem, Netherlands

Legal status: private

Total budget: EUR 86 906.54

ERDF budget: EUR 52 143.92

Greenyard

Name: Greenyard

Department: Greenyard Horticulture Belgium NV

Address: Skaldenstraat 7a , 9042 Gent, Belgium

Legal status: private

Total budget: EUR 53 463.00

ERDF budget: EUR 21 385.20

RSK ADAS UK Ltd

Name: RSK ADAS UK Ltd

Department: Horticulture

Address: Battlegate Road, CB23 4NN Boxworth, United Kingdom

Legal status: private

Total budget: EUR 410 278.13

ERDF budget: EUR 164 111.24

Université de Lille - Sciences et Technologies

Name: Université de Lille - Sciences et Technologies

Department: Institut Charles Viollette

Address: Cité Scientifique, Bât. A3 , 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France

Legal status: public

Total budget: EUR 40 113.58

ERDF budget: EUR 24 068.15

Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland (ECN)

Name: Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland (ECN)

Department: ECN/Bio-energy and energy efficiency

Address: Westerduinweg 3, 1755 LE Petten, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Total budget: EUR 8 000.00

ERDF budget: EUR 4 800.00

Partners map

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Sustainable up-cycling of agro-, agrofood and fisheries residues in horticulture and agriculture as bioenergy, biochar and chitin-rich products

Project acronym: Horti-blueC

Project start date: 2018-02-02

Project end date: 2022-04-30

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 3 331 585.37

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 856 019.33

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 0.56%

Co-financing sources:

Documents

Documents on this project are listed below, and organised by category. Please note field "Data source", attached to each document. Keep.eu users are free to use these documents as long as they mention the data source and keep.eu.

Videos / films

Growing strawberries on innovative substrates with climate-friendly alternatives to peat

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: http://www.interreg2seas.eu

Publication date: 2022-10-31

Document date: 2021-11-09

Languages: en, nl

Horti BlueC Biochar Production

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: http://www.interreg2seas.eu

Publication date: 2022-10-31

Document date: 2021-05-10

Languages: en

Shrimp peeling machine at Brevisco in Oostende

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: http://www.interreg2seas.eu

Publication date: 2022-10-31

Document date: 2021-05-21

Languages: en, nl

Studies / surveys

Chemically versus thermally processed brown shrimp shells or Chinese mitten crab as a source of chitin, nutrients or salts and as microbial stimulant in soilless strawberry cultivation

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.horti-bluec.eu/en/project-outputs/

Publication date: 2022-10-31

Document date: 2021-12-31

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Presentations

Large scale gasification for biochar and energy production

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Presentation

Data source: https://www.horti-bluec.eu/en/project-outputs/

Publication date: 2022-10-31

Document date: 2022-04-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Production of chitin from shrimp shells

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Presentation

Data source: https://www.horti-bluec.eu/en/project-outputs/

Publication date: 2022-10-31

Document date: 2022-04-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Spent growing media: direct reuse or feedstock for biochar

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Presentation

Data source: https://www.horti-bluec.eu/en/project-outputs/

Publication date: 2022-10-31

Document date: 2022-04-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Bulk replacement in growing media

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Presentation

Data source: https://www.horti-bluec.eu/en/project-outputs/

Publication date: 2022-10-31

Document date: 2022-04-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2014 - 2020 INTERREG V-A France - Belgium - The Netherlands - United Kingdom (Les Deux Mers / Two seas / Twee Zeeën)

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2024-12-17

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

82 / 82 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

886 / 886 (100%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme in 2024-12.

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Sustainable up-cycling of agro-, agrofood and fisheries residues in horticulture and agriculture as bioenergy, biochar and chitin-rich products

Description

Thematic information

Partners (12)

Partners map

Summary

Documents

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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