WaterWorks2017 valorisation showcase events
As part of the activities of the WaterWorks2017 project, the Water JPI has organised two valorisation events. The first one within the framework of the Ecomondo conference on the 7th November in Rimini (Italy).
In this way, for the second year, Water JPI joined the Ecomondo conference. Ecomondo is an international event on technologies, services and industrial solutions about green economy and circular economy sectors, including water, waste disposal, textiles, bioenergy, soil management, transports, agriculture and sustainable cities. Ecomondo was held from 7 to 10 November in Rimini (Italy). On November 7, as part of Water Projects Europe, organised by Water Europe and Ecomondo the results of four funded projects and their potential applications were presented within the framework of WaterWorks2017. Water JPI's participation in the Water Projects Europe Ecomondo is part of the valorisation strategy aimed at enhancing the socio-economic and environmental impact of the financed projects.
On this occasion, the coordinators of three projects funded by WaterWorks2017 were invited to present their results to the audience, which mainly gathered representatives of research performing organisations. A few representatives of the private sector also attended the event. The three projects presented at Ecomondo were:
- Eviban, which aimed at increasing knowledge for adaptive management options and measures resources through the delivery of a toolbox that accounts for impacts of climate change, anthropogenic activities and societal change in different regions of Europe and beyond.
- Bloowater, looking at the creation of tools for the integrated management of drinking water reservoirs contaminated by cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins. The technologies, tools and strategies developed during the project will contribute to improving drinking water management.
- MarAdentro, which presented its results on assessing the risks of recharging regenerated water and the benefits of managed aquifer recharge.
The second part of the event gathered coordinators’ views regarding the valorisation of research results looking in particular at barriers for the societal/ market uptake of research results and possible steps forward to enhance the usefulness of results.
The main barriers for valorisation identified by project coordinators were insufficient communication as regards results and the possible applications (EviBan), the time-consuming implementation of some activities e.g. permits along with the fact that end-users might be reluctant to the application of new solutions (MarAdentro), and the difficulties to replicate solutions in different situations (Bloowater).
Discussions with project coordinators showed the need to offer matchmaking opportunities so that solution providers can get in contact more easily with possible end-users. In parallel to valorisation, researchers continue looking for other funding opportunities in order to support the replication of their studies or to generate new knowledge in their field. The full implication of end-users in projects is crucial to ensure the alignment between research activities and societal needs.
A short video of the participation of the Water JPI to the Ecomondo conference is available on our YouTube channel:
The second WaterWorks2017 showcase event targeted the national agencies having funded projects. Participants stressed the need to apply key lessons from valorisation in future activities of the Water4All Partnership. The programme has planned the development of a matchmaking platform and a wide variety of activities for enhancing the overall uptake of proposed solutions. Last but not least, Water4All will support the next Water JPI Conference that will take place in South Africa in March 2025. The conference will look at valorisation opportunities for the results generated by the Water JPI since its first call back in 2013.