H2020 INCOVER Project: Innovative Ecotechnologies for Wastewater Resource Recovery
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2016 -2019
- Assigned Budget 7.209.032,01 €
- Scope Europeo
- Main source of financing H2020
- Project website INCOVER
During the first project period (months 1–18), partners participated in the design and construction of the three case studies in Spain and Germany. During the second period, all technologies were validated at demonstration scale in each location.
Case study 1: Converting agricultural wastewater into bioplastics, fertilizers and reclaimed water.
The case study 1 technologies implemented in Barcelona were tested with agricultural and domestic wastewater. The results showed excellent nutrient removal in the photobioreactors, while the cyanobacteria were able to accumulate bioplastics through the photosynthetic process. The solar-powered filtration-disinfection system produced between 5 m³/day and 10 m³/day of treated water for irrigation. The sludge treatment wetland produced a good-quality soil conditioner, complying with Spanish regulations on heavy metals in sludge and soil.
Case study 2: Recovery of municipal wastewater resources using high-rate algae ponds, evaporation systems and planted filters.
The Chiclana site achieved high bioplastic productivities (up to 35%) with phototrophic purple bacteria ponds. A photosynthetic biogas upgrading technology produced high-quality biomethane (CH4 > 95%) while recovering nutrients by cultivating microalgae in ponds. An evaporative system was validated as a nature-based system to treat digestate from anaerobic co-digestion. In Almería, planted filters were a highly effective tertiary treatment after high-rate algae ponds. Solar-driven electrochlorination and a smart irrigation system were also optimized and successfully tested on grass fields.
Case study 3: Organic acids produced from wastewater
In Case Study 3 in Leipzig, all technologies for the treatment and recovery of wastewater and food industry waste were successfully implemented. The yeast-based bioprocess achieves product concentrations of 100–120 kg of citric acid/m3 and formation rates of 0.5–1.2 kg/m3h. Hydrothermal carbonization technology made it possible to produce various biochar samples, for example, for energy purposes, achieving a calorific value of up to 22 Mjoules per kg. Upon completion of the project, this technology will be marketed to companies in the wastewater treatment sector.
All partners have actively participated in disseminating the INCOVER project and interacting with end users of the technology and key stakeholders.
- 14,526 visits to the INCOVER website, 776 Twitter followers, 205 LinkedIn followers, and an animated video on YouTube.
- 101 events: scientific conferences, EU-related events, business events, in-person meetings, and more.
- 14 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals.
- 73 press releases published in specialized magazines and local newspapers, and 7 video reports.
- 5 newsletters.
- 2 awards (UK Industry Water Award in the Sludge and Resource Recovery category and Power Idea competition for Sustainable Communities) and shortlisted for the iWater Award for Best Innovation.
Three case studies treating wastewater from different sources at three demonstration sites located in Spain (Chiclana/Almería and Barcelona) and Germany (Leipzig) have been implemented, evaluated, and optimized simultaneously. INCOVER technologies have been validated at demonstration scale to achieve a Technology Maturity Level of 7-8 to ensure easy scale-up to 100,000 population equivalents.
Case study 1 (Figure 1) addresses biotreatment of urban wastewater and agricultural runoff with cyanobacteria in photobioreactors to produce bioplastics, anaerobic digestion to produce biomethane, nutrient recovery with engineered sorbents and natural solutions, and solar-powered disinfection providing water for irrigation of sunflower fields.
Case study 2 (Figure 2) has been implemented in two locations in Spain (Chiclana and Almería). The Chiclana site produces bioplastics in high-rate algae ponds with purple bacteria. The remaining biomass is transformed into biomethane through anaerobic co-digestion and a photosynthetic enhancement system. Finally, a planted evaporative filter stabilizes the digestate and improves nutrient recovery. In Almería, high-rate algae ponds are used to treat urban wastewater and obtain irrigation-quality, pathogen-free effluent, thanks to solar-driven anodic oxidation as the final step.
