LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 showcases its achievements at the European Weeks 2022
Throughout this year 2022 LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 has been present at numerous events, many of them promoted by the European Union. The main objective of these meetings has been to highlight and raise awareness of the challenges of environmental conservation today. These seminars have been geared towards achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal, one of its main goals being climate neutrality by 2050, which is to be achieved by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030. Throughout this year, the presence of LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 at events has allowed us to promote the creation of synergies with different entities and projects in the sector, and to publicise the innovative technology of our project. On 31 May this year, our project organised the event “#LIFE30 Gathering Successful Ongoing & Former Projects on Circular Economy, by LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0“, held in the framework of the European Green Week 2022. The meeting served to exchange experiences and to be able to implement future projects of the LIFE Programme. For more information about the event, click here. On 21 September 2022 in the framework of the European Sustainable Development Week and the European Sustainable Energy Week, LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 was present at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga, FYCMA in an event organised by one of the project partners, Finnova. Under the title “Innovation for an energy transmission in sustainable cities”, key issues related to the energy transmission in sustainable cities were discussed, key issues related to the future of the European Union in terms of the environment were discussed. For more information about the event, click here. On 20 October this year, our project also took part in the event “Creating Synergies and Sharing Experiences between Projects in Different Regions” organised by the Finnova Foundation within the framework of the European Week of Regions. The seminar was held virtually and different European projects in the field of sustainable energy were presented. In addition, the meeting also allowed to discuss issues related to European funds and financing, with special emphasis on the contribution of each of the projects to the RePowerEU plan. For more information about the event, click here. And finally, LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 participated in the European Waste Reduction Week on 24 November with a seminar on “Creating an aware community on sustainable waste treatment and waste reduction in Europe” organised by the Finnova Foundation. The purpose of this event, which was attended by representatives of the projects BIOMASA-CAP, Ecoval Sudoe, 2G2 Algae, Hub Hiberia Agrotech (HIBA), LIFE BIOGASNET and LIFE INFUSION, was to share experiences, create synergies and promote alliances between these projects working in the field of circular economy. The event allowed the speakers to present their technologies, through which they contribute to the problem of waste overproduction, thus promoting waste prevention. For more information about the event, click here. From LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 we hope to be able to continue contributing and showing our innovative and sustainable technology in events as important as these, contributing our grain of sand, and thus promoting the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Deal. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project presents a digital automatic control system for the dosing of organic waste in anaerobic digesters of WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plant) to maximise the production of biogas on demand as renewable energy. This project has a budget of more than 970,000 euros. The pilot project, which has a duration of four years (2020-2024), is led by Global Omnium Medioambiente (Spain) and has as partners the Finnovaregio Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal). The production of biogas to cover energy demand and reduce the amount of waste in landfill contributes to compliance with the European Landfill Directive.
LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 present at the European Week for Waste Reduction
Last Thursday 24th November in the framework of the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR 2022) LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project held an online event “Creating an Awareness Community on sustainable waste treatment and waste reduction in Europe” organised by the Finnova Foundation. The attendees were able to learn about the good practices of waste awareness and waste treatment carried out by the invited actors, experts and specialists in the field of circular economy. Juanma Revuelta, CEO of the Finnova Foundation, opened the event, highlighting his experience in European Funds and explaining the currently open calls for LIFE, Interreg and Horizon. After his speech, Carlos Lafita – Research and Development Technician at Global Omnium, presented the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project, explaining how its technology contributes to sustainable waste treatment and waste reduction. The event was also attended by the Biomass – CAP project, presented by Joao Domingues, EU Innovation and Programmes Manager at FEUGA, who explained that “the main objective of the project is to optimise the exploitation and use of biomass”. Then, Antón Fernandez, representative for Ecoval Sudoe took the floor to present the project, “which is a great engine of change as it works on the promotion of the circular economy through the recovery of organic waste generated in urban environments” he concluded. Another great project that contributes to the reduction and sustainable use of waste, and which was present at the event, is G2G Algae Solutions, exposed by the biologist and professor Nuria Egea. “This inspiring project works with the use of microalgae to obtain products and their use as a tool to solve problems derived from human activity, transforming waste into something new”. Next, Adrián Noheda – European projects technician at Finnova Foundation, represented the Interreg – HIBA project, highlighted the relevance of the programmes offered by European Union funding such as LIFE and Interreg in achieving circular and sustainable projects. Caroline Sielfeld, Researcher at Eurecat, spoke about the contribution of the LIFE INFUSION project “in more sustainable waste management, focused on the circular economy, through the production of high added value resources from the waste effluents produced during the management of municipal solid waste”. Finally, Xavier Gamisans – coordinator of the LIFE BIOGASNET project, presented the project that “aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a technology based on the concept of circular bioeconomy for biogas upgrading, using waste effluents while producing reusable raw materials”. All in all, it was a day where innovative technologies