On Thursday 3 February, Jappe de Best delivered his lecture “Don’t WASTE the future: residual streams as a source for raw materials and energy” and was welcomed in an official ceremony as lecturer in Biobased Resources & Energy in the circle of lecturers at Avans University of Applied Sciences. Jacomine Ravensbergen of the Executive Board confirmed this once again by hanging Jappe on his lecturer necklace, which is made by students and consists entirely of the biobased plastics PLA and PHA.
Publication date
7 February 2022
Research area
“It’s not easy being green” is a well-known statement by Kermit the Frog from the Muppetshow. Loosely translated, it means that it is not easy to lead a sustainable life. According to Jappe, this reflects the situation in which society finds itself and in which the professorship conducts its research. That research should therefore not only provide new knowledge, but also analyze the impact of new applications in the product life cycle and what the right choices are to make.
In his lecture, Jappe explains on which themes expertise is being developed within the lectorate and emphasizes that the lectorate is not alone in this. We can only make the necessary impact in collaboration with other research groups within and outside Avans, but certainly also with students and with the professional field in the region.
“For this special occasion, we have created an online magazine about the activities of the Biobased Resources & Energy research group. In this magazine we show you why it is so important to (re)use residual flows as part of the energy and materials transition and why it is our and my passion to contribute to this.”
Circular Emergency Shelters
With an excellent network, this project investigates, through co-creation, possibilities for a clear and practically applicable circular consideration framework.
Totally Nuts: Circular Biobased Thermosets from Cashew Nutshells
How can we develop sustainable and economically viable biobased epoxy thermosets and composites from cashew nutshell residue? This question is the centre to this research.
Biodegradation Coatings Stahl
Stahl from Waalwijk, would like to switch to the production of more sustainable coatings. Besides the development of renewable based coatings they also want to development coatings that are biodegradable.
Green Hub: Information hub value chains green residual flows
In the Green Hub project, a consortium of SME partners, together with Avans, will therefore explore the needs of stakeholders regarding an overarching, up-to-date, and preferably open source, platform for information regarding value chains for green residual streams.
Setting up and performing biodiesel trials in a coaster ship
In this project, the use of biodiesel blends, in the so-called H1 class ships, is being tested. There are still a number of important issues to be resolved before testing can begin.
PyroCHEM: Waste2Chem Innovation Cluster
De PyroCHEM projectpartners willen de chemische industrie verduurzamen door de chemische recycling van plastic afval en de pyrolyse van andere (biomassa) reststromen te optimaliseren en op te schalen.
Membrane Technologies
Zijn membraantechnologieën toepasbaar en efficiënt voor valorisatie van verschillende reststromen? En zijn deze technologieën te integreren in bioraffinage projecten.
Flestic
Together with Eurobottle we analyse some sustainability aspects of the Oasus (water)bottle.
Direct extrusion of PHA-rich biomass
It is known that severalt bacteria can produce biodegradable polymers in different residual streams. These polymers are stored in the cell as a reserve energy source (up to 80% of the cell weight). The project is investigating the direct extrusion of bacteria with a high PHA content and the application possibilities of the extruded PHA
Production of bioplastics from residual streams (WoW! Capitalisation)
This project is a continuation of the Interreg NWE project WoW ! and focuses on two of the products that are already successfully recovered from sewage in this project: PHA, a biodegradable plastic, and biochar, one of the products of the pyrolysis of cellulose. The BRE research group is involved in research into PHA.
Powering Agrifood
Hoe moderne technologie (economisch) succesvol kan worden ingezet om toegang tot schone energie te verlenen aan boerencoöperaties en agro-industriële bedrijven wereldwijd.
Follow-up S4G
In 2020 and 2021, the Symbiosis 4 Growth project will be continued in Zeeland and West and Midden-Brabant. This project is based on linking industrial waste or residual streams offered by companies in S4G work sessions with suitable customers, upgraders or re-users.
Making shipping more sustainable (Russia – Benelux)
The consortium wants to investigate the possibility of making shipping from Russia to European seaports such as Dordrecht, Ghent and Delfzijl more sustainable. An obvious option is to mix biodiesel with the current gas oil during bunkering.
Learning Community Renewable fuels
Biofuels are necessary to achieve the Dutch climate targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions. A growth in the volume of biofuels can also act as an accelerator for the use of bio-based raw materials in the chemical sector.
PHA accumulation capacity of Sewage Treatment Plant
The Energy and Raw Materials Plant has several research projects to recover valuable resources from wastewater. One of the research projects is the extraction of polyhydroxyalkonoate (PHA) from sludge from sewage treatment plants. Until now, it is only known for a small part of the STPs in the Netherlands whether they are suitable for the extraction of PHA.
