Horizon 2020 Call: H2020-SMEINST Topic: SC Type of action: SME-1 Proposal number: SEP Proposal acronym: WAI

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1 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Horizon 2020 Call: H2020-SMEINST Topic: SC Type of action: SME-1 Proposal number: SEP Proposal acronym: WAI Table of contents Section Title Action 1 General information 2 Participants & contacts 3 Budget 4 Ethics 5 Call-specific questions How to fill in the forms The administrative forms must be filled in for each proposal using the templates available in the submission system. Some data fields in the administrative forms are pre-filled based on the previous steps in the submission wizard. H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 1 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

2 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI 1 - General information Topic SC Type of action SME-1 Call identifier H2020-SMEINST Acronym WAI Proposal title* Transformation of non-hazardous residues into eco-material and eco-fuel Duration in months 5 Note that for technical reasons, the following characters are not accepted in the Proposal Title and will be removed: < > " & Fixed keyword 1 Waste management Add Free keywords Abstract Waste, environment, eco-fuel, eco-material, landfill, mitigation action, sustainable energy, residues, non-fossil fuel, rejected fraction, CO2 emission This project aims to introduce in the international market a new technology for transforming agricultural, urban, industrial, and forestry waste into a new eco-material with outstanding mechanical and calorific characteristics. Its mechanical properties make the material very attractive like a substitute of wood and other natural resources, and its calorific features gives the material a great potential to be used as an eco-fuel, mainly due to the global necessity of replacing fossil fuels by renewable sources. Potential consumers of this material are electric power plants, energy high-consumption industries, construction and derived sectors firms, and consumer-goods manufacturers. The proposal is a radical innovation, because neither the technology nor the resulting product is present in the market yet, and they do not constitute incremental improvement of existing solutions. The competitors waste transformation processes only produce a disaggregated material, with no more application than incineration. Nowadays recycling technologies allow the re-utilization of only 60% of the urban waste, which explains why the residues accumulation has become a real concern in Europe. Not only this eco-innovation provide a solution to this problem, but simultaneously address other important environmental challenges: lowering of landfills which implies less greenhouse gas emanations-, decreasing of fossil fuel consumption -that improves the European energy system reliability and reduces CO2 emissions-, and preservation of exhaustible resources -replacing them with this new eco-material. Both the technical and economic viability of the project will be assessed during the phase 1 of this program. It will be presented in a comprehensive feasibility study and a business plan, which will be supported by, among others, technology reviews, market study, and risks analysis. An innovation plan will further serve as a preparation for entering in the phase 2. Remaining characters 29 Has this proposal (or a very similar one) been submitted in the past 2 years in response to a call for proposals under the 7th Framework Programme, Horizon 2020 or any other EU programme(s)? Yes No H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 2 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

3 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI Declarations 1) The coordinator or sole applicant declares to have the explicit consent of all applicants on their participation and on the content of this proposal. 2) The information contained in this proposal is correct and complete. 3) This proposal complies with ethical principles (including the highest standards of research integrity as set out, for instance, in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and including, in particular, avoiding fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or other research misconduct). 4) The coordinator or sole applicant confirms: - to have carried out the self-check of the financial capacity of the organisation on Where the result was weak or insufficient, the coordinator confirms being aware of the measures that may be imposed in accordance with the H2020 Grants Manual (Chapter on Financial capacity check); or - is exempt from the financial capacity check being a public body including international organisations, higher or secondary education establishment or a legal entity, whose viability is guaranteed by a Member State or associated country, as defined in the H2020 Grants Manual (Chapter on Financial capacity check); or - as sole participant in the proposal is exempt from the financial capacity check. 5) The coordinator or sole applicant hereby declares that each applicant has confirmed: - they are fully eligible in accordance with the criteria set out in the specific call for proposals; and - they have the financial and operational capacity to carry out the proposed action. The coordinator is only responsible for the correctness of the information relating to his/her own organisation. Each applicant remains responsible for the correctness of the information related to him and declared above. Where the proposal to be retained for EU funding, the coordinator and each beneficiary applicant will be required to present a formal declaration in this respect. According to Article 131 of the Financial Regulation of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (Official Journal L 298 of , p. 1) and Article 145 of its Rules of Application (Official Journal L 362, , p.1) applicants found guilty of misrepresentation may be subject to administrative and financial penalties under certain conditions. Personal data protection Your reply to the grant application will involve the recording and processing of personal data (such as your name, address and CV), which will be processed pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data. Unless indicated otherwise, your replies to the questions in this form and any personal data requested are required to assess your grant application in accordance with the specifications of the call for proposals and will be processed solely for that purpose. Details concerning the processing of your personal data are available on the privacy statement. Applicants may lodge a complaint about the processing of their personal data with the European Data Protection Supervisor at any time. Your personal data may be registered in the Early Warning System (EWS) only or both in the EWS and Central Exclusion Database (CED) by the Accounting Officer of the Commission, should you be in one of the situations mentioned in: -the Commission Decision 2008/969 of on the Early Warning System (for more information see the Privacy Statement), or -the Commission Regulation 2008/1302 of on the Central Exclusion Database (for more information see the Privacy Statement). H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 3 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

4 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI 2 - Administrative data of participating organisations PIC Legal name Waste s Alchemy Iberica S.L. Short name: Waste s Alchemy Iberica S.L. Address of the organisation Street Ctra. de Madrid a Fuencarral 44, Edificio 6-1ª P Town Madrid Postcode Country Webpage Spain Legal Status of your organisation Research and Innovation legal statuses Public body... no Non-profit... no International organisation... no International organisation of European interest... no Secondary or Higher education establishment... no Research organisation... no Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)... yes Legal person... yes Nace code H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 4 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

5 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI Department(s) carrying out the proposed work Department 1 Department name Street Technical Department Ctra. de Madrid a Fuencarral 44, Edifici Same as organisation address Town Madrid Postcode Country Spain H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 5 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

