Almería, Spain –May 13 and 14, 2025- The NIAGARA consortium successfully convened for its first year mark General Assembly at Universidad de Almería (UAL), in Spain. The two-day meeting provided a key opportunity for partners to assess progress made during the project’s first year, share results across work packages, and coordinate on strategic next steps.
Participants, in addition to the coordinator CEA, comprised Politecnico di Torino, Universidad de Almería, GazoTech, Rise Research Institutes of Sweden AB, Lomartov SL, Sociedad de Fomento Agricola Castellonense SA (FACSA), Lulea Tekniska Universitet, Solydera SPA, and Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
Over the course of the sessions, the consortium reviewed technical developments and achievements to date, focusing on research progress, methodological advancements, and collaborative outcomes.
The NIAGARA project has made significant progress across multiple work packages. The first market analysis was performed together with the definition of the exploitation plan that will support NIAGARA solutions commercialisation. In biorefinery development, two case studies have been defined, and promising results are emerging from microalgae cultivation on project effluents. Substantial technical advances include successful Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) experiments and a resin has been identified for sulphur removal from aqueous phase. Solid oxide cell testing, coating development, pilot CO2 capture and biochar valorisation experiments have been conducted. Initial mass and energy balances have been completed for the full process and a Responsible Research and Innovation workshop has been held.
Discussions highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of NIAGARA’s work and its potential contributions to sustainability and innovation in the field of sustainable energy innovation and biogenic organic waste.
A highlight of the gathering was a guided tour of UAL’s microalgae installations, offering participants a closer look at the cutting-edge research facilities and practical applications underpinning several aspects of the project, in particular the ones referring to the modelling, control and optimisation of large-scale photobioreactors for microalgae cultivation and increased biomass production.
The meeting concluded with a forward-looking wrap-up session, during which partners identified priority actions for the coming months and reaffirmed their shared commitment to NIAGARA’s long-term objectives. The event closed on a high note, reflecting the strong spirit of collaboration and knowledge exchange that continues to drive the project forward.
Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant Agreement No 101146861.
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