Launch of the Persephone project

The press conference to launch the PERSEPHONE project was held yesterday in Attert (B) in the presence of Camille Gira, Secretary of State for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure (L).
PERSEPHONE, for "Production of Renewable Energies, Fertilizers and Harmonious Products of Natural Origins" is an Interreg project carried out by the non-profit association "Au Pays de l'Attert" (B). Represented by Philippe Delfosse and Christophe Hissler, LIST contributes to it with 5 other scientific partners, but also industrialists and field workers.

The main objective of the project is to position biomethanisation in the bioeconomy and the circular economy. Persephone has the will to bring new added value to the existing agricultural units in order to sustain them by 2020-2030. Future units will also be able to integrate these new data into their business plan.

The “Catchment and Eco-hydrology” and “Bioprocess Engineering” groups of the ERIN department will work in particular on the diversification of biogas plants through the integration of renewable hydrogen and the refining of the digestate. They will also explore the possibility of using the digestate and its fractions as substitutes for chemical fertilizers, by monitoring their impact on soils and water quality.

The project, which officially began on 1 July 2016, has a duration of three years and a total budget of more than 4 million euros, 60% of which is co-financed by FEDER.