A school trip to the MiloIl plant in Lefkonas offered 130 students a first-hand look at industrial-scale waste heat recovery and renewable energy in action.
In late spring 2026, around 130 fifth-grade students and their teachers from Protypa Ekpedeftiria Thessalonikis, a private school in Thessaloniki, visited Mil OIl‘s production facility in Lefkonas, Serres (Greece), one of the six demonstration sites of the EU-funded FLEXIndustries project. The guided tour offered young students a rare opportunity to explore a fully operational bioeconomy site, where multiple interconnected energy systems work in synergy to reduce waste and maximise resource efficiency.
During the visit, students were able to observe Mil OIl’s full range of operations, from biodiesel and biogas production to electricity generation. Among the highlights was the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system deployed under FLEXIndustries, which recovers waste heat from the site’s Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units to generate up to 120 kWel of electricity . The visit also included a look at the infrastructure developed to redirect thermal energy towards the biodiesel production line, reducing primary energy consumption by an estimated 920 MWh per year.
After the plant tour, Mil OIl hosted the group at a nearby football academy, where students were able to relax and play football and basketball, accompanied by light refreshments. Each student and teacher received a gift pack including a T-shirt, a backpack, and a thermos, all featuring the logos of FLEXIndustries. A small but meaningful gesture connecting young people to the broader mission of industrial decarbonisation.
The initiative stands as a strong example of how project partners can go beyond technical implementation to actively engage local communities and younger generations. By opening its doors to schools, Mil OIl demonstrates that the transition to more sustainable industrial processes is not only a technical challenge, but also an opportunity to inspire awareness and curiosity in the citizens of tomorrow.
Photo credits: Mil Oil