Blog

Every year, vast quantities of agricultural biomass remain unused in many European countries. Valuable materials such as cut grass, tree prunings, greenhouse residues, and olive‑processing waste are routinely burned or simply discarded. This widespread practice not only leads to the loss of potential resources but also results in missed opportunities for economic diversification and development within rural communities.

The PRIMARY project seeks to address this dual challenge by transforming under‑utilised agricultural by‑products into valuable resources that create new business opportunities for rural communities across Europe. Through the innovative recycling technologies it employs, the project places producers at the core of a sustainable ecosystem, turning what was once considered waste into drivers of rural prosperity.

The four‑year project is funded by Horizon Europe, the European Union’s main research and innovation programme. The project consortium consists of twelve organisations — research centres, companies, and energy communities — from Finland, Greece, and Estonia, with Arkalochori being one of the beneficiary areas. The project includes the following activities:

• The pilot application of grass biorefining processes for its conversion into food, animal feed, and bio‑based materials.
• The promotion of fermentation processes for converting agricultural residues into protein‑rich ingredients.
• The development of foam‑forming technology for converting fibre‑rich plant‑based waste into packaging materials and construction products.
• The use of pelletisation and gasification processes to convert cotton and olive by‑products into clean‑energy products and soil‑enhancement materials.

Specifically for Arkalochori, the project foresees:

• The creation of a solid biofuel production unit in the form of wood chips.
• The installation of a biomass boiler in a municipal building to meet its heating needs.
• The supply of a biomass gasification unit with feedstock for the production of biochar.
• The production of compost from agricultural‑holding waste.
• The incorporation of biochar and compost into olive groves and the assessment of their effectiveness as soil‑improving agents.
• The study of different biomass‑storage methods in order to identify the most economically advantageous option.

Minoan Energy Community, having started with the core objective of harnessing renewable energy sources and combating energy poverty, has succeeded in providing electricity to a steadily growing number of its members, mainly from rural areas of Crete.

Today, building on the experience and strong expertise of its scientific team, it is taking a further step forward. Through the PRIMARY project, it seeks to actively contribute to the circular economy of our region — a necessary development both because of its agricultural character and the challenges of the Climate Crisis, as well as the changes that will be brought about by the operation of the new airport.