Vine pruning residues and other by-products from the wine sector may have much more value than they initially appear to. This is the idea behind REWINE, a new innovation project that will explore how these materials can be transformed into new resources for use in agriculture and industry.
With an investment of nearly €600,000 and a planned implementation period until July 2028, REWINE brings together organisations from Catalonia, Aragon and Andalusia to explore new ways of valorising biomass generated by the wine sector.
The project will investigate how different wine-sector by-products can be used to develop biostimulants and biofertilisers, which will then be tested to assess their effectiveness and potential in different crops.
Among other applications, the project will explore solutions that could contribute to improving crop development and their response to water stress.
REWINE will also explore another route for valorisation: incorporating this biomass into sustainable biocomposites, with potential applications in agriculture and other industrial sectors.
The aim is to move towards a model in which by-products from the wine sector are no longer seen simply as waste, but can instead be brought back into the value chain as new resources.
The project will also incorporate a digital traceability system, using technologies such as QR codes or RFID, to track materials from their origin through to the resulting product.
This system will make it possible to follow the journey of the biomass and provide information about its transformation process. At the same time, the project will work to ensure that the solutions developed can be transferred and replicated in other territories and agri-food sectors.
FEMAC is participating in REWINE together with Codorníu as the Catalan representatives. The project brings together a consortium combining companies, sector organisations, knowledge centres and stakeholders working in innovation and industry.
The consortium is coordinated by the Aragonese Cluster of Agricultural and Livestock Production Means (CAMPAG) and also includes Atria Innovation, Cooperativa San Juan Bautista, DEFEDER, ANDALTEC, PROINSUR and the University of Jaén.
For FEMAC, participating in REWINE is an opportunity to continue working on projects that connect innovation, sustainability and new opportunities for the agri-food sector, using knowledge and technology to develop new models for resource valorisation.
REWINE will run from February 2026 to July 2028, with a total investment of €599,976.23. The project is part of the 2023–2027 Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan and is co-funded by the European Union through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA).
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