Climate, Energy and Mobility

BIOCONTROL

One consequence of human daily activity is the production of large amounts of wastewater, with adverse effects on both human health and the environment. Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) are designed to treat wastewater coming from the dwellings and day – to –day activities of a city and aim to removing hazardous substances and producing clean water for disposal to the environment. In the developed countries and especially within the European Union (EU), strict guidelines and limits are enforced on the collection and treatment of wastewater and on the quality and specifications of treated water, before it is discharged to the environment.

In order to control the daily operation of WWTPs conventional methodologies are applied, which achieve the objective of compliance with the quality standards, but they lead to far from optimal operating conditions. Accordingly, there are significant margins for reducing operating cost of WWTS, mainly from energy savings, leading to subsequent CO2 emissions reduction.

This project aims to the development of a novel control methodology for WWTPs, based on the Model Predictive Control (MPC) technique, i.e. the development and the implementation of a mathematical dynamic model of the process as well as of the disturbances (the amount and the quality of the influent) for the prediction of the systems future behavior

The project includes the installation and implementation of the necessary portable measuring equipment, software and the proposed control methodology to the WWTP located at Sparta, Laconia, which will enable the collection and processing of real industrial data, the evaluation of the benefits of the proposed methodology and the comparison to the existing methodologies. Apart from the obvious benefits on the operation of existing WWTS (reduction of both energy expenses and emissions of gaseous pollutants) and job creation, we strongly believe that a very important business opportunity will be created by integrating the method into new WWTPs, mainly in developing countries, where sewage treatment is still very limited.

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PLACE

Digital Platform for Circular Economy

The proposed project objective is the development of a online,digital platform and application of a crowdsourcing mobile application, for the creation of an integrated digital support system for recycling services and actions.

The innovation of the project lies in the use of crowdsourcing logic to empower the most active recyclers in each local community to optimize waste management programs in their area, a model applied for the first time in Europe. Recyclers’ participation will take a variety of models, from providing education to their fellow citizens and taking initiatives to solve observable dysfunctions in a program, as the coordination and interconnection of their needs with content exchange of products and services to extend their lifecycle and maintenance the availability of their resources. An innovative waste resources (no waste anymore) intelligent management system based on data analytics and crowdsourcing tools. An innovative, efficient and effective decision making system, constantly updated and optimized, for the development and optimal selection of alternative models of recycling and promote the implementation of the circular economy model at municipal and local level. The proposed project's primary objective is to optimize existing or planned recycling programs at the level of citizen participation and the purity of the materials involved in each program.

Overall the project aims to create an environment, attractive to volunteer recyclers by upgrading the recycling process to collective action with an organized and participatory organizational one line structure. While the recycling path has so far appeared to be more individual and complex, an online community is being created where users can turn around at any time to resolve their questions and submit their concerns. They are therefore encouraged to participate more systematically in their region's recycling program, which significantly increases their profitability and sustainability. Finally, the project attempts to attract a wide range of enterprises and stakeholders involved in the recycling policy and services.

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Smart Communities

Integrated decision support Approach for Smart Communities

The subject of the project "Integrated decision support Approach for Smart Communities" is the research and development of an intelligent collection network of real-time measurements, which will feed into an innovative approach to supporting the decisions of Energy Community., for its organization and operation in each regional unit, considering the requirements for energy-saving systems environmental, economic as well as social goals). The integrated approach will support its consideration of all the parameters that affect the functioning of Energy Community, since the existing approach local authorities are unable to support the multifaceted scope of activities of an Energy Community.

DEMO4GRID

Demonstration of 4MW Pressurized Alkaline Electrolyser for Grid Balancing Services (H2020-JTI-FCH-2016-1)

The main aim of project Demo4Grid is the commercial setup and demonstration of a technical  solution utilizing “above state of the art” Pressurized Alkaline Electrolyser (PAE) technology for providing grid balancing services in real operational and market conditions. In order to validate existing significant differences in local market and grid requirements Demo4Grid has chosen  to  setup  a  demonstration  site  in  Austria  to  demonstrate  a  viable  business  case for the operation of a large scale electrolyser adapted to specific local conditions that will be found throughout Europe. To achieve that, Demo4Grid will demonstrate at this demo site with needs for hydrogen as a means of harvesting RE production:

• a technical solution to meet all core requirements for providing grid balancing services with a large scale PAE in direct cooperation with grid operators,
• a market-based solution to provide value added services and revenues for the operation strategy to achieve commercial success providing grid services and those profits obtained also from the hydrogen application.

