BioReME – Resource-wise nutrient cycling and biofertilizers for rural vitality

Project duration: 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2028

Efficient nutrient cycling and new business opportunities through biofertilizers

The BioReME project addresses the structural transition resulting from the phase-out of peat production in South and Central Ostrobothnia by developing circular economy solutions grounded in the biogas ecosystem. The project seeks to enhance the efficiency of nutrient cycling, increase the level of circularity, and create new business opportunities, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.

By advancing resource-efficient and locally based solutions, the project supports the green transition, strengthens energy self-sufficiency and security of supply, and reduces reliance on fossil fuels and imported fertilizers.

Research, pilots, and business-driven development

The project integrates research, practical pilot activities, and business-driven development. BioReME focuses on two currently underutilized opportunities: the use of straw and other plant-based biomass with significant biomethane potential in biogas production, and the upgrading of digestate into high-quality, commercially viable recycled fertilizers.

Through laboratory and pilot-scale experiments, the project will develop new methods for biomass pretreatment and digestate processing. The outcomes include recycled fertilizers suitable for piloting, as well as process models for describing nutrient cycles and fertilizer quality. In addition, BioReME will develop business concepts centered on nutrient cycling as part of a transforming food and energy system, supporting business renewal, the energy transition, and regional self-sufficiency.

Vitality and new value chains for rural businesses

The primary beneficiaries of the project are current and future actors across the biogas ecosystem. These include small and medium-sized enterprises in the energy and peat sectors, entrepreneurs who own feedstocks suitable for biogas production, companies producing or interested in producing biofertilizers, machinery and logistics operators, biogas producers, and developers of biogas-related technologies.

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Project information

• Co-funded by the European Union
• Other funders: City of Kurikka, City of Kannus, and Kaustinen sub-region
• Lead partner: Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences
• Project partner: Centria University of Applied Sciences
• Total budget: €514,518, of which the share of Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences is €300,000