1 Metropool Regio Rotterdam Den Haag (MRDH), Roadmap Next Economy (RNE) Transition Pathway Circular Economy (CE) [towards zero waste] v4 1. Introduction Post Fossil or Post Material Resources Era? The roadmap Next Economy is aiming at 2030/2050, a moment in our future when fossil energy sources are gone or have been depleted for a major part. That is why the transition to renewable energy is of the utmost importance, but does not stand on its own. Harvesting renewable energy requires many systems and hence materials which in turn will exhaust the commercially extractable stocks. In the next twenty years this will be the case for: Sb, In, Pb, Sn, Cr, Zn, Au, As, Ag, Sr, Cd and Hg. 1 . The reusability of materials might therewith be an even greater challenge as the transition to renewable energy is. A circular ‘dot’ on the horizon The need for a Circular Economy is given by the depletion of our natural resources. We have to prepare for a post-fossil energy area and need to be able to re- and upcycle our technical and biological materials as they are being depleted or consumed at rates higher than can be grown. Circularity was defined by the homonymous working group of RNE as: Renewability of all natural resources: energy, water, biological and technical materials, air and top soil. In this definition all resources either originate from a renewable source or can be renewed often with the help of energy, whilst preventing negative effects on ecology, economy and society. This is an ultimate goal, a dot on the horizon for circularity. If achieved the result is effective: all resources can be renewed and used time after time with no waste as a result. The ultimate demand for circularity in 2050 can be formulated as follows: 2050 Energy 100 % Renewable energy Water Water cleanable unto ‘intake’ Bio-materials Consume less as what can be grown Techno-materials Re- and upcycling for continuous (re)use Top soil Top Soil quality/quantity not diminished Air Air cleanable unto ‘intake’ A Pragmatic Approach Other sources put the reusability of products and resources as well as the recuperative power of natural resources first. The definition used by the Ellen MacArthur foundation is: ‘A circular economy is one that is restorative and regenerative by design, and which aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times, distinguishing between technical and biological cycles.’ 2 1 P Luscuere, R Geldermans, M Tenpierik, S Jansen: Beyond Sustainability. 2 http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy
Transcript
1
Metropool Regio Rotterdam Den Haag (MRDH), Roadmap Next Economy (RNE)
Transition Pathway Circular Economy (CE) [towards zero waste] v4
1. Introduction
Post Fossil or Post Material Resources Era? The roadmap Next Economy is aiming at 2030/2050, a moment in our future when fossil energy
sources are gone or have been depleted for a major part. That is why the transition to renewable
energy is of the utmost importance, but does not stand on its own. Harvesting renewable energy
requires many systems and hence materials which in turn will exhaust the commercially extractable
stocks. In the next twenty years this will be the case for: Sb, In, Pb, Sn, Cr, Zn, Au, As, Ag, Sr, Cd and
Hg.1. The reusability of materials might therewith be an even greater challenge as the transition to
renewable energy is.
A circular ‘dot’ on the horizon The need for a Circular Economy is given by the depletion of our natural resources. We have to
prepare for a post-fossil energy area and need to be able to re- and upcycle our technical and
biological materials as they are being depleted or consumed at rates higher than can be grown.
Circularity was defined by the homonymous working group of RNE as: Renewability of all natural
resources: energy, water, biological and technical materials, air and top soil. In this definition all
resources either originate from a renewable source or can be renewed often with the help of energy,
whilst preventing negative effects on ecology, economy and society. This is an ultimate goal, a dot on
the horizon for circularity. If achieved the result is effective: all resources can be renewed and used
time after time with no waste as a result. The ultimate demand for circularity in 2050 can be
formulated as follows:
2050
Energy 100 % Renewable energy
Water Water cleanable unto ‘intake’
Bio-materials Consume less as what can be grown
Techno-materials Re- and upcycling for continuous (re)use
Top soil Top Soil quality/quantity not diminished
Air Air cleanable unto ‘intake’
A Pragmatic Approach Other sources put the reusability of products and resources as well as the recuperative power of
natural resources first. The definition used by the Ellen MacArthur foundation is:
‘A circular economy is one that is restorative and regenerative by design, and which aims to
keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times, distinguishing
between technical and biological cycles.’2
1 P Luscuere, R Geldermans, M Tenpierik, S Jansen: Beyond Sustainability.
4 M Braungart, W McDonough, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, 2002.
3
interests. This is extremely difficult, reason for which the start up’s who are aiming at this business
have a strong focus and are relatively small. The business is still in its infancy.
2. Action perspectives RNE
1. First a paradigm shift is needed within MRDH to replace the concept of ‘waste’ into one of the
perception of ‘valuable resources’. This value has to be perceived by all inhabitants, social
organizations, public and private companies and economic activities. The awareness must result in
appurtenant practice. Continuous education must help us with this change of mind set as well as
retraining the people needed to redesign our products and processes to allow the recycling and
upcycling of components, materials and substances. Many workers are needed as the process of
regaining the materials from ‘waste’ is more labor intensive than creating them from ‘virgin’
materials. MBO and HBO educational institutions will have to process large numbers, whereas the
cooperation with universities and knowledge institutes must be safeguarding required technological
advances to replace fossil based technologies.
2. A similar paradigm shift will be needed for the ‘post fossil era’. The Rijnmond region is heavily
involved in fossil energy related activities which in due time will be obsolete. This relates to port,
petrochemical industry and maritime both in terms of existing infrastructure5 as businesses see also
Fig. 3. This requires a monumental program on reorientation of the traditional businesses with
appurtenant investment and again retraining of people needed for these new businesses.
