NEPTUN

Denmark and Germany joined forces to strengthen the water sector and prepare both countries for climate change. 21 partners consisting of universities, municipalities, utilities, companies and business organizations from both sides of the border joined forces in the NEPTUN project.

Flooded basements, cloudbursts that overload sewers, the risk of poor water quality due to rising groundwater and challenges with coastal protection. These are challenges we are increasingly experiencing as a result of climate change.

It is a problem that transcends the borders of the Danish-North German region. The landscape and climate are similar in many ways and on both sides of the border the water sector is strong, but the growth and export of water technology is stagnating.

This provided potential for innovation and strengthening of the business community across the border and an opportunity to increase the region’s resilience to climate-related risks and the development of energy and resource efficient solutions for water and wastewater.

Together we are stronger

Under this slogan, the NEPTUN project achieved its main goal by creating 15 concrete solutions in the water, wastewater and climate adaptation sector while bridging the gap between supply and demand across the Danish-German border.

The main outcome was a combination of relationship building and innovation collaborations between universities and companies in the field of water and climate adaptation technologies.

Key results

• 8 new prototypes of energy and resource efficient products – based on problem owners’ current challenges
• Identification of 5 possible Public-Private-Innovation collaborations
• Light houses of Competence: Exhibition, testing and demonstration of water and climate adaptation solutions
• Visibility of water technology companies at “Meet the buyer” and “Living Lab” events

Read more about the project here