Energy storage, its role in the transition

In many discussions on sustainable energy, energy storage is a controversial issue. Particularly non-experts use the lack of simple storage technologies as an unanswerable remark: all nice and well, sustainable energy, but as long as a day without sunshine leaves … Read more

CRISPR-Cas: a prize winning technology?

According to Piet Borst, a highly respected Dutch cancer researcher, those deserving to receive the Nobel Prize for the development of CRISPR-Cas technology, will not get it. With that he means the microbiologists who did the painstaking fundamental research and … Read more

SynBio is gearing up

SynBio

Synthetic Biology (SynBio) includes a large field of applications. Within this area biochemists combine engineering concepts and techniques with biology to design new genes that produce a specific protein. When this protein is an enzyme, bacteria and yeast in which … Read more

Biobased means thinking in short cycles

orga architects biobased

Biobased really is a sub-branch of circular, says Daan Bruggink of ORGA architects. The circular economy knows two cycles, technical and biological. The biological cycle of course contains the ‘real’ natural materials: wood, reed, fibre, flax, and so on. Technical … Read more

Thermocatalytic reforming makes most of biomass

TCR thermocatalytic reforming test equipment

The German start-up Susteen Technologies GmbH will come to the Netherlands with its thermocatalytic reforming process (TCR®), an improved pyrolysis technology. Its customers will locally transform various kinds of biomass into synthesis gas, charcoal and oil of diesel quality, to … Read more

Daan Bruggink: building naturally with ORGA

Daan Bruggink is one of the standard bearers of sustainable architecture in the Netherlands. If anything, he insists on building based on nature: ‘We at ORGA Architects first consider natural forms,’ he says. ‘Second, we consider natural techniques such as … Read more

A rich harvest on genetic technology

Within one month, three reports about genetic technology in crops. And on top of that, a trend analysis for the entire biotechnology, one month before. All four of them downloadable and very readable. I will shortly review them here. Genetic … Read more

Vertical farming

Vertical farming is making headway into modern cities. Fresh produce being a unique selling point for vegetables, we will see more production units coming close to the customer. Vertical production units to be sure, often in old buildings and LED … Read more

Micronutrients, small but essential

Micronutrients deficient maize plants

Plants need nutrients, among which minerals. Modern agriculture has given much attention to macronutrients: nitrogen, potassium, calcium, sulphur, magnesium and phosphorus. And much less to micronutrients, elements like boron, iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. Essential for plant life, albeit  … Read more

Brexit was not about the EU

Imprisonment is the worst criminal punishment available to a European citizen. The long-term loss of freedom is loathsome for human beings, and the incarcerated almost always long for freedom. That is why stories involving prisons so often involve prison breaks, … Read more

Biobased markets need standardization

Standardization

Everybody involved in the bioeconomy should understand that standardization is a requirement for a successful institutionalisation of biobased markets. Standardization is a prerequisite for trade One of the basic assumptions is that market parties need to establish standardization because they … Read more

Sustainable Timber Tower on the Rise

Imagine a highly-urbanized city where wood is the icon of its skyscrapers, structures in timber towering over iron and concrete tall buildings. It is a vision that does not only challenge the popularity of steel construction but also sets a … Read more

Bamboo, a promising feedstock

Bamboo is a promising green feedstock. It is not only used for construction (approximately 1 billion people live in bamboo homes), we can now also make clothing from it and eat it. It is one of the fastest growing plants … Read more

We need genetic engineering

I devoted many words already to the advantages of genetic engineering. On paper, in the form of books and columns, as a speaker at schools, congresses, women’s associations, service clubs, and in churches, libraries, in short when and where I … Read more