Converting Sawmill By-Products to Electricity

Plastic Energy is pleased to have contributed to the European Commission's INCITE Technical Report on Innovative Techniques (TRIT), which highlights mature and high-performing technologies that can be used to support Europe's transition as part of the Clean Industrial Deal. The report focuses on innovation in industries that are difficult to decarbonise, such as iron and steel, chemicals, and cement. The aim of the report is to serve as a foundation for Best Available Techniques, to accelerate the deployment of cleantech technologies across Europe. The report is available to view below, and Plastic Energy is featured on page 224, and pages 230-232. https://lnkd.in/eT7BkgG9

Anaerobic Treatment of Organic Wastewater In 1996, our company was the first to promote and apply a new generation of anaerobic technology for organic wastewater treatment—upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)—in Xiamen. This technology enables the conversion of pollutants in wastewater into renewable clean energy—biogas. During subsequent engineering applications, we discovered a biological aggregate structure formed by the self-immobilization mechanism of activated sludge, known as granular sludge. The emergence of granular sludge not only advanced the application and development of second-generation reactors represented by UASB but also laid the foundation for the birth of third-generation anaerobic reactors.

Our biogenic carbon capture project is moving significantly faster than our typical innovation pipeline. During our pilot trial in Rauma in 2025, the capture technology itself proved to be mature enough. Among other things, it was able to handle the impurities in our local flue gas well, and as a result, we concluded that a demo phase was not needed in terms of technology development. At the same time, we learned that our potential customer base immediately needed larger amounts of biogenic carbon dioxide, and we thus decided to move directly to designing the first commercial plant integrated to our Rauma pulp mill. This engineering work will continue until the end of this year. In parallel, we are navigating other critical milestones: modifying environmental permits and securing governmental investment grants. The technology is ready, but finding the right market timing is proving to be the most difficult part of the project. Because customer factories that will utilise this captured CO2 do not operate at scale yet, everyone in the value chain needs to reach matching conclusions on massive investments at roughly the exact same time.

Can plasma-activated water improve root development while maintaining biomass? Our latest study demonstrates that continuous-flow Plasma-Activated Water (PAW) significantly enhances pea microgreen root development while maintaining comparable fresh biomass. Key findings: 🌱 Up to 80% thicker root layer 💧 Near-neutral pH with elevated ORP ⚡ Continuous-flow plasma reactor for scalable PAW production 🌍 A promising sustainable technology for controlled-environment agriculture. The most important improvements happen where they are not immediately visible—below the surface. I would be grateful if you could read the paper and share your thoughts. 📄 Full paper: Link in the first comment.

hat is an Anaerobic Digester? | Engineering & Biogas Guide An anaerobic digester is a closed, controlled biological reactor where microorganisms break down biodegradable material—such as agricultural waste, food scraps, or sewage sludge—in the total absence of oxygen. The process, known as anaerobic digestion, results in the production of biogas (primarily methane and carbon dioxide) and a nutrient-rich byproduct known as digestate. These systems are essential for renewable energy production, waste management, and the circular economy.  https://lnkd.in/ePNPJnhz

☀️ Can Eco-design rewrite the playbook for European Solar? The #RESILEX project is proving that European energy sovereignty isn't just about manufacturing more—it's about manufacturing smarter. By shifting from legacy processes to strategic Eco-design, we are redefining clean-tech resilience: 📉 Material Reductions: Massively cutting indium and silver dependencies in HJT cells without sacrificing performance. 🚀 Circular BoM: Developing a TRL 7 solar prototype with a wooden frame, thermoplastic (TPO) encapsulants, and a fluorine-free backsheet. 🔄 Cross-Sector Loop: Taking silicon recovered from end-of-life PV panels and upcycling it into high-value anodes for next-gen batteries. True industrial resilience means technical excellence backed by an ethically unassailable, closed-loop supply chain. 👉 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/dysKMTHs Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet (NTNU) SolarPower Europe ETA-Florence Renewable Energies Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster | ISMC Université de Liège Tenerrdis Efund Group Universiteit Gent ICAMCyL Foundation Pasek Imperial College London Recma Groupe CEA GREEnMat (ULiege) Groupe Comet Cetaqua - Water Technology Centre and Tharsis Mining #CircularEconomy #Photovoltaics #EcoDesign #StrategicAutonomy #CleanTech #Sustainability

