5th NEWSLETTER
LIFE DIANA project has reached its last year of implementation and continues its steady progress with very promising outcomes!
It is noted that both the Motor Oil and Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot units, located at Motor Oil refinery and EDSNA landfill site respectively, are under normal operation. A significant quantity of engineered soil has been produced and it has been disposed at the EDSNA landfill for its further validation as material suitable for landfill activities.
Within the 5th newsletter, a brief update on both pilot units’ operation is presented while focus is given on the dissemination and networking activities which are of major importance at the current stage of the project.
Motor Oil pilot operation
Motor Oil pilot continues being fully operational. Approximately 3,000 m3 of engineered soil have been produced and have been transferred to the EDSNA pilot at Fyli, achieving the target production, as set by the project.
It should be highlighted that the produced engineered soil meets the acceptance criteria for non-hazardous waste, hence it can be used in the landfilling activities. Moreover, it complies with the permeability level set by the Greek legislation, rendering it suitable to be used as bottom-insulating layer at landfilling.
Photo showing the production of the engineered soil at the pilot plant at Motor Oil premises during the production of an informative video for the pilot plant and its operation.
Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot
Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot is also fully operational. Construction works have been finalised and 3.000 m3 of engineered soil have been disposed at the pilot site. The pilot tests of engineered soil for its evaluation as daily cover, bottom liner and top layer cover, are still ongoing. Monitoring of the engineered soil performance is achieved through physical, chemical, and biological analyses of the leachates regularly collected from the bottom of the pilot.
Moreover, tests to assess the engineered soil as vegetating cover at landfill, have also started.
Overview of the project’s business plan
Commercialisation is among the objectives of the LIFE projects, in general. Thus, a business plan was developed in order to shed light on the exploitation opportunities of the LIFE DIANA solution.
More specifically, the business canvas methodology was followed and fruitful discussions between the partners have taken place, defining eventually a commonly agreed business model which will be the basis to move forward after the end of the project. The terms and conditions for a Special Purpose Vehicle formation will be elaborated as the project progresses. The Special Purpose Vehicle will be responsible for the commercialization of the LIFE DIANA technology concept and will provide clients with consultancy and technological services for their tailored application of the solution, at the after-LIFE period.
In addition, the capital and operational expenses have been defined and financial parameters (NPV, IRR) were calculated for the assessment of the LIFE DIANA solution feasibility, through the proposed business plan and commercialization scheme.
To conclude with, as the project still progresses, concrete decisions and potential ways to move forward at the after-LIFE period will be determined at the end of the project when all the project’s outcomes will be available.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
The production of an informative video on the operation of the Life Diana pilot station and the production of mechanical soil at the Motor Oil refinery in Corinth has been successfully completed.
Networking activities
The LIFE DIANA website (www.lifediana.eu) is being regularly updated with the most recent information regarding the tasks and deliverables that have been implemented or are in progress.
It is highlighted that the LIFE DIANA project is subscribed for networking purposes on the following platforms:
- Circular Economy platform (http://www.circulary.eu/)
- European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (https://circulareconomy.
europa.eu/platform/en/node/ 3060)
LIFE17 ENV/GR/000387 LIFE PureAgroH20 “Innovative waste treatment and water recycling technologies for the food industry”.
Moreover, the LIFE DIANA project was presented together with other LIFE projects by Mr Protopapas, Director of the Green Fund, during a conference at the Royal Olympic Hotel in Athens, on the 17th January 2020. That conference entitled “Innovative waste treatment and water recycling technologies for the food industry” was organized in the framework of the LIFE PureAgroH2O project, where the importance of LIFE programs for the industry and the provision of innovative solutions through LIFE projects was highlighted.
