EUBCE 2026 - Pooja POOJA - A Circular BioRefinery Concept: Wet Fractionated Green Forage Residues Support Early-stage Butyrate Fermentation and High Yield Biogas Production

A Circular BioRefinery Concept: Wet Fractionated Green Forage Residues Support Early-stage Butyrate Fermentation and High Yield Biogas Production

Short Introductive summary

Unlocking the synergistic potential of Europe’s extensive grasslands (e.g., 90% of farmland in Ireland) is pivotal for the EU Green Deal’s protein sovereignty and 45% renewables target by 2030. This study demonstrates a highly scalable, cascade-based grass biorefinery that efficiently redefines agricultural waste utilization. By transforming the typically discarded de-proteinated press cake derived from Lolium perenne monocultures and mixed swards (including red clover), this zero-waste concept extracts maximum value from a single substrate: recovering the protein-rich fraction for animal feed, converting the residual biomass into high-value butyric acid-rich Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs), and subsequently digesting the remaining solids into methane-rich biogas. This cascade approach not only mitigates agricultural waste but establishes diversified revenue streams while providing a robust, circular pathway for sustainable resource management.

P. Pooja, University of Galway, IRELAND
C. Nzeteu, Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone, IRELAND
O. McAuliffe, Teagasc Food Research Centre and Teagasc Climate Centre, Moorepark, Cork, IRELAND
V. O' Flaherty, University of Galway, IRELAND