Experts predict… on transforming biowaste and other agro-industrial residues into renewable fuel

Separation technologies will create a paradigm shift in how we treat agro-industrial residues, from organic waste disposal to biorefineries, according to Professor Piet Lens, an expert in environmental biotechnology from the National University Ireland, Galway and the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, as well as triple Marie Curie fellowship recipient.

“I expect 2022 to see the unlocking of the potential of biorefineries for Europe’s circular bioeconomy: organic waste management becomes an integral part of our daily economic activities, providing unprecedented levels of material recycling and reuse across EU Member States. Combined with new separation technologies and digital twins of biorefineries, I think we’re on the cusp of changing waste management from an end-of-pipe activity dislocated from the sites where it is located to a renewal activity producing new bio-commodities, biochemicals and biofuels integrated in value chains across Europe. Combining microbial ecology with novel separation processes and lifecycle analysis will be essential to advance this sustainability transition”.