Menu
Menu
Nutrient recovery and recirculation from process waste water to support plant growth and circular economy
The Brainwaves project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Cooperation programme, centres on the capturing of valuable plant nutrients in liquid waste from slaughterhouse & livestock farm wastewater and on recycling these nutrients back for plant growth, thus avoiding eutrophication problems, and saving finite resources. Brainwaves exploits the abilities of the duckweed Lemna minor to grow rapidly on a wide variety of waste streams, to take up nitrogen and phosphorus from the water, and to produce a protein-rich biomass that can be used as an animal feed or a nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich soil improver. Thus, Brainwaves is developing the use of liquid waste as a new resource for a green farming sector.
Agriculture in both Ireland and Wales comprises strong dairy and beef industries. These industries are significant producers and exporters to global markets, as well as major rural employers. Currently, there are an estimated 1.4 and 0.5 million dairy cows in Ireland and Wales, respectively, and these cows excrete up to 40-60kg of waste per cow per day. The waste includes a mixture of organic solids, nitrogen, potassium and phosphate. Storage and further management of this resource does involve serious costs for farmers. That is where Brainwave project comes in. Building on existing research Brainwaves will develop innovative, economically viable technologies to grow common duckweed on farm waste and integrate these with local conditions for Irish and Welsh farmers. Capitalising on the strong societal interest in sustainability, together with advances in growth technology, they will develop indoor and outdoor demonstration systems to maximise duckweed growth and phytoremediation capacity, built in collaboration with Irish and Welsh SMEs. Duckweed crops will be grown either in low cost, outdoor pond systems equipped with sensors for nutrient monitoring, or grown in climate controlled, LED-illuminated, vertically stacked hydroponic systems. Brainwaves will support and guide farmers and other end-users in the use of these systems.
The global lignin market size was estimated at USD 1.04 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% from 2023 to 2030. The value of the xylitol is expected to rise from US$ 713.4 million in 2023 to US$ 1,086.8 million in 2033.
Carbon footprint of the whole fractionation process is 201 kg CO2 eq based on 1 ton of dry input material (wood residues) which is significantly lower than fossil fuel. The approach will reduce waste from biorefining processes by at least 80 per cent over the current state-of-the art.
The extension of the hardwood value chain to produce need products like insulation and elastomeric foams and biochemicals can create jobs in local community
Foresters, technology providers, researchers, product market actors (e.g., manufacturers, packaging sector, agri-food sector, consumer goods).
Slaughterhouse and Livestock farm wastewater
4
Brainwave
Duckweed cultivation in bioreactor
Protein
8000 toones of LIGNOVA™ grade and 20,00 dry tonnes of cellulosic wood sugars
Ireland
2014
Subscribe to our newsletter for news updates…
Consortium
Subscribe to our newsletter for news updates…
Consortium
© InformBio • All Rights Reserved • Privacy Policy • Site by Bright Idea
© InformBio • All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy • Site by Bright Idea