Plant Waste Utilization in Wine Production: Anaerobic Digestion and By-Product Innovation

This operational group focuses on valorising wine production by-products—grape pomace, stalks, and seeds—through anaerobic digestion and product development. Mini digesters on small farms produce biogas for on-farm use and digestate, a low-carbon organic fertilizer. The project tests various plant residues to optimise input ratios for high-quality outputs. It also develops new products: grape seed oil and flour, and tannins extracted from stalks and pomace. These innovations aim to boost winemakers’ competitiveness, create new revenue streams, and improve market recognition. Business plans and investment studies will support adoption of the three core technologies—digestion, oil/flour production, and tannin extraction—across agricultural systems. Funded by the European Union and accessible via EU-FarmBook.