TU Delft Pioneering Tech Magazine

Tech pioneering

THE PROTEIN TRANSITION: UNCHAINING A REVOLUTION

Metamorphosis

What you see on the cover is an abstract representation of the future in which large-scale protein production by micro-organisms will play an important role in feeding the world’s population.

The basis of the illustration is a butterfly with a subtle meat pattern as a symbol of this transition (metamorphosis). Combined with elements that are inspired by the first pictures of single proteins, a bioreactor, the field bean and laboratory equipment.

The cover is a collage of digital illustration, photography, and generative art based on fractals generated in a programme that works with fractal flame algorithms. The attractor is generated through a specific set of mathematical functions (based on Monte Carlo simulation). A probability measure is developed and coloured according to a particular rule.

As a designer, I always appreciate layering the illustrations, which brings out diverse meanings each time.

Colophon

Production TU Delft | Innovation & Impact Centre

Jurjen Slump (Editor-in-Chief)

Danielle ten Veldhuis (Art Direction)

Heijo ter Veldhuis (Project Management)

Contributing writers Kim Bakker, Bennie Mols, Karin Postelmans

Infographics & illustrations Iris Jönsthövel, Iaroslava Oleksandrivna Kolomiiets

Photography Willem de Kam, Marcel Krijger, Marieke de Lorijn, Guus Schoonewille

Design Ontwerpwerk

Print Edauw & Johanissen

Copyright TU Delft | Innovation & Impact Centre

April 2023

‘No energy transition and microchips without critical materials’

Iaroslava Oleksandrivna Kolomiiets

Platform for radical innovation

I am proud to present to you the first issue of TU Delft Pioneering Tech, the successor to Home of Innovation

This exciting new magazine is part of a multimedia platform where, among other things, you can listen to a podcast series on striking projects set up by our pioneers for change

This number focuses on the protein transition or switch to greater consumption of sustainable vegetable proteins –also known as ‘meat substitutes’ and ‘cultured meat’ in the vernacular. With partners such as DSM and Planet B.io and highly promising start-ups like Meatable, the Delft region is well positioned to take the international lead in upscaling the requisite technology.

The article in question also explains how the protein transition can help solve the nitrogen crisis, the energy transition and other social challenges. Everything that TU Delft stands for comes together in this topic: excellent teaching, groundbreaking research, radical innovation and impact for a better society

In the meantime, the war in Ukraine and other geopolitical developments are forcing us to reflect on our strategic autonomy. We, as TU Delft, can contribute to a more selfsufficient Europe – with David Peck’s research into critical materials and circular design, for example. Other articles include an interview with the CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Allard Castelein, on the digitalisation and greening of the port and an overview of the most important scientific trends in this field.

As you can see, even though Pioneering Tech has a brand new magazine formula, name and layout, it still offers the content you expect and are used to from us: the very latest innovative developments and trends.

Tim van der Hagen, Rector Magnificus / Chairman of the Executive Board

PHOTO © GUUS SCHOONEWILLE

Dumplings made of cultivated pork

UNCHAINING A REVOLUTION

The promise of innovative proteins

By Jurjen Slump

With pioneering patents, leading start-ups, strong scientific research and the presence of industrial giants like DSM, the Netherlands has everything it needs to unchain a revolution in the field of meat substitutes and cultured meat. Unfortunately, the legislation relating to these products is slowing things down and promising start-ups are moving abroad. Is our country at risk of falling behind?

According to Henk Noorman, a chemical engineer who works both at DSM and TU Delft, the protein transition (see box) will be a game changer. Agriculture, cattle farming and fishing will continue to be significant food flows but they produce too little to be able to feed a predicted global population of ten billion people in 2050. He envisages the creation of a new flow of food, the bulk of which will be made by industrial parties.

These industrial parties will have factories with enormous bioreactors filled with microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, fungi or mammalian cells. They will produce protein for meat substitutes or animal feed and they will also make cultured dairy and meat products that are indistinguishable from the real thing. The ingenious thing about this is that you can use greenhouse gases (CO2) and other residual products from the chemical industry (nitrogen and hydrogen) as food for these single-celled organisms.