6 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI Person in charge of the proposal The name and of contact persons are read-only in the administrative form, only additional details can be edited here. To give access rights and basic contact details of contact persons, please go back to Step 4 of the submission wizard and save the changes. Title Mr. Sex Male Female First name Jose Last name Carrera jose.a.carrera@wai.com.es Position in org. CEO Department Please indicate the department of the Contact Point above in the organisation Street Ctra. de Madrid a Fuencarral 44, Edificio 6-1ª Planta, Loft 45 Same as organisation address Town Madrid Post code Country Spain Website Phone Phone 2 +xxx xxxxxxxxx Fax +xxx xxxxxxxxx Other contact persons First Name Last Name Phone Juan Vega juan.a.vega@wastesalchemy.com H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 6 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

7 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI 3 - Budget for the proposal Estimated eligible* costs (per budget category) EU contribution A. Costs of the feasibility study/direct and indirect costs of the action Total costs Reimbursement rate % Maximum EU contribution Maximum grant amount Form of costs Lump sum Consortium/Beneficiary H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 7 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

8 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI 4 - Ethics issues table Please, take into account that the ethics issues in SME Instrument Phase 1 only relate to the feasibility study and not to a possible further innovation project (i.e. Phase 2) 1. HUMAN EMBRYOS/FOETUSES Page Does your research involve Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hescs)? (ii) Yes No Does your research involve the use of human embryos? Yes No Does your research involve the use of human foetal tissues / cells? Yes No 2. HUMANS Page Does your research involve human participants? Yes No Does your research involve physical interventions on the study participants? Yes No Does it involve invasive techniques? Yes No 3. HUMAN CELLS / TISSUES Page Does your research involve human cells or tissues? If your research involves human embryos/foetuses, please also complete the section Human Embryos/Foetuses [Box 1]. Yes No 4. PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA (iii) Page Does your research involve personal data collection and/or processing? Yes No Does your research involve further processing of previously collected personal data (secondary use)? Yes No 5. ANIMALS (iv) Page Does your research involve animals? Yes No H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 8 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

9 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI 6. NON-EU COUNTRIES Page Does your research involve non-eu countries? Yes No Do you plan to use local resources (e.g. animal and/or human tissue samples, genetic material, live animals, human remains, materials of historical value, endangered fauna or flora samples, etc.)? (vi) Do you plan to import any material - including personal data - from non-eu countries into the EU? If you consider importing data, please also complete the section "Protection of Personal Data" [Box 4]. Yes Yes No No Do you plan to export any material - including personal data -from the EU to non-eu countries? If you consider exporting data, please also complete the section "Protection of Personal Data" [Box 4]. Yes No If your research involves low and/or lower middle income countries, are benefits-sharing measures foreseen? (vii) Yes No Could the situation in the country put the individuals taking part in the research at risk? Yes No 7. ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION See legal references at the end of the section. (viii) Page Does your research involve the use of elements that may cause harm to the environment, to animals or plants? Yes No Does your research deal with endangered fauna and/or flora and/or protected areas? Yes No Does your research involve the use of elements that may cause harm to humans, including research staff? Yes No 8. DUAL USE (ix) Page Does your research have the potential for military applications? Yes No 9. MISUSE Page Does your research have the potential for malevolent/criminal/terrorist abuse? Yes No 10. OTHER ETHICS ISSUES Page Are there any other ethics issues that should be taken into consideration? Please specify Yes No I confirm that I have taken into account all ethics issues described above and if any ethics issues apply, I have attached the required documents. H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 9 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

10 European Commission - Research - Participants Proposal Submission Forms Proposal ID Acronym WAI 3 - Call specific questions Call specific declaration(s) I declare on my honour that: Neither I nor any of the members of the consortium (if relevant) are involved in concurrent submission or implementation with another SME instrument Phase 1 or Phase 2 project. Excluded Reviewers You can provide up to three names of persons that should not act as an evaluator in the evaluation of the proposal for potential competitive reasons. H2020-SME-PHASE1.pdf - Ver Page 10 of 10 Last saved 17/06/2014 at 14:30

11 COVER PAGE Title of Proposal: Transformation of non-hazardous residues into eco-material and eco-fuel. List of participants Participant No * Participant organisation name Country 1 (Coordinator) WASTE S ALCHEMY IBÉRICA S.L. Spain 2 3 Table of contents 1. Excellence 1.1. Objectives Overall objectives of the innovation project Expected outcomes Problem-solving contribution and business opportunities Specific objectives for the feasibility study 1.2 Relation to the work programme 1.3 Concept and approach 1.4 Ambition Description of the innovation and potential markets Innovation advantages: comparative analysis with respect to other competing solutions Added valued for customers 2. Impact 2.1 Expected Impacts 2.2. Measures to maximize impact 3. Implementation 3.1 Work plan Work package and deliverable 3.2. Management structure and procedures (only to the extent relevant in single entity proposals) 3.3 Consortium as a whole (key partners) 3.4 Resources to be committed 4. Members of the consortium (Technical Annex Section 4-5) 4.1 Participants 4.2. Third parties involved in the project 5. Ethics and security (Technical Annex Section 4-5) 5.1. Ethics 5.2. Security 1

