Pilot Biorefinery in Monticiano, Tuscany

Applied Bioeconomy with GINEXTRA® Technology

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Project Overview

In August 2024, ARTES launched a pilot project in Monticiano, Tuscany, focused on the development and testing of applied bioeconomy processes at a local scale.
The project involved the installation and upgrading of a small-scale modular biorefinery based on GINEXTRA® technology. It was funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU within the framework of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

GINEXTRA® is a modular biorefinery technology developed and applied within ARTES’ research activities, designed for small-scale use. It extracts natural fibres from Spartium junceum (Spanish broom) using an enzymatic formulation and a patented mechanical process developed by ARTES. Alongside textile-grade natural fibres, the process generates a range of high-value biocompounds, including cellulose pulp, hemicellulose, and lignin. Within the Monticiano project, these materials are analysed and assessed for potential applications across industrial sectors with strong territorial relevance, including textiles, paper and packaging, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and related manufacturing activities.

As of March 2026, the biorefinery operates at the Monticiano Biodiversity Museum as a permanent site for research and experimentation.

The pilot supports the extraction and transformation of local biomass while enabling structured observation, technical validation, and knowledge transfer in close connection with the surrounding territory. The project combines technological development with territorial experimentation, positioning the Monticiano site as a bioeconomy living lab.

Location

The project is located in Monticiano, within the Val di Merse area (province of Siena), a territory characterised by extensive forest cover, low population density, and largely well-preserved natural environments.

The wider landscape includes protected natural reserves, geothermal resources such as the Petriolo thermal springs, and sites of significant historical and cultural value, including the nearby Abbey of San Galgano, a Cistercian monastery founded in the 13th century. These environmental and cultural features create favourable conditions for exploring bioeconomy models in close relationship with landscape, biodiversity, and local heritage.

Situated between Siena, Florence, and the Tyrrhenian coast, Monticiano also provides a strategic setting for developing place-based approaches to sustainable development, in which technological processes can interact with existing environmental, productive, and institutional systems.

Objectives

The project aims to:

  • Install and operate a GINEXTRA® pilot plant to test the production of natural fibres from locally available biomass under real operating conditions.
  • Create an experimental hub for applied bioeconomy, integrated into the local context and designed to support research, technical testing, and knowledge exchange.
  • Develop and assess an integrated model that brings together bio-based production, research activities, educational initiatives, and forms of sustainable territorial use.
  • Test a low-impact production approach based on local resources and short supply chains, with a focus on environmental compatibility and territorial integration.

Actors and Stakeholders

The project engaged and supported a range of actors involved in research, production, and territorial development, including:

  • Researchers and students working in bioeconomy, environmental sciences, and sustainable innovation, with access to experimental infrastructure and applied research activities.

  • Artisans and small and medium-sized enterprises operating in sectors such as textiles, paper and packaging, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, bio-building, and the marine sector, interested in bio-based materials and low-impact production processes.

  • Farmers and forest managers, through new opportunities for the valorisation of vegetal biomass and residues within locally embedded and short supply chains.

  • Public administrations and institutional actors, in relation to territorial development and regeneration strategies connected to sustainability and innovation.

  • Citizens and visitors, through educational and cultural initiatives linked to sustainable production practices and the surrounding landscape.

Results

  • Activation of the GINEXTRA® pilot biorefinery, enabling the production and technical evaluation of high-quality natural fibres.

  • Definition of a structured pathway from pilot-scale experimentation to larger-scale applications, designed to be replicable across different European and African contexts.

  • Establishment of a workshop and prototyping facility, developed in collaboration with local artisans and industrial actors, for the testing and refinement of bio-based material applications.

  • Strengthening of international research collaborations within European and multilateral research frameworks.

  • Creation of conditions that support future public and private investment in locally grounded bioeconomy initiatives.

  • Contribution to a renewed territorial narrative in which environmental preservation and technological experimentation are positioned as complementary processes.