Demosite wwtp Leeuwarden hosts pilot plant using Swedish recovery technology for biopolymers
Swedish ambassador Håkan Emsgård officially started a pilot to produce biopolymers from waste water at the waste water treatment plant Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, on 27 January.
The ceremony took place at the demo site of the wwtp that is specially constructed to facilitate experiments with innovative water treatment technologies.
The Swedish ambassador was invited for the inauguration as the Cella-technology has originally been developed by Swedish company Anoxkaldnes.
Production degradable biopolymers
The pilot is a joint initiative of Anoxkaldnes/Veolia, KNN Bioplastic (business development), Wetterskip Fryslân (water board/owner of the wwtp) and province of Fryslân.
The results of the pilot will be used for the design of the first full scale reference polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production plant in the Netherlands, using the Swedish technology.
KNN Bioplastics and Anoxkaldness also conduct tests with the Cella-technology, using residual water from sugar producer Suikerunie.
Tests are also conducted using solid agricultural waste as raw material for the biopolymer production.
The construction of a first full scale reference plant for degradable biopolymers in the Netherlands is scheduled to start this year.
Special bacteria in waste water
Waste water has proven an excellent source for bacteria that can be used for the production of degradable biopolymer. The Cella-technology uses these selected bacteria in combination with fermentation of sludge, leading to the production of the biopolymers.
After accumulation and refinery, the biopolymers can be used to produce biodegradable plastic products.
The concept of Wetsus' demo sites is based on 'plug in and play' for real-time testing of newly developed water technologies with real water streams.
More demo sites for water treatment
The demosite at wwtp Leeuwarden is one of the five 'on site' testing locations for new water treatment technologies, initiated by Wetsus centre of excellence for sustainable water technology.
At the demosites new concepts can be scaled up, tested and demonstrated. Here researchers and companies can easily plug in their containerised pilot plants to test their newly developed technology using the different water streams, at real-time conditions.
The sites are situated at a waste water treatment plant, a drinking water production plant, a salt mining company, a water laboratory and a hospital.
(top photo: Water board Wetterskip Fryslan)
More information
KNN Bioplastics
Groningen, the Netherlands
+31 50 317 55 50
www.knnadvies.nl and www.plantplastic.nl
Wetsus - demosites
Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
+31 58 284 30 00
www.wetsus.nl