12 1. Excellence 1.1 Objectives Overall objectives of the innovation project The overall objective of the project is to introduce in the global market a new technology for transforming waste into a material that has remarkable calorific, mechanical and ecological characteristics Expected outcomes The expected outcomes of the project include: 1. the full development of a technology for transforming waste into an eco-material with outstanding properties 2. the commercialization of this technology to the waste treatment sector, both at national and international level 3. the establishment of strategic alliances to commercialize the eco-material, through waste treatment entities, to electric power plants and energy high-consumption industries (use of the material like eco-fuel) 4. the establishment of strategic alliances to commercialize the eco-material, through waste treatment entities, to the construction and derived sectors, and to consumer-goods manufacturers (use of the material like a substitute of natural sources, e.g. wood) Problem-solving contribution and business opportunities Eco innovation is necessary to make possible the transition to a green economy 1. And the development of ecosolutions by SMEs is particularly important not only in terms of tackling European societal challenges, but also to pave the way to more favorable and sustainable scenarios of growth for that sort of companies. 1) As for addressing the European challenges, the WAI s technology contributes to solve four European problems: - Firstly, recovering urban and industrial wastes with the WAI s technology will contribute to relief the environmental pressure and ecosystem instabilities caused by the residues accumulated in landfills. - Secondly, the use of the eco-material contributes to preserve the natural resources, e.g. wood, coal, and reduces the use of plastics and non-recyclable materials (WAI product as a substitute material in consumer goods fabrication). - Thirdly, the use of the material as a fuel will constitute a climate change mitigation action by the replacement of contaminant fossil fuels and reduction of CO2 emissions. - Fourthly, the renewable material will contribute to make the transition to a reliable, affordable, publicly accepted, competitive and sustainable European energy system, with less dependence of international importations. 2) As for SMEs scenarios of growth, WAI has identified different business opportunities at the international level: since the WAI solution may be easily transferred and adopted by other European and non- European countries, internationality is a key component of this project. Business opportunities are found in selling the technology to waste treatment plants, which in turn may commercialize the resulting material to electric power plants, energy high-consumption industries paper-mills, cement plants-, construction and derived sectors firms, and consumer-goods manufacturers Specific objectives for the feasibility study In order to verify the technological/ practical as well as the economic viability of the innovation, a feasibility study and an elaborated business plan will be carried out in the phase 1. The first one seek will provide insights and bottlenecks on the capacity of the company for a successful technology development and commercialization. The elaborated business plan needs to be realistic and serve as a guide the proposal to be developed in the phase 2.There are four objectives to be aware of during the preparation of the feasibility study. The first objectives related to the evaluation of the technical/technological feasibility: the study should confirm whether the technology can eventually be adapted to the production capacities required by targeted customers, and whether the characteristics of the resulting processed material may be further improved to comply with the necessities of consumers; The second objective is focused on the economic viability, and includes market studies to analyze the possibilities of commercializing the technology in the waste treatment sector; 1 Council of the European Union (2013) Council Decision establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation ( ), section 5.4 Enabling the transition towards a green economy and society through eco-innovation, 15401/13 2

13 The third objective refers to the definition of business needs and technology drivers in the medium-term, including the assessment of the company innovation capabilities and the elaboration of the business plan; The fourth objective consists of the integration of the technical, economic and strategic perspectives, in order to verify that the overall objective of the innovation project can be achieved, i.e. to introduce in the global market a new technology for transforming waste into a material that has remarkable calorific, mechanical and ecological characteristics. 1.2 Relation to the work programme This project is related to the following Work Programme topic: Boosting the potential of small businesses for ecoinnovation and a sustainable supply of raw materials (SC ) (Challenge 5: Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials). This proposal is focused on the development a new eco-solution for waste treatment, resulting in a new ecologic, renewable and sustainable raw material. 1.3 Concept and approach In the last decade, industrialized economies and societies have developed a positive awareness on the separation of domestic and industrial waste and recycling. However, current treatments and processes for transforming waste into useful raw material remain a bottleneck, because an important part of the residues can't follow the conventional process, and large quantities of waste rejected fractions are finally driven to landfills. Although landfills in Europe are ruled by strictly norms, these deposits cause several and negative impacts to society and environment, and this situation is even more problematic in countries with weak legal regulations. Evidence shows loss of economic value of areas near landfills, emission of unpleasant odors, and use of land with other potential uses affecting the normal development of life human and wild - in these areas. To save this problem, countries try to reduce the residues, restore old landfills, even to reprocess and transforming waste accumulate in open landfills as can be observed in Japan. Waste-recovery innovation constitutes an area of extraordinary opportunities for addressing critical European challenges. Apart from the benefits of the aforementioned waste reduction, every ton of residues eventually transformed into raw material implies the preservation of natural resources. Furthermore, the conversion of waste into ecological energy alternative would largely contribute to the European strategy of reducing both the dependence of energy importation and the utilization of fossil fuels (climate change mitigation action). Waste s Alchemy Iberica S.L. (WAI) is a small company located in Spain and dedicated to scientific and technological developments in the waste-to-energy sector. The ideas developed by this company seek to provide solutions to the waste management problems, focusing on the processes that may transform residues into alternative ecologic materials and fuel. Indeed, WAI is developing an innovative alternative for the treatment of waste rejected fractions, resulting in a new product with outstanding properties: high-energy content, uniform density, waterproof and a homogenous molecular structure that ensures valuable mechanical characteristics. This process has a bright future and business potential insomuch it constitutes a new and more efficient alternative to existing waste treatments. Furthermore, these particular characteristics make a real difference within the world of the solid recovered fuels, not to mention the ecologic advantages over other contaminant fossil resources such as coal. This dual feature, along with its low energy consumption, is considered one of the keys of this invention. Although this invention has an accepted patent application, and the technology has been demonstrated with a prototype (according to the Technology Readiness Level scale, this technology is now situated in a TRL 7 level), more additional adaptations and piloting tests are needed at different scales and conditions, in order to reduce technology risks. In addition, before entering into the phase 2 the company needs to know the market in detail, as well as the competitors existing technologies and the legal international regulations. In sum, the aforementioned needs call for a comprehensive study of the innovation feasibility. The aim of this feasibility study, which represents the principal output of the phase 1, together with a Business plan, is to clarify whether the WAI innovation is technologically and economically viable. The study will be underpinned by a) activities to evaluate the technical/ technological feasibility, i.e. a technology review, process and product analysis, b) activities aiming to assess the economic availability, i.e. Market analysis, users endorsement and involvement actions, and c) activities related to the business development, i.e. risks assessment, regulations analysis, IPR assessment, partners search actions, the development of an Innovation plan (which includes a pre-analysis of the phase 2), and the elaboration of a Business plan. A conceptual map and a detailed list of activities for the feasibility study elaboration are presented in fig 1 and table 1. 3