Possibilities to replace part of this industry by high productive biomass production and related bio
refinery should be investigated in combination with Clean Tech and Agro/Food, both from a
technological as business feasibility point of view.
3. In all clusters biological and/or technical materials in the form of systems, components or just
materials are being used. Knowing the location, condition and availability through the use of
Intelligent Asset Value Drivers6 we are far better able to recycle these. Whether it is in shipbuilding,
oil & gas rig-decommissioning or in the built environment, material passports and sensor technology
should be developed for this.
4. Decentralized renewable energy initiatives will flourish and must be welcomed as it is a clean
technology by the people for the people. Limitations often protecting fossil energy based interest
should be eliminated. Tax-incentives should propagate these developments; the exchange of
renewable energy should be supported by newly built community based smart grids like connected
DC streetlight systems where individuals can connect there PV systems and 2-way car charging
stations easily.
5. The large greenhouse food and flower horticulture in this region will also have to reinvent its
business as it is now based on burning subsidized natural gas for low temperature heating purposes
and is exporting some 85% of its production by non-taxed kerosene powered flights. Change in crops
to high productive biomasses for selected high end products/process-lines including the mentioned
bio refinery is to be investigated / developed. Invest in and operate ‘Overseas Greenhouses’.
5 WIREs Water 2016. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1141
6 Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Intelligent Assets: Unlocking the circular economy potential.
4
6. Construction and renovation should primarily be focusing the existing stock. Improving the
thermal quality and comfort (air quality!) has to be combined with new technology and renewable
energy systems leading to energy plus buildings.
7. Small scale biological water cleaning in residential areas should provide a secondary less resource
consuming grey water circuit which can also be used for Urban Agriculture.
8. Subsidies mystify business cases, incentives can stimulate, but correct taxation is a game-changer.
Hidden subsidies for the fossil energy industry are enormous7. Real cost taxation should be pursued
(e.g. through CO2 tax) which instantly turns renewable projects into profitable business cases.
9. Electrification of mobility should be supported rigorously. Not only is it a prerequisite for
ultimately renewable mobility, but it is necessary to help clean up our air, which is amongst the
dirtiest in Europe, see Fig. 2.
10. Health and life sciences can contribute to our health by cooperation with Agro/Food industry in
healthy /personalized food as preventive medicines.
11. All CE-limiting laws and regulations already known, or additionally identified in the context of RNE
should be discussed with relevant ministries. A first check can be done by ‘Ruimte in regels voor
groene groei’8. The government is actively pursuing CE as described in a number of documents9,10,11.
Fig. 2: Loss of statistical life expectancy due to fine particle emissions12
7 International Monetary Fund, WP/15/105, How large are Global Energy Subsidies?
8 http://www.ruimteinregels.nl/
9 Van afval naar grondstof, kamerstuk dd 20 juni 2013.
10 Progress report on the From Waste to Resource programme
11 Opportunities for a circular economy in The Netherlands, TNO 2013 R10864
12 Source: European Environment Agency
5
Fig. 3: Port (black) and fossil fuel (red) related infrastructure in the Rijnmond area13,14
3. CE Project proposals grouped in clusters
After some 50+ project ideas had been generated, 28 project proposals were written in the RNE-
format by the Circular Economy participants/working group. In the Annex all 28 proposals are
identified (CE1-CE28) and presented with a short description. The majority have to do with initiatives
on Materials, both technical as biological. Four main areas can be identified: Agriculture, Urban
areas, Society and Industry. Two projects are related to Energy. Two others are aiming at improving
Water quality. The clusters identified by colors can be seen as coherent projects which in
combination might serve as gamechangers / System Breakthroughs.
Material Resources (Biological) and Agriculture
A route to a Sustainable Future for Greenhouse Horticulture The traditional products from Greenport WO like cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet peppers are,
although high in yield, less attractive from an economical point of view. A transition to even higher
productivity and high quality products for pharma, cosmetics, food-industry and agrochemistry
provides well needed earning capability, combined with a contribution to the transition to a non-
fossil based industry. For what the traditional greenhouse production of food and flowers is
concerned, this transition to high quality crops can be combined with ‘Overseas Greenhouses’
(CE1a). Using Dutch knowledge and experience, not in selling our knowledge, but as entrepreneurs
who invest in places where we have favorable climates and where our consumers are. It potentially
reduces the energy component of growing in The Netherlands (approx. 30%) and the air freight. If we
use (available) internet technology we can upgrade this market to ‘Growth as a Service’ (CE1b). New
‘High Productive Biomass’ (CE2) including algae can be the feedstock for new or renovated Oil-
refineries ‘Converting Oil-Refineries into Bio-Refineries’ (CE3). Other technologies allow adding value
to this feedstock or rest materials ‘BioBased Business met plantenstoffen uit de Greenports’ (CE4)
and ‘Verwaarden alle reststromen’ (CE17) or in building blocks for Pharmacy ‘Kas als apotheek’
(CE24) or direct in ‘Personalised food’ (CE23).
13
Source: Prof.Dr.Ing. Carola Hein 14
IREs Water 2016. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1141
6
Material Resources in Urban Areas Improved collection Household Waste
As soon as people are financially rewarded they are prepared to separate various “waste”-flows and
bring them to collection points. This not only increases the efficiency of collecting valuable resources
but it also brings the message across that what was previously called waste in fact represents value!
This concept of collecting various resources can be extended to include collecting products whether
or not broken which nowadays may only be offered as waste but in fact represent a certain value.
