A first-of-its-kind bio-based economy demonstration initiative was launched by Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon on Thursday in Tipperary.

It also marked the official opening of the national bio-refinery pilot plant (NBPP) at the national bio-based economy campus in Lisheen, Co Tipperary.

The initiative will demonstrate and scale six innovative bio-based technologies showing how renewable biological resources, residues and side streams can be made into higher-value products such as food and feed ingredients, proteins, bio-active compounds, natural colours, flavours and green chemical inputs for bio-plastics and textiles, among others.

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Substantial biomass resources exist across Ireland's land, sea and organic waste systems and when used sustainably, these resources can support new value chains, enterprise opportunities and reduce reliance on fossil-derived materials, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The project’s partners include Tipperary County Council, University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, Technological University of the Shannon, University of Galway, University College Cork and BiOrbic, Ireland's National Bioeconomy Research Centre funded by Research Ireland, working in partnership with the Irish Bioeconomy Foundation and industry partners including Tirlán, Medite Europe Ltd and Amu Green.

The launch is also a major step in the transformation of the former Lisheen mine into a centre for bio-based enterprise and regional development.

It demonstrates how Just Transition investment from the European Union can help create new opportunities for communities while supporting Ireland's climate, agri-food, circular bio-based economy and enterprise objectives, the Department said.

National bio-refinery pilot plant

The new national bio-refinery pilot plant provides open-access pilot-scale infrastructure to help researchers, start-ups, SMEs and established companies test, validate and scale innovations to bring new bio-based products and processes closer to market.

"Today is a landmark day for the Irish bio[-based] economy with the launch of the €5m BioScaleUp initiative and the opening of the €4.7m national bio-refinery pilot plant here at Lisheen in Co Tipperary,” Minister Heydon commented at the launch.

“These facilities will help take agricultural, food, forestry and other bio-based side streams, often seen as waste, and turns them into new valuable products for sectors as diverse as food ingredients, bio-packaging and bio-energy.

“The infrastructure being funded here by Government and the EU gives researchers, SMEs and industry access to the equipment and expertise they need to test, validate and scale new bio-based products and processes.

“This is about turning good ideas into real products, new value chains and new opportunities for rural and regional Ireland,” he said.