NAMOR Project Officially Launched: Pioneering a New Era in Decentralized Water Management

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of NAMOR – A Novel compact and Advanced
hybrid Microalgae–membrane photobioreactor Optimized for Retrofitting decentralized
water and wastewater management systems. Coordinated by the International Hellenic
University (IHU), under the scientific leadership of Professor Petros Samaras, NAMOR marks
an ambitious step forward in sustainable water innovation.

Funded under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (2021–2027), NAMOR has been
awarded a grant by the European Commission (Grant Agreement No. 101182365) within the
call HORIZON-CL6-2024-CIRCBIO-02, addressing the topic “New circular solutions and
decentralised approaches for water and wastewater management.” With a total budget of €
4 950 237, 50, NAMOR will run for 48 months (1 June 2025 – 31 May 2029).

A Strong and Multidisciplinary Consortium

NAMOR unites 12 institutions from 7 countries (spanning universities, research institutes,
SMEs, and European networks), bringing together expertise in environmental engineering,
water resource management, circular economy, and digital innovation. The consortium is
reinforced by two associated partners, the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (India)
and SUNDOSOFT Co., Ltd (South Korea), ensuring global reach and knowledge exchange.

Vision, Objectives, and Innovation

NAMOR aims to revolutionize decentralized water and wastewater treatment through the
development of hybrid microalgae–bacteria membrane photobioreactors (MPBRs) integrated
with Industry 4.0 technologies, including digital twins, IoT sensors, machine learning, and
explainable AI (XAI). These advanced systems will deliver high-quality effluents with minimal
energy use and maximum nutrient recovery, enabling water reclamation, reuse, and
integration with existing centralized networks while ensuring adaptability across diverse
climates.

Key Activities

• Design, construction, and operation of three demonstration-scale (TRL 6–8) MPBR
  units in Greece, Slovenia and Finland.
• Development of digital twins for real-time monitoring, predictive analysis, and
  optimization under varying operating conditions.
• Application of XAI-based Decision Support Systems to enhance process control,
  transparency, and decision-making.
• Assessment of scalability and transferability of the NAMOR technologies across
  regions and climates.
• Participatory engagement with citizens and stakeholders to promote acceptance and
  real-world adoption.

Through this synergistic, multidisciplinary effort, NAMOR will deliver circular, resilient, and
data-driven solutions for the next generation of sustainable water systems, strengthening
Europe’s leadership in water innovation and contributing to global sustainability goals.