Since its launch last year, a major Dutch initiative designed to investigate how waste can be converted to chemicals has more than doubled in size.
Initially formed by Amsterdam-headquartered specialty chemicals AkzoNobel, Canadian company Enerkem and four regional partners, the collaboration has since attracted eight more commercial parties.
The aim is to use Enerkem's technology to manufacture synthesis gas from domestic and other waste and use it as a feedstock for making products such as methanol and ammonia.
The public-private partnership will study the options for setting up Europe's first plant, either in Rotterdam or Delfzijl. The partners will publish the results of the study later this year.
The latest commercial organisations to join the partnership are Van Gansewinkel (founder of the Circularity Centre), EEW Energy from Waste, BioMCN, Air Liquide, Veolia, Visser & Smit Hanab, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and DNV GL. They join founding partners AkzoNobel, Enerkem, the Investment and Development Company for the Northern Netherlands (NOM), Groningen Seaports, Clean Tech Delta and the South Holland development company InnovationQuarter.
Together, the 14 partners have teamed up from waste collection to conversion to industrial plants and sales. The primary aim is to use Enerkem's proven conversion process to turn domestic and other waste into useful products.
(PRA)