were presented, inspiring possible new projects and future collaboration, and where they showed their contributions towards solving the challenge of excessive waste production, the main objective of this European week. If you missed the event and would like to learn more about it, feel free to watch it here! About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project, led by Global Omnium, whose partners are Finnova and Águas do Centro Litoral, develops innovative technology at scale, for the control and automation of co-digestion in WWTPs, producing green energy on demand. With this project, the consortium is working to prevent the loss of resources and energy contained in waste and sludge from WWTPs, which accounts for between 1 and 3% of the total energy produced in the European Union and represents some 10,000 GWh/year, causing the emission of more than 27 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. About Finnova Finnova is a Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels (Belgium) with a presence in Spain in the Valencia region, the Basque Country, Andalusia, the Madrid region, Extremadura and the Canary Islands. The foundation works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level and operates through collaborations and partnerships in all EU countries. Finnova’s experience in leading communication activities and dissemination of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurial support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and incubators. In addition, it is committed to the training and employability of young people. About Biomass – CAP Cross-border project for R&D centres in Spain and Portugal. The aim of the previous project, Biomasa – AP, was to optimise the exploitation and use of biomass from pruning residues, scrubland, vines and kiwifruit. Biomasa – CAP, consists of capitalising on these results and extending the Biomasa Cross-Border Network. About Ecoval Sudoe It is a project co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe programme through the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF. Its main objective is to overcome the legal, technological, social and cultural barriers that allow the development of business models for the commercialisation of high added value by-products – volatile fatty acids and fertilisers – obtained from sewage sludge and urban bio-waste generated in urban environments in the Sudoe Area. About 2G2 Algae Solutions The main objective of the project is to apply microalgae cultivation technology to help recover and collaborate in the conservation of natural resources, in order to preserve the biodiversity of the planet. About HIBA The project’s main objective is the creation of a multi-regional ecosystem for accompanying Agro-digitisation, whereby cooperation between local innovation ecosystems and the multi-regional IHL network is crucial. Through digitisation, the aim is to favour an efficient, sustainable and joint management of resources, in line with the European Green Pact. About LIFE BIOGASNET The main objective of the project is to demonstrate a new cost-effective and environmentally friendly technology for biogas desulphurisation, based on biological processes, capable of obtaining a high quality biogas and valuable final by-products. About LIFE INFUSION The project aims to recover energy, nutrients and water from landfill leachate and liquid digestate from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and to reduce its environmental impact on MSW treatment facilities.
Finnova support the European Week for Waste Reduction with diverse events
On the 15th of November, the world’s population reached 8 billion, the largest number of people the planet has ever supported. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the 18th century, population growth has been a cause for concern. Examples of this are the Malthusian problems, the response with the colonisation of Africa as a source of goods or the more recent globalisation. A situation that has led to the search for alternative resources such as the reuse of materials to produce new elements. This is when waste ceases to be a simple waste product and becomes a second chance. The European Union is no stranger to this problem and for years it has been funding European projects through different programs that aim to contribute to a circular and sustainable economy. The Finnova Foundation participates in several of these programs and during this week it plans to hold various events to give visibility and disseminate solutions to combat the problem of resource scarcity. Four events Tuesday, the 22nd of November at 10.30 a.m. (GMT+1): Day of exchange of experiences on fire fighting Finnova inaugurates the European Week of Waste with a day of exchange of experiences on firefighting, an area in which waste is of great importance, as 25% of fires come from waste. In view of this situation, FIPAS, a forest fire prediction alarm system through Artificial Intelligence, led by Nassat and developed within the framework of EIT Climate-KIC will hold a hybrid event with the intention of promoting the analysis of opportunities, disseminating the project and generating the exchange of knowledge, skills and resources that promote good practices in the fight against fires. Those interested in following the event will be able to do so after registering at the following link: https://bit.ly/3XmRux9 Thursday, 24th of November, 10.00 a.m. (GMT+1): Conference to exchange experiences on sustainable waste treatment strategies Under the name: “Raising awareness and creating a community on sustainable waste treatment and reduction in Europe”, Finnova celebrates the second event, within this week, on behalf of the European Project Life Ecodigestion 2.0. An initiative framed within the LIFE program that aims to demonstrate on a pilot scale the production of biogas on demand with WWTP sludge, using agri-food waste and slurry as co-substrate. This event aims to give visibility to existing projects such as BIOMASA-CAP, G2G – Algae, as well as the contribution of practical knowledge from experts in the sector such as the Catalan Waste Agency or representatives of the Valencian Community, future European Green Capital in 2024. Anyone interested in attending this online event can do so by registering in advance: http://bit.ly/3hU5wG1 Friday, the 25th of November, 10.00 a.m. (GMT+1): Workshop on good practices in agri-food waste management. New opportunities for European funding Finnova is organising a side event of the Iberia Agrotech HIBA Hub Project, which aims to share best practices for the management of agri-food waste, as well as to raise awareness of new funding opportunities to promote similar cross-border cooperation projects at European level (Interreg POCTEP – Interreg SUDOE). HIBA is a project made up of 19 beneficiaries from Spain and Portugal, and 75% co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund – ERDF, in the framework of the Interreg V-A Spain-Portugal 2014-2020 program (POCTEP), with a total project budget of 5.3 million euros. With a multi-regional character, the axis of the European project is based on inclusive growth through