14 Table 1. Objectives, activities and products of phase 1 Objective Activity Methodology and product Technology review 1. To evaluate the feasibility of the process and product (tech/technological/practi cal feasibility) 2. To analyze the economic viability of the idea/concept 3.To define the business needs and drivers 4.To assess the feasibility of the innovation Process and equipment development and analysis Product properties analysis & evaluation Market study Users endorsement, involvement actions Technological risks assessment & regulation analysis IPR application and monitoring Partners search Innovation plan elaboration Business plan elaboration Feasibility report elaboration Systematic review of available technologies & emerging initiatives. Product: Technology report Equipment and prototype tests in manufacturer s facilities. Product: Preliminary equipment design & technical features definition Physical and thermo-mechanical tests. Product: Product evaluation report Systematic market drivers review and Strategic analysis. Product: (1)Market analysis (direct customer for technology) of waste treatment organizations; (2) Markets analysis of eco-material final consumers, i.e. a) Substitution of fossil fuel by the eco-material in power plants and high-demand energy consumers, and b) Eco material for construction and derived sectors Dialogue with key customers. Product: Potential users portfolio Risk evaluation and international regulations review. Product: Risk assessment report Patents scanning and legal forms submission. Product: Patent application Meeting potential collaborators and participation in trade fair. Product: Collaboration agreement plan. Technology horizon scanning & roadmap Innovation capabilities assessment. Product: Innovation plan Integration and layout of preceding activities and information and Analysis of resources requirements. Product: Business plan Integration of previous documents and conclusions definition. Product: Feasibility report Fig 1. Conceptual map of activities for the feasibility assessment Technical feasibility Technology review Process & equipment development and analysis Product properties analysis FEASIBILITY STUDY Business plan Economic availability Market analysis Users endorsement and involvement actions Risk assessment and regulation analysis Innovation plan IPR application and monitoring Partners search Business needs and drivers definition 1.4 Ambition Description of the innovation and potential markets The WAI s material is the result of a process that includes combined techniques of triturating and friction of residues, with a specific combination of pressure and temperature. This process is characterized by its energy efficiency and reduced transformation costs. The process does not require preliminary waste-drying processes and the residues manipulation is minimal. 4

15 There are a wide range of residues that can be transformed into this ecologic substance, including wood, plastic (except plastics with chlorine or polystyrenes), agricultural remnants, rubber, cork, leather, fabrics, mattresses, plastic bin bags, straw, paper and cardboard, food, forestry and garden rests. Stone and metal are only limitedly allowed, and hazardous materials are not treated. The product complies with the European Standardization of Solid Recovered Fuels CEN/CT/343 that regulates and classifies the parameters of calorific values and pollutants. The WAI proposal is a radical innovation, because neither the technology is present in the market yet, nor constitutes an incremental evolution of existing solutions. Calorific properties make the WAI s eco-material very interesting for electricity thermal plants as well as industries requiring high volumes of energy: - Its combustion produces less CO2and pollutant emissions than the incineration of fossil fuels, with a reduction of ashes. - It has a high calorific value, over 20% more than other fossil fuels, which may reduce the importation of these fuels and ensure the European energy supply and costs stability. - The WAI s fuel is a single and homogeneous substance, with defined physical and chemical qualities properties, which are kept constant throughout the product. This property facilitates a more precise and steady electricity production programming, thus improving energy efficiency. Mechanical properties are very attractive for the construction sector and derived markets: - The material can be shaped and delivered in any format, from powder to any ad-hoc commercial shapes. - The material repels the humidity and water filtrations, which facilitates its easy manipulation and warehousing. WAI s business objective is to internationally sell the technology to waste treatment entities. The production and commercialization of the eco-material will not be directly done by WAI, but by these waste entities. This is explained by two reasons: a) these entities have the authorisation for manipulating and commercialize external residues and b) the logistics of residues and the manipulation requirements exceeds the limits of WAI capacities. Accordingly, WAI will sign strategic alliances with waste treatment entities in order to indirectly commercialize the material to the final users, which are the electric power plants, energy high-consumption industries papermills, cement plants-, construction and derived sectors firms, and consumer-goods manufacturers. This business market strategy explains why the economic viability study described in the table 1 is comprised of two types of market analysis: the first one will capture valuable information on the WAI direct and immediate customer, i.e. the waste treatment plants that will buy the machines, whereas the second one aims to understand the final market, i.e. the eco-material consumers. This understanding will enhance the WAI s arguments when trying to convince waste treatment entities to buy its technology Innovation advantages: comparative analysis with respect to other competing solutions The existing solid recovered fuels (SRF) production processes are based in exhaustive preliminary activities of granularity reduction, drying and densification of residues, which give rise to a range of heterogeneous and disaggregated fuels, with different varieties (changing density, particle size and moisture)and multiple components. Some of the problems associated to these existing techniques are: - Some solid residues fuel producers incorporate agglutinating agents for compaction and densification. The resulting product has a lower calorific power, moderate content in humidity and high production of ashes. - Other SRF manufacturers make an extensive use of residual mud and urban waste, which implies a previous and intense drying activity. The process usually is carried out with high quantities of enclosed air, increasing the risk of explosions. - There is another SRF production system which uses small particles of carbon with thermoplastics. The plastics facilitate the conglomeration of the carbon pieces. Although the calorific values are high, the product contains a high percentage of chlorine. - The utilisation of cork for producing SRF can also be found in the European industry. The drying requests are consequently very high and the vaporization of humidity during the process may give rise to explosions. - Other procedures include the manipulation of extrusion machines by operators in low-oxygen atmospheres, which constitutes a risk of labour accidents. Given the problems associated to the existing techniques, the industry of solid recovered fuel production is requiring major process improvements. WAI has considered the described deficiencies, and proposes an innovative technology that can be implemented in existing facilities with reduced costs. Actually, the installation of WAI equipment does not require special rearrangements. Compared with the competitors technologies, the technology developed by WAI has the following advantages: 5

