146 |2020 Sustainability Report |A decade for us to transform Success s tiro es Life Methamorphosis 2020 saw the completion of the Life Methamorphosis project, in which the application of an innovative treatment train enabled energy recovery from municipal wastes to be maximised, achieving significant environmental improvements. It was also possible to reduce energy demand for the treatment process by 73% and save 74% in associated CO emissions2 compared to currently installed aerobic membrane technology. Learn more about the Life Methamorphosis project H2020 Mides The Mides (microbial desalination for low-energyIn this biological reactor, bacteria use the organic drinking water) project was also completed in 2020material in the wastewater to create electricity, which and involved developing a unique and innovativein turn enables the migration of salts through selective system to produce drinking water with advanced membranes. desalination processes at no energy cost. This avoids the electricity consumption found in conventionalThe result of the project opens a new market for low-cost desalination plants, which amounts to 4 kWh/m.3desalination in decentralised low-medium capacity plants, since it makes it possible to treat wastewater and obtain The system runs on energy created from wastewatera positive energy balance. This is a significant milestone treatment processes through an equally newin the conception of the cities of the future: It enables the technology: The microbial desalination cell.establishment of integrated stations that generate energy, purify wastewater and act as desalination plants with low energy consumption and with smart management and control systems. Learn more about the H2020 Mides project