Finally, case study 3 in Leipzig, Germany (Figure 3) uses a mixture of C-rich industrial waste and greywater to produce organic acids (citric acid and itaconic acid). The waste is used for biogas production by co-digestion with C-rich industrial substrate. The anaerobic sludge is treated using a hydrothermal carbonization process, transforming the waste biomass into valuable, ready-to-use fertilizers.
To improve the efficiency of value-added production, INCOVER's case studies include monitoring and control using optical sensors.
INCOVER solutions will reduce wastewater treatment operation and maintenance costs, as well as energy demand. A wastewater-specific decision-support system methodology has been adapted to INCOVER technologies, providing data and selection criteria (environmental, economic, and social) for comprehensive wastewater management.
Considering the current global water shortage and the high operating and maintenance costs of wastewater treatment, the INCOVER concept has been designed to transform wastewater treatment from being primarily a sanitation technology to a bioproduct recovery industry and recycled water provider. A wastewater-specific decision-support system methodology will be tailored to INCOVER technologies and provide data and selection criteria for a holistic approach to wastewater management.
Three value-added plants treating wastewater from three case studies (municipalities, farms, and food and beverage industries) will be implemented, evaluated, and optimized simultaneously.
INCOVER plants will be implemented at demonstration scale to achieve a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7-8 to ensure easy scale-up to 100,000 population equivalents (PE). INCOVER value-added plants will generate revenue from wastewater by offering three recovery solutions: 1) Chemical recovery (bioplastic and organic acids) through algae/bacteria and yeast biotechnology; 2) Nearly zero-energy plant providing enhanced biomethane through pretreatment and anaerobic co-digestion systems; 3) Bioproduction and reclaimed water through adsorption, wetland-based biotechnology, and hydrothermal carbonization. To improve the efficiency of value-added production, INCOVER solutions will include monitoring and control using optical and soft sensors.
INCOVER solutions will reduce the total operation and maintenance costs of wastewater treatment by at least 50% by using wastewater as a source of energy demand and added-value production, in line with the EU's circular economy strategy. In addition, strategies will be implemented to facilitate the market adoption of INCOVER innovations, bridging the gap between the demonstration phase and end-users.
An estimated turnover of €188 million is expected for INCOVER's core users following the initial five-year operational strategy of implementing 27 INCOVER solutions.
The main innovations of the INCOVER project are summarized below:
1- A technology-tailored decision support system and a sustainability tool were developed to ensure the socioeconomic, environmental, and technical viability of INCOVER solutions in the context where replication is planned.
2- Demonstration of innovative, full-scale value-added technologies designed to extract valuable resources from wastewater in three case studies including:
- An innovative process for producing bioplastics from phototrophic bacteria/microalgae systems.
- Optical detection for monitoring the production of bioplastics and chemical/organic compounds in INCOVER bioprocesses.
- An innovative biogas cleaning technology capable of simultaneously removing CO2, H2S, NH3, and VOCs from biogas in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.
- Functionalized polymeric materials as innovative sorbents for the recovery of P from wastewater.
- Solar-driven anodic oxidation and ultrafiltration as cost-effective disinfection systems to provide quality (pathogen-free) effluent for irrigation.
Other important environmental and social impacts of the INCOVER project are:
- Reduction of at least 50% in the cost of municipal and industrial wastewater management through the provision of energy and the production of valuable products.
- Raising awareness among industrial companies, customers, and municipal residents about the benefits of using reclaimed water and bioproducts.
- Improving skills and knowledge about innovative wastewater treatment technologies. The INCOVER project included training activities through three innovation workshops with representatives from water utilities to transfer INCOVER's new technologies.
- Science in Society. 73 press releases, 5 newsletters, and an animated YouTube video were produced to facilitate access to INCOVER technology.
- ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION METALURGICA DEL NOROESTE (AIMEN)
Related projects
