POST-PURPLE

Prevention, correction, and valorization of exhaust flows from urban photobiorefineries

UNIVERSIDAD REY JUAN CARLOS - ES | BEST - BIOENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH – AT | STRANE INNOVATION – FR | IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE – UK | FOOD4SUSTAINABILITY - ASSOCIACAO PARA A INOVACAO NO ALIMENTO SUSTENTAVEL – PT | EUROPEAN SCIENCE COMMUNICATION INSTITUTE (ESCI) GGMBH – DE | FCC AQUALIA SA – ES | WATER EUROPE – BE | UNIVERSIDAD DE VALLADOLID – ES | ANONYMI ETAIREIA DIACHEIRISIS APORRIMMATON PER DYTIKIS MAKEDONIAS – EL | TEHNOLOSKI FAKULTET NOVI SAD – RS | AIMPLAS - ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE MATERIALES PLASTICOS Y CONEXAS – ES | CLUSTER VIOOIKONOMIAS KAI PERIVALLONTOS DYTIKIS MAKEDONIAS – EL | PANEPISTIMIO DYTIKIS MAKEDONIAS – EL | ECONWARD TECH SL - ES

Objectives

The transition to a circular economy in Europe faces major challenges, particularly in urban biorefineries, where the main feedstock is waste itself. Across the EU, there are thousands of wastewater and municipal solid waste treatment plants that generate significant greenhouse gas emissions, such as CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, VOCs and NH₃. Furthermore, a considerable proportion of the organic fraction of waste is not reused.
Although bio-based technologies (biogas, biofuels, bioplastics, biochar, nutrient recovery) exist, they still require improvements to increase their efficiency, scalability and integration into the circular economy.

The POST-PURPLE project aims to develop innovative technologies to fully recover urban waste, reduce fugitive emissions and optimise the treatment of wastewater and organic waste. Its main objectives include:

Capturing up to 95% of CO₂ and reducing VOC and NH₃ emissions by up to 90%.
Converting more than 95% of solid waste into biochar and synthesis gas.
Producing new high value-added products (microbial protein, carotenoids, Ω-3 fatty acids, coenzyme Q-10, green methanol, fertilisers and irrigation water).

Overall, POST-PURPLE aims to transform waste gases, solids and liquids into valuable resources, contributing to a zero-waste and zero-pollution strategy, and significantly improving the sustainability of urban biorefineries.

Description

The transition to a circular economy in Europe faces major challenges, particularly in urban biorefineries, where the main feedstock is waste itself. Across the EU, there are thousands of wastewater and municipal solid waste treatment plants that generate significant emissions of greenhouse gases, such as CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, VOCs and NH₃. Furthermore, a considerable proportion of the organic fraction of waste is not reused.