Building a pathway towards industrial water circularity in Kilpilahti

The VesiKilpi project brings together business-driven development, research and regional cooperation. Project funding is being used to map the current state of the local water ecosystem, identify its key stakeholders, explore business opportunities, and develop and assess concrete solution concepts. The work is progressing in stages, from mapping the current situation to practical pilot projects and, subsequently, to evaluating the further development, scaling and commercialisation potential of selected solutions.

So far, the project has established an overview of water circularity in the area, identified potential development pathways and opportunities for collaboration, and assessed the technical, operational and commercial requirements of different solutions. The next stage will focus on launching the first practical pilots.

“Kilpilahti provides a strong foundation for developing industrial water circularity and offers genuine potential to create solutions with significant industrial and regional impact. The opportunities identified through the VesiKilpi project are being developed and assessed in stages to determine realistic pathways for further progress and identify new models for collaboration,” says Tarmo Hautala, Senior Specialist in the VesiKilpi project.

“Industrial circular economy solutions require research-based knowledge that is closely connected to real operating environments. Samples collected in Kilpilahti, analytical work, and experimental method evaluation enable us to assess the suitability of selected solutions and provide a reliable knowledge base for further development and decision-making. The collaboration also strengthens research on water circularity at the University more broadly, and our goal is to build a larger research programme around this important and timely topic,” says Timo Leskinen, Assistant Professor of Circular Economy Chemistry at the University of Helsinki.

Posintra contributes a business and development perspective to the project. It helps ensure that companies’ needs and views are taken into account, supports the development of partnerships and assists in preparing practical next steps. The University of Helsinki strengthens the project through its research expertise.

The aim is to promote resource-efficient water use, develop new models for collaboration and support the sustainable renewal of the Kilpilahti industrial area.

If your work or organisation is connected to industrial water circularity and you see an opportunity for cooperation, please contact Tarmo Hautala, Senior Specialist in the VesiKilpi project.