Reaction Disclaimer
With a combination of traditional fermentation techniques and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU), Antwerp-based start-up Calidris Bio aims to demonstrate that new, sustainable protein sources for the food industry represent a serious alternative. 'Our role is to show that it can truly work at scale.'
The increasingly prominent role of batteries is driving growing demand for battery materials, including battery electrolytes based on cyclic carbonates. Alta Group is working on scaling up a process to produce cyclic carbonates and derivatives from captured CO₂.
Dumping or incineration. That is what often happens to discarded plastics nowadays. But start-up UPPACT in Delfzijl sees greater merit in blending. To do this, they use an ingenious machine from Australia. They are already converting the mixture into practical planks and sheets. As far as they are concerned, these UnWastors will soon be found all across Europe at local waste processors.
Where PET bottles have been mechanically recycled for years, this is not possible for low-grade, contaminated PET waste. Teijin Aramid and Hanze University of Applied Sciences are collaborating on a process to transform this waste stream into raw materials for the super-strong aramid fibre Twaron®. 'We have demonstrated that Twaron® can be produced from waste plastics.'
Blue Circle Olefins wants to build a 200 ktonne facility on the Chane site in Rotterdam for the production of ethylene and propylene from sustainable methanol. 'We do not see the supply of methanol as a spoiler.'
Transfection at its gentlest Getting large molecules into a cell can be done by brute force, but this often causes damage to the cell. The Ghent-based start-up Trince is betting on photoporation, a unique transfection method that not only leaves cells in good health but is also suitable for high-throughput applications.
Start-up Thorizon is breathing new life into the old principle of the molten salt reactor. The team is aiming for 2030 for the construction of a demonstration reactor. 'There is still plenty to work on.'
The Nijmegen-based start-up SBMatrices is making waves with their animal-free, fully synthetic gel Fybrix, which offers cells an environment at least as favourable as Matrigel whilst also delivering reproducible results.
The Dutch start-up The Protein Brewery uses fermentation to 'brew' a fungus that can serve as a highly nutritious and complete protein source. 'We are increasingly realising that we won't manage with animal proteins alone.'
At the sludge processing facility of SNB in Moerdijk, a large-scale phosphate recycling installation is set to be built where SusPhos will deploy their patented process to recover phosphate from sewage sludge ash. 'If all the sewage sludge ash in the EU were processed in this way, phosphate imports could be halved.'
