Ministers Heydon and O’Brien announce €10 million EU Just Transition Funding for two bioeconomy demonstration projects

Awards of €5 million each from the EU Just Transition Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative will support two bioeconomy projects with collaboration across the Midlands 

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien TD, have today announced €10 million in funding for two bioeconomy demonstration initiatives. This is the second call under the EU Just Transition Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative, which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. This call is designed to deliver practical, investable bioeconomy solutions in Ireland’s Just Transition Fund Territory in the Midlands, which supports communities and businesses to build new, low-carbon biobased value chains as the region moves away from peat. Both projects will anchor their demonstration activity, biomass procurement and industry collaboration in the Midlands, generating local investment, supply-chain opportunities, and skills development.

Funding of €5 million is being awarded to the ‘BIOCHAR’ project led by University of Limerick while a further €5 million is being awarded to ‘TRANSFORM’, which is led by University College Dublin. Marking the announcement, Minister Heydon said:

“I am delighted to announce this €10 million in funding for two new bioeconomy demonstrator projects, as part of the EU Just Transition Fund. The BIOCHAR and TRANSFORM projects will demonstrate the potential uses of biochar in agriculture, bioenergy and sustainability, as well as transforming agri-food byproducts and waste into functional ingredients. This investment will build on the €22 million already committed to other bioeconomy pilot projects, demonstrating the government’s commitment to ensuring the bioeconomy is scaled up across our economy and our rural areas.”

The ‘BIOCHAR’ project will bring together a range of partners from across Ireland and leverage their experience to develop and produce a sustainable biochar product for demonstration in agriculture, water treatment, and transport infrastructure. The biochar will be produced from indigenous biomasses and tested through large-scale demonstrations in the Just Transition Fund Territory, including in agriculture, water treatment and transport infrastructure. The project will also develop a high-level blueprint for a mid-sized biochar facility to support future investment and replication in the Midlands.

Through collaboration and engagement with the Circular Food Company in the Midlands and SOMATECH, a fermentation technology provider in Ireland, the ‘TRANSFORM’ project will demonstrate the upcycling of food waste and agri-food by-products. Commercial-scale demonstration will take place at the Circular Food Company’s facility in Tullamore, Co Offaly, with investment in new equipment and staff supporting sustainable biomanufacturing, jobs and logistics in the region. This project will also develop a replicable model for the wider agri-food sector to unlock upcycling opportunities to produce high-value ingredients for applications in the food and feed industries.

Commenting on the two newly funded initiatives, Minister O’Brian stated:

“I am delighted to see investment in two further bioeconomy demonstration projects in the Midlands region as part of the EU Just Transition Programme. This further investment into the region will support sustainability, innovation, economic and employment opportunities while continuing to build a solid base for regional expertise in this emerging area. The ‘BIOCHAR’ and ‘TRANSFORM’ projects provide an excellent opportunity to showcase the practical application of the circular economy model while demonstrating how the efficient and sustainable use of waste and by-products can support climate and economic goals. I look forward to hearing more about these projects as they develop and deliver opportunities within the Midlands region.”

Head of the EU Commission Representation in Ireland, Mr. Peter Power, said:

“The EU Just Transition Fund is supporting Ireland’s Midlands in its path towards a net-zero economy that works for people and communities. The support announced today for two circular bioeconomy projects is yet another example of how the EU JTF Programme is drawing on the resources and expertise already available within the region to strengthen innovative ecosystems and to create high-value, sustainable jobs. This is fully in line with the EU JTF’s objective, to support innovative and place-based opportunities that will have a lasting impact on the territory and on its people.”

For her part, Clare Bannon, Acting Director of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA), the Managing Authority for Ireland’s EU Just Transition Fund Programme, said:

“This significant investment into the Bioeconomy sector in the Midlands demonstrates the strong commitment of Ireland and the European Union to advancing a climate-neutral and circular economy at scale. Large-scale bioeconomy projects such as these, not only foster innovation for a greener and more competitive future for the region, but also support economic diversification and the generation of new employment opportunities. By supporting a circular economy model, the EU Just Transition Fund is playing a pivotal role in transforming the wider Midlands – helping to build a resilient economy and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. We look forward to seeing these projects in action, alongside the two previously EUJTF-funded bioeconomy demonstration initiatives in the region.”