Two bioeconomy demonstration projects split €10m in EU Just Transition Funding

techcentral.ie · Feb 26, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Biochar, Transform to create local investment, supply-chain opportunities, and skills development in the Midlands Life Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, Martin Heydon; Emma Feeney, University College Dublin and Transform; JJ Leahy, University of Limerick and Biochar; Minister for Climate, Energy & the Environment Darragh O’Brien 26 February 2026 Two bioeconomy demonstration initiatives are to share €10 million under 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. The call was 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 Biochar led by University of Limerick, while a further €5 million is being awarded to Transform, led by University College Dublin. Biochar 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. Working with the Circular Food Company and fermentation technology provider Somatech, the Transform will demonstrate the upcycling of food waste and agrifood by-products. Commercial-scale demonstration will take place at the Circular Food Company’s facility in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, with investment in equipment and staff supporting sustainable biomanufacturing, jobs and logistics in the region. This project will also develop a replicable model for the wider agrifood sector to unlock upcycling opportunities to produce high-value ingredients for applications in the food and feed industries. Head of the EU Commission Representation in Ireland 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.” 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.” TechCentral Reporters Read More: Biochar Bioeconomy EU EU Just Transition Fund European Union Science Transform