Seaweed as a source of food and useful compounds
At present, most seaweed is grown in Asia. But the North Sea, between England and the European continent, is an attractive location for growing seaweed. This sea is rich in nutrients. Seaweed can be processed to food, useful substances and biogas. However, we need innovations in order for this business to become competitive. Innovations on
Forest gardening – producing food in biodiversity
The art of forest gardening will eventually produce what we might call an ‘edible forest’. Highly valued because of its biodiversity, ecological resilience and the productivity of its biomass. Forest gardens need little maintenance and are climate resistant. An alternative to agriculture? And will the farmer be able to live off such an edible forest?
A transition that makes use of existing energy infrastructure
We need to move through the energy transition fast. Because continuous carbon dioxide emissions will result in unacceptable climate changes. That’s why we need transition paths that meet with little resistance. The Scientific American recently proposed a pathway in which we continue to make use of existing energy infrastructure. In order to prevent protracted rear-guard
CO2 utilization, a growth sector
In a report released last month, Lux Research looked into CO2 utilization. The company forecasts a growth in this sector to $ 70 billion by 2030 and to $ 550 billion by 2040. CO2 will be put to good use in the buildings, chemicals, materials, fuels, and food sectors. A growth sector In its report
Wooden windows
Wooden windows? Wood, not for the frame but for the transparent part, instead of glass? Yes, modern research has shown that we can make transparent wood with a relatively benign chemical treatment. A new application for this biobased material! Windows made from transparent wood are good insulators – interesting because glass is not good at
Chemicals and materials industry needs to innovate
‘The chemicals and materials industry is going to see more dramatic change over the next 20 years than it has in at least the last 50,’ says Anthony Schiavo, Senior Analyst at Lux Research. They just completed a report on start-ups that are going to disrupt the chemicals and materials industry. Any company in the
Cheap energy storage speeds up
Costs of producing renewable energy keep coming down; and technologies for cheap energy storage keep evolving. Therefore, the eternal problems with solar and wind energy appear to be more and more outdated (‘what to do if the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow’). In the past, we already devoted our attention to this
Pitfalls in nuclear energy risk analysis
Ten years ago, last month, a tsunami struck the West coast of Japan. It flooded the Fukushima nuclear reactor. This resulted in a partial meltdown and a hydrogen explosion, that released a lot of radioactivity. The media devoted many articles to this anniversary. The Conversation raised the question: in hindsight, were events really as bad
on: 5 April 2021