Water expertise has been identified as one of the shared strengths of Eastern and Northern Finland. The AWE – Arctic Water Excellence project aims to contribute to strengthening the coordinated regional specialisation and cooperation in the water sector in Eastern and Northern Finland.
AWE is a joint project of several universities and research organisations with more than ten business partners. The project is coordinated by Savonia University of Applied Sciences. The CEMIS network includes the Measurement Technology Unit (MITY) of the University of Oulu, which is responsible for developing measurement techniques in the project, and Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK), which is responsible for developing geopolymers for the removal of heavy metals from industrial water matrices. Other project partners include GTK, XAMK, VTT, THL and LUT. The AWE project’s business partners include the following companies: Agnico Eagle Finland Oy, Yara Suomi Oy, AA Sakatti Mining Oy, Keliber Oy, Terrafame Oy, Operon Group Oy, Valmet Automation Oy, Nordfuel Oy, St1 Oy, Mikkeli Water Utility, Weeefiner Oy, BioSO4 Oy, Meoline Oy and 3AWater Oy.
The aim of the AWE project is to promote the development of new technologies, their piloting and practical deployment, especially in water-intensive industry and the water supply sector, in collaboration with research institutes, companies operating in the sector, and industrial facilities. The aim is to promote the generation of new innovations and new business in the sector, thus supporting the growth and competitiveness of SMEs operating in the sector, among other things.
The project focuses on solving generic water-related challenges identified in business life through co-development by applying new and alternative technologies in practice. The development targets of the project include the utilisation of digitalisation to develop environmental monitoring and water balance management in large industrial areas, such as mining sites. The project develops advanced recovery processes and separation techniques as part of water purification in order to, among other things, utilise the metals and nutrients contained in wastewater as raw materials. These development measures will also promote the development of the circular economy in the form of applications based on water expertise.
For further development and commercialisation of the new technologies, solutions and methods identified as the most promising during the project, suitable groups of companies and developers will be assembled to continue the development work after the end of the project in the form of, for example, separate spin-off projects funded by Business Finland.
