Editor’s choice
The sWASH&grow project aimed to improve the conditions for innovators to meet relief organizations’ demands. This will enable sustainable and circular innovations in the WASH sector to reach vulnerable populations in humanitarian crises and areas without access to critical utilities and services.
The project, through testbeds in cooperation with buyers and users, tested innovative sustainable solutions and designed tools for development, scaling and export.
2020–2022
sWASH & grow brings major global buyers, support functions from across the innovation system, innovation companies, and research together in a partnership aligned with Agenda 2030. The project focuses on SDG 6 and 9 on clean water and sanitation and will have an impact on SDGs 2, 3, 7, 12 and 13 on zero hunger, health, energy, production, and climate.
sWASH & grow will contribute to improving the conditions for circular and long-term sustainable off-grid solutions to successfully reach out to markets in the most inaccessible places through an inclusive approach; while also creating the means to empower vulnerable populations to build resilience. The results of the project have effects on a number of Global Sustainability Goals by giving innovators and buyers better decision support tools for developing and implementing innovative sustainable, circular and inclusive solutions for those in need.
The project’s results will include:
The project is implemented in collaboration with experts and customers from the public, private, academic and NGO sectors. It is divided into six work packages which include investigating and mapping success factors for off-grid solutions; developing tools for testing; validation and market introduction; developing Swedish innovative water and sanitation solutions and developing methods and platforms for upscaling and exports. All results are based on case studies in test and demo beds in Sweden, Bolivia, Lebanon, South Africa and Rwanda.
sWASH & grow has received co-funding (40%) from Vinnova Challenge-Driven Innovation Program (Utmaningsdriven Innovation – steg 3) and 60% co-finance from the 28 project partners.
Perspective / Aid programs should support private-public-research collaboration to finance scaling of innovative products and services needed to achieve the Global Goals.
21 November 2022 / About Finance, Innovation, Sanitation, Sustainable Development Goals and Water resources
Past event / Join us to discuss innovations that will facilitate more circular solutions in the WASH sector to meet global demands.
20 October 2022 / About Innovation, Sanitation, Sustainable Development Goals and Water resources
Perspective / Off-grid solutions that are less reliant on century-old networks and grids and foster resilience are taking shape in development and humanitarian contexts.
18 August 2022 / About Disaster Risk, Energy access, Innovation, Sanitation and Water resources
Past event / This event will focus on how the private sector can work closer with development and humanitarian operations in Sweden to accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
05 July 2022 / About Disaster Risk, Innovation and Sustainable Development Goals
SEI report / This SEI report outlines issues that stakeholders in water, sanitation and energy services believe are holding back uptake of promising gridless technologies.
18 November 2021 / About Business, Energy access, Household energy, Innovation, Renewables, Sanitation and Water resources
Below is a list of outputs in the project.
Perceived unknowns about gridless water, sanitation and energy services
Report informing on success factors for off-grid solutions for water and sanitation in humanitarian crises (internal)
Report reviewing and categorizing challenges and corresponding needs from solution-providers (internal)
Publication on success factors for off-grid solutions (forthcoming)
An innovative AI based software for match-making products and services
TreeWell nature-based solution for wastewater »
Pure Bio Synergy product development »
SaniC hygienization of feacal sludge (in Spanish) » (English summary)
Millennium Desalination Device »
IoT platform for management and operations of decentralized systems »
The export and scaling concept – “Ecobarge” »
Healthcare as a leverage for implementing sustainable infrastructure in developing countries »
Match-making activity for innovation, partnership and finance led by ElectriCITY »
A presentation of the Swedish innovation ecosystem – from prototype to commercialization » (in Swedish)
Initiative / The Gridless Solutions Initiative explores alternative technologies for the delivery of critical services like energy, sanitation and freshwater.
2020 - 2024 / About Energy access, Innovation, Renewables and Sanitation
SEI brief / Off-grid solar electricty will be key to low-carbon energy transitions. How can climate finance be mobilized to scale it up?
22 April 2020 / About Finance and Renewables
Journal article / Comparison of two initiatives in Bolivia and South Africa offers insights for introducing off-grid “productive” sanitation systems in peri-urban areas.
2 July 2019 / About Cities and Sanitation
Design and development by Soapbox.