PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Vineyards generate a huge amount of waste, most of which goes to incineration. The burning of this waste is damaging to the environment and much of it could be used for other processes. Vine shoots, in particular, are usually incinerated, causing a number of problems: risk of fire, a negative impact on human health, the diminution of air quality from the emission of gases and particulate matter into the atmosphere, and the generation of greenhouse gas emissions.
OBJECTIVES
The BIOVID project aimed to create an alternative to the current practice of incinerating vine shoots outdoors. Specifically, the project aimed to introduce a new method for the waste management of vine shoots, converting them into pulp that could be used in the manufacture of paper by means of the innovative process of cellulose extraction. Furthermore, the process would incorporate a recovery system for re-usable lignin. If successful, the process would reduce wood consumption in paper manufacture. The remaining waste from the BIOVID process could then be used as an organic material for composting, as well as for agriculture, gardens and for the recovery of degraded soils.
RESULTS
The project's main objective, the construction of a pilot plant to obtain cellulose pulp from vine shoots was achieved, demonstrating that vine shoots can indeed be used to obtain good quality cellulose pulp for the production of cardboard. For the first time, the paper industry can now consider this as a source of pulp. There was not enough time to evaluate adequately the reduction of the air pollution in the area although, in general terms, this seems to be negligible. Project data showed a reduction of 0.0157 kg of CO2 after 1000kg of vine shoots had been processed (although, admittedly, the beneficiary did not take into account the emissions generated by the boiler of the plant). At the same time, the project concluded that it is neither possible to force farmers to participate in any vine shoots collection system, nor to establish legal regulations about this issue, at least, in the Requena municipality, due to the fact that farmers cannot currently be forced to assume the costs of vine shoot collection and transport. The project’s calculations show that the plant should earn €15 per tonne of pulp produced, demonstrating that by increasing the manufacture of pulp from five to 43 tons a year, the initial investment in the plant could be recovered after 5 years. The project's main objective, the construction of a pilot plant to obtain cellulose pulp from vine shoots was achieved, demonstrating that vine shoots can indeed be used to obtain good quality cellulose pulp for the production of cardboard. For the first time, the paper industry can now consider this as a source of pulp. There was not enough time to evaluate adequately the reduction of the air pollution in the area although, in general terms, this seems to be negligible. Project data showed a reduction of 0.0157 kg of CO2 after 1000kg of vine shoots had been processed (although, admittedly, the beneficiary did not take into account the emissions generated by the boiler of the plant). At the same time, the project concluded that it is neither possible to force farmers to participate in any vine shoots collection system, nor to establish legal regulations about this issue, at least, in the Requena municipality, due to the fact that farmers cannot currently be forced to assume the costs of vine shoot collection and transport. The project’s calculations show that the plant should earn €15 per tonne of pulp produced, demonstrating that by increasing the manufacture of pulp from five to 43 tons a year, the initial investment in the plant could be recovered after 5 years.
