Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AWARE (Aquaponics from WAstewater REclamation)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-11-01 bis 2024-04-30
Aquaculture is an essential element in addressing global future food demand and sustainability challenges. Demand for freshwater fish is rising in Europe due to the stagnation and decline of marine catches, creating a growth opportunity for freshwater aquaculture. However, freshwater aquaculture production has decreased since the beginning of the 21st century due to lack of innovation, low diversity of products, seasonality and strict environmental regulations. Furthermore, productivity depends on the availability of natural water and habitats, which is limited in water-stressed regions, and further threatened by climate change. To improve the European capacity for freshwater aquaculture it is therefore desirable to:
a) increase the uptake of innovative approaches for efficient and sustainable production in urban and peri-urban areas (where agricultural land and water resources are less available), and thus closer to final consumers;
b) engage policy and regulatory stakeholders to create more support for freshwater aquaculture farmers;
c) increase the resilience of aquaculture in the face of climate change and increased water stress.
We believe these needs could be met by farming fish locally using reclaimed water. With AWARE, we want to remove barriers preventing reclaimed water aquaculture from becoming a European reality. Our pilot will be installed in the town of Fasano (Puglia, Italy), where we will leverage the results of a pre-existing H2020 project on wastewater treatment. With the case study, we will:
- Demonstrate technical solutions for efficient and sustainable aquaculture from reclaimed wastewater
- Increase the circularity of wastewater as a freshwater resource to be exploited where it is generated
- Create a new farm-to-fork value chain for European economic growth and urban KM 0 farming
- Lay the ground for a new regulatory and policy framework
a) increase the uptake of innovative approaches for efficient and sustainable production in urban and peri-urban areas (where agricultural land and water resources are less available), and thus closer to final consumers;
b) engage policy and regulatory stakeholders to create more support for freshwater aquaculture farmers;
c) increase the resilience of aquaculture in the face of climate change and increased water stress.
We believe these needs could be met by farming fish locally using reclaimed water. With AWARE, we want to remove barriers preventing reclaimed water aquaculture from becoming a European reality. Our pilot will be installed in the town of Fasano (Puglia, Italy), where we will leverage the results of a pre-existing H2020 project on wastewater treatment. With the case study, we will:
- Demonstrate technical solutions for efficient and sustainable aquaculture from reclaimed wastewater
- Increase the circularity of wastewater as a freshwater resource to be exploited where it is generated
- Create a new farm-to-fork value chain for European economic growth and urban KM 0 farming
- Lay the ground for a new regulatory and policy framework
Topic: advanced tertiary treatment of reclaimed water
- Advanced tertiary treatment (IV) installed. Wastewater characterization of the inlet to the IV treatment complete (F). Intermediate steps (G, H) complete. Pending evaluation of efficacy after Biofiltration (I)
- Advanced tertiary treatment linked to the aquaponic RAS constructed in Task 2.1 and on-site staff trained for its operation
- Operation of advanced tertiary treatment complete (100%). Monitoring initiated (25%), optimisation to start (0%)
- Laboratory control of aquaponic system started. Small aquaponic RAS system operational at URJC
Topic: aquaponic RAS design, operation and monitoring
- Field site preparation completed. Aquaponic RAS installed and operational in Castellana Grotte
- Advanced biofilter prototype constructed and initial experiments complet
Topic: food safety, quality and animal welfare
- Human trial design completed
Topic:: pathway to impact demostration
- No significant achievement (only one task of the workpackage started in the reporting period)
Topic: engagement and outreach
- Initial stakeholder mapping completed
- Stakeholder engagement activities
- Advanced tertiary treatment (IV) installed. Wastewater characterization of the inlet to the IV treatment complete (F). Intermediate steps (G, H) complete. Pending evaluation of efficacy after Biofiltration (I)
- Advanced tertiary treatment linked to the aquaponic RAS constructed in Task 2.1 and on-site staff trained for its operation
- Operation of advanced tertiary treatment complete (100%). Monitoring initiated (25%), optimisation to start (0%)
- Laboratory control of aquaponic system started. Small aquaponic RAS system operational at URJC
Topic: aquaponic RAS design, operation and monitoring
- Field site preparation completed. Aquaponic RAS installed and operational in Castellana Grotte
- Advanced biofilter prototype constructed and initial experiments complet
Topic: food safety, quality and animal welfare
- Human trial design completed
Topic:: pathway to impact demostration
- No significant achievement (only one task of the workpackage started in the reporting period)
Topic: engagement and outreach
- Initial stakeholder mapping completed
- Stakeholder engagement activities
01: Aquaponic pilot farm
A RAS multitrophic aquaponic farm built within the wastewater treatment plant in the municipality of Castellana Grotte (IT), using reclaimed wastewater as influent. A small-scale experimental setup will be hosted in a 1om diameter geodesic dome, while a larger scale setup be hosted in a 11x7m greenhouse.
- KER1.1: infrastructure: The geodesic dome and the greenhouse belong to AQUA, who has the license to operate the aquaponic facility. Similarly, the photovoltaic panels producing renewable energy belong to AQUA.
- KER1.2: aquaponic system: The aquaponic system inside the geodesic dome and the greenhouse, consisting in a setup with fishponds, vegetable beds, and a biofilter unit.
