Considering Water Resources as Part of Clean Investments (CoWaRCI)

We develop water resources management for clean transition investments

Duration of the project

1.8.2025 – 31.12.2026

Source of funding

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Regional Council of Central Ostrobothnia

Total funding

127 715 €

Many clean transition technologies are water-intensive. Taking water resources into account across different sectors of water management is essential for the successful implementation of sustainable investment projects.

Many green transition technologies are water resources intensive. Comprehensive and sustainable water management is thus essential for successful green transition investments. Hydrogen production, battery production and recycling, carbon capture, utilization, and storage, biomass production, and biofuel production all require water resources, either as raw materials, for cooling, or as a sink for process effluents and pollutants. These water-intensive needs are not addressed at the necessary intersectoral level in various strategies and legislation, which may lead to delays and poor implementation of investment projects.

Furthermore, the climate roadmaps of the provinces do not include sufficient overall management of water resources in terms of promoting clean investments. Therefore, this project focuses on cross-border cooperation between water sector and administrative areas to take water resources into account in the planning, permitting, monitoring, and environmental impact assessment of clean transition investments.

The project compiles information on best practices and identifies opportunities for further development and new forms of cooperation across sectors in the water industry. The aim of the project is to promote clarity and transparency in the operating environment for clean transition investments and to streamline the implementation of investment projects, for example, by speeding up permitting process information gathering and the local acceptance of the investment projects.

Turku AMK’s role in the project is to develop the environmental impact assessment of clean transition investment projects by examining the adequateness of current regulations and the appropriateness of operating practices, and by ensuring that regulations affecting natural waters are presented and taken into account more transparently in projects in relation to the best available information on possible environmental impacts. The project also aims to investigate the impact of openness and transparency, and through this, the impact of genuine consideration of environmental impacts on the social acceptability of projects.

This interregional project, which will be implemented in three provinces (Central Ostrobothnia, Southwest Finland, and Ostrobothnia), will be carried out by CENTRIA (main applicant/coordinator), VAMK and Turku AMK between August 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026.