Dr Gabriel Luiz Lopes Fraga develops chemical engineering approaches to efficiently produce fuels and chemicals using sustainable sources. His research focuses on thermochemical and catalytic routes to convert biomass to fuels and chemicals and to recycle plastic waste. He has relevant experience on heterogeneous catalysis, conceptual process design, and life cycle assessment. Gabriel uses his process engineering experience and applies it to research on scaling up biorefinery technologies. He currently leads a project with the University of New Caledonia to develop technology that converts organic waste in New Caledonia into biofuel. This project is funded by the French Government through its Pacific Fund scheme. More about Gabriel here: https://lnkd.in/gKt_TmAi #QUTResearch #QUTEngineering #earlycareerresearchers #ECR #catalysis #innovation

🧲 From Plant Waste to Smart Construction: How Enzymes and Magnets Could Transform the Future of Infrastructure (Part 2) 🌍 What about environmental by-products? EICP is greener than traditional cement—but not “zero waste.”  Main by-products:  Ammonia (NH₃ / NH₄⁺)   Excess salts   Residual biomass   Unreacted urea   ⚠️ Environmental concern:  Ammonia can increase nitrogen load in water systems.    🧹 Can we capture these by-products?  Yes—and this is a key research direction.  Possible solutions:  💧 1. Bio/chemical scrubbers  Capture ammonia from effluent   Convert it into fertilizers or neutral salts   🧫 2. Membrane filtration systems  Remove ionic by-products before discharge   🧲 3. Magnetic-assisted separation systems  If enzymes/bacteria are magnetically tagged:  They can be retained in reactors   Preventing biological contamination downstream   🌿 4. Integrated algae or biofilters  Algae consume nitrogen compounds   Turning waste into biomass     🏭 Why industry should care  EICP is not just academic curiosity anymore. It is moving toward:  Low-carbon construction materials   Soil stabilization without cement   Mining and erosion control   Crack-healing concrete systems   Key advantages:  ~CO₂ reduction vs cement   Self-repair potential   Use of waste biomass (plant residues)   Scalable biochemical engineering     🚀 Big picture takeaway  EICP sits at the intersection of:  Biotechnology   Materials science   Environmental engineering   Waste valorization   Smart reactor design (including magnetic systems)   And the most exciting part?  👉 We are not just “making calcite”  We are designing living-inspired material systems that can be controlled, recycled, and optimized. 

Isolation and Valorization of Sewage Wastewater in Microbial Fuel Cells: Evaluation of Microbial Biofilm Formation and Performance on Bioelectricity Production Based Microbial Fuel Cells This dissertation focuses on the use of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology to convert sewage wastewater into clean bioelectricity. The study involves isolating microorganisms, evaluating microbial biofilm formation, and analyzing the performance of microbial fuel cells for sustainable energy generation and wastewater treatment. The project highlights the potential of renewable energy technologies to address environmental challenges through innovative and eco-friendly solutions.

Editor’s Choice – June Issue | Carbon Capture Science & Technology We're pleased to share the Editor's Choice papers from the June 2026 issue of CCST: "Experimental results and mechanistic modelling insights of pilot scale electrochemical CO2 capture demonstration at a refinery" https://lnkd.in/e_bzCKiG 📌 Editor’s Comment: "The paper stands out for combining a genuine industrial-scale demonstration with over 500 h of integrated operation on real refinery flue gas, delivering high-purity CO2, and for highlighting the limitations of current technology development". "Microwave-driven transformation of CO2 adsorbents regeneration: A comprehensive review from principles to system designs" https://lnkd.in/eq-jj8AM 📌 Editor’s Comment: "This paper reviews non-conventional microwave-assisted carbon capture technologies from the perspectives of materials development and reactor and system design, providing insights and alternatives for an energy-efficient sorbent regeneration". "Converting agricultural by-products into a carbon-neutral CO2 capture system: Biomass-ash-enhanced biogas slurry for plant and soil carbon sequestration" https://lnkd.in/ehPMtYQY 📌 Editor’s Comment: "This paper introduces a genuinely novel, regeneration-free "zero-energy" CO2 capture pathway that turns two abundant agricultural by-products—biomass ash and biogas slurry—into carbon-rich soil amendments, closing the loop between carbon capture and food production, offering a scalable, low-cost model for carbon-neutral agriculture". 📚 Explore the full June issue here: https://lnkd.in/eHx2Dimd