- KER1.3: IoT system: The sensors and automation in the farm.
- KER1.4: data: Scripts and processes to store data retrieved by IoT sensors in a blockchain.
02: Advanced tertiary treatment
the ozonation, vacuum UV and reactive storage technologies operated at the fieldsite, to remove contaminants of emerging concern and trace contaminants from that reclaimed water which is going to be used in the aquaponic farm
03: Advanced biofilters
An advanced and highly optimised biofilter for the aerobic conversion of solid fish waste-products into assimilable fertilisers to allow at least 90% water and nutrient recovery.
04: Microbiome characterization data
The optimal microbial community composition to drive biological mineralization processes has an important biotechnological application in the design of industrial bioreactors.
05: Capacity building and educational material
Material for education and capacity building which will survive the end of the project. This material includes a) recordings of online webinars and workshop; b) a virtual tour of the pilot facility. In addition, the pilot plant itself will become a demo and will be used for teaching and capacity building, promoting sustainable approaches in food production and the importance of resource circularity.
06: New value chain (case study)
The experience developed in the project, comprehensive of technical developments, regulatory roadmap, SSH studies and business models, will be synthetised in a Case Study.
IMPACTS:
Scientific Impact:
- We have terminated the construction of the first European aquapoinic system within a Wastewater Treatment Plant
- We have delivered 8 Open Access publications
- We have been involving 12 early-stage professionals
Technological Impact:
- We have filed one provisional patent application
- Advancement in the aquaponic biofilter unit have a direct industrial application
Social Impact:
meetings with the Italian ministries of Agriculture, Health and Environment have evidenced that the idea of using reclaimed water for aquaculture is groundbreaking for what concern policies and regulations.
KEY NEEDS:
System is safe: health impact assessment shows no critical problems connected to consumer health
System is productive: production KPIs are met and indicate scalability to commercial production
Commercial authorisation is granted or underway: local health authority has agreed to classify the plant as a productive farm according to the Italian Legislation
Aquaculture partner identified: a third-party farmer stakeholder external to the consortium is interested in managing the farm in the post-project (Farmer x)
Partnership exists: Castellana Grotte, Acquedotto Pugliese, AQUASOIL and Farmer x signs a partnership agreement for the continued operation of the farm
Upscaling resources secured: Resources to finance the upscaling of the farm are secured
A RAS multitrophic aquaponic farm built within the wastewater treatment plant in the municipality of Castellana Grotte (IT), using reclaimed wastewater as influent. A small-scale experimental setup will be hosted in a 1om diameter geodesic dome, while a larger scale setup be hosted in a 11x7m greenhouse.
- KER1.1: infrastructure: The geodesic dome and the greenhouse belong to AQUA, who has the license to operate the aquaponic facility. Similarly, the photovoltaic panels producing renewable energy belong to AQUA.
- KER1.2: aquaponic system: The aquaponic system inside the geodesic dome and the greenhouse, consisting in a setup with fishponds, vegetable beds, and a biofilter unit.
- KER1.3: IoT system: The sensors and automation in the farm.
- KER1.4: data: Scripts and processes to store data retrieved by IoT sensors in a blockchain.
02: Advanced tertiary treatment
the ozonation, vacuum UV and reactive storage technologies operated at the fieldsite, to remove contaminants of emerging concern and trace contaminants from that reclaimed water which is going to be used in the aquaponic farm
03: Advanced biofilters
An advanced and highly optimised biofilter for the aerobic conversion of solid fish waste-products into assimilable fertilisers to allow at least 90% water and nutrient recovery.
04: Microbiome characterization data
The optimal microbial community composition to drive biological mineralization processes has an important biotechnological application in the design of industrial bioreactors.
05: Capacity building and educational material
Material for education and capacity building which will survive the end of the project. This material includes a) recordings of online webinars and workshop; b) a virtual tour of the pilot facility. In addition, the pilot plant itself will become a demo and will be used for teaching and capacity building, promoting sustainable approaches in food production and the importance of resource circularity.
06: New value chain (case study)
The experience developed in the project, comprehensive of technical developments, regulatory roadmap, SSH studies and business models, will be synthetised in a Case Study.
IMPACTS:
Scientific Impact:
- We have terminated the construction of the first European aquapoinic system within a Wastewater Treatment Plant
- We have delivered 8 Open Access publications
- We have been involving 12 early-stage professionals
Technological Impact:
- We have filed one provisional patent application
- Advancement in the aquaponic biofilter unit have a direct industrial application
Social Impact:
meetings with the Italian ministries of Agriculture, Health and Environment have evidenced that the idea of using reclaimed water for aquaculture is groundbreaking for what concern policies and regulations.
KEY NEEDS:
System is safe: health impact assessment shows no critical problems connected to consumer health
System is productive: production KPIs are met and indicate scalability to commercial production
Commercial authorisation is granted or underway: local health authority has agreed to classify the plant as a productive farm according to the Italian Legislation
Aquaculture partner identified: a third-party farmer stakeholder external to the consortium is interested in managing the farm in the post-project (Farmer x)
Partnership exists: Castellana Grotte, Acquedotto Pugliese, AQUASOIL and Farmer x signs a partnership agreement for the continued operation of the farm
Upscaling resources secured: Resources to finance the upscaling of the farm are secured