This section aims to introduce each beneficiary, explain their sector, and describe their work within the framework of the project. Today, it is the turn of Joan Batalla, from Funseam.
What is Funseam?
Funseam is the Foundation for Energy and Environmental Sustainability, a private non-profit foundation affiliated with the University of Barcelona, with which we created the Chair of Energy Sustainability. It is an institution dedicated to analysis, research, dissemination and debate on energy, sustainability and the environment. Its aim is to contribute to the development of a more sustainable energy model by providing solutions and promoting knowledge in energy economics.
How long have you been working at FUNSEAM, and what has your career path and role within the organisation been?
In my case, I have been Funseam’s Managing Director for more than 10 years, a role I combine with research at the University of Barcelona’s Chair of Energy Sustainability.
What do you enjoy about your work?
As someone who is passionate about energy, regulation and sustainability, perhaps the most rewarding aspect of leading Funseam is the opportunity to make, however modestly, a contribution to the much-needed debate on how to respond to the challenge of climate change. And to be able to do so with the rigour that comes from working alongside academia and the leading companies that collaborate with the Foundation.
Is this FUNSEAM’s first participation in a European project?
Although the Foundation is relatively young – we are celebrating our 15th anniversary this year -, participation in major European projects has been one of our strategic priorities, and we have already taken part in other European projects.
What makes SOLLAGUA interesting for FUNSEAM?
The link between water, energy and adaptation to climate change is undeniable, and responding to the challenge of water management is becoming an increasing priority. For us, SOLLAGUA is not just another project, but rather an opportunity to help address a highly complex problem: how to secure water supplies in water-stressed areas through natural solutions, technological and regulatory innovation, and international cooperation.
What is Funseam’s role in the SOLLAGUA project?
Funseam’s role in SOLLAGUA is not to develop water reuse infrastructure directly, but to contribute specialist knowledge in the fields of innovation, regulation and the relationship between energy and water. In these areas, our contribution is particularly focused on the role that living labs can play as an innovation tool and on the role of public authorities, through sustainable and innovative public procurement, in the deployment and implementation of all these nature-based solutions.
What are you currently working on?
As I mentioned earlier, we are currently very focused on two areas: defining an action plan to develop the strategy associated with living labs, and identifying the tools needed to promote sustainable and innovative public procurement. The first area is fundamental because it acts as a bridge between experimentation and real-world implementation.
What are the main challenges at present?
The two areas of research we are pursuing at Funseam undoubtedly share one fundamental challenge: turning innovation into solutions that are genuinely implemented on the ground. To achieve this, we need effective collaboration between public authorities, companies, researchers and users; to overcome regulatory barriers; to demonstrate the technical, economic and environmental viability of the proposed solutions; and to equip public decision-makers to incorporate sustainability and innovation criteria into procurement processes. The success of the project will depend not only on the quality of the water reuse technologies, but also on the ability to build consensus, reduce uncertainty, mobilise investment and create replicable models that enable more resilient and sustainable water management in the face of climate change.
What are the main conclusions so far?
Two very clear conclusions have emerged. In the first area of work and research, it is important to note that a living lab can generate ideas, collect data and mobilise local stakeholders, but without a concrete action plan it is difficult to turn that knowledge into lasting change, and this is precisely where its importance lies. In the second area, the main conclusion is undoubtedly that good public procurement is not simply about selecting an admissible procedure, but about putting together a useful procurement dossier that is legally clear, technically mature and geared towards verifiable outcomes. This is the condition for public procurement to become a genuine lever for sustainability, resilience and effective implementation.
What contribution do you think SOLLAGUA will make, once the project has ended, in scientific, social and economic terms?
In the short term, SOLLAGUA’s expected results include the implementation of pilot projects demonstrating the technical feasibility of these nature-based solutions, but they go further. The project seeks to demonstrate that it is possible to implement a new model of water management in rural areas that is more resilient, circular and adapted to climate change, with the resulting social, economic and environmental benefits, while developing tools that can be useful and serve as a reference for future projects in this highly relevant field.