• Energy Research
• DK close
• Danish close

We produce and consume disasters whether we intend to or not. But it’s generally not the same groups of people that causing disasters and those sacrificing. Disasters, in all their grief, have a capacity to reveal inequalities and injustices of the world (e.g. Katrina did in the US and the earthquake in Haiti). While we wait for the little Ebola virus to give in under the pressure from the international community let us see if this disaster has unearthed hidden disparities in health, ugly faces of the international community or new lessons for global health that we need to address

Projektet er et bidrag til diskussionen om hvordan der kan forskes i bæredygtighed. Der argumenteres for at bæredygtighed er et begreb, der ikke er klart defineret og har meget at gøre med opfattelse af værdi. Derfor bør der ikke i undersøgelser af bæredygtighed foretages en vægtning af enkelte elementer i forhold til hinanden. Det forsøges at skabe en metodologisk tilgang til at undersøge teknologier under betragtning af at værditilskrivelsen skal ske hos læseren. For at eksemplificere og afprøve tilgangen undersøges biogasfremstilling. Det er et forsøg på at gøre evaluering af bæredygtighed kvalitativ uden at vægte enkelte områder i forhold til hinanden. Bæredygtighed og bæredygtig udvikling bruges synonymt i rapporten. _______________________________ _______________________________________________________________ This project is a contribution to the ongoing discussion of how to utilize the term sustainability in the social sciences. The project aims to supply methodological insights on researching sustainability in technologies. The term sustainability is a broad term and processing it in research generally includes definition of values. This project aims to develop a reseach strategy that allows for a type of conclusion that allows the reader to make own valuations. To examplify the project includes an attempt at investigating biogas production. Sustainability and sustainable development is used synonymously in this report.

This paper reviews how to affect consumers into taking more eco-friendly clothing choices. It will take it’s stand in Pierre Bourdieu’s social theory about fields, habitus and capitals.Based on the theory an A/B test will be formed to elaborate whether values or logic appeals more efficiently to the consumer. The A/B test was executed by creating two different postcards. The significant difference between the two was the message. The final design of the campaign is the outcome of the A/B test. It will be a part of a larger campaign that focuses on sustainable clothing choices. It encourages the consumer to bring existing values with them when they buy clothes. Furthermore, the paper discusses the ethical aspect of changing consumer’s behavior in the light of John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice. The paper concludes that ecological values are common when purchasing food but not when buying clothes. Based on the A/B test results the more efficient campaign will target the consumer with existing sustainable values.

This report seeks to investigate how cast seaweed in Sejerøbugten can be collected as a biomass to support Odsherred Biogas financially and support circular use of resources. This is investigated through a quantitative examining of cast seaweed from Sejerøbugten by measuring dry matter, organic matter, content of sand and biomethanepotential of five kinds of seaweeds found in Sejerøbugten. The quantitative examining is used in the thesis for calculations of the contribution margin of cast seaweed in Odsherred Biogas and to evaluate the influence of beach cleaning in the Natura 2000 area at Sejerøbugten. In addition, the current beach cleaning in Sejerøbugten is examined to gain knowledge about the existing approaches. The report concludes that the beach area with cast seaweed from 0-2 meters from the coast has the best qualities. The beach area has the highest biomethanepotential, a low amount of sand (TS/SI) and does minimal damage to the Natura 2000 area. Cast seaweed can support circular use of ressources by removing nutrients from the recipient and using them in new production chains through Odsherred Biogas. Cast seaweed from beach cleaning in Sejerøbugten can therefore support Odsherred Biogas financially and support a circular use of resources. Dette projekt undersøger, hvordan tang fra stranden i Sejerøbugten indsamles, så det som biomasse både kan understøtte Odsherred Biogasanlæg økonomisk og understøtte cirkulær ressourceanvendelse. I projektet blev udført målinger på tang fra Sejerøbugten for tørstof, organisk tørstof, sandindhold og metanpotentiale for at udregne dækningsbidraget for tangbiomasserne til Odsherred Biogasanlæg og for at vurdere påvirkningen af strandrensningen i Natura 2000-området i Sejerøbugten. Derudover undersøges den nuværende strandrensepraksis for at få en viden om eksisterende fremgangsmåder til strandrensning. Projektet konkluderer, at strandzonen med tang 0-2 m ude i vandet fra vandkanten samlet set havde den bedste kvalitet, idet den havde et gennemsnitligt højt metanpotentiale (115,8 Nml CH4/ g VS), en lav skadevirkning på det opsamlede område samt et lavt sandindhold (14 % SI/TS). Tang kan understøtte cirkulær ressourceanvendelse ved at fjerne næringsstoffer fra recipienten og indgå i nye produktionskæder ved anvendelsen af tangbiomassen i Odsherred Biogasanlæg, så længe der også er en interesse for strandrensning i Odsherred Kommune. Dermed understøtter strandrensningen økonomisk Odsherred Biogasanlæg samt sikrer en cirkulær ressourceanvendelse.

