Arany Kapu: valorising winemaking byproducts from nearly 300 Hungarian vineyards
Winemaking produces a large amount of waste and byproducts (such as grape marc and wine lees), corresponding to around 30% of the grapes by weight.
Arany Kapu (in English "golden gate"), a privately owned plant in Kunfehértó, Hungary, collects grape processing and winemaking byproducts from nearly 300 Hungarian wine-producing companies for distillation and valorisation. The processing plant, initially established in 1970, has more than doubled its capacity and employs almost 100 people.
Grape marc and wine lees are processed to make raw alcohol, grape marc spirit, calcium tartrate and dried grape seed (from grape marc). A significant share of the raw alcohol goes to make bioethanol.
Arany Kapu regularly carries out the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) procedure for biomass and bioenergy required for its customers.
- This winemaking byproduct (otherwise considered as waste) processing model is a clear example of the circular economy within the agro-industrial sector.
- The heat produced by burning the grape marc extra residue is used for the plant's heating systems.