16 - It is not required a previous manipulation and separation of residues, and they can be used with minor preparations, thus avoiding prior size reductions, dryings, or agglutinants introductions. As a consequence, risks of labour accidents are reduced. - It can deal with both organic and inorganic wastes. - The equipment is extremely easy to operate and does not require special facilities or big spaces to be installed. - It has reduced energetic costs of processing: the energy expenditure of the process is only between 2 % and 5 % of the gross energy obtained. - The resulting material is not a disaggregated substance but a solid and homogeneous material that can be mechanically shaped to be transported in different formats (powder, blocks, beams, etc.) Added valued for customers The main interest of the waste treatment entities in acquiring the WAI technology is related to the possibility of reducing the volume of the residues that (once the recycling separation has been done) they have to send to the landfills. Not only this volume reduction implies an important logistic costs saving for these organizations, but the WAI technology also opens the door to a new business opportunity. Actually, the residues transformed into the new material can be sold like eco-fuel to power plants, paper-mills, cement plants, etc. or like substitute ecomaterial to the construction sector, etc. In sum, the acquisition of WAI equipment will become an ecologic and profitable solution for waste managers. As for the final consumers, the WAI eco-material also offers a range of advantages and added value.like eco-fuel, its homogeneity facilitates the control and monitoring of combustion in power plants, thus improving their production efficiency. Like substitutive material, the mechanical properties of the WAI material (homogeneity, water proof, resilience, possibility of powdering and compaction) open the door to a wide application in different sectors. For some consumers the introduction of material recovered from residues in their manufactures can also contribute to add value to their brand image. 2. Impact 2.1 Expected Impacts a) Users/Market - The potential markets for the new technology (i.e. The WAI s direct customers)are listed below: - Waste treatment entities aiming to find solutions for landfills and to eliminate rejected waste fractions. Furthermore, turning waste into a new eco-material implies an important market opportunity for these organizations. WAI has initiated some preliminary testing in a relevant organization - Urbaser, a Spanish waste treatment company. -The potential markets (consumers) of the eco-material (i.e. the markets to be directly addressed by the waste treatment entities, and eventually by WAI through strategic agreements) are: - Electric power plants aiming to introduce renewable and low-carbon alternatives in their systems and to increase their energy-production efficiency. Apart from the high calorific properties, the homogeneity and malleability of the WAI eco fuel adds another important advantage in terms of electric production efficiency. Actually, these properties allow to programme the combustion regulation parameters (oxygen and temperature), i.e. the WAI fuel can be considered a new programmable fuel. - Industries requiring large amount of energy in its production processes, such as paper-mills and cement industry, could find in the WAI solution an alternative for reducing operation costs. - Consumer-goods manufacturers, construction companies and derived sectors aiming to substitute natural and nonrenewable materials in their operations or their production, thus reducing the costs associated to their waste disposal, or to incorporate innovative eco-materials in their offer. Some preliminary contacts have been established with construction sector companies and logistic-pallets producers. A preliminary comparison between pallets made with eco-material and the existing wooden pallets have been done by WAI. The results show that with this substitution Europe could save the life of 1.3 millions of pines per year, and save energy by more than 350 million MJ in five years. Estimation of total available market size and growth rate 2 : Nowadays, 32.95% of the total European municipal waste is not recycled and has to be diverted from waste plants(rejected fractions).this means that 81,284,000 tons of waste (potentially valuable with the WAI s technology)is deposited every year in landfills (Table 2). The WAI technology could potentially treat up to of 80% 2 Only urban residues are considered in this estimation 6

17 of this waste (i.e. the non-hazardous residue). This would transform 65,027,200 tons currently sent to landfill into 32,513,600 tons of WAI eco-material In order to process 32.5million tons into Eco-material, instead of being sent to landfill, it would be necessary to build and install 1,355WAI processors in waste plants throughout Europe. The estimation has been calculated with a rate production of 5 Ton waste /hour, 20 hours daily, two thirds (240) working days out of the full year. The table 3 presents a five years market share projection (stable population has been considered for estimation). Table 2. Waste treatment market. Parameter Value Unit Europe population, ,306,522 persons Average waste per person yearly Tons Average waste yearly 246,632,000 Tons Average waste that goes to the landfills: 38% 81,284,000 Tons Hazardous waste: 20% (estimated by WAI) -16,256,800 Tons Subtotal 65,027,200 tons After humidity elimination: 50% (estimated by WAI) 32,513,600 tons Source: Eurostat and WAI s estimation. Table 3. Market share and sales forecast, WAI process implementation throughout Europe in the first five years. Year % Market Units Waste Processed Waste Processed accumulate (Tons x1000) (Tons x1000) 1 0, , , ,632 4, ,928 10,680 Total 243 5,786 10,680 Source: own elaboration based on potential market information. The following table 4 shows the environmental impact of the WAI solution after five years of expansion in Europe (243 units installed), by comparing with fossil fuels utilization. Using an estimation of the coal price of 66.6 /TM, the reduction of coal European importation (8,156 MTon) represents a saving of 543 M. Table 4. Main environmental impact of WAI s technology Climate action mitigation (emissions) Softcoal (fossil) WAI(waste) Material processed in 5 years (ton x1000) 8,156 10,680 MJ/Ton (dry basis) 26,190 20,000 MW h produced (gross) 59,338,192 59,338,080 CO2 emission reduction (0,55 ton CO2/ton) - 5,874,000 Landfill gas reduction LFG (50% CH4) (0,4 Ton CO2 eq. x 1000/ ton processed waste) - 4,272 Source: own elaboration based on previous testing WAI strongly believes that the new technology makes a difference with the waste-to-energy existing alternatives. The characteristics of the WAI solution are unique, hence the difficulty of defining specific competitors. Given that the installation of WAI s technology requires minimal facilities changes, the entry barriers to key customers are low. The most important manufacturers of solid recovered fuels are the German REMONDIS and the British SHANKS. Both of them produce heterogeneous fuel (small pieces of triturated dry residues), which is not appropriate for other applications than incineration and requires extensive manipulation and drying waste preparation. Despite the market opportunities of the WAI technology, the new material has to overcome the followingbarriers in order to ensure a successful commercialization: To maintain and consolidate the confidence achieved from some waste treatment entities, and to expand that confidence at the international level. To demonstrate the applicability of the material as a substitute of fossil fuels by the installation of processing equipment in a hybridization power plant. To increase its presence internationally, by establishing cooperation with other European research 7

