The Sevillian company Magtel has hosted the launch meeting of Carbon4LIFE at its facilities in Aerópolis, a European project aimed at transforming olive pruning into biogas, biochar, and sustainable substrates.
The technology company Magtel has initiated an ambitious European project from its centre in Aerópolis (Seville) that aims to convert olive pruning waste into high-value products. Under the name Carbon4LIFE, the initiative is co-financed by the LIFE programme of the European Commission and brings together eleven entities from Spain, France, Denmark, and Greece.
The main objective is to develop solutions that allow the valorisation of woody agricultural waste, especially that resulting from olive pruning, and transform it into renewable biogas, biochar (a type of charcoal with applications as a soil amendment), and sustainable substrates for agriculture and gardening. In this way, the cycle of the circular bioeconomy is closed, avoiding the burning or abandonment of these wastes and generating new resources.
The launch meeting took place in June 2026 at Magtel's facilities in the Aerospace Technology Park of Andalusia, in Seville. During the meeting, partners defined the lines of work and milestones of the project, which will be developed over the coming years.
Carbon4LIFE is not the only innovative initiative that Magtel is promoting from Seville. The company has also started the CONTINUUM and PROTOBOAT projects, both co-financed by the CDTI (Centre for Industrial Technological Development) and the CTA (Technological Corporation of Andalusia).
CONTINUUM focuses on the development of a cyber-secure digital twin, deployed on an Edge-Fog-Cloud architecture, to simulate, monitor, and protect critical infrastructures, with applications in both industrial and defence sectors. Meanwhile, PROTOBOAT investigates a new generation of autonomous aquatic drones, designed to operate with greater autonomy, energy efficiency, and lower environmental impact.
This drone integrates Fog Computing, embedded artificial intelligence, smart navigation, environmental, bathymetric, and structural sensors, onboard photovoltaic generation, a low-impact propulsion system, and the capacity to collect samples at various depths. Both projects reinforce Magtel's commitment to innovation applied to strategic sectors.
Another significant milestone is the AD-GRHID project, in which Magtel has developed a hybrid plant that combines photovoltaic generation, battery storage, and renewable hydrogen, all managed by an advanced energy management system. This initiative has been selected by Mission Innovation to be part of the National Pilots Report 2026 of the Green Powered Future Mission, among Spanish initiatives aimed at improving the resilience and decarbonisation of energy systems.
AD-GRHID is expected to be presented by the Spanish delegation at the upcoming international meeting of this mission, within the CEM17/MI-11, to be held in Riyadh. This recognition demonstrates how a pilot developed at the regional level can gain international projection when it combines technological integration and practical utility.
In the field of the circular economy, Magtel also participates in FIC-FIGHTERS, a Horizon Europe project focused on the valorisation of phosphogypsum, a complex industrial waste. During the consortium meeting held in Zagreb in May, the progress of detailed engineering was reviewed. The aim is to transform this waste into secondary raw materials that can be used by sectors such as cement, fertilizers, batteries, or detergents.
Magtel's innovation strategy, based in Seville, demonstrates that applied research can generate solutions with real impact in the territory. The company is committed to collaborating with universities, technological centres, and administrations to bridge the gap between idea and practical application. In the words of its leaders, innovating is not simply about incorporating new tools, but about transforming knowledge into real industrial capabilities: solutions that can be designed, built, operated, and maintained with guarantees.
For farmers and companies in the olive sector of the province of Seville, projects like Carbon4LIFE represent an opportunity to manage pruning waste, which is traditionally burned or abandoned, causing environmental problems. The transformation of this waste into biogas and biochar can open new business avenues and contribute to the decarbonisation of the Andalusian countryside.
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