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Background: Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of dairy processing waste was performed to investigate the effect of temperature and initial pH on the yield and composition of the solid (hydrochar) and liquor produced. All hydrochars met the EU requirements of organo-mineral solid fertilizers defined in the Fertilizing Products Regulation in terms of phosphorus (P) and mineral content. Methods: Laboratory scale HTC was performed using pressurized reactors, and the products (solid and liquid) were collected, stored and analyzed for elemental composition and nutrient content using Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis) and other analytic techniques. Results: Maximum hydrochar yield (60.67%) was observed at T=180℃ and pH=2.25, whereas the maximum P-recovery was 80.38% at T=220℃ and pH=4.6. The heavy metal content of the hydrochars was mostly compliant with EU limitations, except for Ni at T=220℃ and pH=8.32. Meanwhile, further study of Chromium (Cr) species is essential to assess the fertilizer quality of the hydrochars. For the liquid product, the increase in temperature beyond 200℃, coupled with an increase in initial acidity (pH=2.25) drove P into the liquor. Simultaneously, increasing HTC temperature and acidity increased the concentration of NO3- and NH4+ in the liquid products to a maximum of 278 and 148 mg/L, respectively, at T=180℃ and pH=4.6. Furthermore, no direct relation between final pH of liquor and NH4+ concentration was observed. Conclusions: HTC improved the nutrient content of dairy waste, allowing for the production of potential solid organo-mineral fertilizers requiring additional treatment to ensure safe fertilizer application.

AbstractBuildings are responsible for approximately 36% of carbon emissions in the European Union. Besides, gradual aging and a lack of adaptability and flexibility of buildings often lead to destructive interventions, resulting not only in higher costs but also in a large amount of construction and demolition waste (CDW). Recently, an innovative system (Ref. VEEP project) has been developed to recycle CDW for the manufacturing of energy‐efficient prefabricated concrete elements (PCE) for new building construction. By applying life cycle costing (LCC) and life cycle assessment (LCA), this study aimed to determine whether the use of VEEP PCE leads to lower carbon emission and lower associated costs over the life cycle of an exemplary four‐story residential building in the Netherlands than a business‐as‐usual (BAU) PCE scenario. This paper provides a case study on the alignment and/or integration of LCA and LCC in an independent and a combined manner (via monetization). This study examines how the internalization of carbon emission and discount rate will affect the final life cycle costs over a 40‐year life span. The simulation results show that the key to economic viability and environmental soundness of VEEP PCE is to reduce production cost and to optimize the thermal performance of the novel isolation material Aerogel; internalization of external cost monetarizes the environmental advantage thus slightly expands the cost advantage of low carbon options, but leads to larger uncertainty about the LCC result.

The bioeconomy can support Europe’s transition to a low-carbon economy and help to meet key international, European and member state sustainability targets through the provision of bio-based products and energy derived from sustainably sourced biomass. A successful implementation of a bio-based economy in Europe will, however, require a profound transformation of our production and consumption patterns. Consumer behavior will play a major role in supporting the successful transition to a bio-based economy. This paper uses a structured quantitative survey approach to gain an understanding of consumer perspectives in relation to bio-based products. Conducted among 18–75-year-old consumers in Ireland and the Netherlands, the study indicates that consumers in both countries have a relatively positive outlook regarding bio-based products, with Irish consumers showing a slightly more positive outlook. The study finds that a larger majority of Irish consumers would prefer buying bio-based products as opposed to fossil-based products, while Irish consumers also have a slightly more positive impression than Dutch consumers that their consumer choices can be beneficial for the environment.

The Biorefinery and Bioenergy Center BIO2C, is a semi-industrial pilot scale test facility able to develop production, processes for bioproducts, solid biofuels, advanced liquid and gaseous biofuels, as well as biorefinery concepts integrating different valorization routes, as an intermediate step between laboratory and the industrial scale-up of these technologies. BIO2C constitutes an integrated trial and demonstration platform designed to develop processes, equipment and specific, components, new bio-products or biofuels and biorefinery concepts.

Poster presented during the H2020 "MUSES" project stakeholder workshop ’Embracing opportunities – Ocean Multi-Use Action Plan development workshop’ (Venice - June 27th, 2018). The poster analyses the potential for development of Multi-Use in the Northern-Adriatic coastal waters by combining existing and innovative touristic services with other traditional economic sectors and assets on the area. Drivers, added values, barriers, and impacts of Multi-Use have been identified integrating desk analysis and stakeholders perception. The results show the existence of a good potential for Multi-Use development and Blue-Growth in the area, still limited by barriers, particularly in the field of legislation, administrative processes and stakeholders capacity. Needed actions at local and regional (sub-national) level are highlighted in order to exploit this potential.

To continuously assess the performance of a wind turbine (WT), accurate power curve modelling is essential. Various statistical methods have been used to fit power curves to performance measurements; these are broadly classified into parametric and non‐parametric methods. In this study, three advanced non‐parametric approaches, namely: Gaussian Process (GP); Random Forest (RF); and Support Vector Machine (SVM) are assessed for WT power curve modelling. The modelled power curves are constructed using historical WT supervisory control and data acquisition, data obtained from operational three bladed pitch regulated WTs. The modelled power curve fitting performance is then compared using suitable performance, error metrics to identify the most accurate approach. It is found that a power curve based on a GP has the highest fitting accuracy, whereas the SVM approach gives poorer but acceptable results, over a restricted wind speed range. Power curves based on a GP or SVM provide smooth and continuous curves, whereas power curves based on the RF technique are neither smooth nor continuous. This study highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed non‐parametric techniques to construct a robust fault detection algorithm for WTs based on power curves.