Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FertiCycle (New bio-based fertilisers from organic waste upcycling)
Reporting period: 2020-01-01 to 2021-12-31
The world food supply needs to increase by 70 % to feed the 9 billion global population by 2050, increasing pressure on agriculture and necessitating further intensification. Currently, EU is heavily import dependent for more than 90% of nonrenewable phosphorus and synthetic nitrogen fertilisers, at large economic cost (€15 billion/y) and with negative environmental impacts from fertiliser production and use. Furthermore, phosphate has been identified as a
critical raw material for the EU.
We therefore need a new European effort to address ‘The Nutrient Nexus’, where reduced nutrient losses and improved nutrient use efficiency across all sectors simultaneously provide the foundation for a greener and more circular economy to produce more food and energy while reducing environmental pollution. European farmers and fertiliser industry thus urgently need techniques for increasing substitution of synthetic with waste-derived nutrients formulated into high-quality, bio-based fertilisers. However, this requires research into new processing, application and assessment and more innovative and entrepreneurial scientists capable of meeting these future needs - FertiCycle aims to to fill this gap.
The objective of FertiCycle is to train 15 early stage researchers (ESR) to develop new processes for production of bio-based fertilisers, recycling wasted resources and to estimate the market potential and sustainability challenges of their production and use. The training program aims to enable the ESR to generate, integrate and apply inter-disciplinary knowledge for developing new technical solutions for bio-based fertiliser production, management and marketing, and will give them competences for inter-sectoral work and international collaboration in industry and academia. FertiCycle outcomes will be 15 trained scientists; required technologies, knowhow and market concepts from which innovative new bio-based fertiliser products can develop to proof-of-concept level with industry.
critical raw material for the EU.
We therefore need a new European effort to address ‘The Nutrient Nexus’, where reduced nutrient losses and improved nutrient use efficiency across all sectors simultaneously provide the foundation for a greener and more circular economy to produce more food and energy while reducing environmental pollution. European farmers and fertiliser industry thus urgently need techniques for increasing substitution of synthetic with waste-derived nutrients formulated into high-quality, bio-based fertilisers. However, this requires research into new processing, application and assessment and more innovative and entrepreneurial scientists capable of meeting these future needs - FertiCycle aims to to fill this gap.
The objective of FertiCycle is to train 15 early stage researchers (ESR) to develop new processes for production of bio-based fertilisers, recycling wasted resources and to estimate the market potential and sustainability challenges of their production and use. The training program aims to enable the ESR to generate, integrate and apply inter-disciplinary knowledge for developing new technical solutions for bio-based fertiliser production, management and marketing, and will give them competences for inter-sectoral work and international collaboration in industry and academia. FertiCycle outcomes will be 15 trained scientists; required technologies, knowhow and market concepts from which innovative new bio-based fertiliser products can develop to proof-of-concept level with industry.
On February 20, 2020, the FertiCycle consortium had its initial Start-up meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. Project planning began in earnest and a project schedule was developed to meet the timeline communicated in the project proposal and Grant Agreement. In general, the proposal was to initiate the recruitment of Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in the spring of 2020, and have them in place with the project beneficiaries by August of 2020. The project Kick-off meeting was scheduled for September of 2020, and the project would progress along the appropriate timeline. However, in response to Covid-19, University processes were hindered as personnel adjusted to the effects of the pandemic, and the project was required to change its schedule, along with the timeline of some deliverables.
All ESRs were enrolled in the fall of 2020. Prior to the Start-up meeting, the first Management Board (MB) meeting was initiated via ZOOM on January 13, 2020. Since then, the MB has met six more times, via ZOOM, throughout 2020. During these meetings, the management of the project was discussed and collaborations defined. MB meetings deliberated topics and advised actions on the Grant Agreement development, the recruiting process, project timeline changes, the Data Management Plan, the Network Communications Plan, FertiCycle ITN course development, and consortium communication and dissemination. Subsequently, the consortium was able to schedule the FertiCycle Kick-off meeting for November 26, 2020, after which, the Supervisory Board (SB) was officially designated and the status of the ESRs was validated. In parallel with the Kick-off meeting, the FertiCycle PhD Introductory Course (C1) was held on two separate dates, November 19 and December 2, 2020.
In 2021, the focus of the consortium turned to training, research and dissemination. Four more courses were held during 2021, including: C2 -Project Management, S1 -Waste Processing and Upcycling, S2 - Nutrient cycling and environmental and agronomic impacts, and S3 - Discussion forum on Sustainability of upcycled biobased fertiliser products. FertiCycle ESRs have had considerable advancements in their individual PhD projects. 2/3rds of the ESRs have initiated their first secondments, and information exchanged has continued within the MB meetings, a SB meeting, and an Annual Meeting held in person in October 2021. There has been approximately 30 dissemination activities recorded, not including social media activity held on the projects Twitter and LinkedIn pages. The PM team has designed/scheduled activities in the consortium through 2022 and into 2023, including consortium meetings, courses, and secondments.
