Ministers announce €800,000 for bioeconomy research
Two Irish-led projects have received over €800,000 in funding to foster sustainable bioeconomy innovations. The awards, announced during Bioeconomy Ireland Week, aim to transform agricultural and marine resources through cutting-edge research at UCD and ATU.
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Gov.ie / MerrionStreet
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Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD and Minister of State with special responsibility for research Noel Grealish TD announced funding exceeding €800,000 for two pioneering bioeconomy projects. This announcement was made to coincide with Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2026, reflecting Ireland's commitment to developing a sustainable, biobased economy.
The first project, "ACE-BIO," led by Nick Holden at University College Dublin, focuses on converting underutilised dairy processing side streams and perennial grasses into ethyl acetate, a green solvent with wide industrial applications. This initiative aims to replace fossil-derived chemicals with more sustainable alternatives, employing innovative microbial fermentation and AI-driven technologies.
The second project, "MaMaCas," headed by Colin Hannon at Atlantic Technological University, addresses the ecological challenge posed by invasive marine species generating significant non-food biomass. It seeks to convert this biomass into high-value products such as chitosan, fatty acids, proteins, and therapeutic enzymes, which could benefit sectors including aquaculture. Both projects involve collaboration with European research institutions, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in advancing Ireland’s National Bioeconomy Strategy 2026–2030.
The first project, "ACE-BIO," led by Nick Holden at University College Dublin, focuses on converting underutilised dairy processing side streams and perennial grasses into ethyl acetate, a green solvent with wide industrial applications. This initiative aims to replace fossil-derived chemicals with more sustainable alternatives, employing innovative microbial fermentation and AI-driven technologies.
The second project, "MaMaCas," headed by Colin Hannon at Atlantic Technological University, addresses the ecological challenge posed by invasive marine species generating significant non-food biomass. It seeks to convert this biomass into high-value products such as chitosan, fatty acids, proteins, and therapeutic enzymes, which could benefit sectors including aquaculture. Both projects involve collaboration with European research institutions, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in advancing Ireland’s National Bioeconomy Strategy 2026–2030.
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