ALGAMATER | Using microalgae bioreactor technology to deliver the world’s most cost-effective, energy-efficient and adaptable system for the treatment of toxic industrial and landfill wastewater

Summary
Bluemater CEO Nuno Gomes conceived this project inspired by the words of the inventor and author Buckminster Fuller: “Nature has no pollution. This is a word coined in human ignorance regarding the presence of the right chemicals being released in the wrong places…” While high concentrations of compounds such as ammonium, phosphates and sulphates can be deadly for aquatic ecosystems and their inhabitants, they are nutrients for algae and plants. This project harnesses components found in highly concentrated wastewaters to feed microalgae, which grow especially quickly by transforming ammonium and phosphates into proteins and other organic matter.
Since 2008 we have been developing this challenging concept into a viable commercial system for wastewater treatment at landfills and in industry. Following extensive testing at diverse wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and guided by feedback from target clients, our breakthrough microalgae technology – the first of its kind - was integrated with Bluemater’s next-generation wastewater management systems in its current configuration. In these pilot tests, Algamater demonstrated decreased energy costs in wastewater treatment by more than 60% and lowered operational costs by more than 40% compared to traditional wastewater treatment plants. We are proud to introduce the Algamater Wastewater Treatment Plant: the world’s most robust, flexible, cost-effective, and eco-friendly wastewater treatment system. Algamater is currently at a prototype stage (TRL7). In this project we will upgrade, scale up and integrate the Algamater components into a full-scale wastewater treatment plant capable of demonstrating our game-changing technology at an industrial level.
With the commercialization of Algamater we forecast strong, consistent growth for Bluemater, notable employment creation both inside our company and out, and significantly reduced environmental hazards in the wastewater treatment sector.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/767333
Start date: 01-06-2017
End date: 31-03-2021
Total budget - Public funding: 2 906 000,00 Euro - 2 034 200,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

Bluemater CEO Nuno Gomes conceived this project inspired by the words of the inventor and author Buckminster Fuller: “Nature has no pollution. This is a word coined in human ignorance regarding the presence of the right chemicals being released in the wrong places…” While high concentrations of compounds such as ammonium, phosphates and sulphates can be deadly for aquatic ecosystems and their inhabitants, they are nutrients for algae and plants. This project harnesses components found in highly concentrated wastewaters to feed microalgae, which grow especially quickly by transforming ammonium and phosphates into proteins and other organic matter.
Since 2008 we have been developing this challenging concept into a viable commercial system for wastewater treatment at landfills and in industry. Following extensive testing at diverse wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and guided by feedback from target clients, our breakthrough microalgae technology – the first of its kind - was integrated with Bluemater’s next-generation wastewater management systems in its current configuration. In these pilot tests, Algamater demonstrated decreased energy costs in wastewater treatment by more than 60% and lowered operational costs by more than 40% compared to traditional wastewater treatment plants. We are proud to introduce the Algamater Wastewater Treatment Plant: the world’s most robust, flexible, cost-effective, and eco-friendly wastewater treatment system. Algamater is currently at a prototype stage (TRL7). In this project we will upgrade, scale up and integrate the Algamater components into a full-scale wastewater treatment plant capable of demonstrating our game-changing technology at an industrial level.
With the commercialization of Algamater we forecast strong, consistent growth for Bluemater, notable employment creation both inside our company and out, and significantly reduced environmental hazards in the wastewater treatment sector.

Status

SIGNED

Call topic

SMEInst-11-2016-2017

Update Date

27-10-2022
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Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.2. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP
H2020-EU.2.3. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
H2020-EU.2.3.1. Mainstreaming SME support, especially through a dedicated instrument
H2020-SMEINST-1-2016-2017
SMEInst-11-2016-2017 Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials
H2020-SMEINST-2-2016-2017
SMEInst-11-2016-2017 Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials
H2020-EU.3. SOCIETAL CHALLENGES
H2020-EU.3.5. SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials
H2020-EU.3.5.0. Cross-cutting call topics
H2020-SMEINST-1-2016-2017
SMEInst-11-2016-2017 Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials
H2020-SMEINST-2-2016-2017
SMEInst-11-2016-2017 Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials