Water scarcity is a pressing challenge intensified by climate change and rising industrial demands. On 12 December 2024, industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and environmental stakeholders will gather at the AquaSPICE Final Conference in Brussels, at BluePoint, for a public event that marks a pivotal step forward in sustainable water management.
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, the AquaSPICE project has brought together 27 partners from research institutions, industries, and environmental organizations across Europe to develop ground-breaking technologies that promote circular water practices and reduce freshwater intake within industrial processes.
The AquaSPICE Final Conference will present the key achievements of the project, including innovative technologies, real-world case studies, and policy recommendations for sustainable water management in process industries. Participants will gain insights into the practical experiences, challenges, and successes of implementing water efficiency in a variety of industrial contexts.
Conference Highlights
The day will kick off with a welcome address by Durk Krol, Executive Director of Water Europe, followed by an opening session led by Thomas Wintgens, Project Coordinator, who will provide an overview of AquaSPICE’s contribution to sustainable industrial water management. Two keynote speeches will set the scene, offering the EU perspective on sustainable water management and the vision for sustainable processes in the industry.
The agenda also features:
- Session 1: An in-depth look at the project’s rationale and insights from case studies across Europe, showcasing circular water use in the petrochemical industry (Netherlands and Germany), water treatment in Italy’s peroxide production units, deployment of water recycling in Belgium, sustainable water reuse in Romania’s food processing industry, and near-zero water discharge efforts in Turkey’s refineries.
- Session 2: A session on policy development and future directions, with a keynote on “Shaping Industrial Sustainability Policies with Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe inputs” followed by a panel discussion on integrating AquaSPICE innovations into policy frameworks.
- Networking Opportunities: Attendees will have ample time to connect over coffee and lunch breaks.
Join us for this key event as we explore the path forward in water-smart practices, contributing to a sustainable future for Europe’s process industries. Stay tuned for more info.
