biomega has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering on its circularity goals after the official unveiling of its new biorefinery in Hirtshals, Denmark.
During the biorefinery’s grand opening on 7 December 2022 in an exclusive event for the company’s business partners, biomega pledged to reduce bio-waste by approximately 18,300 tonnes per year and greenhouse gases by approximately 1,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide eq per year at Hirtshals by the end of 2025.
Both environmental targets are part of the LIFE CONQUER Project, a multi-million euro grant awarded to biomega last year from the European Commission as part of its LIFE programme.
Instrumental to the project’s inception and securing the grant funding was Dr. Bjørn Liaset (pictured), Chief Scientific Officer of biomega. “It was a pleasure to officially unveil our new biorefinery to our customers and suppliers 18 months after work began,” Liaset commented. “As part of our initial investment and funding through the LIFE CONQUER project, we have installed next-generation technology that is equipped with the most energy-efficient processes to help us reach our sustainability targets.”
Liaset continued: “During the three-year project, biomega will seek to reduce bio-waste by 18,300 tonnes per year, reaching 87% of our biorefinery capacity. In the years to come after 2025, at full biorefinery capacity, the aim is to achieve a reduction of 21,000 tonnes per year.
“Collaboration with Greenport North means the gas installed on the Hirtshals site is sourced from a Danish distribution network, where 30% of the energy consumed is sourced from biogas. While the country works towards becoming 100% self-sufficient regarding its gas supply, Greenport’s aim is to recirculate surplus gas around the port to reduce waste. This will, in turn, help biomega to reach a reduction of about 1,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide eq per year.”
The LIFE CONQUER project aims to promote the circular economy by funding developments that support a sustainable way of living. biomega is keen to take responsible climate action by demonstrating how its innovative solutions for extracting proteins from raw materials can work towards a zero waste farmed salmon value chain.
Currently, the unique patented process from biomega involves continuous enzymatic hydrolysis. By using heated water with no added chemicals, the process naturally and gently separates oil, proteins and sediments from the raw material to make total use of the rest stream. This results in high-quality salmon peptides and oils, suitable for applications in the human and pet health and nutrition markets.
“Continuous enzymatic hydrolysis relies heavily on water and thermal energy,” continued Liaset. “As part of our sustainability targets, the new biorefinery is predicted to increase water efficiency by around 30,000 metres cubed and, due to the unique technology implemented, could save around 23.7 gwh per year of thermal energy. With water being one of the planet’s most precious resources, biomega is committed to reusing and saving water where possible.”