Self-sufficient megacities

Another advantage is that the easily scalable protein production will enable megacities and densely populated areas, such as the Randstad, to be self-sufficient. “This would deliver an enormous efficiency boost, because you will need far less land and sea to produce the same quantity of products”, Noorman explains. This is one of the reasons why the citystate of Singapore was one of the first countries to allow the production of cultured meat.

The protein transition interlocks with everything: it contributes to solutions for the climate and nitrogen crises, energy transition, overfishing, lack of space and nature restoration.

Radical innovation

Moreover, it forces the established industry (chemical and energy companies) to search for totally new business models. “Innovation primarily takes place on the boundary between two sectors that go into partnership. Therein lies the strength”, says Noorman. “The joining of forces of the traditional chemical industry and companies that make food with innovative proteins will bring about great change.”

The outlines of this future are already visible in Delft. Eighteen start-ups have been set up at Planet B.io on Biotech Campus Delft’s site, more than half of which are engaged in the protein transition. One of them – Deep Branch – has developed

Protein transition

In addition to fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fibre, we need protein for a healthy diet. Protein is primarily found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. The problem is that scarcity is looming because of the expected growth in population to 10 billion people by 2050. Besides which, cows are polluters par excellence – they release CO2, methane and phosphate – and anything but efficiently. A cow has to eat 20 kg of vegetable protein to produce 1 kg of animal protein (meat). Overfishing leads to empty seas and the production of vegetable protein (particularly soya) leads to deforestation, with all its ecological consequences. This is why solutions under the heading of ‘protein transition’ are being sought in numerous places all over the world. These solutions vary from the cultivation of typical, local Dutch protein-rich crops, such as field beans, as alternatives for soya, to technological innovations in the form of meat substitutes and cultured meat. The production of these meat substitutes and cultured meat takes place in bioreactors. This is considerably more efficient and prevents a lot of animal suffering to boot.

technology that uses microorganisms, which can be fed on CO2, hydrogen and oxygen, for the production of animal feed. Last year, another well-known company – Meatable – unveiled the first sausage and dumpling made from cultured meat.

It is not a coincidence that these companies have chosen to locate here, says director of Planet B.io Cindy Gerhardt. Planet B.io provides laboratory space for biotech start-ups and scale-ups and, furthermore, is building up a local, regional, national and international network of expertise in the field of biotechnology. It also connects DSM’s knowledge and experience with the research carried out at TU Delft and links it to start-ups. Gerhardt: “We have the whole ecosystem together here, which is an invaluable situation. It is important to drive innovation if we are to make any social impact. Delft is strong in this: Delft is particularly strong in this. We don’t just discover things, but we also subsequently scale them up and roll them out on a global scale.”

Scaling up processes

“The technological developments in the field of microbial protein (produced by bacteria, yeasts and fungi) are advancing at an amazing pace”, says Jack Pronk, Professor of Industrial Microbiology. Scientific research is focusing on scaling up biotechnological processes. “We link our know-how regarding

‘We don’t just discover things, but we also subsequently scale them up and roll them out on a global scale.’

large production processes to in-depth knowledge of how microorganisms function under different conditions.”

In fact, there is quite a difference between how bacteria grow in their natural environment versus in a big bioreactor.

“If you want to culture these ‘beasties’ on a very large scale, it entails having them to perform under conditions that they do not encounter in nature.” This is a tremendous challenge for biotechnologists”, says Pronk. “We look at the situation from the perspective of a biologist and an engineer.”

The National Growth Fund

Cellular agriculture, as it is known in the jargon, has a unique position in the protein transition. This concerns meat that is directly cultured from animal cells or dairy products made with the aid of microorganisms, for example. In both cases, the cells produce the same animal proteins and fats. In addition to Meatable, MosaMeat is another prominent player. Based in Maastricht, it created the first cultured burger in the world in 2013. Cellular agriculture is not limited to meat and dairy products; it can also be used to culture fish and leather.

This year, the National Growth Fund has pledged 60 million euros to accelerate research, teaching and innovation in this field (see box). Marcel Ottens, Professor of Bioprocess Engineering, laid de foundations for this work.

