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The RDM Submarine Wharf in Rotterdam South will be transformed into one big Living Lab! Experience, view, and be a part of the more than 150 innovations at the Innovation Expo, on the RDM grounds, the number one innovation hot spot in the port of Rotterdam.
Taking innovations further, realising breakthroughs, and thus contributing to the social challenges we are facing in our country and in the world, that is the ambition of the Innovation Expo 2018. With this biennial event, the government provides the business community, research institutes, NGO’s, and government bodies a platform to bring innovations into the limelight before a broad national and international audience.
During the IE2018, in addition to experiencing high-profile innovations, you will make contact with the innovation network of investors, businesses, and policymakers. Become inspired during one of the more than 40 sessions. Attend the interesting keynote presentations by speakers such as Mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb and Louise Fresco, Chair of the Governing Board of Wageningen University & Research Centre.
The report: “Op weg naar een klimaatneutrale infrasector in Nederland” (Towards a climate-neutral infrastructure sector in the Netherlands) is mentioning the process of Green Minerals as serious solution for CO2 reduction of concrete. Stichting Klimaatvriendelijk Aanbesteden & Ondernemen (SKAO) and TU Delft are researching with support of MVI-Energie, which innovations and measures in the chain are the most promising opportunities.
“Within the infrastructure sector, the use of energy and materials and thus the total of CO2 emissions is an important sustainability indicator. Thereby, the sector has an important contribution to the sustainability of other sectors such as mobility and energy supply. SKAO and TU Delft have been working together with parties from the Green Deal Sustainable GWW (GD DGWW 2.0) since 2017, to gain more insight into the transition to a climate-neutral infrastructure.”
The report deepens into four big material-flows: benzine, asphalt, concrete and steel. Olivine and mineralization is mentioned as new technology for concrete, on page 27, 28 and Appendix A-7.
“Alternatives for aggregates that can extract CO2 from the air are also present (not included in scenario analysis). Examples are Olivine and mineral CO2. These materials can thus ensure double profit.”
Recently, a Dutch site ‘Het Nieuwe Produceren’ published an article about CO2 usage options. Het Nieuwe Produceren is a platform with industrial progress as startingpoint. The platform provides information about developments and innovations that make the industry more sustainable, smarter and safer.
The article is mentioning ‘ CO2 usage by mineralisation’. A translated quote:
“There is also interest in CO2 as a feedstock from the construction sector. The company Ruwbouw from Harderwijk developed the so-called compensation stone. That is a new material that uses CO2 as feedstock. During the production process, the building material absorbs a large amount of CO2. For an average house this is about 5000 kilograms of CO2. The CO2 is bonded with a binder, creating a new, hard stone-like building material.”
“For building materials, mineralization of CO2 is an interesting option. That is an application that is still relatively unknown. In particular, the old mineral olivine is used here: an igneous rock that can be found in many places in the world. During the olivine process, CO2 is removed from the air and converted into lime. By speeding up this process, it can provide raw materials. The lime can be used, among other things, as filling material in concrete, but also in paper and plastics.”
Furthermore, Wim Raaijen, the writer of the article says it would be unfortunate if CCU is not seen as serious solution for the CO2 surplus. “In the coalition agreement, there is a strong commitment to underground storage of CO2 (CCS), while nothing useful is done with it. Then CO2 will unfortunately remains waste.”
What to do with the large amount of CO2? CCS (Carbon Capture & Storage) is well known, but CCU (Carbon Capture & Utilization) is quite new. Green Minerals is pleased to read two Dutch news-articles today.
Greenpeace report
A report from Greenpeace about (geological) CCS, but mineralization mentioned. For the press release of Greenpeace look here where you can download the report.
A translated passage: “Storage by means of minerals is most likely the method that can best guarantee that CO2 will not escape. By reacting CO2 with minerals, it is stored in a stable and solid form. This carbonation process also takes place in nature, but it is relatively slow. Faster, artificial carbonation is also possible, but this requires a large amount of minerals and a lot of energy – so much, that according to a study the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of a power plant would increase by 90 to 370%.”
Article New Scientist – Edition June 2018
A second article is from a Dutch edition of New Scientist about CO2 usage. It starts with CCS options, but quite early in the article, the writer explains different CCU options like fuel, hydrogen and also materials. For CCU, the writer predicts a big market-potential, as twice as big as the current smartphone-market. You can download the article here
