RUNFASTER4EU

Flagship demonstRation of Bio-based valUe chaiNs For vAloriSaTion of sustAinable oil cropS for marketable applications

Project details

Type of project
Innovation Action – Flagship
Project focus
Food, feed & cosmetics
Feedstock origin
Other and new
Feedstock type
Dedicated crops
Project period
1 July 2025 - 30 June 2030
Status
Upcoming
CBE JU Contribution
€ 19 908 650,25
Call identifier
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2024

Summary

The EU faces an urgent need for soil regeneration and responsible land use. A sustainable solution lies in cultivating low-input oil crops on non-food marginal lands, helping restore soil health while generating valuable biomass.

RUNFASTER4EU is creating a sustainable and replicable bio-based value chain for large-scale cultivation of oil crops on marginal lands.

The project’s aim is to transform these underutilised lands into productive sources of feedstock for bio-based industries. Through advanced biorefinery processes, the project converts vegetable oils and residual biomass into high-value bio-based products in a cascading approach. These include bio-building blocks and intermediates, cosmetic formulations, bio-stimulants, feed ingredients, herbicides, dielectric fluids, bioplastic, and NIPU for vertical gardens. 

  • Develop an industrial-scale, replicable model using low-ILUC-risk oil crops on marginal lands to produce bio-based products.
  • Demonstrate in-field sustainable agricultural practices, cultivation schemes and protocols in Italy, Spain, Greece, Romania, and Serbia, enhancing soil health and showcasing replication potential across Europe.
  • Upgrade and optimise biorefineries to process alternative vegetable oils and biomass residues, expanding bio-based outputs.
  • Maximise the use of all biomass fractions through a cascading approach: vegetable oils into bio-based building blocks, defatted oil meals into proteins for feed, and lignocellulosic residues into 2G sugars for biosurfactants (cosmetics).
  • Validate a diverse portfolio of bio-based products for applications in agriculture, cosmetics, feed and bioplastic sectors.

  • Reduce GHG emissions and enhance carbon sequestration.
  • Protect biodiversity and help cut air, water, and soil pollution.
  • Decrease reliance on hazardous pesticides and fertilisers.
  • Expand sustainable bio-based products following safe and sustainable by design principles in sectors such as cosmetics, agriculture, and packaging.
  • Adopt a circular bioeconomy approach, maximising biomass transformation and minimising waste.
  • Improve efficiency in bio-based production through improved recycling and reusability.
  • Demonstrate the scalability and replicability of RUNFASTER4EU’s approach across various European regions and crops.
  • Support local economic growth and job creation.
  • Actively engage local communities and farmers in bio-based value chains.
  • Strengthen societal benefits through sustainable and inclusive innovation.
     

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • VERSALIS SPA San Donato Milanese Mi, Italy

Consortium

  • NOVAMONT SPA Novara, Italy
  • ENA SYMVOULOI ANAPTYXIS G P XANTHI, Greece
  • CIFO S.R.L. San Giorgio Di Piano (Bologna), Italy
  • LEDA POLYMER SP ZOO Wroclaw, Poland
  • BF EDUCATIONAL SRL JOLANDA DI SAVOIA, Italy
  • FUNDACIO UNIVERSITARIA BALMES Vic Barcelona, Spain
  • AHAVA DEAD SEA LABORATORIES LTD Airport City, Israel
  • MATRICA SPA Porto Torres, Italy
  • NAFIGATE PARK SRO Chrastava, Czechia
  • CENTRE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND SAVING FONDATION Pikermi, Greece
  • FEDERAZIONE REGIONALE COLDIRETTI CAMPANIA Napoli, Italy
  • PNO INNOVATION UNIPESSOAL LDA LISBOA, Portugal
  • ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA Bologna, Italy
  • CARHUE PIGGERIES LIMITED CORK, Ireland
  • AGRI 2000 IBERIA S.L. POZUELO DE ALARCON, Spain
  • Agri 2000 Net RO srl Pantelimon, Romania
  • INSTITUT ZA RATARSTVO I POVRTARSTVO INSTITUT OD NACIONALNOG ZNACAJA ZA REPUBLIKU SRBIJU Novi Sad, Serbia
  • AGRI 2000 NET SRL Castel Maggiore (Bologna), Italy