- Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, will talk about LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0, the innovative technology to transform putrescible organic waste into biogas
- In the session, he will also explain the challenges of the new LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 Startup Europe Awards, which will be presented in the framework of Greencities and S-Moving in FYCMA on 20 and 21 September
- Startup Europe Awards aims to accelerate companies through the tools and mechanisms offered by the EU
27/03/2023, Seville. Tomorrow, Tuesday 28th March, from 17h00 to 18h45 CEST, Juan Manuel Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, will present the European project Life Ecodigestión 2.0 in a round table that will be held in the framework of WEX Global, one of the leading events in the water sector. During his speech, he will also announce the new edition of the Life Ecodigestión 2.0 Startup Europe Awards, in search of startups that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of ecological transition, energy efficiency and the fight against climate change.
Finnova’s CEO will explain the European LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 project financed by the LIFE programme to generate biogas in water treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, HORECA, etc.). This initiative, led by Global Omnium (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal), transforms wastewater treatment plant sludge into green energy.
LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 technology
Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) are used to remove waste, floating fats, oils and grease, sand and other elements that may be present in the water. WWTPs have made progress in recent years in terms of energy savings, but it is still a costly process that produces large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.
LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 is an innovative European project that uses the Startup Europe methodology of public-private partnership and digital tools to offer an alternative to organic waste in landfills. Thanks to this technology it is possible to control and automate the digesters of wastewater treatment plants to transform putrescible organic waste into biogas.
The roundtable, moderated by Frank Rogalia, Director of Innovation and Technology at Aqualia, will feature Helge Daebel, Emerald Partner at Technology Ventures; Juliette Douglas, Business Development Liaison at Water Alliance; Beverley Ferrara, European representative of The Water Council; and Juan Manuel Revuelta, CEO of Finnova.
This interactive forum will feature short presentations of the six innovative technologies these companies are working on. Each will be accompanied by a panel discussion, which will include a question and answer session, analysis and debate in which both the audience and the panel of experts will be able to participate. This panel will also decide the winner of the annual WEX Global Innovation Forum Award, which will be presented at the gala dinner the following day, Wednesday 28th of March.
New call for Startup Europe Awards
At the conference, Revuelta will also present the new LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 Startup Europe Awards, launched on 17 February at Transfiere, the largest European forum for science, technology and innovation, held at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA). Through these awards, startups are sought that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of ecological transition, energy efficiency and the fight against climate change.
These SEUAs are made up of two challenges. The first one: “Improvement of biogas generation in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) and energy improvement” aims to achieve a technology for wastewater treatment (biogas generation), which allows saving energy costs and improving the efficiency of its production. The second, “Sustainable technology for the valorisation of sludge from Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP)” seeks a technological solution for the treatment and disposal of sewage sludge for its subsequent valorisation, for example, as a co-production of biofuel.
The awards ceremony will take place in the framework of S-Moving and Greencities, on 20 and 21 September at the Trade Fair and Congress Centre of Malaga (FYCMA). The winning proposal may become a real demonstration project as a LIFE, subsidised by the EU with up to 5 million euros.
You can register below to participate in the LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0 call and find out more about the prizes and challenges.
About WEX Global
WEX Global occupies a unique place in the water conference calendar. Business meetings and conversations are at the heart of WEX, along with the principle of ‘exchange’; the sharing of ideas and philosophies, business cards, solutions and methodologies, to form strong networks on which to build stronger relationships. We will also host more than 80 speakers, from over 40 countries, who will discuss critical issues related to water, energy and climate change: smart circular solutions to build a better world.
About Startup Europe Awards
The Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) is an initiative promoted by the European Commission, launched by the Finnova Foundation in collaboration with StartUp Europe. It is an open innovation tool that allows companies to identify talented startups capable of solving today’s challenges in multiple areas. Its mission is to help Startups and Scaleups become more efficient, smarter and more successful. These awards are a useful tool to promote knowledge sharing, add value to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help startups to grow and position themselves in the market.
About LIFE ECODIGESTION 2.0
This is a pilot demonstration project, funded by the LIFE programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 euros, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge 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, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or Repower EU.
About Finnova Foundation
Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.