These products can be offered at selected stations where adequate compensation for the residual
value is given and where the product can be repaired / maintained and be brought back into the
economic circuit. This obviously generates low to medium skilled labor. ‘Urban Mining’ (CE10) and
‘Afval loont’ (CE15) are two initiatives which even might work together and for which a possible roll
out into the complete MRDH region is part of the proposals.
Material Resources in Society
Improving material reuse in selected areas In many sectors “waste”-resource flows can be redirected into input flows for other processes. It is
extremely difficult however to bring the various parties together as the perceptions differ greatly. For
one party it is a waste-stream but for the other it is the input for his process and as such he has
demands on quality, quantity, availability and reliability which are not automatically shared by the
supplier. The described initiatives within various sectors can bring valuable contributions to the
objectives of RNE within MRDH: ‘Tippingpoint Circulaire bouw-metropool’ (CE7) in the Building
Industry, ‘Circularity Center’ (CE18) for Harbor and Industry, ‘ResourceCity’ (CE 22) for reactivation of
outdated business grounds, ‘Puls Up’ (CE19) with their system of “Oogstkaarten” (Harvesting cards)
to identify available materials and finally the ‘Field Lab Blue City’ (CE28) which acts as an incubator
for CE startups.
Material Resources in Industry
Carbon Capture Usage CO2 is often just seen as waste and as a greenhouse gas. However many applications exist in
industry, greenhouse horticulture, water purification, algae growth etc. In this case also the source of
the CO2 is relevant as it is the atmosphere! The technology is already developed and can be applied
for various sectors within a few years. In projects ‘CO2 Smart Grid’ (CE5) and ‘Leasing Carbon Capture
and Usage technology contributing Circular Economy’ (CE6) attention is given to the Use of CO2 as a
resource.
Material Resources in Industry
Various A variety of projects are brought in by Industry: ‘Sailing heat’ (CE14) provides an alternative to heat
roundabouts through the use of Phase Change Materials. ‘Smart Tiles’ (CE20) as an energy harvesting
paste, ‘Recolour’ (CE21) for recycling and reprocessing unused paint. An expertise center for
remanufacturing ‘Reman-centre’ (CE25), the salvage of materials for left alone boats and ships
‘Weesbootjes’ (CE26) and a pilot for the reuse of dredging silt (baggerslib) as material for bank
protection ‘Oeverbeschoeiing van baggerspecie: GeoWall’ (CE27).
7
Water Cleaner surface water, better drinking water
The MRDH region and immediate periphery houses 17 hospitals of which two University Medical
Centers. All of these are a substantial source of hormone and medicine residues as well as multi
resistant bacteria in their sewage. The project ‘Zero medicines, hormones or multi resistant bacteria
emitting Hospitals’ (CE12) contributes to a better water quality in the region as does the project ‘Blue
House’ (CE13).
Energy
Buildings as sustainable energy sources The MRDH region houses an estimated 100,000 terraced houses with a bad to very bad energy
performance. The project Prêt à Loger of the TU Delft has shown that these houses can be upgraded
in a very short intervention to “energy positive”. This can be achieved through various industrial
concepts. The project ‘2.500 Energy Positive Terraced Houses’ (CE11) transforms 2.500 existing
terraced houses into renewable energy delivering houses. The sample size is chosen to gain
substantial experience in industrial manufacturing of required systems and components, which in
turn can lead to a reduction of the financial gap which exists between estimated investments and the
“Energie Prestatie Vergoeding”. If successful, this concept might be extended to the MRDH region as
a whole (approx. 100,000 houses), as well as exported to the rest of The Netherlands and beyond.
Energy
Streetlights as Smart Grids, Sharing Renewable Energy on DC The project ‘DC Connecting Streetlights’ (CE8) is the transformation from an existing lighting system
or the construction of a new one into a software upgradable platform for sharing renewable energy
over a Direct Current system with a superimposed communication protocol as well as community
relevant data collection through added sensors.
CE Codes
Name of Cluster
Quantitative targets
2020 2030 2050
CE2+3+4+17+23+24 Material Resources (biological) and Agriculture
Multiple smaller coherent projects: define targets per project
CE10+15 Material Resources in Urban Areas
1st projects Upscaling large cities
Whole MRDH region
CE7+18+19+22+28 Material Resources in Society Multiple projects Upscaling other sectors
Become superfluous
CE5+6 Material Resources in Industry: CCU
Develop for various markets
CE14+20+21+25+26+27 Material Resources in Industry: Various
CE12+13 Water: Cleaner surface water, better drinking water
3 hospitals (ongoing)
Upscaling All 17 hospitals
CE11 Energy: Buildings as sustainable energy sources
Start 2.500 ready plus upscaling
100.000 ready + export
CE8 Energy: Connecting Streetlights 1st pilot Upscaling large cities
Whole MRDH Region
Overview various project clusters with Quantitative targets over time
8
4. Game Changers/System Breakthroughs
The Agricultural Cluster is aiming at obtaining high quality crops, growths and active
ingredients/molecules for pharma, cosmetics, food-industry and agrochemistry. It is a combination of
more than 10 projects, some of which are clear enablers (extract library and bio refinery). All projects
are aimed at improving the value of what is produced and are thus important for the future of this
industry. Each individual project may be small but the combined power it can unleash may really be
called a systems breakthrough.
The clusters addressing materials in urban areas and in wider sense in society are important in
multiple ways. First of all we, as society, need the materials which will be re- and upcycled as a result
of these projects as natural resources are being depleted. Secondly the involvement of households is
important because of the required paradigm shift ‘from waste to resource’. The fact that people are
also involved through money or shares in the company shows the cooperative social involvement.
Again relatively small projects, but that characterizes this relative new business sectors. The fact that
it both focusses on household waste as on various sectors (Building Industry, Harbor and Industry,
Business Grounds) as well as approaches (Oogstkaart en Field Lab) makes it a breakthrough.
