2nd Interregional Meeting in Barcelona, Spain
The gathering commenced leading attendees on insightful site visits across Barcelona's metropolitan area. The first destination was Sant Adrià del Besòs Ecoparc, a municipal waste centre under the TERSA group. TERSA, a public company dedicated to circular economy-related environmental services, manages all waste from the Barcelona metropolitan region. The Ecoparc recovers over 316,800 metric tons of waste from unseparated mixed waste (grey bin), producing more than 181,900 MWh of electrical energy and127,900 metric tons of steam for district heating and cooling systems. Organic waste is previously separated from non-organic waste, and it undergoes a biological treatment capturing 20,800,000 Nm3 of biogas used to generate 26.900 MWh of electricity.
The second stop was the Granollers Biowaste plant, processing the organic fraction of municipal solid waste from around 900 000 citizens. Recovering 52,000 tonnes annually, the plant transforms waste into 6,000 tonnes of compost and 4,500,000 Nm3 of biogas. The biogas undergoes an industrial upgrading process to become biomethane, a clean and renewable energy source for urban and interurban buses, as well as electricity and thermal energy. The visits emphasized the importance of waste reduction, increased recycling, and highlighted ongoing efforts towards a greener society.
After the visits, participants reconvened at CERCA's premises to share expertise, discuss good practices, policy status, and delve into bioeconomy-related topics.
The second day of the Interregional Meeting featured a visit to the esteemed Smart City Expo. The group embarked on a VIP tour spanning initiatives from Portugal to Singapore, showcasing cutting-edge projects centered around the biocircular economy for enhancing urban life worldwide.
The concluding meeting gathered CITISYSTEM members and interested parties from Catalan waste management and recycling institutions. Presentations from CERCA's director Lluís Rovira, lead partner Katerina Medkova from Lahti, and representatives from the Catalan Biowaste Agency and Catalonia's Climate Action Department provided valuable insights. The event concluded with a dynamic round-table discussion, leaving participants invigorated and motivated to continue working towards creating healthier and more sustainable cities for future generations.