Researchers at Kuban State Technological University (KubSTU) have devised a way to turn grape press residue-the leftover pulp from winemaking-into fuel pellets. This innovation tackles two problems at once: reducing waste storage while generating fuel for industrial and residential heating. For Russia’s Krasnodar region, a major hub of winemaking, the abundant raw material makes this a particularly practical solution.
The process itself is straightforward. Winemaking waste is first ground down, then pressed through a matrix, cooled, and cut into cylindrical pellets. The raw material used is the solid fraction left after the grape pomace undergoes vacuum water extraction.
Fuel pellets are typically made from wood shavings or agricultural leftovers. Grape press residue is a less obvious choice despite its volume at wineries. Some of it goes into fertilizer production, animal feed additives, or secondary recycling, but large amounts still require dedicated disposal strategies.
KubSTU scientists say these new fuel pellets outperform standard wood-based fuel granules in consumer properties. If scaled up, the technology could offer wineries a profitable way to monetize their waste and provide biofuel producers with a sustainable alternative to wood-based feedstock. Given the rising demand for pellet boilers and industrial bioenergy, this method seems poised for practical adoption in the Krasnodar region and beyond.