ULEX AE Operational Group: Valorization of ulex sp- for the joint production of meal for animal feed and wood chips for the energy sector

RESULT 1: Identification of gorse exploitation areas The first phase of the project would involve carrying out an inventory and basic characterization of the available forest biomass in Galicia and Asturias, with the objective of identifying the gorse exploitation areas, the existing technical conditions and establishing its suitability to the uses contemplated in the planned objectives.

• Activity 1 - Inventory and characterization of available biomass in Galicia and Asturias. The location, quantification, and physicochemical characterization of gorse, present in the forests of Galicia and Asturias, will be carried out. Existing technical constraints, such as access, slope, and the presence of other species, will be taken into account.
• Activity 2 - Selection of the available surface for gorse extraction In this phase, the necessary technical and economic criteria for the extraction of the characterized biomass will be established, finally identifying the areas suitable for the extraction of gorse biomass with respect to the determined species analyzed and evaluation of distances and transport, to guarantee its viability.

RESULT 2: Design and Development of the Gorse Extraction System - Design and development of a mechanized gorse harvesting system in the field. A solution adapted for cutting and collecting gorse in the forest will be designed, including the development of machinery that allows for cutting, stockpiling, and transport with minimal loss of photosynthetic components. Scaled technical drawings of the design will be provided. - Execution of Biomass Harvesting and Transport: Gorse harvesting tasks will be carried out in the field in previously identified areas and transported to the processing center, guaranteeing the traceability of the plant material. - On-site Demonstration of Biomass Harvesting: Demonstration of gorse harvesting in the forests of Galicia and Asturias using the designed prototype. - Technical and Economic Evaluation of the Gorse Extraction System: Analysis of extraction yields, operating times, energy consumption, volume, and quality of biomass obtained. Costs will be estimated, and the harvested biomass (woody and photosynthetic fractions) will be characterized.

RESULT 3: Design of the gorse drying system and design of the peeling and fraction separation system - Design and development of a prototype gorse drying system. Design and development of the prototype dryer required for drying gorse, using primary energy. - Design and development of the fraction separation system. Development and development of the mechanical system for peeling and separating the photosynthetic part of the gorse from the cellulose part, followed by chopping the cellulose part into appropriate dimensions for wood chips and grinding the photosynthetic part for flour. - Development of a software application for managing the entire process. Design and programming of a digital tool for managing the gorse transformation process, from plot management to obtaining the two product phases, allowing for modeling input/output flows, estimating yields, and controlling times and technical parameters.

RESULT 4: Obtaining Gorse Meal The objective is to obtain and characterize gorse (Ulex spp.) meal with high protein content, suitable for use as a raw material in the formulation of compound feeds for ruminants, primarily high-performance dairy cattle. This includes: - Gorse Meal Production Obtaining a batch of 10 tons of gorse meal, derived from the photosynthetic fraction, for use in laboratory tests and in vivo animal trials. The process will include milling, drying, and homogenization of the material. - Characterization of the raw material obtained. In this phase, the composition of the obtained meal will be provided for calculating feed ratios (crude protein, fiber, digestibility, etc.) as a partial substitute for imported raw materials.

RESULT 5: Obtaining Gorse Wood Chips. Obtain and characterize gorse wood chips (Ulex spp.) as woody biomass for energy use, evaluating its potential as a substitute for fossil fuels and other forest wood chips, especially in rural and agro-industrial contexts. - Gorse Wood Chip Processing. Obtain a 1-ton batch of wood chips, processed from the woody fraction of gorse, for use in calorific value tests and combustion tests in wood chip boilers. - Characterization of the raw materials obtained. Analysis of 12 wood chip samples from different orographic zones (Galicia and Asturias) to determine their calorific value (HV), moisture content, apparent density, ash content, and other parameters relevant to their energy use.

RESULT 6: Validation of gorse meal. Validate the use of gorse meal (Ulex spp.) as an alternative raw material in dairy cattle feed formulations, comparing the production results and the physicochemical characteristics of the final product (milk) against those obtained with standard diets currently used by the consortium's cooperatives. - Feed formulation with gorse meal. Design and development of two dairy cattle feed formulations in which gorse meal partially replaces conventional raw materials, with the aim of evaluating its integration into real farm diets. - Feed validation. Conducting pilot trials on real dairy farms of both cooperatives, measuring production parameters (liters/cow/day), milk composition and quality, animal behavior, and possible effects on digestibility.

RESULT 7: Genetic Selection of Gorse Seeds. Select the most suitable gorse (Ulex spp.) seeds for use, identifying specific genetic markers and developing a genetic methodology for taxonomic authentication. - Sampling, DNA isolation from gorse, genome sequencing, and marker characterization. Representative sampling of the taxonomic and geographic spectrum of Ulex spp. will be carried out along the Cantabrian coast, classifying samples according to morphological and ecological criteria, with photographic documentation and georeferencing (GPS). - Development of a genetic methodology for the taxonomic traceability of raw materials derived from Ulex spp. Based on the identified markers, a genetic authentication protocol for gorse ecotypes will be designed.

RESULT 8: Technical, Economic, and Environmental Analysis. Evaluate the technical and economic viability and environmental sustainability of the integrated gorse (Ulex spp.) valorization model, based on the data generated during the project's development, considering both operational aspects and associated energy and climate impacts. - Technical, economic, environmental, and energy study. Based on the results obtained in the different phases of the project, data will be collected and analyzed regarding: Technical and operational efficiency of the processes developed, Energy consumption and yields, with special attention to the system's energy self-sufficiency (target: to reach between 70% and 80%), Production, processing, and transport costs, Environmental impact and carbon footprint of the complete process.

Outreach Outcome 1: To effectively disseminate the objectives, actions, and results of the ULEX project to inform and raise awareness among the agricultural, forestry, and environmental sectors, as well as society in general, generating interest, public recognition, and opportunities for replicating the model in other regions. The target audience will include companies, business associations, and professionals linked to the livestock and animal feed sectors, public administrations related to livestock, the environment, and rural development, universities, innovation and research centers, and the general public. This will involve designing logos, posters, brochures, and videos; publishing in the media; and organizing press conferences for the project presentation, publication of results, and the final phase.

Outcome Dissemination 2: Maximize the practical implementation of the developed solutions and achieve effective transfer of results to the sector through technical materials, workshops, and participation in key events. The target audience will include companies, business and professional associations linked to the livestock and animal feed sector, public administrations related to livestock, the environment, and rural development, universities, innovation and research centers, and the general public. Technical and scientific publications, technical audiovisuals, and posters will be created, and in-person workshops will be held. Audiovisual videos on technical activities, videos of on-site prototype demonstrations, and technical audiovisual materials will be produced as a transfer tool within the sector. Posters and brochures will be created, and participation will take place at trade fairs and professional conferences.