Inauguration of CIRCULAR BIOCARBON biorefinery marks a new era in circular economy

CBE JU-funded CIRCULAR BIOCARBON biorefinery inauguration in Zaragoza, Spain
CBE JU Executive Director Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, Mayor of Zaragoza Natalia Chueca and URBASER CEO Fernando Abril-Martorell officially open the biorefinery
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The city of Zaragoza, Spain, celebrated on 2 October the grand opening of the CBE JU-funded CIRCULAR BIOCARBON biorefinery. This state-of-the-art facility, the first-of-its-kind in Europe, is set to transform how cities manage and treat urban waste by converting the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and sewage sludge into high-value bio-based products such as green graphene and bio-based fertilisers.

A model for circularity in Europe

Once the waste treatment complex is fully operational, the CIRCULAR BIOCARBON biorefinery will treat more than 300 million tonnes of waste per year, generated by around 1 million people. The facility highlights the shift towards a circular bio-based economy, with a real replication potential across Europe. In addition to the Zaragoza biorefinery, a similar facility is under construction in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, further demonstrating the scalability of this innovative solution for sustainable urban waste management.

This game-changing biorefinery facility turns waste into high-value bio-based products, setting a new European standard for circularity.

CBE JU Executive Director Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore

Supporting innovation and collaboration

The €15 million CBE JU support to the project underscores the partnership’s commitment to bringing innovative solutions for waste management and resource efficiency to the market. Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, Executive Director of CBE JU, reflected on the project's significance, stating: 'Today, we launch a circular economy landmark. This game-changing biorefinery in Zaragoza facility turns waste into high-value bio-based products, setting a new European standard for circularity. It will create local jobs, drive green growth, and save regional resources. At CBE JU, we proudly support this pioneering industrial project, which will boost the competitiveness of sustainable industries across Spain and Europe.'

The vision of Zaragoza’s climate-neutral future

Natalia Chueca, Mayor of Zaragoza, expressed the city’s vision for the future, saying: 'Zaragoza wants to be climate-neutral. This biorefinery will not only contribute to that goal but will also attract investments and economic activity to the city, positioning us as a leader in sustainability.'

This biorefinery will contribute to make Zaragoza climate-neutral and will also attract investments and economic activity to the city.

Mayor of Zaragoza Natalia Chueca

Advancing the circular economy

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The role of innovation in driving circular bioeconomy

Fernando Abril-Martorell Hernández, CEO of URBASER, the project’s leader, underscored the role of innovation in the facility’s design and its wider impacts: 'Innovation is at the centre of this biorefinery. This process will help reduce fossil resource dependence across multiple industries and for final products. The circular bioeconomy is not just a possibility; it is a reality, and this model can be replicated in many cities.'

Public-private partnerships driving success

José Manuel González Vicente, former Spanish representative at the CBE JU states representatives’ group, highlighted the strength of public-private partnerships in driving such innovations. 'This is a great example of a project funded by CBE JU, where the collaboration between the public and private sectors shows at its best. CBE JU’s strength lies in its industry-led approach, which always focuses on developing industries that can bring innovative products to market. Additionally, this programme offers strong support to SMEs, which are crucial for innovation,' he commented.

CIRCULAR BIOCARBON is a great example of a project funded by CBE JU, where the collaboration between the public and private sectors shows at its best.

José Manuel González Vicente, former Spanish representative at the CBE JU states representatives’ group

The CIRCULAR BIOCARBON’s landmark facility demonstrates the power of collaboration and sets an example for future projects across Europe that prioritise sustainability and resource efficiency.

 

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