18 organizations, thus giving rise to institutional endorsements and the development of new knowledge on the field of waste treatment. WAI has also planned to reinforce its existing network of stakeholders (currently involved in the project with different levels of engagement). The new key actors that will work and cooperate with WAI for making a successful commercial exploitation are: a) technology transfer agencies and scientific parks, b) international solidwaste associations, c) regional and national authorities, d) industrial consumers associations, and e) the chambers of commerce in targeted countries. b) Company The importance of bridging the gap between research and innovation for SMEs has been underlined in different public consultations 3 and impact assessment 4 studies previously to the implementation of Horizon Such concern has been unambiguously addressed by the EC through the creation of the new SME instrument. The case of WAI clearly illustrates how the action of innovation policies may constitute a strategic stepping stone for innovative firms. The project should impact the WAI performance in three different levels. The first one is related to economic and financial aspects, because the launch of innovation will affect the financial statements and economic position, increasing the solidness of the company. Secondly, a successful market introduction will permit a national and international expansion. A third expected impact is the improving of WAI market position, placing it as a leader. WAI has the necessary business competences and personnel motivation for developing and implementing its ecoinnovation internationally. The company owners are aware that they need to overcome some market barriers, increase some core resources, recruit personnel, and complement their own funding resources with external capital support before placing its innovation in the European market. Some particular aspects also confirm the suitability of WAI as an efficient innovation project sponsor and leader: 1. Its staff members have a wide technologic experience, as well as valuable management skills. 2. The company, although has already some well-established contacts in the sector, is yet to develop a framework which incorporates all the strategic stakeholders that the nature of the project demands. 3. WAI s staff is definitely engaged with the provision of eco-solutions to mitigate climate change action, and recognizes that consolidating a reliable partners network is essential to maintain and increase such engagement. 4. The company is aiming to expand internationally. The following table 5 describe the growth potential of the firm, as well as the impact for the company in terms of turnover, employment, market seize, profit and return on investment. These figures constitute an initial business plan, which draw on the marker projections presented in table 3. Table 5. Initial business projections Mar k Turnov Year shar Uni er e ts (x1000 (%) ) Direct costs (x 1000 ) Manu f. costs Indir. costs (x 1000 ) Margi n (x 1000 ) Emp loy EBI T Taxes Net incom e 1 0,5 7 8,400 1,008 4, , ,086 1, ,800 2,016 8, , ,094 3, , ,400 4,608 20, , ,715 7, ,600 9,792 43, , ,820 15, ,400 17,568 79, , ,210 26, Source: own elaboration 2.2. Measures to maximize impact a)dissemination and exploitation of results For Phase 1, the project proposes to enhance the dialogue with key customers (users endorsement and involvement actions). In addition, and as a form to obtain technical information and engage customers, key clients will be invited to technology demonstrations. The samples will be sent to international laboratories to ROI 3 European Commission (2011) Green Paper on a Common Strategic Framework for EU Research and Innovation Funding: Analysis of public consultation, Directorate General for Research and Innovation. 4 European Commission (2011) Impact assessment accompanying the communication from the commission Horizon 2020 SEC (2011)

19 preliminaries analysis, thus enforcing customers confidence. This analytical information will permit to prepare antecedents for Phase 2. The objective is to disseminate preliminary information about WAI s technology through potential users, thus receiving their feedback and checking the possibility of adopting (and acquiring) the innovation, in the different application fields. Regarding the exploitation of results of Phase 2, the strategy will follow three main ways: The first one refers to the commercialization of the technology (waste processing equipment) through license, for which an IPR protection (patent) has been already applied in different countries. Thus, WAI would offer the innovation at an international level, along with parallel efforts in the local market. The business plan elaborated in phase 1 should clearly identify a set of marketing strategies to implement towards this end. The second exploitation way implies that WAI will construct the machines and commercialize them (directly) to national and international waste treatment entities. Finally, a third way to commercialize the technology (and in this case, the processed eco-material as well) will be through joint ventures with waste treatment entities: the plan consists of building an alliance whereby WAI will offer the technology and know-how, whereas the entity should contribute with the residues handling, processing and commercialization to final consumers. Concerning the equipment costs, preliminary estimations made by the WAI engineering department consider a total budget of 600,000 to produce a standard (5 Ton/h) waste processor. In order to begin the commercialization, the units can be completed in around 8-12 months. However, a period is yet required to adapt the technology to the different needs. Additionally, a fabrication program will be implemented to advance in different activities simultaneously, and to anticipate the commercialization through continuous and incremental technology improvements in accordance with clients. To carry out the project, the phase 1 will require one new employee. This person (female) will assist the board in project coordination activities, principally connecting the company with the rest of partners involved in the feasibility study. She will have some technical background and some notions of innovation management. The phase of technological R&D and marketing will demand around 10 additional permanent workers, not only for production but for marketing activities and bureaucratic issues, such as accreditation, IPR management and report elaboration. In total, after the first year of commercialization, the staff will have 14 members, including the directors. The initial business plan projections indicate a gradual increase of personnel, up to 146 employees in five years. b) Intellectual Property, knowledge protection and regulatory issues The invention of WAI is being protected by a patent application filed on May 19, 2011 (application number EP ). It was completed after comprehensive evaluation process carried out by an IPR consultant firm. It is considered that the product, machine and also the process are completely new. Then it was filed the European patent application on 18 th May, 2012 (application number PCT/ES2012/070353). The application process is currently in a regional phase in Europe (PCT/ES/2012/ and assigned number EP , published on March 26 th 2014) and national phase in U.S. (accepted with application number 14/118833, USPTO).The technology developed by WAI has no contradictions with existing regulations. In any case, the technology is flexible and can be adapted to several requirements and normative related to emissions (from fuel) or waste processing (type, conditions, etc.). The feasibility studywill include an evaluation of technological risks and a review of international regulations. It implies the exploration of existing normative, and a prospective analysis of possible variations of current norms. 3. Implementation 3.1 Work plan Work package and deliverable Work package tittle Feasibility study for the transformation of non-hazardous residues into eco-material and eco-fuel. Objectives 1. Overall objective: to elaborate a feasibility study that verifies the technological and economic viability of the innovation proposed by WAI, i.e. the transformation of residues into eco-material and high calorific fuel. 2. Specific objectives: (1) to evaluate the feasibility of the process and the product (technical/technological/practical feasibility); (2) to analyze the economic viability of the idea/concept; (3) to define the business needs and drivers; (4) and to assess the innovation feasibility. A further explanation of this objectives is presented in section Description work The main purpose of this work is to elaborate an innovation feasibility study that includes a business plan. It implies the analysis of the technologic and economic viability, as well as the identification of the business main 9

