Lighthouse for Water Technology – Phase III

Denmark aims to be an international lighthouse for water technology solutions. With Phase III, the lighthouse for water technology is further developed with a focus on concrete innovation, demonstration, and scaling of solutions that can strengthen both the green transition and Danish exports.

The project builds on the strong national effort that since 2021 has brought together actors across the water sector around the development of sustainable and efficient water technologies. In this phase, Denmark’s existing leading position is further strengthened – and anchored even more clearly in an international context through knowledge exchange, learning, and collaboration.

Vision and ambition

The vision of the lighthouse is: “We will innovate and demonstrate the world’s most sustainable and efficient water cycles.”

The ambition is to unite the ecosystem’s stakeholders around ambitious goals and create innovation that:

• significantly boosts exports in the Danish water sector
• contributes to a cleaner aquatic environment
• supports the goal of a climate-neutral water sector

Focus areas

The lighthouse’s overall effort is structured around four main focus areas:

• Challenge-driven innovation collaboration
• Acceleration of entrepreneurship within water
• Preparing SMEs for export
• Development of a strong and coherent ecosystem

This project is a cornerstone within the focus area of challenge-driven innovation collaboration, where the objective is that at least 100 SMEs by 2030 will have developed new solutions based on the lighthouse’s activities.

Project content

The project implements a series of innovation collaborations in which water technology SMEs develop new solutions in close interaction with water utilities, water-intensive industries, and knowledge institutions. The initiative is organized into two main activities:

Green transition of water-intensive industry

This activity focuses on reducing water, energy, and resource consumption in industrial processes – particularly in water-intensive sectors such as the food industry. Through mapping, data analysis, and testing, new technologies and business models are developed that:

• reduce climate impact
• increase resource efficiency
• create scalable solutions with export potential

In addition, solutions are developed for predictive maintenance and autonomous inspection of pipeline systems, which can extend lifetime, reduce environmental impact, and improve operations in both wastewater and district heating systems.

Shallow groundwater and digitalization

This main activity focuses on digitalization and sensor technologies that strengthen the utility infrastructure of the future. The initiatives address, among other things:

• intelligent control of hydrogen sulfide in sewer systems
• digital rat control combined with monitoring of flow and water levels
• smart monitoring and circular utilization of shallow groundwater

The solutions contribute to more efficient operations, reduced use of chemicals and energy, as well as increased security of supply and climate adaptation.

Collaboration and impact

The project brings together SMEs, water utilities, industry, universities, and GTS institutes in concrete innovation processes. The developed solutions create direct value for the participating companies while also holding significant potential for scaling – both within the water sector and across industries.

Through the project partners, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and international visibility are supported, enabling solutions to move from testing to market – and contributing to Denmark’s position as a global frontrunner in water technology.

Read the official announcement from Erhvervsstyrelsen here.