Smart about energy
BioBased Contribution with Mees Hartvelt
The concept of BioBased Economy entails the clever use of biomass from the agricultural sector (including the forest industry) for applications in the chemical and energy sectors. Catalyses, enzymes and fermentation are the three basic techniques used in the BBE to develop end products from raw materials. TKI BBE does not contribute to energy savings and efficiency goals directly. However, the Top Consortium is engaged in the study of the concept of biorefinery, which will eventually improve energy efficiency in the process industry. Related to this the TKI BBE is in close cooperation with TKI Process Technology from the Top Sector Energy. Biorefineries | The concept of biorefinery is an intriguing one. The bioindustry in the USA is already focusing its plans on integrated biorefineries, which are capable of converting various biomass feedstocks into commercially viable bioproducts, including biofuels. One such example is in Pontotoc, Mississippi. When completed, the Heterogeneous Feed Biorefinery Project in Pontotoc will produce 38 million litres of ethanol per year for commercial sale (source: U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
www.eere.energy.gov). In the Netherlands, biorefineries are in their inception, but the interest for them is growing. Woodspirit is an example in this direction. The biorefinery, located in the north-east of Groningen, is the cooperation between BioMCN, Siemens Netherlands, Linde and Visser & Smit Hanab. Woodspirit will process sustainable biomass into biomethanol. “It is important to encourage the business concept of biorefinery. Biorefineries can extract proteins and fibres for other applications in a cascading way. Moreover, chemical building blocks are increasingly produced from biomass,” says Mr. Hartvelt. Biorefineries can separate biomass into valuable components: protein for animal feed, lignin (most commonly derived from wood), fibre for paper etc. The rest can be fermented or burnt. “The TKI BBE invests in the biorefining of wood and algae. The coproduction of chemicals and biofuels is underway as well, but first we have to upscale the biorefinery concept,” explains Mr. Hartvelt. BioBased Players | Like in every field, the biobased one also has its frontrunners. Royal DSM is one of them. The global science company is active, among others, in the pharmaceutical and biobased materials markets. Royal DSM is also active in the recycling of composite materials. One of its latest innovations manages to reduce the carbon footprint of cement clinker manufacturing by 16%. Avantium is another example. The company has its production based in Geleen in the Netherlands and makes polyester polyethylene-furanoate (PEF) packaging for soft drinks, fruit juices and food and non-food products. Avantium’s YXY technology allows the company to produce PEF from plant-based sugars. The PEF innovators together with The Coca-Cola Company will further develop and commercialize bottles made from the next-generation polyester. “This is a good example of a project upscale in the biobased industry. If Coca-Cola takes it on, Avantium will have a huge production volume that is demand driven instead of supply driven,” comments Mr. Hartvelt. CSM Purac is yet another example of a successful company in the BioBased Economy. The Dutch company is active in food preservation, biobased chemicals and produces polymers from lactic acid.
Photo: Harry Meijer
When we began our cover story we emphasized the need and importance of sustainability. The BioBased Economy (BBE) has its inception linked to the paper industry and is all about sustainability. The Top Consortium dedicated to BBE will play an increasingly important role in the transition period through its research activities. Mees Hartvelt: “Sustainability research is an integral part of the TKI BBE and it includes a broad societal related discussion, in which NGOs take part as well.”
Mees Hartvelt is PresidentDirector of the general employers’ association AWVN and member of the Supervisory Board of the Top Consortium for Knowledge and Innovation BioBased Economy (TKI BBE) from the Dutch Top Sector Chemistry. The TKI BBE is a cross sector Top Consortium. In 2011 Mr. Hartvelt was requested to draft the agenda for the innovation contract for the TKI BBE. Challenges | Being a cross sector Top Consortium comes with its challenges. “The biggest challenge for TKI BBE is to get things rolling,” says Mr. Hartvelt. The fact that the TKI BBE’s plans are more or less dependent on the other Top Sectors slows things down. Limited funds are another obstacle. Other challenges are triggered by the discrepancy in the targets set by the European Commission for 2020. “These targets are more or less competing. For instance, subsidizing raw materials turns the tables on plans to have a cascading structure for biobased processes. This will also hinder the added value of, for example, pharma products based on biomaterials,” clarifies Mr. Hartvel. Internally, the most challenging projects that the TKI BBE is handling are related to existing waste streams which create chemical building blocks (e.g., bioplastics). On a related note, start-ups in the BioBased Economy are very expensive due to insufficient demand-driven projects. As the potential for innovation of the BioBased Economy positively impacts the energy sector, the government needs to put more effort in encouraging the biobased revolution.
Closed bioreactor used in cellulosic ethanol research. Cellulosic ethanol is a biofuel that can be produced from agricultural waste, trees, forest residues and perennial grasses (source: U.S. Department of Energy).
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