The H2020 iMETland project has been chosen among the top three in Europe by experts at KETBIO, a funded initiative for the transfer of biotechnology research results. The proposal, that ranked in the second place, has been coordinated by Bioe Group.
The three winning projects have been chosen by KETBIO experts together with a commercial committee. To this end, more than 300 projects financed by European programs have been analysed, of which 79 have been thoroughly examined to select the ten finalists. According to the evaluators, iMETland is a "great application"with" a good growth potential in the environmental biotechnology markets".
The iMETland project has shown that urban wastewater can be cleaned in a sustainable way and it is suitable for irrigation, without energy costs, by using bacteria that produce an electric current from pollutants.
IMETland units already operate at different locations and can be integrated into small communities or isolated households, with a plant-based solution that increases their visual attractiveness. The concept is ready for commercialization through the METfilter company, founded for this purpose by IMDEA Agua and the CENTA Foundation.
Biotechnology as the engine of the economy
KETBIO is an EU-funded coordination action under HORIZON 2020 for key enabling biotechnology research. The initiative has a goal to raise the European innovation capacity.
Biotechnology research is seen as a main driver in the circular economy by offering key tools for different fields, such as biorefining, marine and freshwater technologies, energy and waste conversion, food, feed and textile production, agriculture, among others.