The two projects relating to Energy can be posted in all three transition pathways. They are both
groundbreaking projects however. The ‘Buildings as sustainable energy sources’ project because it is
both addressing existing buildings with low energy ratings as it breaks with the concept of NOM/NZE
buildings. They produce more renewable energy as they consume. The objective to renovate all
estimated 100.000 terraced houses in the MRDH region by 2050 may even be called an Iconic
Project. The ‘DC Connecting Streetlight’ is combining the technological improvements regarding LED
Street lighting and Direct Current: less copper, lower energy consumption, better safety, lower
maintenance costs to renovate existing lighting systems (or construct new systems) to provide a
smart grid to share renewable energy: car charging poles and discharging capabilities, connection of
PV systems without costly inverters and automatic power control through a communication protocol
as well as providing a wide variety of connection various community service supporting sensors. Both
projects are breakthrough technologies irrespective of in which transition pathway they are
described.
Finally the projects regarding Carbon Capture Usage can be seen as another important game
changer. Opposed to the traditional CCS which costs energy and money, CCU can be profitable. It is
used in many processes in Food: Urea, Beverages, Decaffeinate, Cholesterol removal, Sodium
Carbonate, Neutralization of water, mineralization DI water and Greenhouse fertilizer. In Industry:
Synthesis polycarbonates, Power to gas (CH4 for chemical industry or energy storage). In
Thermodynamic Cycles, Welding, CO2 to PPC biodegradable packaging, polyurethane, algae + water
treatment. In using Super Critical CO2: Turbines, dissolving power (fragrances, semiconductor
cleaning, dyeing & dry cleaning textiles and dishwasher).
Other project ideas Clean decommissioning of Oil & Gas rigs as well as oil tankers is seen as an interesting market and
source of materials to be recycled. To support these activities material passports, possibly block
chain based, will have to be developed for rigs, ships and large constructions. Intelligent Asset Value
Drivers must be developed in order to know the location, condition and availability of systems,
9
components and materials to be recycled. These project ideas however were transferred to Smart
Port /Clean Tech /Manufacturing / Smart Industry.
Maritime & Logistics wants the dredging industry to follow up on their special knowledge on Coastal
Defense and Riverbank Protection on a world scale, especially using the ‘Building with Nature’
approach. Another specialty that can be extended is that of creating artificial land (Dubai, Maldives)
and Floating Islands.
As can be seen in Fig. 2, our country/region has the most polluted air in Europe, measured in PM2.5.
Outside the construction sector contributions can be made by electrification of our mobility, closing
coal-fired power plants. The construction sector however can also contribute in a positive way: fine
particle metabolizing vegetation and other techniques in and around buildings improves both Air
Quality as productivity15.
Awareness, a sense of urgency and an inviting perspective should be raised with the citizens of
MRDH. Through a story line of how people live, work or recreate we can identify the coming changes
to our society and hence indicate the sense of urgency. The inviting perspective is helped through the
form of communication: a cartoon (Haagsche Harry) and a short video Juul Deelder).
Circularity Indicators. A project between amongst others ICCE16, LIST17, TU Delft, Lateral Thinking
Factory and getZED is looking into the possibility to improve on existing circularity indicators. The
existing indicators are actually quite linear, not taking the quality of various flows into account. For
energy this can be done through the use of Exergy, for the other resources like water, biological and
technical materials similar parameters will have to indicate the quality level of various flows.
Waste 2 Chemicals was presented to Circular Economy to be integrated by Menno Huijs (mail dd 20/9).
“Verder uitrollen Waste 2 Chemicals: Uitwerken buca Akzo/Enerkem en uitvoeren programma ism HbR, regionale overheden. Onduidelijkheid over subsidiestromen en kans om kennis en dienstencluster eromheen te ontwikkelen. Vraagt om nieuwe buca’s”
I asked for the data / project format but did not receive it yet. Same goes for:
“Aantrekken Bioraffinaderij: HbR verkend mogelijkheden met private partijen. Nog geen uitgewerkte buca, wel zeker dat er een financieel gat zit.”
15
Giancarlo Mangone, Performative Microforests: Investigating the potential benefits of integrating spatial vegetation environments into buildings, in regards to the performance of buildings, their occupants, + local ecosystems 16
Implementation Center for Circular Economy, Belgium 17
Luxembourg Institute for Science and Technology (LIST), Luxembourg
10
Appendix 1: Overview Projects
CE Code Titel Personen Bedrijven
CE1 Overseas greenhouses(1a) and Growth as A Service (1b)
Jan Westra Priva
CE2 High Productive Biomass in Greenhouses Leon Ammerlaan The Green Innovator
CE3 Converting oil-refineries into bio-refineries
CE4 Biobased business met plantenstoffen uit de Greenports
Jolanda Heistek Greenport WO
CE5 CO2 Smart Grid Ruben Lentz Bloc
CE6 Leasing Carbon Capture and Usage technology contributing Circular Economy
Oskar de Kuijer Skytree
CE7 Tippingpoint Circulaire bouw-metropool Rutger Buch Cirkelstad
CE8 DC Connecting Streetlights Harry Stokman DC BV
CE9 Future Food Production units Peter Oei Sign
CE10 Urban Mining Ger Kwakkel/
CE11 2.500 Energy Positive Terraced Houses HWvDorp/Rdiewart VDI/DuraVermeer
CE12 Zero medicines, hormones or multi resistant bacteria emitting Hospitals
Maikel Batelaan Pharmafilter
CE13 Blue House Jaap Dijkgraaf DWA
CE14 Sailing heat Jaap Dijkgraaf DWA
CE15 Afval loont Jørgen van Rijn Afval loont
CE16 Delft Blue Water Jolanda Heistek Greenport WO
CE17 Verwaarden alle Reststromen Jolanda Heistek Greenport WO
CE18 Circularity Center Florens Slob Circularity Center
CE19 Puls Up Jan Jongert Superuse Studios
CE20 Smart Tiles Wisse Hummel ENGIE Services
CE21 Akzo Nobel Recolour David Cornish AkzoNobel
CE22 ResourceCity Sabrina Lindeman ReSourceCity
CE23 Personalised food Peter Oei Sign
CE24 Kas als apotheek (geen tekst) Jolanda Heistek Greenport WO
CE25 Reman-centre Jan-Willem Kanters Cirkellab
CE26 Weesbootjes Jan-Willem Kanters Cirkellab
CE27 Oeverbeschoeiing van baggerspecie: GeoWall Jan-Willem Kanters Cirkellab
CE28 Field Lab Blue City Wouter Veer Blue City
11
Appendix 2: Short description of all CE Project Proposals
CE1a. Overseas Greenhouses: Dutch entrepreneurs investing in greenhouse facilities and operating
to export the highly developed art of high productive food and flower production to favorable
climate regions close to where our existing consumers are.
