Technology demonstration sites

All ingredient production solutions, once optimized in the laboratory, will undergo further optimization and pilot-scale demonstration across 5 technology demonstration sites located at feedstock supplier sites and materials producer sites.

Wastewater treatment plant, Spain

The Camp de Turia I WWTP in la Pobla de Vallbona, Valencia, managed by GOMSL, treats 10,000 m³/d of urban wastewater. It features conventional pre-treatment, primary decantation, secondary treatment with prolonged aeration, and chlorine disinfection. Annually, the plant produces over 3,500 tonnes of wet sewage sludge, which is thickened, dehydrated, and composted for agriculture. The ReLEAF strategy focuses on separating liquid and solid fractions for valorization. A pilot plant processes 100 L per batch, recovering ammonia, phosphate, potassium, and producing nutrient-exhausted sludge for further use. This approach aims for near zero-waste.

Fish and seafood processing plant, Italy

ECOP is a fish and seafood processing company that produces packaged fish products and ready-to-eat foods. The process generates 140 m³/year of wastewater and 28 tonnes/year of fish sludge. Currently, high COD wastewater is discharged, and fish sludge is partly used for pet feed production. Through the ReLEAF project, wastewater will be repurposed to produce microbial biomass and yeast, yielding microbial biostimulants/biocontrols and a dischargeable nutrient-exhausted liquid. Fish sludge, including fish skin and crustaceans, will undergo non-thermal and biotechnological treatments to extract chitosan, collagen, and hydrolysates, reducing sludge volume.

City farm and restaurant, Austria

Kleine Stadt Farm, the largest urban farming project in Austria, involves around 20 organizations and 500 participants. Activities include a commercial mushroom farm using coffee grounds, a horse farm, community farms, greenhouses, and restaurants. The restaurants generate 50 kg/week of food waste, currently composted outdoors, but facing issues like rat scavenging. ReLEAF will replace this with a closed SSF reactor to recover 1 L/week of IAA-rich liquid solution and 16-18 L/week of mature substrate, which can be used as enhanced compost with biopesticide potential.

Agri-food residues processing, Spain

ANE is one of Spain’s largest farm holdings, producing over 10,000 tonnes/year of fruit and vegetable residues. Although interested in valorizing these residues, they lack the technical expertise for technology development. Through the ReLEAF project, their agri-food residues will be sent to AERIS facilities for processing. This will produce 1 L/week of biostimulant-rich solution (IAA) and 16-18 L/week of enhanced bio-stabilized compost with potential biostimulant and biopesticide properties.

PHA production, Portugal

NOVAID, a research center in Portugal, specializes in developing and optimizing fermentation processes for producing PHA from bio-wastes at lab scale, later scaling up at pilot plant facilities. In the ReLEAF project, NOVAID will receive nutrient-exhausted sludge from TDS1 and agri-food residues from ANE to produce 150-250 g/day of PHA. These PHAs, varying in polymer chain length and properties, will be used as a controlled delivery mechanism for novel bio-based fertilizers (BBFs).