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Spain-based Aragonese technology centers and  have recently been awarded seven projects — a total of €5 million — funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) program. These projects, which represent 25% of the total number of initiatives selected, consolidate Aragon’s role as a driver of sustainable development and innovation in Europe.

The CBE JU program is considered to be the most demanding and ambitious European program for funding research and innovation projects in the bioeconomy field. In its 2024 call, it received 298 proposals in 18 different thematic areas, selecting only 30 of those projects to receive funding.  

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The bioeconomy represents an innovative and sustainable approach that focuses on transforming raw materials of biological origin — such as agricultural, forestry or industrial waste — into high value-added products, such as biofuels, bioplastics and sustainable chemicals. Aragon’s bioeconomy deployment efforts aligns with the Aragonese Climate Change Strategy, which seeks a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (compared to 1990), a 60% circularity rate and a 30% decrease in waste destined for landfills. In addition, the mobilization of €1 billion for circular bioeconomy activities, 30% citizen participation in these activities and the creation of 35,000 green jobs are planned.

The bioeconomy use renewable biological resources such as crops, forests, fish, animals and micro-organisms to produce food, health, materials, products, textiles and energy.

CIRCE is participating in four of the seven new projects. In two of them, CIRCE acts as coordinator and focuses on providing technological solutions for the biogas and biomethane sector, as well as developing new methodologies to promote recycling in the construction industry, which will study composite materials in some regard.

In addition, CIRCE is involved as a partner in two other initiatives. One of them seeks to encourage the participation of the primary sector in bio-industries, while the other focuses on promoting collaboration between rural actors and the primary sector.

For its part, Aitiip will coordinate a project aimed at the effective implementation of biodegradable solutions in soil. This initiative seeks to improve the sustainability of sectors such as agri-food, construction and landscaping. Aitiip will also collaborate in the two projects led by CIRCE and will participate in two other projects. One of them focuses on providing sustainable chemical alternatives based on lignin, while the other seeks to valorize byproducts obtained from microalgae.