Balancing Nitrogen and Phosphorous Flows by Budgeting at Regional Scale
Summary
NPower is redefining how Europe manages Nitrogen and Phosphorus (N/P) by connecting regional innovation with scalable solutions. The project aims to rebalance N/P flows, cut emissions, and restore degraded ecosystems while fostering a circular nutrient economy that delivers lasting benefits for communities and the environment.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential nutrients for agriculture, yet their mismanagement leads to severe environmental issues such as nutrient accumulation in water bodies, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. In Spain’s Murcia Region, for instance, the Mar Menor lagoon has suffered significant ecological damage due to excess nutrients, underscoring the urgent need for effective solutions. NPower seeks to address these imbalances by working closely with five key sectors: agriculture, water management, energy and transport, industry, and other primary sectors.
Objectives
Coordinated by a multidisciplinary consortium bringing together expertise from universities and research centres, technology development companies, governance and policy institutions, water management stakeholders, the agricultural and agri-food sector, industry and bioeconomy, as well as innovation and civil society organisations, NPower aims to:
- Develop an innovative N/P budgeting model for regional nutrient management.
- Demonstrate six nutrient recovery technologies producing eight recovered fertilisers.
- Implement 20 best management practices across different sectors.
- Establish innovative governance measures to support sustainable nutrient management.
- Contribute to EU environmental policies and targets for reducing nutrient excess.
Collaborative approach
The project is designed to tailor solutions to specific regional challenges. Each Regional Cluster (RC) will serve as a hub for innovation, focusing on local needs and scalable strategies:
- Spain will act as the project’s demonstration hub, implementing six innovative recovery technologies and developing new software for nutrient management, addressing challenges in intensive agriculture and aquaculture.
- Belgium will assess the replicability of Spanish demonstrations while contributing expertise in nutrient flow analysis for EU-wide application.
- Finland will bring its bioeconomy expertise to evaluate solutions suited to Nordic conditions.
- Ireland will provide key insights from an insular perspective, with expertise in managing local and inter-regional networks.
Additionally, each Cluster will contribute local best practices and governance measures, ensuring the adaptability of solutions across Europe’s diverse landscapes.
Impacts
NPower will generate impacts with environmental, societal, and economic benefit. By 2050, it is expected that €14.3 billion would be saved due to avoided emissions:
- To air: 6.75 k ton N
- To soil: 5.35 k ton P
- To water: 477 k ton N, 2.1 M ton P
Tackling nitrogen and phosphorus excess requires collaboration across sectors. With NPower, Europe is taking a decisive step towards more efficient and sustainable nutrient management, laying the foundation for a more resilient future for the environment, agriculture, and communities.
Project details
Start date:
01 January 2025
End date:
31 December 2028
Funding
Horizon Europe
EU contribution
€8,953,480.25
Project Partners
- CETENMA – Technology Centre for Energy and Environment (Spain)
- CTQ – Cetaqua Water Technology Centre (Spain)
- HGA – Hidrogea Water Management (Spain)
- CSIC – Edaphology and Applied Biology Research Centre of the Segura River (Spain)
- IMIDA – Murcian Institute for Agrarian and Environmental Research and Development (Spain)
- UPCT – Cartagena Technical University (Spain)
- LMB – Lamberta Europa (Spain)
- JISAP – Juan Jimenez Garcia (Spain)
- DAB – Dab Biotechnology (Spain)
- PBT – Probelte Biofertilizers (Spain)
- KVC – Kveloce Social Innovation (Spain)
- FMRM – Federation of Murcian Municipalities (Spain)
- FECOAM – Federation of Murcian Agrarian Cooperatives (Spain)
- LOOP – Rural Loop (Spain)
- CARM – Regional Government of Murcia (Spain)
- UGENT – Ghent University (Belgium)
- BOER – Boerenbond Agricultural Assoication (Belgium)
- WE – Water Europe (Belgium)
- LUKE – Natural Resources Institute (Finland)
- MTK – Central Union of Agricultural Producers (Finland)
- MTU – Munster Technological University (Ireland)
- IBF – Irish Bioeconomy Foundation (Ireland)
- UCD – University College Dublin (Ireland)
- STRANE – Strane Innovation (France)
- ZHAW – Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
