AgriChemWhey

The main objective of the AgriChemWhey is to develop the world’s first integrated biorefinery for converting food-processing residues to bio-based chemicals. It will see a dedicated plant developed in Ireland. The project will see a new value chain for lactic acid from dairy production residues. Specifically, the project will:

• Demonstrate the ability to use innovative biorefinery technology to convert food-processing residues to food, feed and polymer grade LA at industrial scale.
• Optimise the technology by reducing production times and increasing yields, thus simplifying the process and making it more energy efficient.
• Establish industrial symbiosis to valorise side streams using with local partners - particularly of gypsum, calcium phosphate and fermentation residue – for agriculture and human nutrition.
• Develop and rollout exploitation strategies that will ensure commercialisation and wider uptake of the biorefinery technology.

The AgriChemWhey project aims for the following impacts :

• Developing rural communities by creating local jobs. Replicating AgriChemWhey biorefineries has the potential to create over 1,000 rural jobs within four years of project completion.
• Securing the future for dairy farming by making milk production more sustainable and increase the amount that farmers can earn from their outputs and protecting them against price volatility
• Regional development, by replicating one to five similar AgriChemWhey-style biorefineries attracting from private investments up to 325 MEUR.
• Improving the EU trade balance through greater resource efficiency and by reducing current EU L-lactic acid imports (currently 80,000 tonnes per annum) and ultimately turning Europe into a net exporter.
• Encourage industrial symbiosis that inspires the creation of new value chains.
• Provide inspiration through the success of the project, encouraging society and industry to embrace the growth and competitiveness of a European circular bioeconomy.
• CreateCO2 savings in a range from 18,000 - 89,000 tonnes CO2eq/year, depending on the number of AgriChemWhey-style biorefineries.

AgriChemWhey explanatory video

Converting dairy by-products into high value bio-based chemicals
19 March 2018
11 partners from 5 member states (manufacturers, technical specialists, councils and educational institutions) are working together to valorise excess by-products from the dairy industry to value added products such as lactic acid, polylactic acid, minerals for human nutrition and bio-based fertilisers. Read more