B-FERST’s main objective is to integrate the valorisation of bio-wastes in agriculture management plans creating anew circular and bio-based value chains considering a bilateral interaction between farming and fertiliser sectors focused on a paradigm shift in the fertiliser value chain with 8 specialised fertilisers. Specialised nutrient mixes are required to achieve a more sustainable management of resources by tailor-made nutrient dosing adapted to farmer systems. The SUSTAINABILITY of B-FERST is based on the reuse of bio-waste to replace non-renewable, non-domestic and energy intensive raw materials: 1) Bio-based solid fertilisers including renewable sources of macronutrients (N,P,K) obtained from 3 by-products streams: i) ashes, as source of P & K from: Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP) (sewage sludges), & agri-food such as: slaughterhouse waste, olive & livestock wastes; ii) struvite as source of P & N from WWTP & agro waste (pig slurries), and; iii) compost as source of organic carbon compound, N, P & K from Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste) OFMSW, WWTP & agro waste (manure -livestock-). 2) Biostimulants for soil nutrient improvement from two approaches: selected microbiological strains as Microbial Plant Biostimulant (MPB) or Non-Microbial Plant Biostimulant (NMPB) from cardoon oil meal processing (agricultural by-products) and compost extracts. Bio-degradable coatings based on biopolymers will be used when MPB is added to the fertiliser products to protect the beneficial microorganisms and guaranty their performance. The VIABILITY is based on previous R&D from other RIA projects. The manufacturing process will be demonstrated at a demonstrative industrial scale. Then specialised fertilisers will be performed and validated in 5 crops tests (Spain, Italy, France, Poland and Ukraine) comparing their functionality to that of traditional fertilisers in terms of: sustainable sourcing, logistics, soil and growing conditions, reaching a TRL6

Through a holistic approach, APOLO aims to tackle the challenges of power conversion from ammonia and develop an efficient and flexible ammonia cracking technology. This technology will be coupled with fuel cells and engines to achieve complete decarbonization of the maritime sector. As the main objective of the call is to demonstrate scalability beyond 3MW, the consortium will focus on showcasing the following demonstration units: i) A 125kW power conversion system that utilizes an ammonia cracker coupled with a PEM fuel cell system, achieving an overall system efficiency of 51% to 54%. The ammonia cracker will be customized to work with different pressure conditions and efficiency levels of PEM fuel cells. A comparison of efficiency levels will be conducted to evaluate the flexibility of the cracking system for all types of PEM fuel cells. ii) A 125kW partial ammonia cracker coupled with a 4-stroke engine, exhibiting an overall system efficiency above 45% APOLO is dedicated to minimizing the ecological footprint of transportation and energy, focusing on the maritime sector. To achieve this, we're actively developing innovative power conversion technologies such as cracker, fuel cell, and engine, and utilizing life cycle assessment (LCA) at various stages of product development. The technologies developed in APOLO are capable of targeting the first 30,000 ships in the market. Initially, the focus will be on vessels with 1 to 10 MW propulsion, with a significant number of them being around 3 MW in the next decade, as these are the first vessels relevant for ammonia-powered solutions.

Soil degradation is considered a global emergency. 60-70% of EU soils are degraded due to unsustainable management practices. bioSOILUTIONS aims to tackle this problem by building upon previous key EU projects involving key consortium partners and bringing them forward, the main ones being WaysTUP! (SAV-Coord., DRAXIS), VALUEWASTE (CETENMA-Coord., NURESYS, GAIKER and ENTOMO) and Scalibur (CSCP and G!E). We will optimise four bio-waste valorisation routes (blood hydrolysate, frass, N-struvite, K-struvite) into advanced bio-waste soil improvers with the aim of enhancing nutrient recovery from bio-waste (e.g., N, P, K, organic matter) thus reducing landfilling and incineration. These valorisation routes will render a range of bio-waste feedstocks, that will be combined in different formulations together with key additives (e.g., Non-Microbial Plant Bioestimulants -NMPB-, Microbial Plant Bio stimulants -MPB- and Controlled Nutrient Release Coatings -CNRCS), into at least five bio-waste soil improvers. They will be co-created by working along with three Living Labs (in Flanders– Belgium, Valencia and Murcia–Spain), involving critical soil sector actors (companies and entrepreneurs, end-users, research centres, public bodies and civil society) to guarantee a good market fit of the developed soil improvers, coverage of sectorial needs and compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., new Fertilising Products Regulation). Moreover, we will design an upscaling roadmap and a circular business model for each valorisation route to engage entrepreneurs and relevant soil companies to foster the commercialisation of advanced bio-waste soil improvers across the EU. bioSOILUTIONS long-term impacts will contribute to reach targets of key EU policies and international commitments including the European Green Deal and UN Sustainable Development Goals 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

TRIBIOME's vision is to develop and implement a systemic solution to transform current food production systems. To this end, TRIBIOME aims to advance alignment with the Green Deal and Farm2fork strategies, by deepening the knowledge of soil/plant/animal and human microbiomes, as well as their interrelationships and interconnections, so that they can play a leading role in the resilience of food production systems in the near future. TRIBIOME will face the main challenges such as the need to minimize resources, reduce the environmental impact and promote healthy and plant-based food chain while feeding a constantly growing world population under the paradigm of climate change. This project aims to drive this concept from its base, establishing its central nucleus in current agricultural production systems based on the relevancy of the soil and plant microbiome, in order to produce more with less, through knowledge of microbial biodiversity and its interaction with the plant, developing novel technologies to influence its modulation (i.e., those enhancing plant growth, nutrient use efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance and better nutritional and health quality of food products) in such a way as to generate an upgrade quality food and have a positive influence on the microbiomes of both animals and humans. To this end, we will work cooperatively in a multiactor approach framework with all actors in the food production systems chain, from farmers to consumers, industry, investors and policy makers, in order to develop systemic solutions that guarantee their implementation and solve the real problems and needs of society.

The overall objective of WEDISTRICT is to demonstrate DHC as an integrated solution that exploits the combination of RES, thermal storage and waste heat recycling technologies to satisfy 100% of the heating and cooling energy demand in new DHC and up to 60-100% in retrofitted DHC. For this purpose, the focus of WEDISTRICT is large-scale replication of best practice: better valorisation of local resources, like renewable and waste heat by making District Heating and Cooling networks more efficient in relation to the use of new resources. In parallel, systems will evolve to provide even more flexible solutions by the integration of innovative molten-salts based thermal storage, the interaction with other energy networks (electricity and gas) and the involvement of end-users (operators and consumers) through ICT-based control and decision making. Finally, to enable significant expansion, cost-effectiveness will be enhanced by transitioning from handicraft to more industrialised solutions that integrate LEAN methodologies to optimise processes and lower costs.