- The SPORE-MED project successfully scales the Programox® process to TRL 8, demonstrating that R&D&i innovation is key to water sustainability in the Mediterranean.
- The event was attended by key figures from the sector and administration, including Josep Lluís Armenter, Director of the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), the CEO of GS Inima, and representatives of the PRIMA Foundation.
Terrassa, November 27th. 2025.
The Open House Event to present the Programox Demo Plant, located at the Terrassa Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), took place yesterday. This event marks a key milestone within the European SPORE-MED project by successfully scaling the Programox® process to TRL 8 (Technology Readiness Level 8), which means the system is qualified and complete, ready for application in operational environments.
Innovative Technology for Water Sustainability
The PROGRAMOX process, developed by GS Inima, represents a significant advance for wastewater management in the Mediterranean region.
With a treatment capacity of 400m³/day, this innovative technology, designed in conjunction with the University of Girona (UdG) and in collaboration with the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), will achieve:
- A significant reduction in energy consumption at treatment plants.
- An improvement in the removal of solids, organic matter, and nutrients.
- A greater amount of organic matter redirected towards anaerobic digestion, which increases the plant’s energy recovery
This represents a major step towards sustainability in wastewater treatment and the improvement of energy efficiency across the region.
Josep Lluís Armenter, Director of the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), emphasized the importance of collaboration and research in the sector:
“Within the framework of this initiative, which also promotes the environmental, economic, and social improvement of wastewater treatment plants, today we learn firsthand about the Programox process, developed by the company GS Inima. Actions like this are the result of the effort made in terms of Research, Development, and Innovation (R&D&i). The commitment to research must, therefore, not only be well defined but also be a consolidated work path with the clear objective of improving people’s lives. In fact, this work is fully aligned with the energy efficiency plan that the Catalan Water Agency has been developing since 2019. Because, ultimately, to innovate is to grow, and a dynamic and active country needs to boost research to evolve.”
Belén Gutiérrez, R&D&i Director at GS Inima, explained the importance of innovation in the water sector and the project’s impact:
“Achieving TRL 8 with Programox is proof that the collaboration between industry, university, and public administration is essential for creating tangible solutions. Our vision is simple: technology must be a lever for the decarbonization of the water cycle. This Terrassa demo plant not only optimizes the purification process but transforms the WWTP into an energy recovery factory, a model we want to replicate across the Mediterranean basin to boost its water and energy resilience.”
About the SPORE-MED Project
This event is part of SPORE-MED (Sustainable upgraded WWTP’s for resource recovery, water reuse and health surveillance in the Mediterranean region), a European project funded by the PRIMA Foundation. It is designed to address the critical challenges in the Mediterranean region related to the nexus between water, energy, agriculture, and the surveillance of health-harming contaminants present in wastewater.
The successful presentation of Programox reaffirms GS Inima’s firm commitment to Research, Development, and Innovation as a strategic pillar of its activity. The company will continue to invest in the development of cutting-edge technologies that not only optimize water management but also actively contribute to the energy transition and the development of a circular economy in the water sector, always seeking maximum efficiency and environmental sustainability in all its projects.
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e-mail: inima@inima.com