cross-border cooperation between Spain and Portugal in favour of business competitiveness, in order to improve the competitiveness and development of small and medium-sized enterprises. The project seeks to promote entrepreneurship by facilitating the economic exploitation of new ideas and encouraging the creation of new companies. Registration and booking at: https://bit.ly/3VfOalg Friday, the 25th of November, 16.00 p.m. (GMT+1): Online webinar on circular economy projects in the textile sector As a finale, Finnova is holding the last of the events planned for the waste week, an online webinar offered by CircoAX by CircularInnoBooster, a project funded by the COSME program that aims to transform textile and fashion companies into sustainable, circular and regenerative enterprises. An event closely linked to this year’s slogan “Waste is out of fashion!” in which some of the managers of the 30 SMEs that make up CircoAX will participate, as well as Sharam Yalda, founder of Human Nation or Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, who will provide a vision of how to contribute to this fight from the management of European funds. If you would like to attend, do not hesitate to register: http://bit.ly/3EPuDD6 About Finnova Finnova is the European foundation for innovation financing. Its objectives are to promote public-private cooperation through its knowledge and experience in European funding instruments, addressing societal challenges such as youth employment, entrepreneurship, the UN SDGs, the circular economy, waste recovery, sustainable tourism and the fight against climate change. About FIPAS The European project FIPAS consists of a forest fire prediction alarm system through Artificial Intelligence, led by Nassat and Rivulet developed within the framework of EIT Climate-KIC, community that supports innovative initiatives that help combat climate change and mitigate the effects of global warming. FIPAS has a total budget of 144,500 euros, 80% financed by the EIT Climate-KIC. This tool is being implemented in the town of Pehchevo, Macedonia. The Social Innovation Lab, a laboratory located in Skopje, which dedicates its resources to offer innovative solutions based on technology, is collaborating with Finnova. About CircularInnoBooster is a project funded by the European Union’s Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Program (COSME). The CircularInnoBooster project aims to transform companies in the textile and fashion industry into sustainable, circular and regenerative enterprises. With a duration of 2 years, it has a budget of 1,128,000 euros, 75% co-financed by the European Commission. The project is composed of an international consortium led by the European Institute of Design (IED), together with Texfor, Circulab, Finnova and The Circular Project with Human Nation. About LifeEcodigestion 2.0 The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project presents a digital automatic control system
LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project participates in European Waste Reduction Week
Next Thursday 24 November, from 10:00 to 11:30 CET, in the framework of the European Week for Waste Reduction, Finnova Foundation will hold this event entitled by “Raising awareness on waste reduction in Europe”, which will bring together various European experts and projects working in the field of circular economy and waste treatment and reuse. The European project LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 will be one of the protagonists of this event. The purpose of this event, in which representatives of the projects BIOMASA-CAP, Ecoval Sudoe, 2G2 Algae, Hub Iberia Agrotech (HIBA), LIFE BIOGASNET and LIFE INFUSION will participate, will be to share experiences, create synergies and promote alliances between projects working in the field of circular economy. This sort of actions, in which several projects will be able to showcase their technologies, offer the possibility of being able to contribute to solving the waste problem, while raising awareness of the importance of waste reduction and prevention. The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project, led by Global Omnium and whose partners are Finnova and Águas do Centro Litoral, is developing innovative technology at scale for the control and automation of co-digestion in WWTPs, producing green energy on demand. With this project, the consortium is working to prevent the loss of resources and energy contained in waste and sludge from WWTPs, which accounts for between 1 and 3% of the total energy produced in the European Union and represents some 10,000 GWh/year, causing the emission of more than 27 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. Let’s Clean Up Europe European Waste Reduction Week (EWWR) encourages all Europeans to take action to raise awareness about sustainable resource and waste management during a single week in November. Under the slogan “Let’s Clean Up Europe“, this year’s European Week for Waste Reduction will focus on promoting the reduction of consumption, the reuse of products and materials and the recycling of waste. These good practices are known as the 3R’s which have an impact on Europe’s sustainable recovery. Anyone interested in contributing to the issue of over-consumption and over-production of waste can attend the event, where an exchange of ideas and strategies based on promoting the circular economy in Europe will take place. Participate and register here We are waiting for you! About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 It is a demonstrative pilot project, funded by the LIFE programme, that generates biogas in water treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), in a way that allows transforming sludge from wastewater treatment plants into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market by achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas through optimal waste exploitation. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the exploitation of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. About Finnova Finnova is a Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels (Belgium) with a presence in Spain in the Valencia region, the Basque Country, Andalusia, the Madrid region, Extremadura and the Canary Islands. The foundation works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level and operates through collaborations and partnerships in all EU countries. Finnova’s experience in leading communication activities and dissemination of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurial support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and incubators. In addition, it is committed to the training and employability of young people. About Biomass – CAP Cross-border project for R&D centres in Spain and Portugal. The aim of the previous project, Biomasa – AP, was to optimise the exploitation and use of biomass from pruning residues, scrubland, vines and kiwifruit. Biomasa – CAP, consists of capitalising on these results and extending the Biomasa Cross-Border Network. About Ecoval Sudoe It is a project co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe programme