CE1b. Growth as a Service: Inclusion of new (but existing) technologies to sense and control crop or
plant growth at a distance. In the words of Berry Vetjens one could say: ‘This is not a Greenhouse, it
is a software upgradable Growth as a Service Platform’.
CE2. High Productive Biomass in Greenhouses is a transition for growths of much more productive
feedstock in the Greenhouses in the Netherlands which are already or will become available. Various
biomass feedstocks can be derived from e.g. algae. The production of food and flowers in Dutch
Greenhouses has been optimized over the years, leaving The Netherlands at the top of high
productive and high quality tomatoes, cucumbers, plants and flowers. Constant innovation, both on
crop improvement as growing conditions is at the basis of this. The greenhouse horticulture industry
in The Netherlands is however very dependent on low priced natural gas and non-taxed kerosene for
intercontinental distribution. To address this double fossil fuel dependency the ‘Overseas
Greenhouses’ and the ‘Growth as a Service’ projects are defined. In order to keep our position as top
productive growers of high quality goods we should be looking for different crops. Fig. 4 indicates the
incredible potential of algae for e.g. biofuel. But many more interesting chemicals, food or feed
supplements and components can be derived from it. This can well be done in the outside terrains as
researched by the WUR18, or in Greenhouses19.
Fig. 4: Enormous differences in crop yields (National Renewable Energy Lab)
CE3. Converting oil-refineries into bio-refineries is a next step in which the feedstock derived from
these high productive biomasses can be refined to amongst others biofuels in converted oil-
refineries. Novamont is an Italian based bioplastics and biochemical company which has successfully
transferred several existing oil-refineries into bio-refineries. From their site: “In Novamont we
promote the development of a bioeconomy model based on the efficient use of resources and on the
regeneration of local areas. By restoring industrial sites that are decommissioned or are no longer
competitive, we set up biorefineries integrated in the local areas to make high value added products
with low environmental impact and create new jobs.”20 A small part of this biomass production can
alternatively be refined to even higher valued products for e.g. the pharmaceutical industry ‘Kas als
Apotheek’. The business case for these conversions in RNE is still to be investigated, but they can
definitely include Carbon Capture & Usage. The conversion of oil-refineries into bio-refineries might
also enable the transition to bio-based chemistry, fuels and materials industry. The importance of
these conversions for large parts of the MRDH based petrochemical industry cannot be
underestimated. The conversion itself can even be a profitable undertaking. There are examples of
converting Oil-refineries into Bio-refineries, costing 0,5 E9 €, whereas complete dismantling and site
clean-up would cost 2,0 E9 €.
Fig. 5: Illustration from Novamonts internetsite
CE4. Biobased business with plant substances from the Greenports The Extract Library was set-up to provide a bridge between the huge biodiversity in plant compounds
in Dutch horticultural crops and applications of those crops in high-value non-traditional markets.
From 205 families, 927 genera and 1,300 species which can be grown in The Netherlands (or
elsewhere) in a controlled and reproducible cultivation without chemical crop protection, extracts
are kept in a library. These extracts can be screened on bioactivity, relevant functionality for
pharmacy, cosmetics, crop protection, food, feed, chemistry or presence of certain molecules,
molecule structures or molecule groups. In this way the Extract Library is a treasury for future
business development. A variety of some 7 projects are defined in the areas of:
- Anti-obesitas crop Dioscora - Plant extracts as ingredients for cosmetics - Tomato foliage extract as vegetal crop protection - Green crop protection with floriculture extracts - New crops for food and pharma
- Astaxanthine 2.0 - Bio-refinery with waste streams CE5. CO2 Smart Grid CO2 emission reduction is a necessity. However, addressing this challenge as a problem will lead to a
suboptimal situation. We want to reframe CO2 as a commodity for the circular economy. The western
part of the Netherlands offers a perfect opportunity to kickstart this transformation. Multiple
industrial facilities produce CO2 that can be captured. An underground infrastructure already delivers
considerable amounts of CO2 to greenhouses for cultivating food. That infrastructure can be
expanded with a few comprehensive buffers. The vicinity of Europe’s first and fourth largest
harbours, the emerging spectrum of applications (agriculture, biochemicals, biofuels, construction
materials) and public pressure provides the perfect window of opportunity for the world’s first CO2
smart grid.
