Sustainability

Software energy management tools to improve and optimize the energy efficiency of HVAC facilities in the tertiary sector. GDO2Clim project, ended in January 2018, has contributed to improving energy efficiency, energy demand management and to the promotion of the production of renewable energies. The tools developed also allow the supervision of the installation performance and offers an approximation of its lifetime. During the GDO2Clim project, two modules focused on climate generation units have been developed: a Module Energy Supervision of Facilities (of air conditioning) and Optimization of the Demand Curve (OpCD) and a Module of Analysis [...]

The ACTIV4.0 project researches and develops technologies for the digital management of utilities assets, processes and installations (service provider networks) to offer a better service to the user. The digitalization, sensorization and monitoring of assets and processes associated with utilities enable the optimization of the operation of plants and networks in terms of efficiency and cost, as well as the improvement of maintenance processes in order to minimize incidents and investment and asset renewal costs. The results are validated through pilot case studies for application in utilities environments, including water treatment plants, waste treatment plants, power [...]

Technological and digital innovative solutions for a better management of water resources based in Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things technologies over the FIWARE platform. In the water sector, the IT development of applications and management tools using Big Data has come late due to the highly-fragmentation and persisting problems regarding systems interoperability, data standardization, semantics and format exchanges that the sector faces. Fiware4Water project’s main objective is to promote innovative solutions and linking the water sector to the smart solution platform FIWARE, whose goal is to support SMEs and developers in creating the next generation [...]

Modern Spent Nuclear Fuel Dissolution and Chemistry in Failed Container Conditions. DisCo project aims at enhancing our understanding of spent fuel matrix dissolution derived of the development and use of novel types of fuel, such as doped and Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX). To achieve this, DisCo improves the comprehension of the spent fuel matrix dissolution in reducing repository environments, as well as evaluates if the new types of fuel behave like the conventional ones. The effects and results of these new fuels will be investigated through experiments with spent nuclear fuel and synthetic materials, designed especially [...]

System for detection and diagnosis of mechanical failures based on acoustic emissions for a predictive maintenance in railway deviation systems. Predivia has developed technologies that allow the detection and monitoring incipient issues of cracks in critical elements of the railway infrastructure, as well as forecast their evolution, allowing to predict the fracture of the component once a crack is detected. The Predivia innovation allows to continuously supervision of railway infrastructure elements in order to substantially increase the infrastructure’s security, as well as reduce the operation and maintenance costs, maximising the availability of the infrastructure, increasing its [...]

Consciousness-raising campaign among students and the society in the e-waste management, the life cycle of electronics products and related business opportunities. The E-M@S project organises campaigns to involve schools and creates high-value educational materials, with the aim to educate more than 100 secondary students in Europe, their families and local communities, on the importance of raw materials, the e-waste culture and business opportunities associated to this field. A local campaign to collect e-waste is organized, as well as activities to show the results of the solutions proposed by E-M@S. Eurecat’s Sustainability Technology Unit participates in the [...]

Innovative technologies based on electro purification techniques to reduce the costs associated with the management and treatment of residual effluents from the paper, chemical and tanning industries. In the initial phase, ELDE select the characteristic effluents of the three industrial sectors, followed by a phase of application of the different techniques of electro purification and the selection of the most optimal technology for each sector. ELDE’s innovation reduces the energy consumption associated with electro purification techniques through new high efficiency power systems and the use of renewable energy sources. Eurecat, through its Sustainability Technology Unit, participates [...]

Recovery and valorisation of urban digestates resources in the framework of the circular economy to transform them into fertilisers of high-added value. DIGESTAKE project develops news processes and innovative technologies for the treatment, recovery, valorisation and reuse of liquids and gaseous effluents from the anaerobic digestion of WWTPs, to recover and reconvert the wastewater nutrients. The application of this innovation converts carbon dioxide from biogas into organic compounds through bioelectrochemical systems. In addition, the project develops an alternative process to recover phosphorus in the form of solid fertilizer through the crystallization of struvite; a recovery process [...]

Development of competitive and innovative technologies to reduce costs associated with the management and treatment of residual effluents of complex composition to obtain water of adequate quality of its management. The main objective of EFLUCOMP is to do research for the development of competitive and efficient technologies to deal with the presence of contaminants in effluents, such as persistent organic matter or high salinity. These technologies include separation methods (via membranes, elements, adsorption), biological processes and other innovative technologies, such as advanced oxidation processes. EFLUCOMP solution reduces exploitation and operative costs, guaranteeing the efficiency in the [...]

Brine treatment based on electrodialysis metathesis and valuable compound recovery processes with the aim of reaching a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) process. Zelda has the objective to demonstrate and disseminate the technical feasibility and economical sustainability of decreasing the overall environmental impact of desalination systems for freshwater production. The project, led by Eurecat, demonstrates the technology developed in two desalinization plants located at Almeria (seawater desalinization) and Malaga (brackish water desalinization). Zelda also promotes activities to validate and optimize the technology at laboratory scale; to design the best strategy for the recovery of valuable compounds and [...]

Development and integration of technologies that allow the offer of energy control and optimization products for energy service companies of higher quality and performance than those currently available. The project Optiener has the objective to develop two informatics tools, focused on the market of buildings in the tertiary sector, to support the users, both from the point of view of the installation design and its energy management during operation. One of the tools developed is an optimized design environment and ESD facilities analysis tool to predict the energy demand associated to comfort services (air conditioning, ACS, [...]

Integrated management tool of the urban sewage system to control and reduce the environmental impact of untreated wastewater spills during short term contamination episodes. iBATHWATER project demonstrates the efficiency of the integrated management of the urban sewage through an open platform capable of combining operational and managerial information with innovative online microbial measurement to ensure water quality and analysis tools to minimize health risks. During the project, partners will demonstrate the urban sewage system in Berlin and Barcelona, two cities with different aquatic natural ecosystems and needs related to urban waters planning and management, allowing the [...]

Investigation and development of a batteries system to feed electric lightweight quadricycles to adapt to current market requirements in terms of efficiency, durability and autonomy. The SIBCLE project emerge from the analysis of current electric lightweight quadricycles and their technique characteristics related to the autonomy and security, which nowadays don’t have a good quality to be useful in market. So, currently there aren’t so many users of this type of electric vehicles, with punctual exceptions. The project has developed, in prototype format, a solution to this problem detected through the design and development of an integrated [...]

Study of the suitability of a green roof manufactured with cork by-products generated during the manufacture of cork stoppers and/or in the wine-making process. The CORCHACTIVO project has demonstrated the viability of cork as a substrate and/or support for green roofs. In the case of green roofs, as in the case of wetlands, cork can be used as a substrate, allowing the decontamination of building wastewater and improving energy efficiency, thanks to the insulating properties of the material. The use of cork is proposed in order to take advantage of its multiple properties and to find [...]

Monitoring software tool to assist the user in the decision-making process using the Decision Support System (DSS) for energy and process management throughout the entire wine and Cava production chain, from harvesting to bottling and storage. The Smart Wineries 4.0 Project aspires to be the starting point of a strategy for the evolution of the sector towards industry 4.0 based on the development of digital skills to make efficient use of the information on energy consumption and to take action on the production process. The Smart Wineries 4.0 solution provides information on the energy status of [...]