through the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF. Its main objective is to overcome the legal, technological, social and cultural barriers that allow the development of business models for the commercialisation of high added value by-products – volatile fatty acids and fertilisers – obtained from sewage sludge and urban bio-waste generated in urban environments in the Sudoe Area. About 2G2 Algae Solutions The main objective of the project is to apply microalgae cultivation technology to help recover and collaborate in the conservation of natural resources, in order to preserve the biodiversity of the planet. About HIBA The project’s main objective is the creation of a multi-regional ecosystem for accompanying Agro-digitisation, whereby cooperation between local innovation ecosystems and the multi-regional IHL network is crucial. Through digitisation, the aim is to promote efficient, sustainable and joint management of resources, in line with the European Green Pact. About LIFE BIOGASNET The main objective of the project is to demonstrate a new cost-effective and environmentally friendly technology for biogas desulphurisation, based on biological processes, capable of obtaining high quality biogas and valuable final by-products. About LIFE INFUSION The project aims to recover energy, nutrients and water from landfill leachate and liquid digestate from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and to reduce its environmental impact on MSW treatment facilities.
The European Life ECODIGESTION 2.0 project, on centre stage at the International Canagua & Energy Fair
The 13th International Canagua and Energy Fair, promoted by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and organised by Infecar, was held on 9 November. The aim of this event was to turn the Canary Islands into an international benchmark for clean energy, facilitating new business opportunities, new generation models, efficiency, water reuse, investment, promotion and collaboration within the water and energy binomial. The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project was presented by the general director of the Finnova Foundation, Juanma Revuelta, as a success case for obtaining non-polluting energy” The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2. 0 technology is based on that developed in the previous LIFE ECODIGESTION project, whose main objective was the development, implementation and demonstration at pilot scale of an innovative technology for the automatic control of waste dosing in WWTP anaerobic digesters, thus maximising biogas production and waste treatment capacity”, he explained during the presentation. Two of the major challenges facing Europe today are energy scarcity and drought, which is why the presence of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project was of great relevance to the audience, which was very interested in alternative energy sources. The main objective of LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 is to scale up the technology to produce biogas on demand with WWTP sludge, using agri-food waste and slurry as a co-substrate. It is, therefore, a project that sets an example of good management of European funds as well as a successful collaboration between public-private entities and a commitment to technological innovation, thus helping to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and build a sustainable Europe. About Finnova Finnova is a Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels (Belgium) with a presence in Spain in the Valencian Community, the Basque Country, Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, Extremadura and the Canary Islands. The foundation works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level and operates through collaborations and partnerships in all EU countries. Finnova’s experience in leading communication activities and dissemination of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurial support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and incubators. It is also committed to the training and employability of young people. About the Energy Council of Gran Canaria An organisation associated with the Cabildo de Gran Canaria that was created with the intention of promoting clean energy, stimulating different energy saving and efficiency policies in homes and economic sectors of the islands, while at the same time promoting research, development and technological innovation together with town councils and other institutions. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 Funded by the LIFE programme, it is a demonstrative pilot project that generates biogas in water treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, MSW organic fractions, horeca, etc.). In this way, it allows wastewater treatment plant sludge to be transformed into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market by achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas through optimal waste exploitation. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the exploitation of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. The 13th International Canagua and Energy Fair, promoted by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and organised by Infecar, was held on 9 November. The aim of this event was to turn the Canary Islands into an international benchmark for clean energy, facilitating new business opportunities, new generation models, efficiency, water reuse, investment, promotion and collaboration within the water and energy binomial. The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project was presented by the general director of the Finnova Foundation, Juanma Revuelta, as a success case for obtaining non-polluting energy” The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2. 0 technology is based on that developed in the previous LIFE ECODIGESTION project, whose main objective was the development, implementation and demonstration at pilot scale of an innovative technology for the automatic control of waste dosing in WWTP anaerobic digesters, thus maximising biogas production and waste treatment capacity”, he explained during the presentation. Two of the major challenges facing Europe today are energy scarcity and drought, which is why the presence of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project was of great relevance to the audience, which was very interested in alternative energy sources. The main objective of LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 is to scale up the technology to produce biogas on demand with WWTP sludge, using agri-food waste and slurry as a co-substrate. It is, therefore, a project that sets an example of good management of European funds as well as a successful collaboration between public-private entities and a commitment to technological innovation, thus helping to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and build a sustainable Europe. About Finnova Finnova is a Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels (Belgium) with a presence in Spain in the Valencian Community, the Basque Country, Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, Extremadura and the Canary Islands. The foundation works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level and operates through collaborations and partnerships in all EU countries. Finnova’s experience in leading communication activities and dissemination of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurial support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and incubators. It is also committed to the training and employability of young people. About the Energy Council of Gran Canaria An organisation associated with the Cabildo de Gran Canaria that was created with the intention of promoting clean energy, stimulating different energy saving and efficiency policies in homes and economic sectors of the islands, while at the same time promoting research, development and technological innovation together with town councils and other institutions. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 Funded by the LIFE programme, it is a demonstrative pilot project that generates biogas in water treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, MSW organic fractions,
The European energy optimisation project Enerbuild, led by the Energy Council of Gran Canaria, present at the 13th International Canagua & Energy Fair
Combat climate change by relying on smart-building technology and the Internet of Things. This is the main objective of Enerbuild, led by the Gran Canaria Island Energy Council (CIEGC) and with the participation of the Finnova Foundation and the Macedonian Innovation Lab Smart-Up within the framework of EIT Climate-KIC, which will be presented these days at the 13th International Canagua and Energy Fair held at the Infecar fairgrounds in Gran Canaria. The presentation and dissemination of Enerbuild have great importance in this Fair, as it is a project that is being developed in a pilot building of the Energy Island Council of Gran Canaria (CIEGC). The project also involves the participation of the Internet of Things platform HiperWare, a tool of the German group BPS International dedicated to Big Data, and the Portuguese smart maintenance platform Infraspeak, which will serve as technological pillars of a combined solution based on analysing and monitoring supply systems by collecting Big Data. In parallel to detecting anomalies and providing recommendations on system optimisation, Smartup, a Macedonian innovation lab collaborating with Finnova, brings its knowledge, skills, and resources to find synergies that foster the exchange of experiences between North Macedonia, Europe and the outermost regions such as the Canary Islands and its knowledge, skills and resources in order to find synergies that foster the exchange of experiences between North Macedonia, Europe and outermost regions such as the Canary Islands and its knowledge, skills and resources in order to find synergies that foster the exchange of experiences between North Macedonia, Europe and outermost regions such as the Canary Islands and the Canary Islands. With a total budget of 156,654 euros, 75% funded by EIT Climate-KIC, Enerbuild aims to demonstrate how good management of European funds, an international collaboration between public-private entities, and a commitment to technological innovation can help to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and build a sustainable Europe. A presentation that all attendees will be able to enjoy both at the stand that will be available throughout the fair, as well as during the intervention of Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, on Wednesday 9th November at 18:00 hours, in an environment in which all the most representative actors of the water and energy binomial will be present. About Finnova Finnova is a Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels (Belgium) with a presence in Spain in the Valencian Community, the Basque Country, Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, Extremadura, and the Canary Islands. The foundation works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at the EU level and operates through collaborations and partnerships in all EU countries. Finnova’s experience in leading communication activities and dissemination of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and business support programs, such as accelerators, incubators, and incubators. It is also committed to the training and employability of young people. About the Gran Canaria Island Energy Council An organisation associated with the Cabildo de Gran Canaria was created to promote clean energies, stimulating different energy-saving and efficiency policies in homes and economic sectors of the islands, while at the same time promoting research, development and technological innovation together with town councils and other institutions. About SmartUp The social innovation lab, located in Skopje (North Macedonia), dedicates its resources and skills to catalyse innovation to offer novel solutions to social problems, connecting institutions, organisations and collectives to different opportunities or projects. About EIT Climate-KIC EIT Climate-KIC is a community dedicated to innovation and knowledge in climate action. It identifies and supports different initiatives or projects that contribute to the fight against climate change and promote decarbonisation and energy transition. It is part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an independent body of the European Union dedicated to increasing Europe’s competitiveness in areas such as sustainability, economic growth and job creation. About BPS Group BPS Group is a German company operating in the field of technology and the real estate market. The firm has developed HiPerWare, an end-to-end platform that with the help of Big Data and the Internet of Things can perform technically complex real estate operations in real-time. The data, obtained through sensors placed in buildings or equipment, are analysed in the cloud and processed against thousands of variables that allow to visualise operational processes in 3D and improve the efficiency of maintenance. About Infraspeak Infraspeak is the developer of an intelligent maintenance management platform, a state-of-the-art software capable of connecting to different resources such as platforms and sensors. Infraspeak has extensive experience in the implementation of its software and its connection to the Internet of Things sensors, bringing its services to more than 400 customers around the world. About the International Canagua and Energy Fair After more than four years of hiatus, conditioned by its biennial nature and the Covid-19 pandemic, the 13th edition of the international Canagua and Energy Fair aims to offer a space in which clean energies are the core. To this end, it will provide more than 50 exhibitors and conferences to facilitate new business opportunities, the generation of synergies, new generation models, efficiency, desalination, water reuse, investment, promotion and collaboration within the water and energy binomial. All those interested in participating in this benchmark event on the islands will be able to purchase their tickets to attend free of charge in the next few days at http://www.canagua.es.