Economically viable

“In the pharmaceutical industry, animal cells have already been cultured and used to make vaccines or medicines, but that involved much smaller quantities of cells that were not intended to feed the world”, says Ottens. If you are going to scale up, you face a number of limits.

Growth Fund

Last year, the National Growth Fund pledged an investment of 60 million euros. This money was applied for by a consortium of 12 parties, including three universities, DSM, Planet B.io and a series of start-ups.

The funds will be used for setting up open, accessible scale-up facilities for start-ups and scale-ups. There is also a teaching and research programme at the three universities in question: TU Delft, Wageningen University & Research and Maastricht University. Delft is focusing on cell culture, Wageningen on precision fermentation (the production of proteins by microorganisms) and Maastricht on tissue engineering (the texture of the cultured meat). The consortium is also working on the social acceptance of cellular agriculture.

PHOTO ©

QUESERASERA99

Field beans are a typical Dutch crop, rich in protein, that could serve as an alternative to soybeans

The challenges are various and include the reactor (fermentor), process design and affordable food (medium) for the cells. “We look not only at how to design a good reactor and process but also at the entire chain around them.” The whole thing must be economically viable too. “Techno-economic analyses are very important; we can design a new process with a suitable reactor for large-scale production, but it will be useless if it does not yield a profit.”

As the innovator of cultured meat, with the Dutch getting the first patent for it, Noorman, Pronk, Ottens and Gerhardt all agree that the Netherlands has all the right ingredients to play a key role in the protein transition. But there is one huge obstacle. Whereas microbes for food (e.g. yeasts and yeast extract, food fungi, lactic acid bacteria) have been on the market for some time now and new related products are approved fairly quickly – for applications such as fish and cattle feed, a report in retrospect suffices – the legislation does not yet allow the marketing of cultured meat.

This is why Meatable will be opening its first factory in Singapore in a couple of years; Singapore already allows cultured meat, as do the United States of America and Israel.

Dumplings and little sausages

“We would naturally have liked to start in the Netherlands but, because of the legislation and regulations in the EU, that’s going to take a while”, says Daan Luining, CTO of Meatable, about the decision. In the coming years, Meatable is going to launch the first cultured pork, most likely as dumplings and little sausages, on the Singaporean market together with a local manufacturer.

From an innovation perspective, it is ‘incredibly important’ that Meatable market its products in Singapore. “We are ready for the next step”, says Luining. “We know how to make meat but it is now very important that we can taste it and continue developing the products.” Feedback from consumers yields indispensable information.

Little urgency

He is supported by D66 politician Tjeerd de Groot, who is promoting cultured meat in the House of Representatives. The fact that Meatable is diverting to Singapore is good news and bad news. “The good news is that this company can finally start to earn money, which is unbelievably important for

The sausage of the future. Meatable’s cultivated sausages are developed with groundbreaking technology. The company is aiming to sell it’s first products to customers in 2025.

‘Tasting sessions can help stimulate social acceptance of cultured meat’

PHOTO © MEATABLE

Fermenters (2x

Neutrons used as alternatives to tasting sessions

The right ‘mouthfeel’ is an important aspect of getting meat substitutes accepted by the general public. Tasting sessions are useful to this end, but TU Delft is also carrying out research into alternative methods of measurement. At the TU Delft Reactor Institute, neutrons are being used to map the texture of meat substitutes.

start-ups. But the bad news is that those in Brussels are not aware of the urgency of having this type of significant innovation mature in Europe.”

De Groot is astounded that Brussels is dragging its feet on this. “Cultured meat is manufactured under far more hygienic conditions than meat from an average abattoir”, he says. The D66 representative demands that the cabinet get cracking in Europe. “This should be at the top of our list of priorities.” He also wants the government to enable tasting sessions –sooner rather than later. A motion to this end was adopted last year, but the Minister of Agriculture has so far not been in too much of a hurry to implement it. “Every food business that launches a new product on the market first wants to know whether consumers like it. And in the case of cultured meat, this is really important.” What is more, tasting sessions can help stimulate social acceptance of cultured meat.

