The FENIX project held its 6th General Assembly in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, hosted by Inveniam Group. The two-day event provided an important space for consortium partners to review progress achieved over the previous six months, exchange technical and strategic insights, and define priorities and actions for the upcoming project period.

During the two days, all active work packages and related tasks were discussed in detail. Partners presented the status of their ongoing activities, reviewed deliverables and milestones, addressed identified risks and delays, and agreed on corrective measures where needed. The General Assembly also served as a key moment to strengthen coordination between work packages and ensure alignment between laboratory research, pilot scale production, field demonstration, and regulatory and dissemination activities.

The first day was dedicated to transversal and strategic work packages. Project management activities under WP7 were reviewed, including coordination efforts, communication with the European Commission, risk and data management, and the status of deliverables. Ethics requirements under WP8 were confirmed to be on track, with GDPR compliance ensured and the ethics monitoring report submitted. Communication and dissemination activities under WP6 highlighted continued growth in website traffic, social media engagement, and newsletter subscriptions, as well as participation in major conferences. Regulatory, intellectual property, and business strategy aspects under WP5 focused on compliance with the EU Fertilising Products Regulation and REACH, the identification of key exploitable results, and preliminary business models exploring different pathways for market uptake of biochar-based solutions. The day concluded with a guided visit of Barcelona’s historic city centre and a networking dinner, further strengthening collaboration among partners.

The second day focused on the technical advancement of the project. WP1 and WP2 sessions covered the preparation, characterization, and laboratory testing of biochar and digestate based soil improver mixtures, including optimization for different soil types and evaluation of ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions. WP3 discussions addressed pilot scale production, calibration of the pyrolysis equipment, and preparation of mixtures for upcoming field trials. WP4 updates reported on the application of soil improver mixtures in the field and the development of modelling tools to assess agronomic performance and long-term environmental impacts. These technical sessions ensured coherence between laboratory findings, pilot scale production, and field demonstrations, and supported the definition of next steps for validation and scale up.

Overall, the 6th General Assembly confirmed steady progress toward the objectives of the FENIX project. While minor delays were acknowledged, partners agreed on mitigation actions and a clear roadmap for the next semester. The meeting reinforced collaboration across the consortium and set the foundation for continued progress in regulatory validation, pilot scale implementation, and dissemination activities ahead of the next reporting period.

By: G. Carlson
Editorial: M. Romero
December 2025

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