Aiming at the exploitation of the results after the project ends, Demo4Grid will assess the replicability and viability of various business cases by:

• analysing (qualitatively and quantitatively) additional business models (in terms of business opportunities / energy source, potential grid service provision and hydrogen demand)
• analysing the value and size of the markets
• developing recommendations for relevant stakeholder to decrease market barriers
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EcoDaLLi

ECOsystem-based governance with DAnube lighthouse Living Lab for sustainable Innovation processes (HORIZON-MISS-2021-OCEAN-02-04)

The 2030 & 2050 Green Deal goals push EU towards integrated solutions & clear targets. EcoDaLLi, embedded in the Mission 'Restore our Ocean, seas & waters by 2030' will help achieve freshwater targets of European Green Deal, integrating a systemic approach for restoration, protection & preservation for the entire Danube Basin, provided by coordinated actions.  The main objective of EcoDaLLi is to centralise Danube governance structures in terms of innovative solutions for improved ecological restoration, protection and preservation of the Danube basin and its Delta by fostering a stronger innovation ecosystem within a well-connected Practices Living Lab System, supported by a digital Portal, completly linked to the Mission Implementation Platform.  Innovative solutions open new opportunities for better water restoration, taking into consideration social innovation aspects, reducing climate change effects and reducing also costs. An improved governance at Danube Basin level, based on dedicated EcoDaLLi tools will foster such innovative solutions, change mindsets on water ecosystems restoration and climate change and develop value chains based on ecosystem services. This will contribute to the decarbonisation goal of Green Deal, cleaner water, improved state of the environment, land creation of jobs in sensitive areas along the basin, especially in the Danube Delta.  EcoDaLLi will support innovators connect to governance structures, providing and maintaining networks, trough dedicated Living Labs for knowledge co-creation, workshops, a custom made digital portal for synergies,  and innovation support services, to experiment with new solutions, helping the innovation ecosystem to create circular services towards Sustainable Blue Economy in the Danube Basin and beyond.

Exploit4InnoMat

An Open Innovation Ecosystem for exploitation of materials for building envelopes towards zero energy buildings (HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01-20)

Building sector is responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions in the EU. As nZEB becomes the new standard, the role of building materials and smart envelope systems is becoming more and more important. Exploit4InnoMat OITB will make available a high-end Open Innovation Testbed network for building envelopes including roofs and facades, enabling the replication of prototypes in different buildings  taking  into  consideration  the  trade-offs  between  the  three  sustainability  pillars,  the  life  cycle  stages as  well  as  their  impacts.  End-User  Market  Needs  for  low-cost,  flexible,  on  demand  material-based  solutions,  which  will  be  assessed through an extensive partnership knowledge on materials characterization and modelling, monitoring and process control, environmental and assessment, regulatory and standardization, social acceptance and innovation management, realizing for nZEB solutions. In order to achieve this target a wide range of expertise has been brought to the OITB covering fields such as Open Innovation Testbeds for nano enabled cement, non cement premixes and ceramics, advanced coatings and glazing solutions loaded with aerogel, fibers, PCMs and other nanomaterials providing multifunctional properties; pilot lines for nano dispersion, 3D printing and roboting spraying; as well as a network of four real scale living laboratories for nZEB technologies evaluation, will facilitate a realization tool for developing close to  market  technological  solutions.  Additionally,  a  semi-automated  tool  combining  BIM  analysis,  fast  track  modelling  and  simulation will make enable a digital tool for utilizing building blocks (structural, solar thermal and BIPV) in order to create a harmonized and aesthetically pleasing urban environment.

