HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht becomes more sustainable with a biodigester

Scale Model for Cities

But the digester has more impact than just sustainability. It is also a textbook example of interdisciplinary collaboration: technology, communication, education, and research converge here. Hermen: “The biodigester offers students and researchers a testing ground for learning, experimenting, and innovating, thus contributing to solutions for complex sustainability issues.” Utrecht Science Park is the perfect location for this, says Arjan Brenkman, program manager of Chemistry and Chemical Technology: “The campus is well-organized and clearly defined, making it a scale model for how neighborhoods, cities, and even countries can be designed in a circular manner. How cool is it that as a student, you can already contribute to this during your program!”

More than technology

The biodigester offers opportunities for more than just technological learning. Legal, logistical, and social issues also arise within the system. How do you organize the collection of biowaste? What agreements are needed to ensure this system operates fairly and efficiently? And how do you ensure that staff and students separate their waste so that the digester performs optimally? For example, students have already contributed to a ready-made logistics plan for using organic waste from the food courts as fuel, and students from the Communication, Communication & Multimedia Design, and Industrial Engineering and Management programs are working on the project.

Shared ambitions

The biodigester is a further development of earlier prototypes. The interdisciplinary research and education is an initiative of the Chemical Technology program at the Institute for Life Sciences & Chemistry of Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. Also see the HU Story that was created about this. The HU research group Innovative Testing in Life Sciences & Chemistry assisted with the research into expanding and optimizing the fermentation process. The startup CIRC is the driving force behind the development of the system, and with a contribution from the Utrecht Business Fund, the role of the fermenter in the energy mix of the Utrecht Science Park campus is being investigated. In short, many parties are coming together here in their shared ambitions for a circular society.