All ESRs were enrolled in the fall of 2020. Prior to the Start-up meeting, the first Management Board (MB) meeting was initiated via ZOOM on January 13, 2020. Since then, the MB has met six more times, via ZOOM, throughout 2020. During these meetings, the management of the project was discussed and collaborations defined. MB meetings deliberated topics and advised actions on the Grant Agreement development, the recruiting process, project timeline changes, the Data Management Plan, the Network Communications Plan, FertiCycle ITN course development, and consortium communication and dissemination. Subsequently, the consortium was able to schedule the FertiCycle Kick-off meeting for November 26, 2020, after which, the Supervisory Board (SB) was officially designated and the status of the ESRs was validated. In parallel with the Kick-off meeting, the FertiCycle PhD Introductory Course (C1) was held on two separate dates, November 19 and December 2, 2020.
In 2021, the focus of the consortium turned to training, research and dissemination. Four more courses were held during 2021, including: C2 -Project Management, S1 -Waste Processing and Upcycling, S2 - Nutrient cycling and environmental and agronomic impacts, and S3 - Discussion forum on Sustainability of upcycled biobased fertiliser products. FertiCycle ESRs have had considerable advancements in their individual PhD projects. 2/3rds of the ESRs have initiated their first secondments, and information exchanged has continued within the MB meetings, a SB meeting, and an Annual Meeting held in person in October 2021. There has been approximately 30 dissemination activities recorded, not including social media activity held on the projects Twitter and LinkedIn pages. The PM team has designed/scheduled activities in the consortium through 2022 and into 2023, including consortium meetings, courses, and secondments.
The FertiCycle vision is based on the cradle-to-cradle concept that all nutrient-containing products can be recycled in a waste-free and cyclic system, where their entire lifecycle is considered and dealt with. The project impact can potentially be a win-win-win scenario, where it is possible to:
1. Limit negative impacts on soil, air and water quality from traditional waste management
2. Substitute fossil resources depletion (especially phosphorus) and energy consumption from traditional synthetic fertiliser production
3. Establish synergy with bioenergy production from the waste that can be used to substitute fossil fuels
This will be achieved by bridging the knowledge gaps often seen between the different steps in the value chain. We anticipate that this can be done in synergy with the recovery of the energy content. Many processing technologies have already been developed and are commercially available, but focus has been mainly on waste disposal and not enough attention has been paid to the quality and valorisation of residual products. Research, development and innovation in the FertiCycle project will focus on more efficient processes and multiple products, including novel, high-quality, bio-based fertilisers.
The Action has so far been successful in creating the ESR network for in-depth science on this topic, that will pave not only the future career paths of the ESRs but also the way to new discoveries that can be utilized for innovations by the industrial parties as well as other institutions for future research.
The research of the individual ESRs is only just beginning, but as evident from appendices 3 many of them have already started their initial experimental or data gathering, e.g. collecting and characterizing a range of waste and residue derived materials for producing bio-based fertilizer and setting up preliminary pot-trials and other investigations. This means that the research in the coming year is likely to rapidly yield useful results and hence impact on development of high-quality bio-based fertilizers.
The project will also provide opportunities to establish and develop new collaborations between universities and industries on development, testing and validation of novel, high quality, bio-based fertilisers. Several of the partner organisations in this field, including Fertilisers Europe and S.C.A.M. have expressed their great interest and support for the work and the outcomes of FertiCycle.
1. Limit negative impacts on soil, air and water quality from traditional waste management
2. Substitute fossil resources depletion (especially phosphorus) and energy consumption from traditional synthetic fertiliser production
3. Establish synergy with bioenergy production from the waste that can be used to substitute fossil fuels
This will be achieved by bridging the knowledge gaps often seen between the different steps in the value chain. We anticipate that this can be done in synergy with the recovery of the energy content. Many processing technologies have already been developed and are commercially available, but focus has been mainly on waste disposal and not enough attention has been paid to the quality and valorisation of residual products. Research, development and innovation in the FertiCycle project will focus on more efficient processes and multiple products, including novel, high-quality, bio-based fertilisers.
The Action has so far been successful in creating the ESR network for in-depth science on this topic, that will pave not only the future career paths of the ESRs but also the way to new discoveries that can be utilized for innovations by the industrial parties as well as other institutions for future research.
The research of the individual ESRs is only just beginning, but as evident from appendices 3 many of them have already started their initial experimental or data gathering, e.g. collecting and characterizing a range of waste and residue derived materials for producing bio-based fertilizer and setting up preliminary pot-trials and other investigations. This means that the research in the coming year is likely to rapidly yield useful results and hence impact on development of high-quality bio-based fertilizers.
The project will also provide opportunities to establish and develop new collaborations between universities and industries on development, testing and validation of novel, high quality, bio-based fertilisers. Several of the partner organisations in this field, including Fertilisers Europe and S.C.A.M. have expressed their great interest and support for the work and the outcomes of FertiCycle.