- The objective of the SPORE-MED project is to enhance the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of WWTPs through the development of water treatment and resource recovery technologies.
- The project has been funded by the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) program and coordinated by the University of Girona. The PRIMA program is supported by Horizon 2020, the European Union’s Framework Program for Research and Innovation.
Madrid, May 10, 2024.
According to the United Nations, 56% of domestic wastewater flows undergo treatment. However, there are significant contrasts between regions, with rates ranging from 25% to 80%, highlighting uneven progress in sanitation achieved worldwide.
Additionally, the aging infrastructure and challenges posed by climate change, water scarcity, population growth, rising energy prices, and risks associated with emerging contaminants make it urgent to implement WWTPs with more sustainable technologies that not only treat wastewater but also provide valuable resources, valuable resources, goods, and services. This situation is particularly relevant in the Mediterranean region, which is more affected by climate change and water scarcity than the global average.
In this context, the SPORE-MED project (Sustainable upgraded WWTP’s for resource recovery, water reuse, and health surveillance in the Mediterranean region) emerges to address the critical challenges of the Mediterranean region related to the nexus between water, energy, food, and health. With SPORE-MED, within the framework of H2020 funding, GS Inima, with a contribution of €540.000,00, will receive 70% of subsidy through the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) programme, coordinated by the University of Girona along with the following partners: Université Sfax (Tunisia), Università degli Studi di Salerno (Italy), ADASA Sistemas (Spain), University of Cyprus (Cyprus), University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (Morocco), POLYTECHNEIO KRITIS (Greece), and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain).
The project will allow GS Inima to scale up the PROGRAMOX® process to TRL8 by implementing a 500m3/day plant at the Terrassa WWTP in collaboration with the Catalan Water Agency, which will reduce the energy consumption of wastewater treatment plants.
PROGRAMOX®, an advancement in biological treatment developed by GS Inima, effectively improves the removal of solids, organic matter, and nutrients with minimal energy consumption. The process also redirects more organic matter towards anaerobic digestion, increasing the energy recovery capacity of WWTPs.
«This aid represents a decisive boost for the development and future commercialization of the disruptive PROGRAMOX® technology, conceived and patented by GS INIMA for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants, which achieves a significant reduction in investment and operating costs, a drastic decrease in energy consumption and a significant reduction in the carbon footprint, thus strengthening our firm commitment to the sustainability objectives of our company.»
The SPORE-MED project will contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation for all), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), and SDG 13 (climate action) at various levels. All of this with a circular economy approach, promoting not only cutting-edge technologies but also public awareness to reuse solutions.