Competition: Breakthrough 4: Catalyst
Amount awarded: £694,431
Led by: Severn Trent Water
Partners: Anglian Water, Aston University, CCm Technologies Ltd, Imperial College London, Jacobs UK Ltd, Scottish Water, Spring Innovation Ltd, Thames Water, Uisce Éireann, WRM Ltd
Project Completion date: October 2026
Water cycle tag: Bioresources, Resource Recovery and circularity
By-products from wastewater treatment are carefully managed. The project will investigate biochar production as an alternative to conventional biosolids management practices. Biochar is a charcoal-like product that can be created from sewage by-products. Biochar has several potential benefits, including improving soil fertility, sequestering carbon, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“This will be a game changer for carbon and the environment, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and put the goodness back into the soil. This is a key initiative for us and forms part of our long-term plans for a circular economy.” – Pete Vale, Carbon and Circular Economy Architect, Severn Trent Water
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We have successfully completed our initial production of biochar for pot trials. Further production of Bio Char will commence at the end of August in preparation for the Field Trials in March 2026. This will be after 6 months of pot trails starting in September 2025, due to the growing season this is the optimum growing period.
