Last week, the HarWASTing consortium gathered at the facilities of our partner, VTT, in Helsinki, Finland, for our second in-person meeting. This gathering was a significant milestone for our consortium, marking the completion of our first full year working together to transform biomass into high-value products with zero waste and strengthen the European rural bioeconomy.
While virtual meetings keep us connected day-to-day, gathering face-to-face allowed our team to review our progress, refine our vision, and realign on our mission. Over two days, partners reviewed work across all project packages. We were also joined by our External Expert Committee members—Katri Juva, Catharina Bening, and Birgit Gahleitner—and we thank them for their valuable input and feedback.
We had the opportunity to live-test our digital platforms, ensuring they are user-friendly, robust, and tailored to the practical needs of rural stakeholders. Aligned on key strategies to achieve our long-term sustainability goals, ensuring our research outputs seamlessly translate into tangible market solutions. A major focus of our discussions was finalising the framework for our upcoming Open Calls. These opportunities are designed to engage external innovators, startups, and SMEs to develop and test new applications for refined hydrochar and validate sustainable business models in real-world settings.
One of the main highlights of our meeting as a guided tour of VTT’s pilot plant. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at the laboratory and industrial scale facilities provided invaluable context to our work. During the visit, our host researchers walked us through the advanced processes behind hydrochar development, as well as the extraction and activation of lignin and tannins. Seeing these complex chemical and mechanical processes operating in real time reinforced the immense practical potential of turning agricultural and forestry side-streams into valuable bio-based products.
This meeting was a reminder of what can be accomplished when cross-disciplinary expertise meets shared ambition. A warm Kiitos to our hosts—Heimo Kanerva, Anna Kalliola, and the entire VTT team—for welcoming us so warmly and making our stay in Helsinki both seamless and memorable. We also extend our gratitude to all consortium members, both in-person and joining virtually, for their active participation and insights.
We have accomplished a great deal in Year 1, laying a solid foundation for sustainable biomass transformation. But this is only the beginning. Stay tuned for more updates, including detailed announcements regarding our upcoming Open Calls.
