Is gasification a good alternative to waste incineration? In the Honours Programme Project Impact, students from various study programmes investigated the current status of this alternative technology. An associate professor, a student and the director of a waste incineration plant talk about the project. 'I am more optimistic than I was at the start.'
At the table with the big players: students conduct research into chemical recycling
Gasification is a form of chemical recycling, explains Sjors Witjes. He is an associate professor of Sustainable and Circular Organisation and the driving force behind this Honours Programme. 'The Netherlands is very meticulous in separating and recycling waste materials, but we also have residual waste that we incinerate. We use some of the CO2 released during this incineration to heat greenhouses. There are also plans to capture and store CO2.'
Gasification is slightly better than incineration. The waste is converted into syngas in a high-temperature thermal process. This gas can be used to produce electricity, heat or as a raw material for the chemical industry. ‘It is not only because of climate change that we need to look for alternatives to CO2 combustion, but also because of raw material security,’ says Witjes. ‘Geopolitical tensions mean that we will have to become less dependent on raw materials from abroad. Syngas can play a role in this.’
No consultancy
The Institute for Sustainable Process Technology (ISPT) in Amersfoort commissioned Witjes to analyse the current state of affairs surrounding gasification. Together with Victor Reijnders as honours supervisor, Witjes set nine students to work who wanted to do something extra alongside their studies. ‘It is a unique project, in which the students have complete freedom in developing the research process. They learn to work together and to shape the research themselves. It is not consultancy, it is really about critical thinking. They are completely free to say what they think, as long as they substantiate it properly. I heard one student say about a stakeholder: “They are thinking wrongly”.’
'It was a great experience,' says Paige Kemper about the Honours Programme. The American student is enrolled in the Social & Cultural Science research master's programme and wanted to do something extra. For eight months, she immersed herself in the world of gasification, working with other students to analyse various gasification initiatives, interview stakeholders, visit London and organise a seminar. 'It was an interdisciplinary group. I worked with someone studying microbiology and someone studying computer science. Everyone had their own perspective, which was very motivating.'
The big players
The students made contact with key players in the process industry, who still make extensive use of fossil fuels such as petroleum. Syngas could be of interest to them. 'These students are very conscious of sustainability,' says Witjes, 'so sitting down with the big boys is the real deal. If you really want to make a difference, you need to be with these parties. Through this project, the students have come to realise the importance of collaboration.'
At the end of the project, a seminar was held in the skylounge of the Erasmus building, where students and stakeholders discussed gasification. Witjes: 'The beautiful location at the university allows the directors to let their guard down. They no longer keep their cards close to their chest, as they would in their own offices.' During the seminar, a document summarising the current state of affairs was also presented. ‘The students’ message was clear: the responsibility lies with the actors. ISPT can play a coordinating role in this.’
Nijmegen waste incineration plant
Rutger Jan Pessers, director of the Nijmegen waste incineration plant ARN, is pleased that the students have put gasification back on the agenda. This technology is a serious option for the waste incineration plant, although he is also critical. ‘In the past, gasification worked well when it was used with a homogeneous material such as coal. In our case, you have to extract exactly the right raw materials from a mountain of waste, which is a major challenge and a very sensitive process.’
Pessers does see that ARN is suitable for using this technology, because a number of the necessary components are already present at the plant. However, ARN would also have to make a substantial investment and the technology would need to be further developed. 'Actually, it can only work under two conditions. The technology must be robust enough to extract specific raw materials from the waste. In addition, there must be a good business case.'
The latter is not helped by the government's current vacillating policy. On the one hand, waste plants are being forced to innovate significantly, while on the other hand, they are faced with CO2 taxes. Pessers: 'The policy is at odds with what they want to achieve. In addition, customers will go abroad if waste becomes even more expensive. That way, you lose control of the waste streams.' The ARN director continues to monitor the situation, but is also working on other sustainable projects, such as heat networks and modifications to reduce nitrogen emissions.
Grateful
Student Kemper is grateful that she was allowed to participate in the project. 'We didn't find the silver bullet, but we did look at which policies could make companies more competitive and encourage them to invest more in technology.' She learned a lot from the stakeholders and how things work in this world. 'I had to get used to the approach. The terminology is different, the logic is different, but I'm more optimistic than I was at the beginning.' Kemper believes that a cleaner world is possible if everyone participates. 'It doesn't help if we just point fingers and alienate others. Everyone should be able to benefit from change.'
Text: Willem Claassen
Contact information
- Contact
- Dr S. Witjes (Sjors)
- Organizational unit
- Nijmegen School of Management, Institute for Management Research, Business Administration, Strategy
- Theme
- Sustainability