The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien TD, have announced €10 million in funding for two new bioeconomy demonstration projects under the EU Just Transition Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative. The programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union and aims to support Ireland’s Midlands region as it transitions away from peat-based industries towards low-carbon, circular bio-based value chains.
The funding is divided equally between two flagship projects: the BIOCHAR project, led by the University of Limerick, and the TRANSFORM project, led by University College Dublin. Both initiatives will be implemented in the Midlands Just Transition Fund Territory, focusing on building local supply chains, creating investment opportunities, and developing new skills to support regional economic diversification.
The BIOCHAR project will develop and demonstrate sustainable biochar applications in agriculture, water treatment, and transport infrastructure using locally sourced biomass. It will also create a blueprint for a mid-scale biochar facility to support future commercial investment and replication in the region. As part of the project, ICOS, in partnership with Teagasc and Aurivo, will test biochar use in slurry systems while collecting farmer feedback to assess adoption potential.
The TRANSFORM project will focus on converting food waste and agri-food by-products into high-value ingredients for use in food and animal feed industries. Working with the Circular Food Company in Tullamore and SOMATECH, the project will establish a commercial-scale demonstration facility and invest in new equipment and skilled jobs. It will also develop a replicable model for wider industry use, supporting circular economy practices across the agri-food sector.
Government leaders highlighted that these investments will strengthen innovation, sustainability, and employment opportunities in the Midlands, while advancing climate and economic goals through practical applications of the circular economy. EU representatives and regional authorities also emphasized that the projects will help build resilient, place-based innovation ecosystems and support the transition to a net-zero economy.
Together, the initiatives are expected to accelerate the scaling of Ireland’s bioeconomy sector while delivering long-term environmental benefits and new economic opportunities for rural communities.