NACO – Zero Waste Collective Oosterhout
The municipality of Oosterhout and Avans Hogeschool will help companies in the municipality to take steps together towards circularity. This is the way for sustainable economic management that adds value and takes into account scarcity of raw materials, pollution and environmental damage. The municipality and Avans are starting a project collaboration that will kick off from September 2020 with a circular innovation and research program.
Biobased flocculants for water purification
Water boards use significant amounts of synthetic polyelectrolytes as flocculants at sewage treatment plants. The water boards would like to see whether it is possible to use greener biobased alternatives for this. In this case a biobased flocculant based on potato waste flows.
Building light
In the Building Light project, Torrgas and NPSP are collaborating with Avans/CoE BBE and TU/e in a feasibility study into the use of biochar in a NPSP biocomposite. The new biocomposites are expected to have higher stability and lower weight, resulting in a new, exciting building material that creates new business opportunities for both SME partners.
BioADD
In this project we investigate how we can develop and demonstrate new sustainable additives with improved properties, specifically for garden and agricultural applications.
Sustainable solid biofuels
In this Sustainable Solid Biofuels project, one of Brazil's leading universities, the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), is joining forces with Avans Hogeschool and two Dutch SMEs; Privium B.V. and Charcotec B.V.
Cashing cashew
Of the cashew nut, about 70% is husk that is removed during processing and is currently incinerated as a dirty and inefficient fuel or discarded as waste.
Biomass flows in the province of South Holland
At the initiative of the Zuid-Holland Zuid Environment Agency, the province of South Holland has drawn up a plan to make better use of the available biomass (organic flows). In addition, the role of biomass for a sustainable economy must be made clear.
Biodegradability of biopolymer and biopolymer composites
Together with 2 industrial companies (Attero, Coffee Based) and Prinsentuin College in Breda, the research group will carry out applied research and pilot small-scale experiments about biodegradability of biopolymers/bio composites under right and repeatable conditions
Opportunities for composting in Brazil
The state of Minas Gerais in Brazil faces major challenges regarding the collection and proper handling of organic household waste.
Stadsjutters Breda
In this research and awareness project, Avans Hogeschool, Vereniging Markkant and the municipality of Breda are entering into a partnership to not only clean up litter in the municipality of Breda, but also to map it in such a way that the source of the litter can be examined.
Pyrolysis Experimental Garden South
Pyrolysis is a thermochemical conversion technology that is suitable for a wide range of residues and renewable raw materials, ranging from different types of biomass and biomass waste streams to waste streams such as mixed or contaminated plastics and car tires.
Grassification
A house built with fibers from roadside grass. Sustainable, cheap energy from roadside grass. More sustainable and cheaper roadside management. Science fiction? Dream?
REFAWOOD
Searching for solutions for ash related operational problems in waste wood-fired bioenergy plants by means of the addition of additives.
Blue Chain
The Blue Chain project is a feasibility study into the extraction of blue dye from algae and proteins from duckweed.
WOW!
Sewage contains valuable substances that can be used as raw materials for biobased products. However, this potential is still hardly used in Northwestern Europe.
GrasGoed
Clippings are used as an innovative raw material! With the Grasgoed project, various area managers, companies and knowledge institutions will give the remains of nature management a second life over the next three years.
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06 July 2022
Students take the stage
Practice-oriented research plays a role in the material and energy transition that should not be underestimated. This not only relates to the knowledge that is gained in research projects, but especially also to the place where that knowledge ends up; at the students. Every year, no fewer than 80 students participate in the most intensive form of CoE BBE, namely an internship. For 20 weeks, the students fully participate in a research project as a graduate or in an internship. Each and every one of them ambassadors in the aforementioned transition.
21 June 2022
Pyrochem through the eyes of a student
Breed lachend en enthousiast vertellend zit ze voor ons. “Jazeker, het begin was lastig. De corona-maatregelen, moeite met het vinden van huisvesting, je draai zien te vinden in een onbekend land en een andere cultuur.” Ga er maar aan staan als 22-jarige bachelor student uit het Braziliaanse Belo Horizonte. Gelukkig ging het stof snel liggen en vond ze, te midden van studenten en collega’s van CoE BBE, al snel haar draai. Nu is het aftellen tot de terugreis alweer begonnen. “Ik neem een onvergetelijke ervaring mee terug naar Brazilië. Bagage die ik hopelijk kan gebruiken om ook thuis stapjes te zetten in duurzame ontwikkeling van chemische processen.”
05 April 2022
Available knowledge on renewable fuels bundled in short and attractive knowledge clips
To achieve a climate neutral and circular economy in 2050, a switch to green raw materials for chemicals, materials and fuels is needed. In all these chains, the currently used fossil raw materials must be replaced. To show the possibilities and opportunities of renewable fuels to entrepreneurs and students, short knowledge clips have been developed.