Creating The Circular Carbon Economy
In Enschede, we have been experimenting with biochar and how it can possibly be used for some time now – and with success.
You have certainly all seen the video about the asphalt with biochar on the military site. https://lnkd.in/eRHwq98Z. A new pavement that has even become CO2 negative with the addition of biochar. But now we have also made concrete CO2-neutral! Nice, isn’t it?
During the conference and the accompanying exhibitions, we were able to show that the use of biochar brings a lot of possibilities – with some of the ideas having already gone well beyond the prototype stage and are already being field tested.
With more than 60 visitors exploring the different possibilities of using biochar, it can be said that the theme is increasingly well perceived.
Thanks to the theoretical presentation by our Irish colleague and partner from the THREE C project, Stephen McCormack, not only the exhibition but also the scientific basis was created and the necessary material was provided to initiate intensive discussions!
Further reinforcing the event, the THREE C partnership visited three different sites, all in the direct area of use of biochar.
During the joint tour of the Twence environmental waste management plants, the main focus was on the central questions of how existing biomass and the associated energy could be used.
Supported by B. Zwijnenberg, one of the managers on site, there was a lively discussion on the extent to which there are potential opportunities to develop a further source of biocoal. In addition, the overlap between the THREE C project and the environmental services of Twence was obvious.
For some of the partners, the visit to the Ecofalt plant in Abbink was the main event. Not only did the on-site analgesics stand out for their different approaches to sustainability, but above all, the central product, Ecofalt, attracted everyone with great interest.
Ecofalt is a kind of cold asphalt (the composition is of course more complex), which in itself already brings a significant reduction in CO2. In addition, the company has already started an attempt to integrate biochar in order to offer a product that would stand out as CO2 negative.
The further developments will not only drive the THREE C partnership, but also the company sees the potential impact of this concept as a clear step towards sustainability!
But also the visit to Eric, the director of Mineral Valley, an agricultural association of local farmers and growers, offered clear signs of common concepts in the integration of biochar.
In particular, the question of existing intensive agriculture and the associated use of available resources is emerging as an area of action for biochar.
This is a situation that can be found in many regions of Europe.