CE6. Leasing Carbon Capture & Usage technology contributing Circular Economy Demonstration and implementation of business model to transform CO2 from waste to nutrient. 3 to
5 market players lease the required technology which recently came available and which can be
customized. Skytree provides together with TU Delft and other partners the technology and lease
construction. Result will be 5 demonstration projects from waste to resource, 2 public/private
partnerships while bridging the unprofitable top.
CE7. Tipping point Circulaire Bouwmetropool Cirkelstad is een platform voor koplopers in de bouwsector die werk maken van steden zonder afval,
zonder uitval. Kennis en voorbeeldprojecten hebben laten zien dat de gebouwde omgeving
gerealiseerd kan worden van de materialen die vrijkomen uit sloop en renovatie. Door sloop,
renovatie en bouwplanningen te koppelen (via een Hub) en met bestuurlijk commitment is het
mogelijk (bij aangeleverde lijst aan projecten wat slechts een deel van de gehele bouwopgave is) om
van de 2.000.000.000kg aan benodigde bouwmaterialen te realiseren met 500.000.000kg aan
vrijkomende materialen (25% circulair) waarmee 340.000.000 CO2-eq bespaard wordt en 11.000.000
uur aan banen genereerd. Er is binnen de bouwsector nog geen ‘probleemeigenaar’ om reststromen
terug te leiden naar soortgelijke toepassingen /producten. Een Hub neemt de regie/ontzorgt de
bouwsector met vraag en aanbod. Spin off is een incubator op het actief makelen tussen grown-ups
and start-ups
A supporting finance is asked for investigating and connecting knowledge in the context of 22
projects and testing grounds in the region to stimulate Circular Economical principles.
CE8. DC Connecting Streetlights Connectable and scalable, DC-LED Streetlight Systems as Smart Grids for exchange of renewable
energy. Recently technology has been developed to allow direct current (DC) applications on a broad
scale. It allows us to change streetlight networks into a ‘software upgradable renewable energy
sharing platform’ (free after Berry Vetjens).The system which has been developed in The Netherlands
(Harry Stokman from DC BV) includes a communication standard ‘Current OS’ which oversees Power
Management of each connected item in a Router, both energy consuming and energy delivering. In
this way the LED streetlight network becomes an intelligent grid to which individual PV owners can
easily connect to share any surplus renewable energy, 2-way power charging poles for cars can be
used as source or sink. Functionality can be added through a secondary bus to which a whole variety
14
of sensors and cameras can be connected. It allows demand based lighting if you walk or bike along,
to switch on/off playing ground lights through an app on kids smartphones, see Fig. 6.
Fig. 6: DC Concepts, by DC BV
The system has many other advantages like30% less copper usage, lower energy consumption, more
safety and reliability and less operational costs. And finally, in a recently won renovation tender they
didn’t win because of these advantages but because they were 20 % cheaper! Whether it is scalable
is still the question; however it can be replicated time and time again. As already a number of
systems are realized in various communities it can be seen as one of the quick wins.
CE9. Future Food Production Units (Withdrawn) CE10. Urban Mining Increased awareness of the value of materials which are thrown away daily. Address 500.000 citizens
of The Hague, concerning WEEE (E-Waste) and plastics. Increased separated collection of household
waste in the City of The Hague, while reducing municipal cost for collection and waste disposal.
Creation of (low-end) employment, contributing to an inclusive economy, in which all people
participate, also people experiencing certain distance to the labor market. Involve all people in The
Hague as stakeholder in accelerating current transition to a circular economy, as well as shareholder
in this new startup venture. Creating formal employment with similar concept in low-income
countries. Crowdfunding using the value of waste. Urban Mining not only deals with collection and
recycling locally, it also promotes re-use, repair and upcycling with resources in our cities, materials
which we are currently disposing as waste. Using the value of these materials Urban Mining will start
crowdfunding in the City of The Hague and will evolve in the whole MRDH-region. For each kg of E-
Waste and plastics handed in at our location and locations of our partners, participants will receive
one share in Urban Mining. Revenues generated with all resources collected will be shared with all
shareholders, the citizens. Trash is Cash!
CE11. 2.500 Energy Positive Terraced Houses 2.500 existing terraced houses upgraded to be energy positive. The Built Environment in The
Netherlands accounts for 35 % of energy consumption and some 40 % of the material consumption.
As less than 1% is newly built each year, the challenge is to improve the existing ones. TU Delft’s
contribution to the 2005 Solar Decathlon in Paris (see Fig. 7) has proven that the typical terraced
houses built in The Netherlands between 1960 and 1980, all with poor energy performance, can be
improved to the point of NOM/NZE (and perhaps beyond). In numbers it represents over one million
dwellings in The Netherlands (rough estimate: 100.000 in MRDH), spread throughout all cities and
villages of MRDH. The costs associated with the required improvements and renewable energy
generation systems still outweigh the benefits to be realized. Standardization and industrialization of
15
the approach should be able to reduce the costs further and pave the way to a possibly cost effective
renovation and improvement of all.
Fig. 7: Prêt à Loger at its present location at TU Delft. CE12. Zero medicines, hormones or multi resistant bacteria emitting Hospitals All hospitals in MRDH with zero medicine and hormones effluents . MRDH houses 14 hospitals. If one
includes the just border crossing ones the total reaches 17 including two academic medical centers.
These hospitals are major contributors in water born hormones, medicines and multi resistant
bacteria effluents. Once mixed up in the regional water treatment the concentrations are too low to
clean in an economically feasible way. Given the intended new EU water directive however measures
have to be taken in order to reduce the level of hormones and medicine residues in our surface
water. In Delft (Reinier de Graaf Groep) and Rotterdam (ErasmusMC, St Franciscus) systems are in
place/being built up which can treat the waste water (with high concentrations of contaminants).
