Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien TD, have announced €10 million in funding under the EU Just Transition Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative to support two bioeconomy projects in Ireland’s Midlands. The funding, co-supported by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, is aimed at delivering practical, investable bioeconomy solutions that create low-carbon, biobased value chains as the region transitions away from peat. Both projects will anchor their activities, biomass procurement, and industry collaboration in the Midlands, generating local investment, skills development, and supply-chain opportunities.
The ‘BIOCHAR’ project, led by the University of Limerick, will develop and produce sustainable biochar for applications in agriculture, water treatment, and transport infrastructure. Using indigenous biomasses, the project will demonstrate large-scale use of biochar and create a blueprint for a mid-sized biochar facility, enabling future investment and replication in the Midlands. The project will also explore biochar’s ability to reduce carbon emissions, enhance biogas production, capture nutrients from manure, and filter organic contaminants, with trials conducted in collaboration with local farmers and partners such as Aurivo.
The ‘TRANSFORM’ project, led by University College Dublin, will focus on upcycling agri-food by-products and food waste into high-value functional ingredients using fermentation and drying technologies. Demonstration activities will take place at the Circular Food Company’s facility in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, with additional modular fermentation equipment in Ballybay, Co. Monaghan. The project will develop scalable business models for other producers in the Midlands to valorize waste locally, supporting sustainable biomanufacturing, logistics, and potentially creating up to 50 jobs.
The funding supports the broader EU Just Transition Fund objectives, encouraging collaboration across the entire bio-based value chain, including SMEs, universities, local authorities, clusters, primary producers, and bioprocessing industries. Both projects are expected to stimulate regional economic diversification, strengthen skills, and demonstrate practical circular economy applications that reduce environmental impacts and support climate goals.
The announcement builds on prior investments, including €22 million already committed to bioeconomy demonstration initiatives and other funding under the Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025. The Midlands region has seen previous projects such as the Mount Lucas Circular Bioeconomy Aquaculture and BioScale Up projects, which have strengthened staff, infrastructure, and demonstration capabilities.
Overall, these initiatives highlight the strategic importance of the bioeconomy for green growth, competitiveness, and resilience, supporting climate mitigation, circular production, and sustainable livelihoods. The EU Just Transition Fund and national co-funding aim to transform the Midlands into a hub for innovative, low-carbon bio-based technologies and practices, while reinforcing local communities and industries as Ireland transitions toward a net-zero economy.