CANAGUA HOSTS LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0
13TH INTERNATIONAL WATER AND ENERGY TRADE FAIR Energy scarcity and drought are two of the major concerns of Europe today, which is why the search for alternative energy sources is becoming increasingly important. In this way, the visibility of projects such as Life Ecodigestion, 2.0, a demonstrative pilot project that allows wastewater treatment plant sludge to be transformed into green energy through technology, can inspire the attendees. To this effect, the presentation and dissemination of LifeEcodigestion 2.0 aims to demonstrate how good management of European funds, collaboration between public-private entities and a commitment to technological innovation can help to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and build a sustainable Europe. A presentation that all attendees will be able to enjoy both at the stand that will be available throughout the duration of the fair, as well as during the intervention of Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, on Wednesday 9 November at 18:00, in an environment in which all the most representative actors of the water and energy binomial will be present. About Life Ecodigestion 2.0 Funded by the LIFE programme, Life Ecodigestion 2.0 is a pilot demonstration project that generates biogas in water treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, MSW organic fractions, Horeca, etc.). It allows wastewater treatment plant sludge to be transformed into green energy through technology. The initiative, led by Global Omnium (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market by achieving environmental and economic benefits by producing biogas through optimal waste exploitation. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the exploitation of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment About the International Water and Energy Fair After more than four years of hiatus, conditioned by its biennial nature and the Covid-19 pandemic, the 13th edition of the International Canagua and Energy Fair aims to offer a space in which clean energies are at the core. To this end, it will provide more than 50 exhibitors and conferences to facilitate new business opportunities, the generation of synergies, new generation models, efficiency, desalination, water reuse, investment, promotion and collaboration within the water and energy binomial. All those interested in participating in this benchmark event on the islands will be able to purchase their tickets to attend free of charge on the website www.canagua.es in the next few days. About Finnova Finnova is a Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels (Belgium) and present in Spain in the Valencian Community, the Basque Country, Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, Extremadura and the Canary Islands. The foundation works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level and operates through collaborations and partnerships in all EU countries. Finnova’s experience in leading communication activities and dissemination of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and business support programmes, such as accelerators, and incubators. It is also committed to the training and employability of young people.
