About Matarraña - Chandelier

Matarraña region (Aragon, Spain)

LIFE CHANDELIER has identified a high potential of increasing advanced biomethane production while improving the current management of agri-food waste in rural areas. The use of agrifood wastes is one of the very promising renewable energy alternatives paving the way for a more sustainable energy network. Agri-food wastes as biomass sources do not endanger food security and mitigate environmental impacts and may therefore considerably contribute to an appropriate waste management.

To demonstrate this potential, LIFE CHANDELIER has considered to carry out the project in a relevant rural region with strong presence of the agricultural and livestock industry, which is representative of rural areas across Spain and Europe, in order to ensure a high replicability and significant impact. This is the case of Matarraña, a region in Aragon Province, Spain.

Matarraña is a small territory, which includes 18 small towns, with limited population density, with a total of approximately 9,000 inhabitants. This region is a reference point in Europe regarding agriculture and, thanks to its solid commitment to sustainable and ecological practices. However, it holds high potential for improvement in the path towards i) a circular rural bioeconomy model, ii) reduction of GHG emissions in agriculture, as with an emphasis on Regenerative Agriculture, iii) reduction of farming sustainable environmental practices in the sector, and iv) a more attractive place to live, thus reducing depopulation risk and improving its soil and water quality based on better agricultural practises.

The Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment of the Government of Aragon has released the macroeconomic figures of the agricultural sector for 2020 and its annual evolution. According to its Advance Macromagnitudes of the Aragonese Agrarian Sector 2021 report, final agricultural production has increased by 19% and agricultural income by 15% in the last 5 years (2016-2020). In both cases, there has been constant annual growth. Unlike the year 2019, which was characterized by a decrease in agricultural production and an increase in livestock production, in 2020 there was a productive increase in the two agricultural economic subsectors in 2020. This was associated to the increase in the cultivated area in Aragon by 17,452 ha, which represents in relative terms an increase of 1.4%. Agricultural production has increased by 12.46% on average, with cereals, olive and vineyards experiencing the greatest improvement . The status on the most significant lignocellulosic waste in the area is given below:

Olive groves

The olive tree has been cultivated in Aragon for centuries and extends from the north of Teruel to the Pyrenees (Huesca). Among the varieties grown, the Empeltre stands out, which is characterised by the quality of the oil it produces. The ‘liquid gold’ in Aragon has two protected designations of origin (PDO): Aceite del Bajo Aragón and Aceite Sierra del Moncayo Spain produces approximately four million tonnes of olive pomace waste annually. Because it contains high concentrations of polyphenols, lipids and organic acids, if wet olive pomace is not properly dried and disposed of, it seeps into the ground, changing the acidity and polluting soil and water. This is becoming a significant issue for the industry throughout the Mediterranean region. Olive cultivation in Aragon in 2021 covered an area of 48,797 hectares and a production of 71,259 tons (~20% represented by olive waste).

Vineyard Wastes

Vine shoot. In 2020, the world area under vine cultivation for all purposes was estimated at 7.3 million hectares (Mha), of which 3.3 Mha are in the European Union. Spain has an area under vine cultivation of 719 thousand hectares, an increase of over 0.8% from 2019. Consequently, the wine-growing sector produces many and various wastes, generated from agricultural practices (e.g., vine shoots, leaves, stems) as well as from the winemaking process (e.g., grape stalks, pomace, wine lees). Vine shoots (also called grapevine canes) are the most significant vine waste material from a quantitative point of view, with a weight of 2–5 tonnes per hectare per year, depending on density of plantation, climate, vigour of the vine, and other agronomical factors. Vineyard cultivation in Aragon 2021 covers an area of 35,840 hectares and a production of 139,811 tons (approx. 70% represented by vine shoot). • Almond wastes. 1.7 million tons of almonds are produced every year around the world. Spain is the second-largest almond producer in the world (13% of annual production) after the United States (over 40% annually) and relies on Andalusian, Aragon is a main producing regions in Spain with an almond cultivation of 86,098 hectares and a production of 67,762 tons (approx. 50% almond wastes, 5% represented by hulls).

Cereal Straw Wastes

Aragon stands out for the cultivation of winter cereals, which occupied 786,185 ha in 2021 and generated a production of 2,826,105 Mton. By cereal species, the most important extensive crop in the region is barley, occupying more than 50% of the cultivated area and with a production of 1,698,359 Mton. It is followed by soft wheat and durum wheat, which have been growing in recent years, oats and rye. Aragon is an outstanding cereal-producing region in Spain with a cultivation of 952,738 hectares and a production of 3,850,269 tons in 2022 (approx. 90% cereal straw).