The organic production is based around principles regarding sustainability, however the production is still dependent on fossil fuels and import of manure from the conventional agriculture to fertilize the crops with nitrogen. Biogas production based on clover grass is a possible solution to these two dependencies. The project report names this organic biogas. So far only one biogas plant in Denmark with clover grass as the main feed has been constructed. This project report sets out to investigate which obstacles, which exist for a further implementation of organic biogas. This point of departure happens with the aim to produce a white paper, a document containing concrete recommendations on how to minimize and overcome these obstacles. Reports and literature about biogas, especially organic, are used to build up and present background knowledge about the problem field. Empiric data has been gathered through interviews with main stakeholders and professionals, which are connected to organic biogas. The data, gathered from the empirical research and the literature, is used to identify the obstacles for further implementation of organic biogas. Network theory is then used to analyze, how to minimize or overcome these obstacles. Through the research, that has been carried out, an array of concrete obstacles has been identified. In the white paper, that works as the conclusion of the project report, one or more recommendations to each obstacle are formulated and suggested. Among the recommendations the project report finds it important, that an effort is made to introduce cheaper biogas plants, that the income potential from biogas production is improved, and that development to improve the biogas technology regarding fermentation of clover grass is carried out.

The purpose of this project is to research how digital communication platforms support sustainable micro-activism in the Danish ecovillages Avnø Oasis Ecovillage and Økosamfundet Dyssekilde. Further this paper examines how the ecovillages’ experience with communication platforms can be used in a larger societal perspective. Overall, this project aims to contribute to technological awareness regarding the use of communication platforms with the purpose of activism and furthering collectivism. This study uses explorative qualitative methods to gather empirical data on the ecovillages’ use of communication platforms and other technologies. The methods used were observatory field studies, visiting the above-mentioned Danish eco-villages, where we conducted semistructured interviews as well as informal interviews with the villages’ residents. The results of the interviews and observations presented their use of multiple communication platforms, with different purposes and functions. The identified purposes of the platforms were internal and external communication and organization of complex projects and everyday life. Additionally, the residents showed awareness of their use of these platforms regarding sustainability. This was present in their use and sharing of knowledge but also of the platforms’ own sustainability. Through these findings we conclude that the experiences of the ecovillages can benefit similar communities regarding community building, micro-activism and technological awareness through their use of communication platforms. This study also concludes how dominating commercial platforms are more effective in bigger activist movements. Even though these platforms have elements such as data-harvesting and personalized algorithms, which support individualistic tendencies and are less sustainable, the popularity of these platforms is beneficial for reaching a large audience.

The project is based on the following problem statement “Which resources can be included in the planning process for implementation of a biogas plant in Odsherred Kommune and how can the barriers of the implementation be overcome?”. I have based the project on nine supplementary biomasses to manure. I have prioritised the biomass based on the five listed sustainability criteria: quantity, gas potential, economy, technology and environment. The comparison of the biomasses is shown in a resource-diagram. The largest barriers in the expansion of the biogas-sector, consists of financial barriers, localisation barriers, biomass producers and the ability to sell the biogas. In attempt to overcome these barriers I have developed a stakeholder analysis for each of the four barriers and suggested possible solutions and recommendations. I can conclude that the most sustainable biomass in supplement to manure is straw, deep litter and biomass from naturecare. The best offer on a possible investor would be Odsherred Forsyning or cooperation between Odsherred Forsyning and farmers and the most favourable location would be at Tengslemark- as appointed in the Municipal plan. All interviewed biomass producers appeared to be rather positive to the idea of providing biomass to a biogas plant- meaning there is easy access to supplementary biomass. There are several different ways in which the biogas can be liquidated in Odsherred Kommune: CHP plant, district-heating networks, upgrading to nature gas standards to Ngas network or transportation purposes, city gas or major industries.

Denne rapport beskæftiger sig med industriel symbiose, og med design af værktøjer der har til formål,at facilitere etableringen af industrielle symbioser, med henblik på at fremskynde omstillingsprocessenfra en lineær, til en cirkulær økonomi. Der tages udgangspunkt i Kalundborg Symbiose, der harmange års erfaring med, hvordan affaldsstrømme kan genanvendes gennem samarbejde, i en industrielsymbiose. Som case anvendes et pilotprojekt i Kalundborg Symbiose, et projekt der skal være medtil at klarlægge, hvordan et parathedsindeks kan videreudvikles, og efterfølgende anvendes somdialogisk værktøj, til faciliteringen af nye industrielle symbioser. Desuden undersøges hvordandigitale teknologier kan effektivisere omstillingen til en cirkulær strategisk planlægning. Det harikke været muligt at teste værktøjerne, der er designet i forbindelse med projektet, hvorfor det ikkeer muligt at konkludere på deres praktiske værdi, om end der beskrives nogle af de mulige effekter,de forventes at kunne bidrage med. This report explores industrial symbiosis and the design of tools which aim to facilitate thedevelopment of industrial symbioses, in order to accelerate the transition from a linear economy to acircular economy. Kalundborg Symbiosis was the main inspiration for this study, as for the past fewdecades in Kalundborg, waste streams have been repurposed through cooperation and industrialsymbiosis. A pilot project at Kalundborg Symbiosis is used as a case example within this report, toexamine the development and use of a readiness level, and how this might be utilized as a dialogictool to support the facilitation of new industrial symbioses. The role of digital tools in aiding thetransition towards more circular strategic planning is also explored. It was not possible to test thedeveloped tools, and therefore the report is limited to a discussion of what their effect could be,rather than providing conclusions regarding their practical value in a real-world setting.

Det absurde i Lomborgs øvelse må stå klart. Det er vores politikere, der er sat i verden for at prioritere. Dem har vi nemlig - i modsætning til Lomborg - selv valgt.