Big steps

Although legislation in the field of cultured meat is still slowing things down, the Netherlands could become a pioneer. Ottens expects big steps to have been taken in terms of reactor technology and the production process over the coming eight years. The money from the Growth Fund will lead to a completely new sector in the field of cultured meat, says Gerhardt. “Hopefully with a large number of innovative start-ups around it.”

Perhaps the most important aspect is acceptance by the general public. It has to taste good and be affordable. Pronk thinks that the flavour of meat substitutes made with microbial protein will only improve. And if it can be produced more cheaply too, things could start to ‘move very quickly’.

Luining expects the prices of Meatable’s products to be comparable with those of traditional meat once they can be produced on a large scale. He is also confident as regards the acceptance of it. “Give people the choice between cultured and conventional meat, including information on the impact of the two types on the environment. If consumers cannot tell the difference between the two when it comes to flavour, we are confident that they will incorporate cultured meat in their diet.” ■

200 ltr) that can handle a diversity of microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts and fungi.

Current situation

The protein transition Transition period

PROCESS PRODUCT

A great deal of research is being done into alternative proteins, but a large-scale production of cultured meat is not yet possible in Europe.

MAIN CHALLENGES

Upscaling

MAIN CHALLENGES

Protein consumption is still predominantly of animal origin. The taste of meat substitutes often does not come close to real meat.

SOCIETY

Limited cooperation between different sectors stands in the way of sustainable production of alternative proteins.

Tissue engineering: texture & taste

MAIN CHALLENGES

Food safety: quality guarantee & safe production

Developing a range of alternative protein products

Regulatory support

Circular & sustainable

The protein transition takes place in three domains. In the areas of process (design and upscaling of production methods), product (improving texture and taste) and society (regulation and consumer acceptance), important steps are still needed to successfully integrate innovative proteins into our food system and thus both reduce animal suffering and have a po,itive impact on the environment. Good cooperation between knowledge institutes, industry, government and the availability of innovation ecosystems in which radical innovations can quickly reach maturity are crucial.

Future situation

Large scale, sustainable production of alternative proteins.

Sustainable production

Cost efficient production methods

A range of new high-quality, affordable protein products that contribute to a healthy population, less animal suffering and a healthy planet.

Improving sensory experience: smell & looks

SOCIETY

Developing analytical technologies

Radical, cross-sectoral innovation leads to a food production system that has a positive impact on our climate, energy transition and environment.

Mattias and Timothy Scheek have been fascinated by audio speakers ever since they were very young. The two brothers have now built a successful company based on their revolutionary technology for miniaturising loudspeakers without this detracting from the sound quality. TU Delft invested in their company ‘Mayht’, which was sold to Sonos last year, in the early stages. What are their most important insights?

Above Mattias (on the right) and Timothy Middle and below Mayht’s speaker technology sets a new standard for compact size and high performance

By Jurjen Slump  Photo Verkijk

8 INSIGHTS FROM MAYHT

Building ‘the best speaker ever’

Catch them young

1

Timothy: “We have been building the ‘best speaker ever’ since we were very young. Our father had a subwoofer and the doors vibrated when he played music. Wow, I thought! Sound is a powerful thing. Very soon we were buying second-hand speaker boxes and taking them apart to see how they were made. The first prototype of our technology was made of cardboard, stuck together with Pritt Stick.”

The smaller the better

2

Mattias: In the past, when it came to loudspeakers, it was a case of ‘the bigger the better’. These days the reverse is true. Our technology means that we can make speakers a tenth of the original size without having to compromise on the maximum output. Or we can produce ten times more sound with speakers of the same format. This technology can be used in a wide range of consumer electronics.”

Keep it simple

3

Timothy: “The principle behind our technology is simple. We wanted the membrane – the component that produces the sound in the speaker – to displace as much air as possible. The more air displaced, the more sound is produced. We have therefore removed the most important technical components behind the membrane, such as the coil, and placed them beside it, so that there is more room for movement.”

