Across Europe, large volumes of agricultural and horticultural residues remain underutilised, despite their significant potential as a resource for the bio-based economy. One of the VALORANT partners, DRANCO has been actively working on transforming these residual streams into valuable products through previous EU-funded research projects such as CAFIPLA and RUSTICA. These initiatives have provided valuable knowledge and technological expertise that will support the successful implementation of the VALORANT project.
In the CAFIPLA project, innovative process integration enabled the conversion of heterogeneous organic waste streams into valuable bio-based building blocks. By combining the Carboxylic Acid Platform (CAP) with fibre recovery technologies, CAFIPLA demonstrated how organic residues from agriculture, municipalities, and the food industry can be transformed into products such as short-chain fatty acids, microbial protein, and platform chemicals. DRANCO played a key role in this project, contributing expertise in anaerobic fermentation, reactor engineering, and process optimisation.
Building further on this, the RUSTICA project focused specifically on the valorisation of agricultural residues into circular bio-based fertilisers. Through a combination of advanced conversion technologies—including microbial protein production, insect-based processing, biochar production, and fermentation—RUSTICA explored how nutrient-rich waste streams can be transformed into tailored fertiliser solutions. This work contributed to closing nutrient loops and reducing dependency on conventional mineral fertilisers, supporting a more sustainable agricultural system.
These projects highlight a clear evolution: from demonstrating individual technologies and value chains, towards more integrated and systemic valorisation approaches.
This is exactly where the VALORANT project takes the next step.
VALORANT focuses on horticultural residues and applies a cascade valorisation approach, aiming to maximise value extraction at each stage of processing. High-value compounds such as polyphenols are first recovered, after which the remaining biomass is further processed into secondary products such as microbial protein, biochar, or biofuels. In this approach, horticultural residues are valorised into products with the highest possible added value, while ensuring that any side streams generated throughout the cascade are further utilised and valorised wherever possible.
In addition, VALORANT introduces a joint decision framework, integrating data on residue characteristics, regional availability, processing technologies, and market opportunities. This enables stakeholders across the value chain to identify the most sustainable and economically viable valorisation routes.
By combining technological innovation, system thinking, and stakeholder engagement, VALORANT builds directly on the lessons learned from previous projects such as CAFIPLA and RUSTICA, while significantly expanding their scope. The project moves beyond single-value chains towards flexible, regionally adapted solutions that support a circular and resource-efficient bioeconomy in North-West Europe.