The project is aimed at including this technology for the remaining 15 hospitals of the MRDH.
CE13. Blue House De-central treatment of wastewater using roots of plants. Cities in the Netherlands face challenges in
relation to the availability of drinking water: 1) increased demand due to the increasing population,
2) increased amounts of wastewater which will negatively affect the capacity of current
infrastructure and 3) large investments for operating/renovating current wastewater treatment
plants. De-central wastewater treatment concepts, like the organica Bluehouse, offers a proper
solution this problem. Bluehouse is a pre-engineered and pre-fabricated facility that captures all the
benefits of Organica-powered wastewater treatment, in one easy-to-install package.
CE14. Sailing heat Efficient and effective use of waste heat from industry to supply heat in buildings and residential
areas by using Phase Change Material for heat storage and ships for heat transfer (water
infrastructure). Waste heat has an essential role in achieving national sustainability goals. It is a cost
effective way to reduce CO2 up to 80%. In the Netherlands, a lot of waste heat is available. However,
energy providers do not take advantage of this ‘free’ heat due to large distances between heat
supply and heat demand, huge necessary investments and unwillingness of heat providers to enter
into long-term agreements. Industrial areas with waste heat are often located near the water. Waste
16
heat (stored using Phase Change Material) transported via existing water infrastructure (using ships)
offers a proper solution to this problem.
CE15. Afval loont Uitbreiding naar een netwerk van 10-25 strategische locaties met filialen in de Metropoolregio
Rotterdam Den Haag. Focus op Den Haag/Rotterdam/Delft, zodat het bereik in de metropoolregio
maximaal is. Nu al filialen in Barendrecht, Hoogvliet en Krimpen a/d IJssel (Q4 2016) en
vooronderzoek voor opening filialen in Lansingerland en Nissewaard. Al de 23 regiogemeenten
komen in aanmerking voor één of meerdere filialen in stadskern en bij hoogbouw.
Afval loont beloont voor het gescheiden inleveren van huishoudelijk afval. Positieve beloning is
essentieel bij gedragsverandering. Bij Afval loont krijgen inwoners een geldbedrag per kilogram dat
wordt ingeleverd bij onze filialen. Spaarders krijgen geld voor (verpakkings)plastic, drankkarton, oud
papier en karton, textiel, kleine elektrische apparaten, metalen en frituurvet. Afval loont wil mensen
bewust maken van de waarde van afval. Daarmee zetten zij zich actief in voor het scheiden van afval.
Dat is goed voor het milieu en de lokale circulaire economie. De waarde van de grondstoffen gaat
niet verloren en blijft in de regio. Samen sparen we de natuur is onze missie!
CE16. Delft Blue Water (Withdrawn) CE17. Verwaarden alle resttromen 1. Alle reststromen regionaal in beeld brengen, op basis van de 8 miljoen ton verslading door de Rotterdamse haven. 2. Doelgroepenanalyse; welke nieuwe bedrijvigheid moet en kan ontstaan uit de potentie van die waardevolle reststromen. 3. Verkennen hoe de data van de reststromen en de fysieke beschikbaarheid kan worden ondergebracht bij het clustermanagement. 4. Businesscases uitwerken op basis van de bestaande reststromen in Reijerwaard, met opschaalbaarheid naar (1) de verdubbeling van Reijerwaard door uitgifte van het nieuwe terrein en (2) de andere AGFknooppunten in de regio, zoals de logistieke terreinen in de Waal-Eemhaven, West- en Oostland, en de reststromen van de teeltgebieden. 5. Het samenbrengen van de reststromen, de potentiele doelgroepen voor de verwaarding, en de
businesscases om de vertaling te maken naar timeframe, investering, en concrete vervolgacties
CE18. Circularity Center Doorontwikkelen van huidige circularity center naar “kenniscentrum / accelerator circulaire
economie binnen MRDH. Het Circularity Center Rotterdam speelt een verbindende rol bij de transitie
naar een circulaire economie in de Metropoolregio Rotterdam - Den Haag en in het bijzonder voor
het haven- en industrieel complex van Rotterdam.
Aan deze missie wordt invulling gegeven door: o bouwen van coalities en stimuleren samenwerking rondom circulaire business cases o bijeenbrengen van relevante kennis, data en netwerk op vlak circulaire economie o ondersteunen van ondernemers in het vertalen van geselecteerde ideeën / projecten naar
economisch rendabele business cases o inzet van het netwerk van partners bij de acceleratie van business development rol
17
CE19. Puls Up Verbinden van bedrijven en het creëren van meerwaarde uit reststromen in MDHR. Er liggen veel
kansen verscholen in de manier waarop bedrijven ondernemen en gebruik maken van hun
bedrijfsomgeving. Een aantal van de bedrijfs-processen die nu nog geld kosten kunnen straks geld
waard zijn. Puls Up ondersteunt bedrijventerreinen bij het proces van waarderen van de beschikbare
reststromen Met behulp van een online uitwisselplatform(puls app), inzicht beschikbare
materiaalstromen (oogstkaart), een lokale bemiddelaar en een fysieke uitwissellokatie kunnen
reststromen; zoals beschikbare ruimte, energie, vervoer en restmateriaal aan worden geboden en
gedeeld.