20 drivers in the medium-term. In order to carry out these tasks, WAI has established a network composed of a research center, an engineering firm, a waste treatment (piloting) plant, an innovation management institute, along with a collaboration framework agreement with a technological university. The phase 1 (feasibility study) will be carried out in five months. During the first two months, the project will be dedicated to search information related to the markets, available technologies and existing regulations, as well as to carry out further physicochemical analysis of the eco-material. In month three, four and five the business plan, the innovation plan and the feasibility report will be undertaken. The business plan will include a business model, financial requirements and cash flow, the definition of targeted markets, the analysis of the economic and financial viability, a human resources program, the suppliers and distributors/partners agenda, the IPR plan, and the internationalization strategy. The innovation plan will analyze the WAI s technology trajectory in the medium term, and will schedule the development of its innovation capabilities accordingly. A technology horizon scanning and roadmap will detect emerging initiatives in the sector that could affect the technological projection of the company. The innovation plan will guide the WAI s technology decisions during the phase 2 and onwards. Finally, the feasibility report will describe how the previous activities have been developed and integrated. It will present the verification that the innovation project is realizable. The complete list of activities is: (the activities methodology and the outcomes are presented in table 1) - Activities of objective 1 Technology review to detect available technologies and their characteristics. Process and equipment development and analysis to assess the technologic potential of the concept. Product properties analysis and evaluation to evaluate the material properties. - Activities of objective 2 Market study to identify market opportunities and threats. - User involvement actions to detect potential collaborators for technology development and clients. - Activities of objective 3 Technological risks assessment and regulation restrictions analysis to identify legal barriers and alternatives. IPR application and monitoring to protect the invention. Partners search to identify potential business associates. Innovation plan to identify technology challenges and guide innovation decisions. Business plan elaboration to guide the commercial phase. - Activities of objective 4 Feasibility report elaboration to confirm that the innovation project is realizable. Deliverables (feasibility report and business plan) The feasibility report is a conclusion study. It will be drawing on the information gathered and the analysis undertaken in the previous activities. The report will clarify to what extent the innovation project proposed by WAI is technologically and economically viable. An elaborated business plan will define the technical, human, legal and financial resources that will be necessaries to achieve the objectives of the overall innovation project. Both the feasibility report and business plan will be completed at the end of the project (month 5) 3.2. Management structure and procedures WAI is a new SME established in 2012 in Spain, dedicated to scientific and technology development in the waste treatment sector. WAI has a staff of three technologists specialized in engineering developments. In addition, the company has a network of partners in different areas, such as engineering, technology assessment, research and innovation, and IPR managing. As for the organizational structure and the decision making, WAI has a simple and functional organization. A management board of three members adopts the strategic decisions. The decisionmaking process is simple and fast, permitting an agile solution of problems and to capture very early the opportunities offered by the market. The team competencies enable them not only to lead the project coordination, but to undertake some specific tasks, like the market analysisand the identification of the main technologic risks. WAI s technology development is carried out in collaboration with clients and partners, in accordance with some framework agreements. The WAI s accumulated experience in project management will be essential to supervise and coordinate the activities requested by the project. 3.3 Consortium as a whole (key partners) Non applicable 3.4 Resources to be committed A Costs of the feasibility study/ Direct and indirect cost of the action Form of costs Total costs Reimbursement rate (%) Maximum EU contribution Maximum grant amount Lump sum %

21 4. Members of the consortium This project does not constitute a consortium 4.1 Participants WAI This project does not constitute a consortium, as Waste s Alchemy Iberica S.L ( is the only applicant of this proposal. However, for this innovation project the company that established a strong network of collaborators: an engineering firm specialized in heavy machinery design, a research and innovation institute, a technology assessment organization, a waste treatment plant (piloting plant), an IPR assessment office, and some laboratories for materials testing. WAI has also signed a collaboration framework agreement with Castilla La Mancha University (UCLM), which includes technology development assessment, scientific and knowledge exchange, training activities and analytical support. The company was created in 2012 to develop ecologic solutions to the waste treatment sector. In particular, WAI provides technological solutions for transforming non-hazardous waste organic and inorganic- in eco-materials. WAI s solutions can therefore add value to a range of organizations from both the private and the public sector. In legal terms, WAI is a private limited liability company. Its main governing body is the Board, consisting of three members. The president is José A. Carrera Varela. At the operational level, WAI has a staff of three technologists who are specialized in technical projects. Accounting, legal and basic services are provided by external collaborators. In relation with the organizational structure and the decision making processes, the company has a simple and functional organization. Each member of staff assumes a different operational responsibility according to the personal expertise, capabilities and experience. A brief profile of each member is offered below: 1. José A. Carrera Varela Technician Current position: CEO Main responsibilities in WAI: - Financing, interacting with partners, negotiating collaboration agreements, managing IPR aspects, and launching R&D projects. Responsibility in the project: - Coordination and management. Gender: masculine Date of birth: December, 20 th, 1966 Main publications, products/services: - A new process for waste treatment, patent application PCT2012/ Main projects and professional activities: - Field engineering, planning and supervising the construction of the building for the Swedish firm Reinhold, Spain, for Laing management Services S.A. ( ). - Updating management systems, computerizing administrative processes, and monitoring new business lines in the hardware industry, Spain ( ). - Setting up a new business in the engineering (metal) sector ( ). - Developing and supervising the construction of a new machinery for the recycling sector, Spain (2008). - Development a new technology for treating non-hazardous waste, for Isezaki Corporation, Spain ( ). 2. Alberto Saralegui Gutiérrez Technician Current position: Engineering manager. Main responsibilities in WAI: - Engineering, equipment design, elaboration of prototypes, technical management of R&D projects Responsibility in the project: - Technology review and technical evaluation. Gender: masculine 1

