The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) has announced that it has joined an Interreg North-West Europe (NWE) consortium alongside Climaticus, an Irish sustainability and analytics consultancy, and eight other partners from Belgium, Germany, France, and the Netherlands for the VALORANT project.
Across Northwest Europe, major quantities of fruit, vegetable, and flower residues remain underused due to overproduction, harvest losses, or weather‑related disruptions.
These residues contain high‑value bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, as well as substantial potential for protein and bioenergy production.
The Valorisation of Agricultural Residues – Optimisation and Recovery Advanced Network Tool (VALORANT) project aims to develop a Joint Decision Framework (JDF) as a practical tool to help farmers, processors, and industry identify horticultural and agricultural biomass valorisation pathways, pilot those new pathways, and, in turn, build capacity for circular practices.
Joining this consortium represents an exciting opportunity to work alongside leading partners in shaping the future of valorisation. Through our research and development capabilities, we aim to support the delivery of sustainable and commercially viable solutions that can have a real impact across the bioenergy sector, commented Stephen McCormack, R&D Project Lead at IrBEA.
Launched in January 2026, the €4.3 million EU co-funded VALORANT project will run until June 2029. In addition to IrBEA and Climaticus, partners include Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, ILVO, Valbiom, DRANCO, Greenport West-Holland, VARTA, 3N Kompetenzzentrum, and Valorial.
The project will pioneer various cascading pathways of residual biomass from the production of apples, pears, strawberries, lettuce, carrots, chrysanthemum, and gerbera flowers, potentially opening new revenue streams and opportunities for growers and producers.
IrBEA will provide bioenergy expertise, coordinate a pilot pathway in Ireland, and support Climaticus in completing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) alongside organising training workshops, communication, and outreach.
The addition of IrBEA further enhances the multidisciplinary strength of the consortium. Their knowledge of the Irish and wider European bioenergy sector will play an important role in supporting collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the advancement of innovative pathways, commented Dr Sabine Van Miert, Research Manager, Centre of Expertise for Sustainable Biomass and Chemistry at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences in Belgium.