CE20. Smart Tiles Door ontwikkeling van MVP, via re-design en productielijn naar scale up marktoplossing. Binnen
ENGIE loopt een project waarin wordt gezocht naar mogelijkheden voor het actief maken van
passieve objecten in de buitenruimte. Dit kan worden gedaan door functies (energie opwek, licht,
warmte, energie opslag) toe te voegen aan bestaande objecten. Dit wordt gedaan door gebruik te
maken van nanocoatings. Als technology demonstrator en minimal viable product is nu een tegel
ontwikkeld die energie opwekt doordat er (zon)licht opvalt, daarnaast kan de tegel verwarmd
worden zodat hij in de winter niet glad zal worden door sneeuw of bevriezing. Momenteel wordt de
tegel, die gemaakt is op een basis van gerecycled kunststof, getest op The Green Village in Delft.
CE21. ReColour To re-use up to to 10mlts of waste decorative paint. Of the 75 million liters of Deco paint sold in the
Netherlands every year, about 10mlts remains unused. Almost all of this left-over paint is sent to
incinerators; a large and costly waste of resources. This project aims to reuse this waste paint for the
benefit of local communities by enabling local social enterprise groups to collect and remanufacture
it into a new product. AkzoNobel will invest in training and equipping these businesses to safely turn
this waste into a good quality product that can then be used for the benefit of society and socially
disadvantaged people. This will provide work experience opportunities, improve living and
community spaces and also remove waste from the environment.
CE22. ReSourceCity –verouderde bedrijventerreinen re-activeren met de next economy Alle reststromen van bierbrouwerijen in NL hergebruiken en up- cyclen, zoals het graan (bostel), de
gist, afvalwater, energie, karton, petflesfusten- en daarmee weer nieuwe producten creëren , – of de
grondstoffen koppelen aan andere bedrijven in het gebied die daar weer iets nieuws mee kunnen
doen, dus waarde toevoegen. Samenwerkingen aangaan met verschillende partijen die je nodig hebt
om het nieuwe product te maken. Dit hergebruik en up-cycleproces creëert veel meer
arbeidsplaatsen dan het traditionele afvoeren van de reststromen. Opschalen is mogelijk.
ReSourceCity re-activeerd verouderde bedrijventerreinen met de Next Economie. Daartoe creëren
we tastbare voorbeelden voor de bewustwording om slimmer en efficiënter om te gaan met
grondstoffen, energie en hergebruik van restmaterialen. Juist bedrijventerreinen zijn interessant, je
vindt op een relatief klein oppervlak een verscheidenheid aan bedrijven elk met z'n specifieke
reststromen die wellicht als grondstoffen kunnen dienen voor een ander bedrijf binnen het gebied;
winst zit al in minimaal transport en synergie tussen de bedrijven. ReSourceCity richt zich in eerste
instantie op het binnenstedelijke bedrijventerrein de Haagse Binckhorst en specifiek op
bierbrouwerij Kompaan. Deze gebruiken we als testcase.
18
CE23. Personalised food Health prevention fund of 5 million, health benefits 10 million. Personalised food systems for
different groups of consumers with similar symptoms or specific situations, utilising the health
potential of fresh vegetables and fruit from the greenhouses in the Westland-Oostland area. People
respond differently to the same types of food; many diseases can be prevented by a better lifestyle.
Foundation ‘Voeding leeft’ developed a lifestyle program (supported by Innovation Network/Ministry
of EZ) that actually reverses Diabetes 2 in 80 – 90% of the diagnosed target group. The current health
system does not promote prevention or cure with specific foods and lifestyle programs. The current
decentralisation of care to the city councils challenges the local governments to start programs to
finance health prevention and cure with personalised food.
CE24. Kas als Apotheek Project is being integrated with other Agro-projects. CE25. Expertisecentrum Remanufacturing Een kenniscentrum, waar wetenschappelijk, hoger-, middelbaar-, beroeps-onderwijs en bedrijven bij elkaar komen om de Circulaire kansen rond Remanufacturing naar de praktijk te brengen. Remanufacturing is een belangrijk onderdeel in circulaire economie om van producten en onderdelen (bijvoorbeeld machines en motoren) de levensduur te verlengen of onderdelen een nieuw of tweede leven te geven. Middels het voorliggende voorstel wil Cirkellab in samenwerking met de andere partijen een haalbaarheidsonderzoek starten om te komen tot een Expertisecentrum Remanufacturing in de Drechtsteden, waar de wetenschappelijke kennis van TU Delft, valorisatie en innovatie vanuit de Duurzaamheidsfabriek, kennis vanuit regionaal onderwijs en ervaring van lokale kennis van de markt (Koninklijke Kemper en Van Twist en Bolier) bij elkaar worden gebracht. CE26. Waarde uit weesbotjes Een recycling-hub, waar weesbootjes worden gedemonteerd en de waarde van alle waardevolle
onderdelen en materialen wordt teruggehaald. De ontwikkeling van een recycling-hub voor
weesbootjes, waar optimaal waarde wordt teruggewonnen die de kosten van ophalen, berging en/of
milieuschade overtreft.
CE27. Oeverbeschoeiing van Baggerspecie: GeoWall Een vijftal pilots oeverbeschoeiing realiseren met de GeoWall van baggerslib als bouwmateriaal. De
GeoWall is op laboratoriumschaal getest en als prototype in Delft gebouwd en in test. De toepassing
belooft goedkoper én langleverder te zijn dan de huidige, reguliere oeverbeschoeiing van hardhout.
Nu is er behoefte aan een aantal pilots rond de toepasbaarheid om de opschalingsmogelijkheden
naar alle oeverbeschoeiing van sloten en vaarten te kunnen toetsen.
CE28. Field Lab Blue City Tekst volgt.
19
Appendix 3: Participants and contributors workgroup Circularity / Circular Economy
