R&D in chemistry and process technology
In the biobased economy, green chemistry will play an important role. But many aspects of it need further research and development. Almost all petrochemical technology will have to be adapted of even reinvented: separation and process technologies, catalysis, and analytical techniques. And all branches of biotechnology will have to come to full bloom. Separation technology
NGOs and the biobased economy
In 2009, Dutch IMI institute interviewed eleven NGOs on their stand on the biobased economy, on behalf of the ministry’s Interdepartmental Program for the Biobased Economy. All NGOs are prepared to enter into a dialogue and welcome new policy developments. These NGO’s were: • IUCN-NL • ICCO • Natuurmonumenten • Stichting Natuur en Milieu •
Regulation as a bottleneck
Ancient regulation might stand in the way of biobased economy development in many forms. These bottlenecks differ among countries; here we offer an overview with some examples. Waste regulation Waste regulation is intended to serve public health. Manure and offal are examples of biobased resources posing a threat to public health. Strict regulation primarily serves
Phosphate and soil carbon
High yields generally require sufficient fertilizer, e.g. phosphate. Phosphorus is an element essential to plant growth. But whereas nitrogen fertilizer is synthesized, the only way to produce fertilizer containing phosphorus, is to mine it as phosphate. World phosphate resources are limited, peak production is imminent, and contrary to crude oil (peak oil), phosphate does not
Much biobased economic activity in France
Northern France’s agricultural areas host many biobased initiatives. Both in Picardy and in Champagne-Ardennes, French government invests in joint chemistry/agriculture projects. There are pilot and demo plants for ethanol production, and the French produce second generation biofuels, and biochemicals like succinic acid. These two areas are in the heart of French agriculture, in particular of
Three development phases in green chemistry
Green chemistry development will take place in three overlapping phases, up to 2050. The first has been developing for some time now, the second started recently, and the third is in the research phase. 1. Biofuels in the petrochemical infrastructure Petrochemical industry uses building blocks, simple molecules from which more complex ones are synthesized. Ethylene
First versus second generation
In the biofuel debate, it important to distinguish first and second generation technologies. First generation technologies produce biofuel from edible feedstock like starch (from maize), sugar (from sugar cane) or rape seed oil. Second generation technologies produce biofuel from wood or grass fibres, or from specially bred ‘second generation crops’ like Miscanthus. Acceptance of first
