No wa(y)ste!
Enerpy for energy
BY Meelunie 16/10/2020
Reduce, reuse, recycle, together
Our zero waste ambition makes us creative in finding solutions or partners to further evolve our circular production by using and re-using raw materials and energy to the maximum extent possible. The biofuel project with GoodShipping to decarbonise our ocean freight is the most recent successful partnership, to name one. At Meelunie we are keen on growing our business by doing good and stand out from the competition. If we can collaborate with Energy and GoodFuels to develop a sustainable marine biofuel produced out of our own waste streams, we can lead with a great example of circularity.
Via our decarbonisation partner GoodShipping, Meelunie got in contact with Enerpy, an organisation involved in valorisation of food waste. GoodShipping and Meelunie are partners as GoodShipping offers a service to make transportation more sustainable and carbon neutral, by replacing fossil fuels with renewable alternatives – in this particular case marine biofuels. The biofuels are supplied by GoodShipping’s sister company GoodFuels, who is a pioneer in the development and commercialisation of biofuels for transport.
Re-usable materials
GoodFuels is participating in a research project (named CALIBRA) in which lignocellulosic feedstocks (such as the hulls of fava beans) via pyrolysis are converted into biofuels. In this CALIBRA project, GoodFuels collaborates with partners TNO and Enerpy and soon the introduction with Meelunie was made. The process of pyrolysis changes waste into re-usable materials or energy. Working with Enerpy could help Meelunie in its zero waste ambition as described in our Green Product domain.
Valorisation of waste
Reducing waste and the growing awareness of waste benefits have boosted the popularity of waste valorisation, a process developed to transform organic waste materials into re-usable energy, chemicals, or even materials. Enerpy is one of the organisations. They are also the creative mind behind the innovative and patented RMO installation: the Reactor for Organic Material. This technology can make a sustainable contribution by extracting raw materials (and energy) such as carbon, oil and gas from organic waste. Converting waste into sustainable raw materials and energy will contribute to achieving a circular economy.
Green fava power
Working with Enerpy on waste valorisation could be interesting when it comes to the organic waste of our fava beans, or actually the skins of the beans. Fava hulls (skin) provided by Meelunie will now be processed into a biofuel by Enerpy to see whether a viable biofuel could be made from this side stream product. Joined by TNO and GoodFuels, it will be the first time ever for Enerpy to extract raw materials from bean skin. There is hope for the raw materials to be used as biogas for the GoodShipping program, which would be a very exiting outcome. The first trial is planned for this month. All parties are proud to join forces and can’t wait to see the final result.