Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)’s Post

🎉 Excited to announce the start of BRANCH, a groundbreaking project developing the world’s first bioengineered cultured wood 🌳 🧫 to help mitigate deforestation. Led by New Dawn Bio 🌳 with the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and funded by EUROSTARS, find more info here below. A step toward sustainable materials, where innovation and responsibility go hand in hand. #Sustainability #CulturedWood #Bioengineering #BRANCHProject #PlantMolecularFarmingGroup

🌳 Premium wood without deforestation? That’s the ambition of the BRANCH project, led by New Dawn Bio 🌳 in collaboration with Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST): developing the world’s first prototype of cultured wood, grown from tree plant cells in bioreactors. In this joint interview, Sylvain Legay (LIST) and I share our vision of how this EUROSTARS-funded project could become a sustainable alternative to logging while opening new opportunities for high-end industries. 🔗 Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/evVSnNsm #Culturedwood #Sustainability #PlantBiotechnology #ClimateTech

🌱 We’re thrilled to share that Qualterra and Plantd have joined forces to advance a true circular economy solution that benefits both agriculture and construction. 🌎 Together, we’re piloting a Biochar Production Unit (BPU) at Plantd’s North Carolina facility — a key step in de-risking and validating our technologies before scaling to larger, commercial-scale facilities across the country. This strategic approach ensures that we can deliver measurable results, optimize performance, and accelerate adoption at scale. Here’s why this partnership matters: ✅ For agriculture — Biochar will enrich soils, improve crop yields, and create new opportunities for farmers through carbon credits. ✅ For construction — By converting Plantd’s renewable perennial grass byproducts into biochar, we extend the impact of carbon-negative building materials, helping reduce reliance on deforestation-based timber while locking away carbon for generations. Biochar can also be incorporated into concrete to further decarbonize the industry. ✅ For renewable energy — The Qualterra BPU enables Plantd to capture and reuse waste heat in their processing facility, providing energy for heat and feedstock drying, creating even greater efficiency and impact. ✅ For communities — Distributed production facilities will support farmer profitability, job creation, and rural economic development. This collaboration is a breakthrough in proving that science-driven sustainability and economic profitability can go hand in hand. 👉 Read the Qualterra-Plantd Press Release …https://lnkd.in/gzfvhWqW #Qualterra #Plantd #Biochar #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Agriculture #Construction #CarbonNegative

What if the side streams of industry, agriculture, and forestry could become 3D-printable parts, tools, or design objects? 💡♻️ Bio-2-Print is a 3-year project co-funded by the EU’s Interreg NPA (Northern Periphery and Arctic) programme, and is led by Finland’s Centria University of Applied Sciences with six partners across academia and industry, including Munster Technological University (MTU), Luleå University of Technology, Metsä Spring portfolio company Innomost, and currently has 13 associated organisations. Innomost brings the project valuable expertise in upcycling forest-industry side streams, particularly birch bark, to help build a circular, future-ready materials value chain. 🌲 🌲 🌲 Find out more in Rebecca Graham’s article for Silicon Republic 👇 https://rb.gy/un7dl4 #biomaterials #circulareconomy #forest #additivemanufacturing #industry

Today I'm proud to announce that BIOKOL has delivered Rainbow's first 1,000-year permanence credits. Biokol.se, a pioneering biochar project in Sweden, is now validated under the Rainbow Standard, representing our first credit issuance and one of the first market issuances for biochar with this permanence horizon. This major milestone makes BIOKOL one of the first projects globally to meet rigorous certification standards that align with the latest research on biochar carbon removal permanence. Project highlights: BIOKOL brings together small-scale Swedish producers using pyrolysis technology to turn sustainably sourced forestry residues into biochar. Each tonne locks away 2.6 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in stable form, long-term. The project also delivers meaningful co-benefits: → 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱: applying biochar at 8 tonnes of biochar/hectare on farms raises average yields by 13% while locking carbon into the soil (which restores soil health and combats soil degradation) → 𝗟𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: biochar replaces conventional fertilizer, cutting nitrous oxide by at least 12% → 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹-𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆: the project powers every operation at both project sites with electricity certified as 100% renewable, delivering a fossil-free energy mix and promoting renewable energy → 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: BIOKOL's distributed model reduces transport distances and supports rural economies with quality jobs This is the kind of project we need for real carbon removal and climate impact, now. Rainbow is proud to have BIOKOL in our portfolio of projects meeting high standards for scientific rigor, measurable climate impact, and local co-benefits. Fantastic work to the BIOKOL team! Photo courtesy of BIOKOL - link to Project Registry page below

