From solar panel monoculture to multiple land use
Solar energy is rapidly becoming so cheap that it can crowd out other land uses, like agriculture. The farmer may earn a lot more from a monoculture of solar panels than from any crop. But this is an unfortunate development; it may do a lot of harm to the public perception of solar energy. Multiple
Mycelium as a construction material
Quietly, industry is perfecting the art of using mycelium as a construction material. Mycelium is the invisible part of mushrooms: their ‘roots’ that consist of minuscule threads called hyphae. There is just one disadvantage to mycelium as a construction material: it cannot carry much weight. But then, buildings require many parts that don’t have to
Seafood from the lab – will consumers like it?
Whereas the artificial hamburger has been launched with a lot of fuss a few years ago, artificial seafood has been developed in relative quiet. But it may come to the market much sooner. Texture and taste seem to be good, already. Prices come down fast. But will the consumer like seafood from the lab? Seafood
Processed banana leaves, an eco-friendly packaging solution
In Asia, banana leaves were always used for food packaging. But they quickly deteriorate. They have been overtaken by plastics, that now often clog the waterways and pollute the oceans. An young Indian inventor has managed to process banana leaves to a packaging material that keeps it properties for three years. And it is perfectly
Pesticide resistance, a growing problem
Pesticide resistance is a brand new phenomenon, historically speaking. It was first reported in 1914, just a century ago. A result of chemical, and later biotechnological methods of pest control. And now already, pesticide resistance has evolved into an almost unsolvable problem. Scientific literature about the subject makes for pessimistic reading. Farmers need to use
Sustainable fish farms
Fish farming is increasingly important. More than half of the fish consumed by mankind is farmed fish already, and its share is on the rise. Without fish farming, we would not be able to consume our average diet of 20 kg fish per year (an amount that has doubled over the past 50 years). But
Bio-bitumen for the roads of the future
Bitumen is a by-product of oil production and is used to bind the surfaces of paved roads. Some researchers, concerned about its environmental impacts and future supply if petroleum refining slows down, have started to develop alternatives: bio-bitumen. An alternative to fossil-based bitumen Every year the EU produces around 15 million tonnes of bitumen. Most
When upcycling, reach for the moon
In September 2016, Henk Kamp, then Minister of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands, opened Upcycling Gemert, a plant that processes mushroom waste into compost, fuel and heat. Only two weeks later, a press release announced another project, called BIOrescue, that aims to upcycle the same mushroom waste by creating new bio-based products. Although I was
