Project Characteristics

The AQUAHUB project

The AQUAHUB project, “Driving Water Quality, Sustainability, and Circular Economy through a Madrid-Based Hub of Innovative Technological Solutions,” represents a revolution in wastewater treatment through advanced technology and a focus on the circular economy. It falls within the framework of grant programs aimed at fostering public-private cooperation in R&D, serving as a catalyst for technological innovation in the Madrid region. With a total investment of €4,594,947.87, co-financed by €2,115,153.01 from the Community of Madrid and the European Regional Development Fund, the project will be carried out between 2025 and 2027, reaching TRL 5, validating its components in a relevant environment under official record number 59/561770.9/24.

Led by AWAES—a Tedagua company—AQUAHUB is in collaboration with INCRO, Fertiberia, QuantIA, Pyrocatalytica, and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). Together, they are establishing an innovative model for sustainable water management, setting the path toward a greener, more resilient future.

The project implements a set of innovative solutions that integrate different technologies to optimize wastewater treatment and maximize resource recovery. One standout feature is the Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR), an advanced two-stage system that enhances the breakdown of organic contaminants, enabling up to a 90% reduction in Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), the production of high-quality biogas, the generation of water suitable for fertigation, and the recovery of essential nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

Tertiary treatment and water reclamation play a key role in AQUAHUB, with advanced technologies capable of eliminating up to 99% of emerging contaminants and microplastics. These include advanced oxidation processes, and the use of repurposing reverse osmosis membranes converted to nanofiltration, making water reuse safe and efficient.

Another crucial component is thermal valorisation of waste through processes like co-pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which transform sludge and other waste into biochar and hydrochar suitable for use as fertilizer, in addition to generating aqueous fractions with high COD that enhance biogas production.

Nutrient recovery is yet another pillar of AQUAHUB, featuring innovative solutions for sustainable fertilizer production. The project validates technologies that enable the recovery of phosphorus in the form of ferrous phosphate crystals, as well as nitrogen in the form of ammonium salts, fostering the reuse of these resources in agriculture.

AQUAHUB also focuses on biomethane production and upgrading. The biogas generated is refined into high purity biomethane (above 95%), making it suitable for injection into natural gas grids. This is achieved through CO₂ methanation technologies using green hydrogen. Moreover, hydrogen plays a vital role in optimizing the efficiency, stability, and methane output within the anaerobic bioreactor by balancing metabolic processes and reducing inhibitors.

The project embraces digitalization and artificial intelligence with an intelligent data management system employing predictive models and digital twins. Advanced algorithms are developed to optimize process performance and anticipate potential operational issues, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the system.

In the agricultural realm, the treated water from AQUAHUB is validated for fertigation, ensuring safety and sustainability. This helps close the water loop and provides a viable alternative in water-stressed areas.

The project’s impact is significant, both environmentally and socioeconomically. AQUAHUB reduces its environmental footprint by regenerating water and recovering resources, promotes energy sustainability through biomethane production, and supports the circular economy by converting waste into valuable products such as fertilizers.