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Interreg VI-A IT-AT 2021-2027

BeSoGreat

Brewer’s spent grain biocomposites for biodegradable plastic products through injection molding and 3D printing

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About the project

In the BeSoGreat project, Italian and Austrian partners from research and industry are working together to contribute to a sustainable circular economy and strengthen cross-border cooperation in the Alpine region. By implementing a “circular business model” for spent grains, a by-product of beer production is converted into a valuable raw material for bioplastics. Biocomposites are developed on this basis and used to manufacture technical products using 3D printing and injection molding. This closes the sustainable cycle from material development to application.

5

project
partner

01/24

project
start

2

years
duration

1.025.806,52

€
budget

747.339,92

€ EFRE
budget

What’s new?

Find out more about the progress of the BeSoGreat project in our news articles.
We provide exciting insights into current research activities and report on cross-border cooperation.

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Further project details

Project framework

In the two-year BeSoGreat project, Italian and Austrian stakeholders from research and industry are working hand in hand to strengthen cross-border cooperation in the Alpine region and develop innovative circular solutions.

Initial situation

The brewing industry in the EU produces over 39.5 million liters of beer annually, producing more than 6.4 million tons of brewer’s grain. From an ecological and economic point of view, the large amount of brewer’s grain is a major management problem for breweries.

Objective

The aim of the BeSoGreat project is to develop and manufacture biodegradable plastic products from brewer’s grain using injection molding and 3D printing to promote regional value chains and strengthen the circular economy through innovative bio-based solutions.

Projectteam

The BeSoGreat project team consists of 25 members of staff with different levels of experience, from professors and senior researchers to early-career scientists. We are particularly proud of the high proportion of women, who make up over 50% of the team.

Financing

BeSoGreat is cofinanced by the European Union. Further information about the funding programme can be found on the Interreg VI-A Italien-Österreich website.

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Associated partners

The BeSoGreat team would like to thank the following for their valuable support:
Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb GmbH,
Trastic GmbH and Fundermax GmbH, as well as Fondazione MeSSInA – Ente Filantropico, Green Tech Italy – Veneto Green Cluster and Ecos-Med Società Cooperativa Sociale.

Project partners

In the BeSoGreat project, two Austrian and three Italian institutions are working together: The Carinthia University of Applied Sciences as the lead partner with expertise in 3D printing (pellet extrusion) and materials testing; the Kufstein University of Applied Sciences with expertise in 3D printing (powder bed); the private research institution Crossing as expert in material development of bio-based plastics from industrial waste; the industrial partner Deroma with many years of expertise in plastic injection molding and the Italian cluster Comet as a network expert and interface to the Italian plastics processing industry.

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Want to find out more?

Feel free to contact us for more information about the BeSoGreat project. For example, do you have a product that could be made from our biocomposite material? We would be happy to discuss this application with you.

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