The Wheydrogen project is a finalist in the 19th Agricultural Innovation Prize (PIA) awarded by the Canton of Fribourg. According to a statement, the project is mainly supported by the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (HEIA-FR) and the University of Fribourg. Its goal is to convert whey into green hydrogen.
Wheydrogen is therefore working to convert the cheese production byproduct into a renewable energy source, with the goal of reducing the environmental impact associated with whey processing as well as “degrading more than 95 per cent of the organic pollutants it contains”. The project sits within a circular economy concept that sees agricultural byproducts converted into an energy resource.
Four other projects are among the finalists, including Overney Technologie Sàrl, based in Villars-sur-Glâne in the canton of Fribourg, which has created an electric beet forklift. This chemical-free weed control solution is designed for organic farming and environmentally sensitive areas, aiming to reduce workloads and cut back on the use of herbicides.
Meanwhile, the whey-based labels for Swiss cheese developed by the Adolphe Merkle Institute at the University of Fribourg and the Interprofession du Gruyère (IPG) are designed to replace imported labels, improve traceability, and reduce the risk of fraud. And the HEIA-FR's “Phages for Agriculture” (PHAGRI+) project is using bacteriophages to combat certain bacterial plant diseases without using chemicals. Finally, the Wachdrohne project combines drones and telemetry technologies to track Asian hornets. By speeding up detection and response times, it aims to better protect pollinators and crops.
The 19th Agricultural Innovation Prize recognizes innovative projects across agriculture and the food industry in the canton of Fribourg. The biennial competition offers a total prize fund of 30,000 Swiss francs, of which 5,000 Swiss francs is awarded through a public vote. The public vote begins in June, and the award ceremony will take place on 16 September 2026. ce/gp