Edinburgh, UK: Researchers at Heriot-Watt University, in collaboration with space biotechnology company Take Root Bio, have successfully converted salty whey—a high-volume by-product of cheese production—into bioethanol, demonstrating a sustainable pathway to transform dairy waste into renewable fuel. The project, supported by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), combines Take Root Bio’s closed-loop biosphere engineering expertise with Heriot-Watt’s capabilities in industrial biotechnology and circular economy research.
The innovation addresses one of the dairy industry’s most challenging waste streams. Around 95,000 tonnes of salty whey are generated annually in the UK from cheddar and similar cheese production, with its high lactose and salt content making disposal both environmentally and economically difficult. The new bio-based process converts the sugars in salty whey into bioethanol while also generating a secondary by-product stream that could potentially be recovered and reused, improving overall resource efficiency.
Researchers believe the technology could help dairy processors reduce waste management costs while creating value from a material traditionally treated as waste. The partners are also evaluating mobile production units that could process whey closer to dairy plants, reducing transportation costs and improving commercial scalability. Future research will explore applying the same approach to other food and agricultural by-products, including fruit and vegetable processing waste, while also investigating the recovery of fermentation gases such as methane and hydrogen. (Heriot-Watt University)
The development highlights the growing role of circular bioeconomy solutions in the dairy sector, where waste valorisation, renewable energy production, and resource recovery are becoming key strategies for improving sustainability, reducing environmental impact, and creating new revenue opportunities for dairy processors. (Heriot-Watt University)
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