Objectives

SaltGae project aims to develop and demonstrate:

• A techno-economically viable solution for the treatment of saline wastewaters:

SaltGae project will establish DEMO sites for the real scale demonstration of the long term techno-economic performance of the integrated, sustainable and eco-innovative modular based technology platform for the efficient treatment of saline wastewaters from food and beverage (F&B) industries. This kind of wastewater contains high concentrations of biodegradable organic matter, suspended solids, nutrients (mainly nitrogen and phosphorus) and salt (concentrations up to 15%). SaltGae suite of technologies, combining aerobic and anaerobic processes with ponds hosting synergistic mixtures of halotolerant bacteria and algae, will treat WW saline effluents resulting from three different production processes, namely tannery (~40 g/L salinity), whey (~10 g/L salinity) and aquaculture (~3 g/L salinity), in three different pilot plants (in Slovenia, Italy and Isreal). The modular SaltGae technological components will enable ease of operation, significant cost reductions, compliance with European Directives with minimal environmental impact, recycling of water for non-potable applications and valorisation of nutrient and energy resources.

• An innovation framework for the mobilization and networking of stakeholders from all the different sectors related to wastewater.
  SaltGae project will providing a platform for their communication and for the dissemination of results. This will help to overcome the cross-cutting barriers to innovation identified in the EIP Water by:
• developing a common roadmap for the alignment of legislation, regulation and pricing methodologies; and
• demonstrating the economic feasibility and benefits of an innovative solution for the treatment of saline wastewater, promoting financial investment and a paradigm shift in perception from ‘wastewater treatment’ to ‘resource valorisation’.

The three DEMO sites will be subjected to a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA, ISO 14044/44) and to the EU Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Programme.