REGENIOUS

REGENIOUS will revolutionise the regeneration of spent granular activated carbon (GAC), a key material in industrial and municipal water treatment, by replacing fossil fuel-based thermal processes with a novel electrochemical regeneration (ER) technology. Thermal regeneration currently dominates the market but is highly energy-intensive, generates significant GHG emissions, and shortens the carbon’s usable life. As a first-of-a-kind solution, REGENIOUS will develop a portable and modular ER plant capable of operating directly at end-user facilities, enabling in-situ regeneration of GAC with drastically reduced energy demand, costs, and environmental impacts, while avoiding transport and landfill. At lab scale, new electrode formulations and regeneration protocols will be optimised for durability, efficiency, and pollutant removal. These advances will be scaled up through intermediate prototypes and a redesigned full-scale portable unit, integrating renewable electricity (organic photovoltaics), electrolyte management (selective electrodialysis), and advanced digital controls for safe, automated operation. Demonstration campaigns will be conducted at major Drinking Water (Spain) and Wastewater Treatment Plants (Cyprus), validating performance under real conditions, with replication activities in Portugal and Germany. Beyond technology, REGENIOUS will deliver predictive tools for GAC lifetime, new indicators for ER performance, and proof-of-concept second-life applications for exhausted activated carbons (EAC) in construction and agriculture. Sustainability assessments, business models, and exploitation strategies will ensure market uptake and replication across sectors such as food, chemical, and textile industries. By reducing GHG emissions compared to thermal regeneration, REGENIOUS supports the EU Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the Processes4Planet partnership, paving the way for a climate-neutral, circular, and competitive European industry.