LIFE ECODIGESTION LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 PRESENT AT THE EUROPEAN WEEK OF REGIONS 2022
The event “Creating Synergies and Sharing Experiences between Projects in Different Regions” organised by the Finnova Foundation took place on 20 October 2022. The seminar was held virtually and different European projects in the field of sustainable energy were presented in addition to discussing issues related to European funds and financing. The event took place in the framework of the European Week of Regions and Cities and focused on the discussion of how each of the projects contributes to the European Commission’s “RePowerEU” Plan. Structured in three panels, the first one was framed in an institutional presentation, followed by a block focused specifically on European funds and, finally, a panel composed by representatives of different European projects focused on sustainable energy. Juan Manuel Revuelta, CEO of the Finnova Foundation opened the event. His presentation focused on sharing his long professional experience in European funds, as well as presenting a holistic and strategic vision of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project. Moisés Alvaro, Ecosystem Developer for Southern Europe at Climate-KIC, presented the work carried out by EIT Climate KIC with the support of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology to accelerate the transition towards a zero carbon society. He highlighted that in the face of such ambitious goals and short-term targets in reference to zero carbon by 2030, it was necessary to adapt a systemic approach. “The change we are really committed to is the systemic one, as it implies a change of dynamics, so the challenge is not just a replacement of the energy source or technological fixes, but a complete transformation of the system,” he explained. Moisés concluded his presentation by stressing that the Commission’s proposed strategic and legislative plan, RePowerEU, is a great tool to ensure the energy transition, but that “it needs a systemic perspective in order to have a real impact”. Carlos Guittérrez, Project Director of the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, the AFRIMAC Project and Fuerteventura Smart Island, participated in the final part of the first panel. His intervention was based on the actions framed in the RePowerEU strategy being carried out by the Cabildo of Fuerteventura through the “Planning and Strategic Projects” service. In his presentation, he highlighted the importance on the part of the public administration to focus on one of the first lines of action proposed by the plan, which is energy saving. Under the pretext that the production of clean energy and the diversification of supplies are outside the scope of public administration. The second part, based on European funds, included the participation of Almudena Blanco, EU Project Manager at the Finnova Foundation. Her presentation focused on the LIFE programme and the types of subsidies and funding offered by the European Union. She also explained the budget allocated for the RePowerEU plan, and how it will complement the actions foreseen in the European Green Pact and the NextGenerationEU recovery plan. Opening with Carlos Lafita, R+D+i technician at Global Omnium, a group of water management companies in Valencia and lead partner of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project. His intervention revolved around the explanation of the project, providing technical details of its progress. He focused on one of the most significant problems related to the waste generated in Europe. These are agrifood waste and slurry, which are equivalent to 27 million tonnes and 36 millions tonnes per year, respectively, within the EU territory. As Carlos mentioned in his presentation “we have an immense amount of waste to treat and we have to do it in the greenest way possible”. The panel continued with the intervention of Adrián Noheda, European Project Manager at the Finnova Foundation. Thanks to his intervention, the new energy optimisation project led by the Energy Island Council of Gran Canaria, ENERBUILD, became known. In Adrián’s words, this initiative “proposes to combat climate change by relying on smart-building technology and the Internet of Things“. This project presents an energy optimisation system that will be developed in a pilot building of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Álvaro Reina, Project Manager at Brussels Research & Innovation Center for Green Technologies (BRING), a non-profit organisation, which has contributed significantly to the development of energy storage processes. He spoke about the LIBERTY project, which aims to improve the performance, safety, and lifetime of the EV battery from a life cycle and sustainability point of view. HYPOBATT, the second project mentioned by Álvaro, which aims to advance in the electrification of maritime ferry transport. Elisa Mazo, Research Technician at MARE, S.A. M.P, was the next participant of the event, focusing on the European project LIFE 3E and the energy crisis and dependence on fossil fuels. Regarding the project, she highlighted its objective of demonstrating the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of a process for the recovery of treated wastewater in coastal areas, with the integrated recovery of energy from the saline gradient (SGE). Continuing with the last panel, we had the intervention of Emmanuel Kypraios, leader and representative of the innovative European project RES4City. It is led by Maynooth University and aims to improve students’ skills so that they are prepared for a green transition. It achieves the above through the use of advanced technologies that create an inclusive programme for those who cannot afford traditional education systems. To conclude the panel, Monserrat Gómez, project assistant, presented LIFE BIOGASNET, the project that promotes an innovative technology for biogas desulphurisation by coupling a nitrification bioreactor with an anoxic gas phase biopercolator filter or anoxic bioscrubber. The technology to be developed will have potential environmental benefits compared to current practices, as it “can reduce the environmental footprint by up to 55% by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, thus contributing to RePowerEU”. The event ended with fruitful interactions between the panellists. Of which to highlight the synergy that emerged from the representative of the LIFE-3E project, Elisa Mazo Bedía, in reference to the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project. She indicated that the tool used by the project was of great interest to her and added that she saw the possibility of
Biogas at the forefront in Spain: new open call of up to 150 million euros
Biogas is a key energy source generated from the revaluation of organic waste in a circular model. For this reason, projects such as LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 are increasingly being promoted, which, in addition to generating this energy source, contributes to its maximum optimisation and efficient use. The Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge is committed to this energy source and has launched a call for proposals for grants of up to 150 million euros for biogas facilities. In this sense, the potential of a project such as LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, led from Spain by Global Omium Medioambiente and its digital system for the dosing of organic waste that maximises the production of biogas on demand, is demonstrated. The opportunity or launch of this first call is executed under the Competitive Concurrence Regime of the incentive programme for singular projects for biogas facilities, from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) for the execution of the Next Generation EU funds. The regulatory bases can be consulted here. The call will be open from 12 September to 14 October 2022 and the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IADE) will be in charge of managing the grants. With this opportunity, Spain can take advantage of the great potential available for the production of biogas from the agricultural sector, the agri-food sector and waste management, making use of the large size of its agricultural and agri-food industry and favouring the efficient management of municipal or local waste. Energy efficiency projects that have a positive impact will be part of the solution to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, contributing to the achievement of emission reduction targets, as well as the penetration of renewable energies at a general level. Given the incentive character of the open call, only projects whose implementation has not started prior to the application will be eligible. Furthermore, the aid intensity may be increased by 20 percentage points in the case of aid granted to small enterprises and by 10 percentage points in the case of aid granted to medium-sized enterprises. Likewise, it may be increased by 5 percentage points when the action is located in areas of Demographic Challenge and/or Just Transition. For more information click here.