PLOTO

Deployment and Assessment of Predictive modelling, environmentally sustainable and emerging digital technologies and tools for improving the resilience of IWW against Climate change and other extremes (HORIZON-CL5-2021-D6-01-09)

PLOTO aims at increasing the resilience of the Inland WaterWays (IWW) infrastructures and the connected land- infrastructures, thus ensuring reliable network availability under unfavourable conditions, such as extreme weather, accidents and other kind of hazards.  Our main target is to combine downscaled climate change scenarios (applied to IWW infrastructures) with simulation tools and actual data, so as to provide the relevant authorities and their operators with an integrated tool able to support more effective management of their infrastructures at strategic and operational levels. Towards this direction, PLOTO aims to:

• use high resolution modelling data for the determination and the assessment of the climatic risk of the selected transport infrastructures and associated expected damages;
• use existing data from various sources with new types of sensor-generated data (computer vision) to feed the used simulator;
• utilize tailored weather forecasts (combining seamlessly all available data sources) for specific hot-spots, providing early warnings with corresponding impact assessment in real time;
• develop improved multi-temporal, multi-sensor UAV- and satellite-based observations with robust spectral analysis, computer vision and machine learning-based assessment for diverse transport infrastructures;
• design and implement an integrated Resilience Assessment Platform environment as an innovative planning tool that will permit a quantitative resilience assessment through an end-to-end simulation environment, running “what-if” impact/risk/resilience assessment scenarios. The effects of adaptation measures can be investigated by changing the hazard, exposure and vulnerability input parameters;
• design and implement a Common Operational Picture, including an enhanced visualisation interface and an Incident Management System.

The PLOTO integrated platform and its tools will be validated in three case studies in Belgium, Romania and Hungary.

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Cargo Bikes and Drones

The proposed project refers to a first phase of importing drone and cargo bike into freight transport to meet some distinct needs, either in terms of transport speed or protection of some protected, sensitive environmental parts of the city. It is almost certain that at a later stage, when their technology has evolved, drone and cargo bike will be used to meet more conventional transportation needs because they will be able to carry more weight and thus serve more concentrated missions. Then, the transit centers will be the first intermediate destination in the transport chain until the final recipient. Conversely, in the first phase of light, therefore more personalized transport, small take-off / landing bases could operate, where the transfer between drone and cargo bike would take place. These bases will be on line with the transit center.

The project aims to:

(a) investigate issues arising from the use of drones and bicycles in freight transport in urban places with various urban and traffic characteristics,

1. b) produce a model that calculates cost, energy consumption and travel times using these means of transport per kilometer under different conditions.

(c) create a software that will include data on the location of take-off / landing points, sender and receiver addresses and landline characteristics.

Ram

Smart, Interoperable & Real Time Informational System For All Road Users In Streets And Highways

Road Alert Messaging system fully addresses the need to inform all road users, particularly on highways/motorways, by transmitting valid and certified messages directly from the operator to each person and road user. With tracking and cartographic information technology and IOT, the system provides targeted information for any kind of messaging, the operator wants to send to road users, but exclusively to the ones in regards (even in one direction) and for as long as it is essential.

In this way, existing infrastructure problems are overcome (current VMS are located at 40-50km each, a distance which is considered to be fairly large and usually inadequate), as well as unnecessary transmission of information to road users (the messages will only be sent to those who will definitely be confronted with the situation they would be warned about or described).

Moreover, the reliability of road's operation increases, since its users (drivers, passengers, etc.) will know beforehand that they will be notified for whatever happens in a few kilometers ahead of them. O2V-D-P (Operator-Driver-Passenger) communication to the proposed project is an innovative and smart solution to existing international deficiencies within the transport sector, fully compliant with existing GDPR law.

PARCEL

Platform to promote the cooperative economy in the parcel delivery market(PARCEL)

The main goal of the project is the development of a specialized digital platform (PARCEL), focusing on the introduction of the “sharing economy” model to the Greek postal market, and more specifically to postal services regarding the delivery of parcels coming from online purchases (e-shops). Recently, the introduction of such models had a significant impact on a number of industries (e.g. AirBnB, Uber, Beat etc). These business models can significantly boost competitiveness and market growth, mainly due their innovative nature. Moreover, they allow for the creation of new jobs and new sources of income.

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