Circular systemic water-energy-food-ecosystems (WEFE) nexus demonstrator for regions facing severe water stress

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CisWEFE-NEX will showcase a circular Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus approach. This innovative, integrated, and sustainable method applies circular economy principles to close loops in key food, water, and nutrient value chains in water-scarce regions.

Key value chains addressed include:

· Water: Achieving a positive freshwater balance by reusing olive mill wastewater (a byproduct of biophenol extraction) and deploying fossil-fuel-free desalination for potable and irrigation water. Desalination byproducts (brine) will be repurposed in solar saltworks for table and Epsom salt production.

· Energy: Developing and demonstrating cutting-edge renewable energy technologies for a zero direct fossil greenhouse gas emissions process, including agrivoltaics (crops under solar panels) and advanced anaerobic digestion (ultrasound-assisted) of olive mill waste and other bio-waste to produce biogas.

· Food: Demonstrating nature-based techniques for scalable production of truly sustainable, healthy, and fresh food and algae (containing bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical use), utilizing integrated multi-trophic saltwater aquaculture (without hormones, antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, or preservatives) and regenerative agriculture (permaculture)

• Sectors: landscaping, town planning, Water industry
• Financing programme: HORIZON EUROPE
• R&D&i: Circular Economy, Urban and industrial wastewater treatment
• Leader: BioAzul S.L.
• Partners: AIMEN Centro Tecnológico, INOVA+ - INNOVATION SERVICES SA, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Ecofilae, WME GmbH, Ultrawaves - Wasser- und Umwelttechnologien GmbH, MORE CoLAB, Landing Aquaculture BV, IGFF, OV Group SpA (Officinae Verdi Group SpA), Associação IN LOCO, Dariacordar, Coopérnico - Cooperativa de Desenvolvimento Sustentável C.R.L, IDAD, Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia, Éa éco-entreprises, Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía (CTA), Requimte
• Acronym: CISWEFE-NEX
• Ambit: International
• Web: https://ciswefe-nex.eu/