Published on 11 Nov 2024
Over the last month, WalNUT partners have come together to visit the two pilot plants currently operating in Spain, as the work for BBFs (Bio-Based Fertilisers) production is gaining momentum!
On the 9th of October, we were hosted by CETAQUA, which guided us through the waste water treatment plant of Ourense, managed by Viaqua, as part of the case study ongoing in the region of Galicia. This posed a great opportunity to review the progress made over the last months of operation in the pilot plants, where soluble nitrogen is recovered from reject water flows. The concentrated nitrogen is then used to produce ammonium salts through the CETAQUA’s technology, and then adopted to develop bio-based fertilisers consisting of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB).
But the project progresses are not over. On the 7th of November, we reunited to visit the pilot plant managed by VEOLIA and CARTIF at Zamora, in the region of Castilla y Leon. The case study here is focusing on the treatment of waste water sourcing from industrial activities in the surrounding area. A two-stage microalgae cultivation process lays at the core of the process, removing contaminants while generating valuable biomass. This biomass is dried into a fine powder that will be turned into sustainable, nutrients-rich bio-based fertilisers.
The BBFs resulting from pilot operations will finally undergo dedicated field trials to test their agronomic performance and effectiveness. Some of the trials are already ongoing and will continue throughout 2025.
Stay tuned with WalNUT to check all the latest updates on our results!
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