RUNFASTER4EU- Flagship demonstRation of Bio-based valUe chaiNs For vAloriSaTion of sustAinable oil cropS for marketable applications

Objective

RUNFASTER4EU will demonstrate the sustainability and replicability at industrial scale (TRL8) of a new value chain focused on the large-scale cultivation of low-ILUC-risk oil crops on marginal lands, avoiding competition with food or feed. These crops will provide vegetable oils and residual biomass for high-value bio-based products (cosmetics formulations, bio-stimulants, feed ingredients, herbicides, dielectric fluids, bioplastics, NIPU for vertical gardens) in a cascading approach. Building on previous and ongoing EU projects (FIRST2RUN, BRILIAN, MIDAS, CARINA), RUNFASTER will i) enhance bio-based value chains, prioritizing soil health and carbon sequestration, ii) upgrade two flagship plants in Italy (Matrica - Porto Torres, Versalis - Crescentino) and iii) realize Large-scale cultivations, i.e., safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), validating innovative agronomic practices with farmer involvement. RUNFASTER partners will demonstrate downstream processing and cascading valorisation of biomass, with products tested by end-user industries to meet SSbD standards. Sustainability, circularity, and safety will be assessed via Life Cycle and Ecosystem Services methods. RUNFASTER will engage local communities, provide guidelines and training for farmers, and develop an IP-compliant exploitation strategy and business plan for replication. The approach will also be validated in Spain, Greece, Serbia, and Romania on fragile (i.e. contaminated) soils with other crops, such as cardoon and rapeseed.