Danish Utility Fors A/S Pioneers Sustainable Wastewater Treatment with Veolia’s Revolutionary Cella™ Technology
Fors A/S, the utility company serving the municipalities of Holbæk, Lejre and Roskilde, inaugurated the upgraded Svinninge wastewater treatment plant featuring Veolia's groundbreaking Cella™ technology. The plant is the first full-scale facility in the world to deploy innovative biofilm technology that offers a sustainable, compact and energy-efficient solution for wastewater treatment.
Located in Svinninge, about 60 kilometers west of Copenhagen, the plant was upgraded to increase capacity by 40% up to 6,300 population equivalents while meeting stringent effluent requirements. Two Veolia Water Technologies subsidiaries ‒ Krüger A/S, a Danish water and wastewater treatment specialist, and AnoxKaldnes, a world-leading supplier of biological water purification solutions headquartered in Sweden ‒ teamed up to develop and implement the world-first solution, working with Fors and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency through the Environmental Technology Development and Demonstration Program (MUDP).
"Fors is proud to be part of this exciting collaboration and to show this state-of-the-art facility and future of wastewater services to the world," said Henrik Correll, COO of Fors. "Looking at ways to reduce our carbon footprint is part of our DNA and something we work towards every day. It is of tremendous importance that we seek to look at new solutions through smart partnerships, of which this project is a great example."
About the Technology
Cella is a breakthrough technology that advances the biofilm principles of the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology by using high surface-area support material derived from renewable biomass, fostering robust biofilm growth. As well as being biodegradable, Cella can be implemented as a continuous, all-in-one process solution for achieving carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus removal with minimal or zero chemical consumption. The innovative process maximizes energy efficiency and recovery.
The compact, efficient and sustainable nature of Cella makes it an ideal choice for plants with limited space availability, enabling them to expand their capacity while embracing sustainable practices. By harnessing the power of renewable resources and optimizing resource utilization, Cella paves the way for a greener and more efficient future in wastewater treatment.
"Veolia is proud to partner with Fors on this pioneering project that drives sustainable innovation in the water sector," said Anne Le Guennec, Veolia Senior Executive Vice President, Worldwide Water Technologies. "Cella is a game-changer, combining innovative biofilm technology with a commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency. By leveraging renewable materials and optimizing energy use, it empowers municipalities to decarbonize operations while boosting treatment capacity and effluent quality. Water technologies are a core booster of our new strategic program, Green Up, and Cella perfectly exemplifies our commitment to developing and delivering innovative solutions to harmonize environmental stewardship and operational excellence."
The Svinninge plant is currently in start-up phase, with an extensive sampling program planned until summer 2025 to monitor performance and optimize operations. Veolia's cloud-based digital twin, Hubgrade Wastewater Plant Performance, will also enable advanced process control and remote monitoring, further contributing to an optimal operational and environmental performance.