Interreg project Watts in Grass!? celebrates official start with kick-off New Energy Forum

With a mysterious detective, a vanished pile of grass, and a packed festival tent, the Interreg project Watts in Grass!? officially launched on Thursday, June 18 during New Energy Forum in Groningen. During the interactive kick-off, visitors were introduced in a surprising way to the Dutch-German project, in which the project partners will work on innovative solutions in and around the biogas value chain over the next three years.

Although the project has been running since February, the past period has primarily focused on preparation and collaboration between the project partners. The kick-off therefore served as the official start for the general public.

A mystery in the REMO lab

The session began with a nod to the German detective series Derrick. Green gas expert Gerard Martinus (GasTerra) appeared as Inspector Derrick, who, together with his assistant (Zuzi Kurt), a farmer (Janneke Krooneman), and moderator Joàn Teerlink (lecturer affiliated with Entrance – Centre of Expertise Energy at Hanze University of Applied Sciences), investigated a remarkable case: a large quantity of grass had disappeared without a trace.

It soon became clear that no crime had been committed at all. In the REMO lab of Entrance grass is already being converted into sustainable energy and valuable raw materials on a laboratory scale. Within Watts in Grass!? The project partners will further develop these innovations in the coming years and apply them for the first time in an integrated manner on an agricultural scale at the agricultural company BES GmbH & Co. KG in Bad Bentheim.

From research to practice

After the opening, Gerard Martinus exchanged his role as Inspector Derrick for that of green gas expert once again. On behalf of GasTerra, one of the initiators and investors behind the REMO lab, he emphasized the importance of the lab as a place where researchers develop innovations, test them extensively, and prepare them for practical application.

According to Gerard Martinus, Watts in Grass!? demonstrates how research can actually develop into concrete solutions for the energy transition. He expressed his pride that technologies developed in the REMO-lab over the past few years are now coming together in a single Interreg project, Watts in Grass!?. He expects that many more innovations and collaborations will emerge from the REMO-lab in the coming years.

Why is the Interreg project Watts in Grass!? needed?

Subsequently, Gerard Martinus spoke with project partners Frank Köster, Zuzi Kurt, Janneke Krooneman, and Jaap Vogelaar about the project.

According to project leader Frank Köster at 3N Kompetenzzentrum, the timing is no coincidence. “Due to changing European regulations, less and less use is being made of energy crops such as corn. At the same time, a lot of grass remains available. This offers opportunities, but also calls for new solutions.”

Not every type of grass is suitable for anaerobic digestion. Within the project, the partners are therefore investigating which grass streams have the most potential and how logistics, regulations, and practical application can be aligned with them.

From cow to digester

An important part of Watts in Grass!? is the REMO lab at Entrance – Centre of Expertise Energy at Hanze University of Applied Sciences. Here, researchers simulate the natural processes in the stomach of a cow.

"A cow converts grass into volatile fatty acids. These fatty acids, in turn, form an excellent food source for digesters.,” explained lecturer Janneke Krooneman (Entrance).By mimicking that process, we can ferment grass more efficiently.. "

In addition, the partners are investigating how CO2 from biogas can be converted into additional methane using green hydrogen. According to lecturer Zuzi Kurt (Entrance), this yields a significant advantage.With the same amount of biomass, we produce more methane and therefore more sustainable energy."

The REMO lab forms the indispensable link between research and practice. Researchers first extensively test new technologies before applying them on a farm.

From laboratory to farmyard

The next step takes place at the agricultural company BES GmbH & Co. KG in Bad Bentheim, Germany. Here, the project partners bring the various innovations together in one integrated demonstration plant.

According to Jaap Vogelaar, Lead Technology Expert at Paques Global, that brings new challenges.On a farm, technology must above all be reliable and simple. Farmers must be able to trust that an installation operates safely and is easy to operate, especially when working with hydrogen.. "

That is precisely why the demonstration phase is so important. Only practical tests show that the technology is ready for large-scale application.

More value from grass

The ultimate goal of the Interreg project Watts in Grass!? goes beyond just the production of green gas.

Through more efficient fermentation, biomethanisation, digestate processing, and the production of biochar (bio-char), the project partners aim to extract more value from the same amount of biomass. This yields not only additional sustainable energy but also reusable nutrients, new bio-based products, and economic opportunities for farmers.

In doing so, the project contributes to future-proof, circular agriculture, in which grass and residual streams are optimally utilised.

Over Watts in Grass!?

Within Watts in Grass!?, these ten Dutch and German organizations are collaborating on innovative solutions in and around the biogas value chain. Using technologies such as anaerobic digestion, biomethanisation, digestate processing, and thermochemical conversion, we extract more energy and valuable raw materials from grass and residual streams. In this way, over the next three years, we are building a circular system with green gas, biochar, and reusable nutrients as the foundation for a future-proof business model in agriculture.

Project partners Interreg project Watts in Grass!?

The consortium consists of New Energy CoalitionEntrance – Centre of Expertise Energy of the Hanze, 3N Kompetenzzentrum, Paques Global, BES GmbH & Co. KG, Hochschule Emden/Leer, Hochschule Osnabrück, Ekwadraat Adviesbureau, BTG Biomass Technology Group and D&R Energy. This group is supported by eight associated partners: LV Bioenergie, Wifö LK Aurich, Loonbedrijf Thomssen, Landwirtschaftskammer NRW, Stichting Beon, Province of Drenthe, Green Carbon Factory and Grassa.

Co-financing Interreg project Watts in Grass!?

The project partners are carrying out Watts in Grass!? from February 2026 to May 2028 as part of the Interreg VI program Deutschland-Nederland. The project is co-financed with 2,94 million euros by the European Union, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, the Lower Saxony State Chancellery, as well as the provinces of Groningen, Friesland, and Overijssel (NL).