HARWASTING

The HARWASTING project aims to develop scalable and replicable technological solutions to valorize underutilized biomass from forestry and agriculture. Through this innovative approach based on circular economy principles, the project seeks to promote bioeconomy in rural areas, ensure the efficient use of natural resources, and reduce overall waste generation and post-harvest losses. Within the project scope, biomass from forest and agricultural residues, pruning waste, and side streams from bioethanol production will be collected, treated, and revalorized in accordance with the “cascade principle” for biomass utilization. The process will center around Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC), combined with Pressurized Hot Water Extraction (PHWE) and innovative post-treatment techniques, to produce high energy-efficient and value-added products. All solutions will be demonstrated through small-scale pilot implementations integrated into existing wood, food, and bioenergy value chains. In parallel, digital transformation components of the project will include digital product passports and collaborative digital platforms, which will enable the traceability of sustainable products such as hybrid panels and bio-adhesives.

SRDC will be responsible for the design and development of the project’s digital transformation components. A Digital Product Passport (DPP) will be developed to ensure traceability and sustainability of bio-based products throughout their entire life cycle. This component will be built on open data standards and will feature an interoperable, dynamically updatable, and verifiable structure. It will digitally link the product, raw material, and process chains, enabling transparent participation of all stakeholders. SRDC will also develop a Collaborative Digital Platform module to enable interactive use of the DPP by various actors. The platform will be designed to support the creation of sustainability declarations, management of product verification processes, and integration with digital marketplaces. All digital solutions will feature multilingual and user-friendly interfaces and will be made accessible across Europe. In addition, SRDC will establish integrated testing environments in collaboration with consortium partners and align final user validation scenarios with pilot implementations in Finland, Spain, and Romania. Furthermore, SRDC will define requirements for secure data management, compliance with sustainability criteria, and alignment with relevant regulations, and will design the system architecture accordingly.