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ULTIMATE: indUstry water-utiLiTy symbIosis for a sMarter wATer society

Project description

Water smart industrial symbiosis

Wastewater can act as a reusable resource as well as a vector for energy and materials to be extracted, treated, stored and reused. The EU-funded ULTIMATE project will operate as a catalyst for Water Smart Industrial Symbiosis (WSIS), in which water/wastewater plays a key role within a dynamic socio-economic and business oriented industrial ecosystem. ULTIMATE will demonstrate the multiple uses of municipal and industrial wastewater through nine high-level demonstrations in Europe and the south-eastern Mediterranean from the agro-food processing, beverage, heavy chemical/petrochemical and biotech industries. It will recover, treat and reuse industrial and municipal wastewater, derive and exploit energy, and extract valuable materials contained in industrial wastewater. It will also advance innovative collaborations between businesses, water service providers, regulators and policymakers for a more circular and socially responsible industry.

Objective

ULTIMATE will act as a catalyst for “Water Smart Industrial Symbiosis” (WSIS) in which water/wastewater plays a key role both as a reusable resource but also as a vector for energy and materials to be extracted, treated, stored and reused within a dynamic socio-economic and business oriented industrial ecosystem. We adopt an evidence-based approach anchored on 9 large-scale demonstrations across Europe and SE Mediterranean relevant to the agro-food processing, beverages, heavy chemical/petrochemical and biotech industries. We recover, refine and reuse wastewater (industrial and municipal) but also extract and exploit energy (combined water-energy management, treatment processes as energy producers, water-enabled heat transfer, storage and recovery) and materials (nutrient mining and reuse, extraction and reuse of high-added-value exploitable compounds) contained in industrial wastewater. We support the cases and ensure their replicability through smart tools to optimize and control, assess costs and benefits, minimize risks and help stakeholders identify, assess and explore alternative symbiotic pathways linked to emerging business opportunities, supported by tailored contracts and investment schemes. ULTIMATE nurtures partnerships between business (incl. industrial and technological ecosystems), water service providers, regulators and policy makers and actively supports them through immersive Mixed Reality storytelling using technology and art to co-produce shared visions for a more circular, profitable, socially responsible and environmentally friendly industry, with water at its centre. The project mobilises a strong partnership of industrial complexes and symbiosis clusters, leading water companies and water service providers, specialised SMEs, research institutes and water-industry collaboration networks, and builds on an impressive portfolio of past and ongoing research and innovation, leveraging multiple European and global networks to ensure real impact.

Call for proposal

H2020-SC5-2018-2019-2020

See other projects for this call

Sub call

H2020-SC5-2019-2

Coordinator

KWR WATER BV
Net EU contribution
€ 1 128 312,00
Address
GRONINGENHAVEN 7
3433 PE NIEUWEGEIN
Netherlands

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Region
West-Nederland Utrecht Utrecht
Activity type
Other
Links
Total cost
€ 1 611 875,00

Participants (30)