22 Date of birth: April 26 th, 1967 Main publications and products/processes: - Seawater desalination installation, inventor, patent Number ES A6 - New waste treatment process, patent number PCT2012/ Main projects and professional activities: - Verification and installation of natural gas networks and the planning and execution of the transformation of city gas to natural gas for Gas natural S.A., Spain ( ). - Verification and Installation of natural gas networks and design of such networks for Castellana de Gas S.A., Spain ( ). - Design and assembly of installations and the verification and certification of air-conditioning, hot sanitary water and heating systems, Spain ( ). - Design, contracting, execution and supervision of the work concessions awarded to MAC 2000, S.L., Spain ( ). - Designing and production of waste processing systems and components, for Isezaki Corporation S.L., Spain ( ). 3. Juan Alberto Vega Oterino Technician Current Position: Human resource manager and secretary of the WAI board. Main responsibilities in WAI: - Planning and logistics of the company. - International relations. Responsibility in project: - Project administration. - Partner and subcontractors coordination. Gender: masculine. Date of birth: November 17 th, 1966 Main publications and products/processes: - New waste treatment process, patent number PCT2012/ Main projects and professional activities: - Planning, designing, contracting and management of maintenance highways, USA, for American Environmental Design ( ). - Assessment and evaluation of biomass and waste from the maintenance of public and private areas, USA ( ). - Designing and manufacturing of system and components for waste processing, for Isezaki Corporation S.L., Spain ( ). In terms of infrastructure, WAI has the headquarters and a warehouse in an industrial park located in Madrid, and also uses the technical facilities of Caldefusa, an engineering company and strategic partner for technology development. In Caldefusa WAI has a small prototype to carry out basic and experimental tests. It is also used to produce the samples for analysis. The main equipment consists of an infrastructure that includes an industrial homogenizer and a pneumatic press. WAI has signed a collaboration agreement with a Spanish waste treatment organization, Iniciativas Medioambientales 2007 ( according to which WAI will install a pilot plant for the processing of construction debris waste. The plant will be used to produce samples, to conduct productivity tests and to make demonstrations to customers Third parties involved in the project Does the participant plan to subcontract certain tasks Market study This task includes a review and analysis of two different markets. The first one will focus on the waste treatment plants, through which WAI will introduce the technology. The second analysis will focus on two Y 2

23 final consumers of the eco-material (markets to be addressed directly by the waste treatment plants), in particular the a) high energy consumers and power plants using the material as a fuel, and the b) construction and derived sectors, using the eco-material in their manufacturing. The market analysis will identify customers, demand, competitors, market regulations and other barriers, as well as the main competitiveness drivers, thus detecting opportunities and threatens in the medium and long term. Given that WAI does not have the necessary resources to address this analysis, the task will be subcontracted to specialists in market studies for innovation. WAI and its collaborators will also provide relevant information for these studies. The budget of this task is: 5000 (includes two market analysis) Business plan This strategic document will contain all the necessary elements for a successful business implementation. It will include the sales objectives, the technical, operational and financial targets and requirements, as well as a plausible estimation of the business development for the project goal achievement. This work will draw on the preliminary activities of phase 1. It will take relevant information from the market studies, the collaboration agreements, the IPR assessment, the technology (substitutes and competitors) report, and the innovation plan. As the company is not specialist in business and financial projections, and given that an external vision is valuable in this task, WAI will collaborate with a subcontractor to develop the plan. The budget of this task is: 5500 IPR application and monitoring A first patent application has been submitted at international level (Europe and USA). These applications must be monitored, and additional mandatory information must be provided regularly to EPO and USPTO. In addition, a patent scanning will be done in order to follow up new inventions, technological advancements and potential (technologies) substitutes. This task requires specific capabilities, both legal and managerial. WAI needs to subcontract the legal support, while technology scanning will be a shared activity. The budget of this task is: 6000 Process and equipment development and analysis During the phase 1 some technical adjustments have to be done in the equipment. The homogenising machine has to be prepared for the piloting tests to be undertaken in phase 2. Besides, the equipment needs to be monitored in order to achieve the desired production parameters. These activities cannot be done in the WAI facilities due to the lack of technical resources. Therefore, these activities will be undertaken in an engineering firm specialised in heavy machinery design. The budget of this task is: 8800 Product properties analysis and evaluation Some preliminary analysis have been already done to confirm the calorific and mechanical characteristics of the product and to compare it with fossil fuels features. However, additional measurements are needed to confirm stoichiometric values. This task can only be done by laboratories specialised in materials physical and thermo-mechanical tests. WAI collaborates with a university (UCLM) where this analysis will be undertaken. The budget of this task is: 3700 Innovation plan An innovation plan will serve as an analysis and preparation of phase 2. It aims to plan the WAI s technology development in the medium term, and adapt its innovation capabilities accordingly. A technology horizon scanning will detect emerging initiatives in the waste treatment sector that could affect 3

24 the technological projection of the company. This information, together with the technology report and the risk assessment will give rise to a technology roadmap. The roadmap will constitute the WAI s technology guide. Given that WAI has not yet enough experience in innovation management, this task will be externally contracted. The budget of this task is: 3400 Feasibility report (analysis and integration) The feasibility report will illustrate how all the activities contained in the technical and economic viability have been analysed and integrated. It will provide a reasoned conclusion about the real possibilities of the innovation to be successful. The deliverable presentation will permit that anyone not familiarised with the process will be able to understand the weakness and strengths of the project. The characteristics of this report calls for the support of an external contractor, which should be used to make project deliverables. This report must be analysed, balanced and reasoned from an independent and specialized perspective, in concordance with WAI s objectives and capabilities. The budget of this task is:

25 Section 5: Ethics and security 5.1 Ethics There are no ethical issues to be considered in this project. 5.2 Security There are no security issues to be considered in this project activities or results raising security issues: NO 'EU-classified information' as background or results: NO 5

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