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Knowledge category: Projects

Scale-up of low-carbon footprint material recovery techniques in existing wastewater treatment plants

Updated on 21.06.2024

The main objective of the project is to scale-up in real environment eco-innovative and energy-efficient solutions to renovate existing wastewater treatment plants and close the circular value chain by applying low-carbon techniques to recover materials that are otherwise lost. The project demonstrated the SMART portfolio comprised of biopolymers, cellulose, fertilizers and intermediates to be recovered and processed up to the final commercializable end-products.

Acronym: SMART-Plant
Countries: Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Germany, Portugal, Israel, Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland
Project website: www.smart-plant.eu
Start and end date: 01.06.2016 - 31.05.2020
Budget: 9 768 806 EUR
Funding source: Horizon 2020

Relevance for Circular Systemic Solutions

This project offers many useful deliverables to allow replication by other cities and regions working on bioeconomy related CSSs. Using these reports, other cities/regions can develop ideas on how they can go about converting urban organic waste into valuable bio-based products. Some of these deliverables focus on the business model while others focus on the technological aspects and environmental impacts. These can help cities and regions in the Design phase of their CSS deployment.

Main results and lessons learnt

The project produced a number of relevant and useful outputs, including:

 

  • Report on the consolidated SMART-plant scenarios, market value of SMART-Product portfolio and finalized product applications
  • Scenarios for market introduction of SMARTechnologies and target SMART-Product portfolio
  • Start-up, troubleshooting, operation and long-term validation report of the Downstream SMARTechs
  • SMART Decision Support Tool for upgrading existing plants
  • Long-term validation and replicability study of the sidestream SMARTechs
  • Long-term validation and replicability study of the mainstream SMARTechs
  • Socio-economic assessment, incl. LCC and CBA reports
  • Validation report and end use manual for the real-time energy consumption and carbon footprint monitoring for the SMARTechs

 

These can be found on: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/690323/results

Horizon programme and topic

Programme:

 

  • H2020-EU.3.5. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

 

Topic:

 

  • WATER-1b-2015 - Demonstration/pilot activities

Responsible organisation and contact details

UNIVERSITA POLITECNICA DELLE MARCHE

 

Contact the project: https://www.smart-plant.eu/index.php/contact

Project consortium partners

  • UNIVERSITA POLITECNICA DELLE MARCHE
  • UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA
  • BRUNEL UNIVERSITY LONDON
  • CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
  • UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA
  • FUNDACIO UNIVERSITARIA BALMES
  • ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNION
  • KWB KOMPENTENTZZENTRUM WASSER BERLIN GEMEINNUTZIGE GMBH
  • BIOTREND-INOVACAO E ENGENHARIA EM BIOTECNOLOGIA SA
  • SOCAMEX SA
  • BYK ADDITIVES LIMITED
  • POZZATO PIERPAOLO
  • AGROBICS LTD
  • SALSNES FILTER AS
  • INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGIA EXPERIMENTAL E TECNOLOGICA
  • ETAIREIA YDREYSEOS KAI APOCHETEFSEOS PROTEYOYSIS ANONIMI ETAIREIA
  • ALTO TREVIGIANO SERVIZI SRL
  • MEKOROT WATER COMPANY LIMITED
  • Aigues de Manresa
  • S.A.
  • CIRTEC BV
  • EXECON PARTNERS GMBH
  • SEVERN TRENT WATER LIMITED
  • AKTOR TECHNICAL AE
  • VANNPLASTIC LTD
  • WELLNESS TELECOM SL
  • INNOEXC GMBH
  • SCAE SRL
  • SPECIALIST BUILDING PRODUCTS LIMITED
  • UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI VERONA
Sectors

CEAP2 key product value chain

CEAP2 key product value chain

CEAP2 key product value chain

including bio-based economy

e.g. chemicals, cosmetics, bio-based industries

Territories involved

large 500 000-200 000, medium 200 000-50 000, and small cities 50 000-5 000

large metropolitan area >1.5 million, metropolitan area 1.5 million-500 000

predominantly urban regions, intermediate and predominantly rural regions, refer to TERCET typology NUTS 3 region

Intra-territorial areas