🌳 NATURE'S CIRCULAR INNOVATION: Trees That Transform CO2 Into Stone.🗿 Scientists have uncovered an incredible natural process that showcases the ultimate in circular resource management. Researchers studying fig trees in Kenya discovered something extraordinary - these trees don't just absorb carbon dioxide, they literally transform it into STONE! 🤯 Here's what makes this circular breakthrough remarkable: 🔬 The Process: Ficus wakefieldii trees use the "oxalate-carbonate pathway" to convert atmospheric CO2 into calcium carbonate (limestone) - turning waste emissions into valuable mineral resources! 💪 The Efficiency: Unlike traditional carbon storage in wood, this stone-based approach creates permanent mineral deposits that enrich soil while reducing atmospheric waste for centuries 🌾 Dual Value Creation: These aren't just any trees - they're fruit-bearing! This demonstrates perfect circular design: producing food while simultaneously processing atmospheric waste into useful minerals 🌱 The Science: Using advanced synchrotron analysis, researchers confirmed the calcium carbonate forms both inside tree trunks and in surrounding soil, with microbes facilitating this natural waste-to-resource conversion The international research team presented these findings at the prestigious Goldschmidt geochemistry conference. Dr. Mike Rowley from the University of Zurich called this "a significant, underexplored opportunity" for natural waste reduction. This discovery showcases nature's genius for circular processes - demonstrating how biological systems can transform atmospheric waste into valuable resources while producing food and enriching ecosystems simultaneously! Link to article here: https://lnkd.in/g-aSGgyW Imagine agricultural systems designed around these principles: maximizing resource efficiency while minimizing waste through natural processes that benefit both production and environmental health. 🌍✨ #CircularEconomy #WasteReduction #Sustainability #Innovation #Agriculture #ResourceEfficiency #NaturalSolutions #Agroforestry #ScienceBreakthrough #CircularProcesses #SustainableAgriculture #BiomimeticDesign #RegenerativeAgriculture

🎋 What if our buildings became true carbon sinks? MycoBamboo, a bio-based composite combining bamboo and mycelium, opens a new path toward more sustainable construction. 🌏 Low-carbon ♻️ Renewable 🌿Biodegradable 🧱 High-performance insulation In addition to naturally storing CO₂, this material makes use of local resources and renews the way we think about insulation. An innovation that shows how nature and technology can unite to build differently. 🔗 Read the full article on our blog: https://lnkd.in/esG7mjVh 👉 Stay updated by following our page and subscribing to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eRp8r_9B #Sustainability #GreenBuilding #Construction #Innovation #CarbonNeutral #BioBased #CircularEconomy #Mycelium #Bamboo #LowCarbon

August was another month of good news across our portfolio. Chloris Geospatial partnered with the American Forest Foundation and The Nature Conservancy to help family forest owners unlock new revenue streams while improving the health of their land. Greeneye Technology shared strong field trial results in Australia showing its spraying system can cut herbicide use in wheat crops, paving the way for a commercial launch in 2026. Ascend Elements became the first U.S. company to produce more than 99% pure recycled lithium carbonate from black mass, a milestone toward a circular battery economy. And Type One Energy announced a partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority to accelerate fusion development, keeping America in the race for this ultimate clean energy source. You can find links to the full stories in the first comment. Each of these milestones is just one step, but together they tell a bigger story: progress is happening in places where it matters most.

🌱 AgreenaCarbon Becomes First Verra-Verified Large-Scale Soil Carbon Removal Project A major milestone for regenerative agriculture: Agreena’s AgreenaCarbon Project is now the first large-scale soil CDR project verified under Verra’s VCS. 📊 Key impact: ✅ 2.3M carbon removal credits issued ✅ 1.2M tonnes CO₂ reduced ✅ 1.1M tonnes CO₂ removed ✅ 1.6M hectares across 10 European countries With verification secured, Agreena is bringing the largest wave of high-quality soil carbon credits to market—already backed by corporate buyers like Radisson Hotel Group. As Verra CEO Mandy Rambharos noted, this project shows how soil carbon initiatives can scale with integrity, giving farmers new income streams while enabling companies to invest confidently in climate action. 👉 Soil is proving to be one of the planet’s most powerful climate solutions. Read the full story by Carbon Herald here: https://lnkd.in/dYaFmqgj

The biggest projects filled the market with credits that later proved hollow. The most impactful one started in Quebec, with a compost pile. Guess which one the market almost ignored. In 2012, our founder, Martin Clermont, entered the carbon markets with a novel proposal. At that time, everyone was chasing mega-projects: Hydro dams you could see from space, and forestry schemes that took out more trees than they saved. For Martin, what if credibility came not from giant projects, but from hundreds of smaller ones? So, he created VM0018, the first methodology that allowed small emitters to aggregate their reductions into a single, verifiable credit. No billion-dollar branding. Just factories retrofitting boilers, towns composting organics, recyclers looping materials back, all adding up to traceable tonnes. When Verra approved it, no one noticed. But the precedent was set, and a door cracked open. And now, more than a decade later, megaprojects are scrambling to add the one thing they laughed at in 2012: Community. Verified reductions. Together. If you're working on carbon procurement or ESG and want to see what traceable really looks like, reach out. I’ll show you where every tonne begins. #CarbonMarkets #VerifiedCarbon