Malaga embraces a sustainable future with LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0
Fycma hosts the event ‘Innovation for an energy transition in sustainable cities’ organized by Finnova in the framework of Greencities and S-Moving The event was held during the European Sustainable Development Week and the European Sustainable Energy Week On 21 September 2022, within the framework of Greencities and S-Moving, Fycma, Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga, hosted the event “Innovation for an energy transmission in sustainable cities”, organized by Finnova. The LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project, led by the company Global Omnium and whose partners are Finnova and Águas do Centro Litoral, was the protagonist of this event in which key issues for the future of the European Union in terms of environment were discussed. The event took place during the European Sustainable Development Week and the European Sustainable Energy Week, and featured two panels, one focused on the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project and the other on sustainable mobility and smart cities. Natalia Cediel, Communication and Institutional Relations Officer at Finnova, was in charge of opening and moderating the event. Cediel focused her speech on the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. During her speech, she also explained the REPowerEU Plan, created by the European Commission in May 2022, to respond to the difficulties in the energy market caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “In this way, the European Union seeks to find sustainable, safe and, above all, affordable energy for citizens,’ Cediel stressed. Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, explained the main milestones of the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project whose main objective is the scaling up of the technology for on-demand biogas production with WWTP sludge, using agri-food waste and slurry as co-substrate. “The innovative biogas-on-demand technology contributes to energy efficiency. In this way, the smallest possible amount of energy resources is used,” Revuelta said. Lola Bordás, Marketing Officer of Finnova and president of Fundadoras, was in charge of talking about digitalization, female entrepreneurship and energy transition. “Three keys to the energy transition that the European Union seeks to experience, aiming at the digitization of all services to make it easier and faster to access them and that cannot leave women behind during this change”, she concluded. For her part, Inés Larrea, manager of Cimico, discussed the technical development of her project in biotechnology and the innovative treatment of wastewater. Sustainable mobility and smart cities The second block was opened by Alberto Moreno, CEO of T-box Delivery&Solutions, who stressed that “entrepreneurship for a sustainable future means stopping obsessing about algorithms and dreaming of unicorns” in an attempt to bring entrepreneurs back to the real world and forget about their presence on the internet. Carlos David Gutiérrez, coordinator of the Fuerteventura Smart Island, coordinator of AFRIMAC and professor at the National University of Distance Education (UNED) presented his Fuerteventura Smart Island project, which he described as a “case of success and good practice”. “This initiative, chosen within the 1st Call for Smart Islands, seeks to turn the island into a smarter territory thanks to new technologies,” he explained. Thereafter, Jesús Cumplido, Technician of the Andalusian Entrepreneurship Centres (CADE) of Málaga, in charge of subsidizing women’s businesses, helping innovative companies and the creation of new products, among other incentives, took the floor. Carmen Alonso Saavedra, Councillor for Transport, Communications, Accessibility and Mobility of the Fuerteventura Island Council, was in charge of closing the event, highlighting the potential of her territory to capture innovation and implement projects in the field of sustainable mobility. About Greencities and S-Moving Greencities, Intelligence and Urban Sustainability, and S-Moving, Intelligent and Sustainable Mobility is a national and international reference forum on sustainability, urban management and intelligent mobility. It is a space for the dissemination of research, experiences, success stories and analysis. In the 2022 edition, more than 250 international experts, 200 companies from around thirty countries and 2,500 total attendees will participate to share knowledge and opportunities for a more sustainable and digitized urban management. About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 The LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0 project presents a digital automatic control system for the dosing of organic waste in anaerobic digesters of WWTP (Waste Water Treatment Plant) to maximize the production of biogas on demand as renewable energy. This project has a budget of more than 970,000 euros. The pilot project, which has a duration of four years (2020-2024), is led by Global Omnium Medioambiente (Spain) and has as partners the Finnovaregio Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal). The production of biogas to cover energy demand and reduce the amount of waste in landfill contributes to compliance with the European Landfill Directive. About the Finnova Foundation Finnova is the European foundation for financing innovation that seeks to promote public-private cooperation through the transfer of the best available low-cost technological solutions. It aims to address societal challenges such as employment, entrepreneurship, the UN SDGs, the circular economy, waste recovery, sustainable tourism and the fight against climate change. The Finnova Foundation promotes green jobs, economic recovery and training and youth employment.