If I tell you about the world’s largest photobiorefinery running 100% on solar photovoltaic energy (known as Deep Purple), your mind will easily go to any place in the USA. You’ll bet it’s located in California or Texas.
If you’re a little more sophisticated, you might think it’s in China, or maybe Israel.
But you’d be wrong.
The Deep Purple project was developed just over a year ago at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Jaén, Spain.
It uses phototropic purple bacteria to treat wastewater and generate bioproducts such as bioplastics, biofertilizers, and biofuels, all without external energy consumption. Powered solely by solar energy. The future of photobiorefineries, in short.
It was led by Aqualia and is made up of a consortium of fourteen entities from six countries, and it cost almost €10 million.
And I’m telling you all this because ATRAE FORO DE ENERGÍA, through the company Agua y Aire Tratamientos Integrales (AYATI), did its part and provided the lightweight panels you see in the image. These panels, thanks to their unique characteristics of flexibility, lightness, and resistance to harsh environments, were able to adapt perfectly to the curvature of the aerobic digester tanks.
That was just over a year ago.
During this time, at ATRAE we have continued designing fastening systems and working on new applications for this unique product.
Today, it would no longer be necessary to hold the panels vertically while the adhesive that holds them to the tank wall sets. Our solution with a bonded textile strip now allows for simple and immediate placement on the walls.
For these humble successes, I enjoy my work, convinced that it’s the small details that truly move the world.
They give us the value proposition that sets us apart.
