The project BIOGASMENA follows an innovative, integrated and multi-disciplinary approach for the development of biogas technology and know-how in the ERA and the MENA region, combining technology transfer and laboratory research with academic exchanges, communication and training activities directed to both the general public, especially small farmers from the MENA region, and the academic community, with a particular focus on young researchers. The project includes the following tasks: (1) building dry fermentation biogas plant at pilot scale, (2) building a hybrid energy system at pilot scale, combining biogas, solar and wind energies for autonomous electricity supply, (3) equipping biogas laboratories in Algeria and Tunisia, (4) investigating biogas production in the MENA region, in particular via dry fermentation in lab-scale and bench-scale experiments, (5) including results into an online database for modeling of bioconversion kinetics, (6) optimizing digestate treatment, characterization and utilization, (7) investigating the combination of biogas production with microalgae cultivation, (8) LCA and techno-economic analyzes of designs for biogas production in the MENA region, (9) training young researchers from the MENA region in EU, in particular by following CIHEAM courses (10) informing of the research community, farmers, and the general public about biogas technology. A small-scale pilot plant of 5m3, with a planned electrical power of 500W will be built in Tunisia with concerted efforts from the partners. A thermal solar heating system will be implemented to maintain the temperature of the reactors. The biogas plant will be integrated into a hybrid system with solar photovoltaic and wind energy for grid-independent (island) electricity production, and serve as a demonstration platform for future research in the MENA region. Research laboratories in the MENA region will be equipped. In Tunisia as well, dry fermentation reactors will be built at the laboratory and coupled with a module for dewatering and ultrafiltration, which will be connected to microalgae cultures. In Algeria, a highly efficient, patented methane potential assay developed previously at the University of Hohenheim, will be installed. In the MENA region and EU, concerted research efforts will be carried out to optimize the biogas process, in particular with dry fermentation, focusing on temperature level, structure of the feedstocks, nutrient balance, as well as trace metals supply and supplementation. The quality and maturity of digestates from dry fermentation will be analyzed, and tested for plant growth in pot experiments. Furthermore, innovative digestate treatment methods will be tested, including a system for ammonia recovery during drying of digestate, and the cultivation of saline microalgae and mixotrophic microalgae fed with the liquid fraction of digestate. Young Researchers from the MENA region will move to EU to work on practical topics of the project. Promising young students will be sent to CIHEAM-IAMB in Bari to follow the International Master course in Land and Water Engineering, with second-year secondments on the project. Finally, experiences of rural communities in Egypt with household biogas production based on Indian-type digesters will be analyzed, and the techno-economic potential for the implementation of dry fermentation for electricity production will be studied.

In Mediterranean countries, the olive industry represents a major agricultural sector, generating liquid and solid wastes (cake, stalks and wood residues) with detrimental environmental impacts (salinity, acidity and high polyphenol load). The PYRODIGEST project aims to render the olive oil industry more sustainable through a new integrated waste treatment system for the olive industry based on the principle of “industrial symbiosis”, associated with the production of high-value products. For this purpose, a hybrid energy system integrating anaerobic digestion, and pyrolysis processes will be tested and optimized, combining the production of multi-purpose energy carriers, fertilizer/amending, soil improver, and high-value products. The project provides an integrated approach for the treatment of both solid and liquid wastes from the oil industry in a circular economy concept. Solid wastes (wood, leaves, stone, pomace…) are treated through pyrolysis process, converting organic matter in syngas and bio-oil used as energy carriers, and biochar that can be used both as soil improver, or activated carbon precursor (high-value product). Liquid wastes (OMEs: Olive Mill Effluents) are treated through anaerobic digestion (AD), producing biogas as an energy carrier, and digested (stabilized) organic matter as fertilizer and soil improver. OMEs are rich in polyphenols, a strong inhibitor of AD processes, also causing environmental pollution due to its toxicity. To tackle this issue, polyphenols will be extracted prior to AD process in view of their recovery as marketable high-value product by adsorption on Activated Carbons using biochar from solid wastes pyrolysis as precursor. Subsequently, detoxified OMEs effluents will be degraded through advanced UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) technology, further optimized by the application of various biofilm supports (ceramic balls; plastics carriers and granular activated carbon). Finally, digestate and biochar generated in the hybrid system can be applied as high-value fertilizer and soil improver, reducing the industrial fertilizers use and answering the main concern of soil preservation. The synergistic application of biochar together with digestate can increase the retention of nutrients applied to the soil, thus improving plant uptake and reducing the leaching of nutrients, heavy metals and organic contaminants. Furthermore, due to its physico-chemical properties, biochar can also improve the water retention capacity and reduce soil acidity, which is of high interest for the Mediterranean agricultural soils. The main objective of the PYRODIGEST project is to develop a hybrid energy system providing fertilizer and soil improver for the preservation soil quality, fertility and organic matter, along with high-value products for local self-sufficiency and local economic development. The PYRODIGEST project will include seven partners in five countries (France, Turkey, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco). Project partners will comprise universities (University of Mohammed VI; University of ORAN,Ege University), research institutes (General Directorate of Agricultural Research-Olive Research Center; Agropolymer Engineering and Emerging Technologies; Biotechnology Center of Sfax) and a private association (Association pour l'Environnement et la sécurité en Aquitaine).

IPM-4-Citrus aims to strengthen collaborations between academic and non-academic partners based in 3 European Member States (FR, GER, IT), 2 Associated Countries (Turkey and Tunisia) and 1 Third Country (Lebanon), in order to develop a new bio-pesticide active against citrus pests and scale it up from lab to market. The project’s research and innovation activities are based on a multidisciplinary approach, which aims at understanding and sensitising stakeholders about the health risk factors related to citrus pests and their treatment by chemical pesticides and developing an alternative Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach based on biological control. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) based bio pesticides occupy almost 97% of the world’s bio pesticide market and their use was estimated to exceed 30,000 tons. Despite this widespread use, the originality of Citrus-IPM is to focus on 2 promising, newly identified strains (Bt kurstaki BLB1 and LIP), which were shown to be more efficient than the commercial (Bt kurstaki HD1). In conjunction with validation through field tests, the project will pave the way for future commercial exploitation of a new biopesticide product by drawing up a feasibility study for future spin-off activities and/or new production lines in partner SMEs. Staff secondments and inter-sector and international mobilities between complementary partners will represent a unique opportunity to optimise bioproduction processes and obtain high added-value bioproducts, while building up the partners’ skills and reinforcing the training of early-stage researchers through knowledge sharing and networking. Inter-sectors mobility will bring SMEs and researchers to work conjointly on conditioning procedures for field tests, impact evaluation and product maturation/exploitation. The project will also adopt a concrete RRI approach by favouring public engagement and informal education through the different outreach activities aimed at a variety of target groups.