TURBITS, Turvemaiden uudet viljelykasvit sekä biosivuvirrat:Tuotantoketjut, arvoaineet ja kiertotalous (TURBITS)
Main funder
Funder's project number: J10209
Funds granted by main funder (€)
- 307 993,00
Funding program
Project timetable
Project start date: 01/11/2023
Project end date: 31/05/2026
Summary
This project aims to create a new research, infrastructure and innovation center, whose mission is to develop sustainably and responsibly circular economy of biobased side-streams, to recover organic valuable substances from biological side-streams, and to find new, profitable plants with wide value chains to be cultivated in Central Finland.
This project focuses on especially on paludicultured plants on the former peat production areas, whose value chains are widely studied for recovery of organic valuables, fiber materials, bedding and growing medium
production. In the project, the entire production chain is improved, starting with working methods for the plant cultivation, harvesting, and logistics and ending with the comprehensive use of each fraction of crops for the needs of many different industrial operators. Especially, in Central Finland, exits great potential to produce different plant biomasses and turn them into products with a high and increased international demand potential. In this project, the goal is to use the bio-side streams in a resource- and material-efficient way before they end up in energy production.
As peat production decreases, it is necessary to find new sources of biomass for the needs
of both bedding and growing medium production. Cultivating plants only for these production sectors is, however, not economically viable. Despite this, profitability can be increased by versatile utilization of plant material to meet the needs of many users. In addition to fibers and biomass, plant materials contain many usable compounds and components, so-called organic valuables that are not essential in the growth medium or litter product or are even harmful compounds considering the final product. These valuable plant-based ingredients contain many highly processed raw materials, such as antimicrobial compounds, flavoring and additives, vitamins and flavonoids, which are essential raw materials for e.g., for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
One of the central values of the project is business orientation. In the project, we aim to
meet the challenges related to the cultivation, harvesting and processing of plants and the recovery of organic valuables for which a need has already been identified among further processors. The results of the project will broadly benefit the Central Finland business life, renew the regional economy, create new earning opportunities for new and existing SMEs, and especially, create new work for experts who have lost their jobs in peat production. In particular, the project will benefit SMEs working in primary production, former peat producers and owners of peat production areas. In this way, the project creates vitality, especially in those areas of the province, such as the Viitasaari and Saarijärvi regions, which have suffered the most from the decline in peat production. In addition, the project acts as an initial impetus for the development of a new business focused on the recovery of valuables in Central Finland.
Sustainability and responsibility are the core of the project. In this project, the circular economy
of various biobased side-streams and cultivated plants is developed so that the operation
is both economically and environmentally sustainable. The goal of the project is to provide support through concrete research data, studies and piloting in the transition of the operating environment and to produce new knowledge and know-how that strengthens the ability to renew the environment of previous peat production areas, under the pressure of climate change. The project specially creates conditions for the development of new SME business operations. In addition, the project develops peat production areas in such a way that the new forms of use
turn the areas into carbon sinks, while at the same time creating employment and producing
new SME business.
The project is implemented as measures in five work packages: 1. Cultivation and harvesting techniques of new plants and mechanical processing, 2. Chemical analysis of valuables analytics, their prevalence and commercial potential, 3. Recovery of valuables, 4. Future plants and raw material chains, and 5. Project management and communication.
The main actors of the project are the University of Jyväskylä (Department of Chemistry) and Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences (Institute of Bioeconomics). The project period is 1.10.2023-31.4.2026. In addition, the project is supported by several business actors such as: Neova Group (Jyväskylä), Epira Oy (Karstula), JyväsHamppu (Jyväskylä), Spinnova (Jyväskylä) and Fluffstuff (Helsinki) as well as the municipality of Saarijärvi and the Karstula regional development company.
This project focuses on especially on paludicultured plants on the former peat production areas, whose value chains are widely studied for recovery of organic valuables, fiber materials, bedding and growing medium
production. In the project, the entire production chain is improved, starting with working methods for the plant cultivation, harvesting, and logistics and ending with the comprehensive use of each fraction of crops for the needs of many different industrial operators. Especially, in Central Finland, exits great potential to produce different plant biomasses and turn them into products with a high and increased international demand potential. In this project, the goal is to use the bio-side streams in a resource- and material-efficient way before they end up in energy production.
As peat production decreases, it is necessary to find new sources of biomass for the needs
of both bedding and growing medium production. Cultivating plants only for these production sectors is, however, not economically viable. Despite this, profitability can be increased by versatile utilization of plant material to meet the needs of many users. In addition to fibers and biomass, plant materials contain many usable compounds and components, so-called organic valuables that are not essential in the growth medium or litter product or are even harmful compounds considering the final product. These valuable plant-based ingredients contain many highly processed raw materials, such as antimicrobial compounds, flavoring and additives, vitamins and flavonoids, which are essential raw materials for e.g., for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
One of the central values of the project is business orientation. In the project, we aim to
meet the challenges related to the cultivation, harvesting and processing of plants and the recovery of organic valuables for which a need has already been identified among further processors. The results of the project will broadly benefit the Central Finland business life, renew the regional economy, create new earning opportunities for new and existing SMEs, and especially, create new work for experts who have lost their jobs in peat production. In particular, the project will benefit SMEs working in primary production, former peat producers and owners of peat production areas. In this way, the project creates vitality, especially in those areas of the province, such as the Viitasaari and Saarijärvi regions, which have suffered the most from the decline in peat production. In addition, the project acts as an initial impetus for the development of a new business focused on the recovery of valuables in Central Finland.
Sustainability and responsibility are the core of the project. In this project, the circular economy
of various biobased side-streams and cultivated plants is developed so that the operation
is both economically and environmentally sustainable. The goal of the project is to provide support through concrete research data, studies and piloting in the transition of the operating environment and to produce new knowledge and know-how that strengthens the ability to renew the environment of previous peat production areas, under the pressure of climate change. The project specially creates conditions for the development of new SME business operations. In addition, the project develops peat production areas in such a way that the new forms of use
turn the areas into carbon sinks, while at the same time creating employment and producing
new SME business.
The project is implemented as measures in five work packages: 1. Cultivation and harvesting techniques of new plants and mechanical processing, 2. Chemical analysis of valuables analytics, their prevalence and commercial potential, 3. Recovery of valuables, 4. Future plants and raw material chains, and 5. Project management and communication.
The main actors of the project are the University of Jyväskylä (Department of Chemistry) and Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences (Institute of Bioeconomics). The project period is 1.10.2023-31.4.2026. In addition, the project is supported by several business actors such as: Neova Group (Jyväskylä), Epira Oy (Karstula), JyväsHamppu (Jyväskylä), Spinnova (Jyväskylä) and Fluffstuff (Helsinki) as well as the municipality of Saarijärvi and the Karstula regional development company.
