Ceit and the Provincial Council sign a new agreement to advance in the development of a biomethane biorefinery

The new agreement, with an investment of 160,000 euros, will allow research into biorefinery technologies to valorize industrial by-products in Gipuzkoa.

This is a strategic project aimed at the creation of a new industrial pole specialized in the valorization of organic waste of industrial origin, a problem to which there is an urgent need to respond and which reaches a production Issue of some 30,000 tons per year.

In an effort to promote sustainability and circular Economics in Gipuzkoa, the deputy of Sustainability, José Ignacio Asensio, and the general director of the Ceit technology center, Juan Meléndez, have signed a new partnership agreement that gives continuity to the line of research initiated in previous years. The agreement has an investment of 160,000 euros provided by the department of Sustainability of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and sets as a priority goal to advance in the valorization of agri-food by-products through biorefinery processes.

This is a strategic project aimed at the creation of a new industrial pole specialized in the valorization of organic waste of industrial origin, a problem that urgently needs to be addressed. Currently, this waste reaches a production Issue of some 30,000 tons per year (mainly by-products of the agri-food industry), to which a much higher Issue can be added if the slurry generated in the livestock sector is taken into account.

The work developed in previous phases allowed defining the pre-design of a biomethane production plant as a solution for the treatment of these organic wastes. In this new phase, research will focus on identifying and evaluating biorefinery processes aimed at obtaining high added value bioproducts, mainly volatile fatty acids, from these by-products.

One of the core topic objectives of the project will be to carry out an in-depth analysis of the current state of biorefineries in Europe, reviewing the technologies applied to similar waste and evaluating their Degree of maturity, efficiency and scalability for their possible implementation in Gipuzkoa.

In addition, Ceit will develop a preliminary biorefinery concept adapted to the specific characteristics of the by-products generated in Gipuzkoa. A simulation platform will also be built for the design and virtual assessment of different technological scenarios, which will allow strategic decisions to be made about future industrial investments.

The agreement also contemplates the experimental validation of the selected processes. To this end, laboratory trials will be carried out to optimize the production and separation of relevant bioproducts, with special attention to fatty acids, core topic components in multiple industrial applications.

The Deputy for Sustainability, José Ignacio Asensio, pointed out that "this project reinforces our commitment to the principles of circular Economics and energy transition, betting on new energy vectors such as biomethane. In addition, this technological commitment generates direct synergies with the industrial sector, strengthening its competitiveness through local, innovative and sustainable solutions. A tangible sample that sustainability and competitiveness are not only compatible, but also mutually reinforcing in the framework of the new green economic model that we are building in Gipuzkoa".

Juan Meléndez thanked the department of Sustainability of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa for the trust it has once again placed in the company: "This agreement reflects the commitment of both entities to continue researching and developing technology that can help the region to make progress in circular Economics and recycling", he said.