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Open Access | Published on October 5, 2025

Enhancing industrial symbiosis in the value chain of anaerobic digestion

Lithourgidis Antonios A.
Tzenos Christos
Tsitsimpikou Maria Athina
Pitsikoglou Dimitra
Fotidis Ioannis A.
Kotsopoulos Thomas
Abstract

The goal of ALIVE project is to establish a robust, scalable, and efficient system that maximises the potential of anaerobic digestion for bioenergy production and in-situ nutrient recovery. By ensuring the effective employment of thermal hydrolysis and application of specialised anaerobic microbial consortia through bioaugmentation (a process where specific microorganisms are added to a biological system to improve or recover specific functions), followed by a membrane system, the project holds promise for maintaining and enhancing methane production efficiency and nutrient recovery in biogas plants worldwide, that utilise ammonia-rich substrates. This approach supports the generation of renewable energy and contributes to more sustainable waste management practices, aligning with broader environmental and economic goals. The production of biofertilisers and biostimulants from the recovered nutrients can potentially enable the standardisation and commercialisation of the process by scaling up the technology for widespread application.

Keywords
Bioenergy production, Anaerobic digestion, Ammonia-rich biomasses, Ammonia toxicity, Nutrient recovery