Aqua Circular Conference

The Aqua Circular Conference is organized by the Aquademica Foundation. The partners of this event are water operators – Aquatim,  Münchner Stadtentwässerung -, academic environment – Politehnica University of Timișoara, Ecological University of Bucharest- and other Research& Innovation organizations – Business Development Group,  WATERSHARE, KWR Water Research Institute, EIT Climate-KIC.

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For two days, 6th and 7th of October 2022, the conference will create the best environment for debates on emerging innovative technologies, regional policies, barriers and business models for circular economy in the water sector.  The conference is going to be an innovative mixture of presentations, circular water project presentations and debates, aiming to create strong partnerships among regional water operators, decision-makers and technicians from regional utilities, local industry and agriculture, local start-ups, universities, R&D centers, technology providers, local and central administrations.

The innovative concept of circular economy and its relation with the implementation of the National Strategy of Sustainable Goals for Romania by 2030 will attract specialists, students, engineers and managers, NGOs and public officers, as well as future water leaders, who are able to design and implement innovative solutions, with the aim of having a holistic approach on the future sustainable development, despite any barriers they could encounter.

AGENDA

October 6, 2022, 13:30-15:00 (Bucharest Time – CEST+1)

“Wastewater for smarter societies” – Watershare & Aquademica Webinar

Short description

Wastewater can act as a reusable resource as well as a vector for energy and materials to be extracted, treated, stored and reused. Water Smart Industrial Symbiosis (WSIS), as a form of circular economy, recognizes the key role water/wastewater plays within a dynamic socio-economic and business-oriented industrial ecosystem. The webinar “Wastewater for smarter societies” on 6 October 2022 from 13:30-15:00 (CEST+1) will explain the concept of WSIS and demonstrate, through the description of two case studies, how this approach is being implemented to close the water, energy and materials cycles, aiming to achieve circularity. Cases from Italy and Denmark will specifically demonstrate examples of symbiosis between industry and water utilities for smarter societies, where solutions for the reuse of water, energy and materials are discussed. The session will include a Q&A with participants to enable interaction with the aim of supporting strategic cooperation within circular economy future projects.

Expected objectives or outcomes of the webinar:

• Share knowledge with Romanian water utilities about industrial symbiosis as a type of CE approach.
• EU H2020 project partners share tools and outcomes of existing projects.
• Romanian water utilities are inspired by the content and can see relevant application possibilities in their regions.
• Further international collaborations in the circular economy come about through outreach and partnership potential.

Welcome Ciprian Nanu – Business Development Group, Romania Cristina Borca – Aquademica Foundation

Basics of Circular Economy and Industrial Symbiosis Gerard van den Berg – KWR Water Research Institute, The Netherlands, Manager Innovation and Valorisation.

Case studies:AQUASPICE and ULTIMATE cases for water reuse and efficiency in Italy Prof. Ing. Francesco Fatone, PhD, IWA Fellow, Full Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Water and Waste Environmental Engineering Lab (WWEELab), Department of Science and Engineering of Materials, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU). Faculty of Engineering – Università Politecnica delle Marche – Ancona – ItalyThe Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis from the beginning to the coming Ultimate Industrial Symbiosis Preben Thisgaard – Kalundborg Forsyning, Senior Project Chief

Q&A with Speakers and Audience

Conclusions – Ciprian Nanu

October 7, 2022, 10:00-14:00 (Bucharest Time – CEST+1)

”Matching demand and supply in the circular water sector” – Webinar

Short description

Aqua Circular Conference is intended to promote innovative solutions for all interested stakeholders. The main objective of the conference is to organize the framework for matching demand and supply in the circular water sector, aiming to improve local stakeholders’ competitiveness within the regional water market.

10:00-10:30	Welcome Session Ilie Vlaicu – President of the Romanian Water Association Plenary Session Importance of circular economy in water management László Borbély – State Counselor, Coordinator of the Department for Sustainable Development.
10:30-11:00	The results of the research project – Nextgen.  Thermocatalytic treatment of sludge from the Timisoara sewage treatment plant Mihai Grozăvescu – Head of the International Project Implementation Unit, Aquatim, Romania
11:00-11:30	Reduce the amount of sludge at the Timisoara Wastewater Treatment Plant. Georgios Reizopoulos – Engineer, Technical Director, Temaco Group, Romania Adrian Corui – Head of the Timisoara Wastewater Treatment Plant
11:30-12:00	Virtual Break
12:00-12:30	SEWA – Sustainable Ecosystem Rain Water Assimilation Catalin Chitu – Frontier Connect SARL
12:30-13:00	Microplastics in drinking water in the context of the circular economy Mihaela Vasilescu – Bucharest Ecological University
13:00-13:30	The role of a cluster in research, development and innovation in the water sector Cristina Borca – Aquademica Foundation, Romania
13:30-14:00	Climate change – threat or opportunity? Florica Manea – Politehnica University Timisoara, Romania

For more detailed information, please do not hesitate to contact us:
aquademica@aquademica.ro