The idea was to develop green technology to transform sewage sludge into energy. T Daniele Basso and Renato Pavanetto, the founders of HBI (Human Bio Innovation), have recently turned this idea into reality by designing innovative industrial solutions for implementing the circular economy. Supported by our Tech Transfer Green team, the result of five years of work is HBI’s first industrial sewage sludge treatment module, which has been installed in the water treatment plant in Bolzano. Their system transforms a conventional water treatment plant into a poly-generative biorefinery, extracting clean water, producing renewable energy, and recovering chemicals such as ammonia and phosphorus that can be refined and used in agriculture. It also eliminates bacteria, viruses, pharmaceutical residues and hormones, reducing final waste by 90% and generating significant cost savings.

“Each individual produces almost 20 kg of sludge per year. Reclaiming the ‘gold’ in this sludge and turning it into a resource provides a strategic advantage. We are ready to test our technology in the Bolzano water treatment plant, and optimise how it operates,” explain the founders of the Treviso start-up, which already holds three patents. “The Tech Transfer Green division at NOI Techpark supported us throughout the entire development process, supervising co-funding opportunities for innovation, helping us organise and prepare project proposals, and identifying the best location and partner for pilot plant installation,” they add. In addition, HBI has developed and patented a device that allows the integrated system to operate completely free of odour and gas emissions. The company has set itself a new, ambitious goal: to produce zero waste in the medium term.