The LIFE BIOREFFORMED project has successfully concluded, showing innovative ways to transform forest biomass from Mediterranean pine and cork oak forests into valuable bioproducts and biofuels. Using pyrolysis processes, the project produced bio-oil and biochar, with potential applications in agriculture, energy and industry.
Highlights also include the identification of optimal pyrolysis temperatures – 450 °C for high quality bio-oils and 300 °C for bio-stimulants – and the extraction of valuable compounds such as sugars, antioxidants and acids. In particular, the project demonstrated that various types of forest biomass, such as mixed wood, undergrowth and thinning residues, can be efficiently utilised, thus promoting sustainable forest management.
Although biomass yield and extraction costs pose challenges, the project stressed the environmental and economic benefits of biorefineries, including the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions and increase forest resilience. Future steps could focus on mobile or small-scale biorefineries and energy-efficient operations to improve profitability and reduce impact.