Dogged does it

4

Timothy: “One of the challenges was to ensure that our speakers have the same lifetime as regular loudspeakers. Membranes are made of paper. More air pressure meant that this material tore and we had to go looking for an alternative. And we had to make numerous other modifications before we had a robust product, which meant building endless new prototypes.”

5 It is not easy to combine entrepreneurship with studying

Mattias: “I was doing my final project for my BSc Industrial Design Engineering at TU Delft when we set up Mayht. I did get my degree but did not do a Master’s because I was building up this company. It was already taking up 150% of my time so doing a degree at the same time was complicated. That being the case, I would warn entrepreneurial students to think carefully before starting a business.”

6 Do not try to reinvent the wheel

Mattias: “We could have started our own factory and produced speakers ourselves but the business cases we developed soon revealed that ‘licensing’ was the most attractive approach. Our mission was to open up a new market and the best way to achieve that was with existing manufacturers who had the means to do so. Sometimes it is more sensible to hitch a ride on the established industry.”

Dare to take your time

7

Timothy: “We waited five years until we really began to commercialise. In that period, we were continually improving our prototypes so we were ultimately able to join forces with a big player: Sonos. In retrospect that was the right strategy. The cultures match really well. Sonos shares our passion for audio and innovation. It is one of the few companies with the drive to try something new in audio.”

There is sound in everything

8

Mattias: “Our technology will not necessarily lead to new applications but will make existing products better. A lot of people listen to music on their telephones but the sound is not very good yet. The same applies to televisions. We make sure that the sound is just as the artist intended it to be, whatever the format. There is sound in everything. That is where the potential is.” ■

Whiffle and Shell are working on the wind park of the future - using game technology

By Kim Bakker

Shell has been using Whiffle’s software to determine the expected output of its wind parks for some time and, in October, it embarked on a two-year co-operation programme with this Delft scale-up. Shell’s investment will enable Whiffle to further develop its accurate weather forecasts. This is a win-win situation, according to Whiffle founder Harm Jonker and Shell researcher Jasper Kreeft.

This year, almost seventy wind turbines have to be built in the new Hollandse Kust Noord wind park, which is situated more than eighteen kilometres off the coast of Egmond aan Zee. Shell, the owner, who is building them together with Eneco, knows exactly what a meticulous business that is. The turbines must, for example, be located at exactly the right distance from one another and they must face the right direction at the right time. It is, literally, essential that Shell and Eneco know ‘which way the wind blows’.

To this end, Shell sought the help of Whiffle, set up in 2015 by Harm Jonker and Remco Verzijlbergh. Whiffle uses smart technology from the gaming world to produce unbeatably accurate weather predictions. This is not only important before construction starts but also when the wind park is ready for use. Decisions about when to purchase additional electricity from gas-fired power plants, for example, can be better planned if the output of the turbines can be very accurately predicted.

Blocks of fifty by fifty metres

All environmental factors are incorporated into Whiffle’s software: cloud cover, precipitation and even buildings. Jonker who, besides being Whiffle’s owner, is Professor of Atmospheric Physics at TU Delft: “We do not make any assumptions at all. Everything is calculated. We can determine the weather forecast in blocks of fifty by fifty metres. Most weather models can only predict the weather to an accuracy of ten kilometres.”

The difference between most weather models and Whiffle is that the latter programs its simulations as game graphics. Jonker: “Calculation on video cards normally used for gaming gives us extra calculating power and enables us to make simulations in real time We used to send our data to the supercomputer in Amsterdam so it took a couple of days before you could make the simulation – and it was much less accurate into the bargain.”

Wind turbines at virtual locations

Thanks to Whiffle’s unique approach, Shell can accurately calculate what the weather conditions in its wind parks are and their effect on the output. The wind division received a new impulse in 2016, says Jasper Kreeft, who works on the optimisation of wind parks at Shell. He and his colleagues have been using Whiffle’s software for the last two years for this purpose. The software can, for example, be used to clarify how the wind behaves at a specific wind park location and its effect on wind turbines at virtual locations. The optimum position of the turbines can be determined in this way.

Special attention is paid to wake effects. Kreeft: “The rotors of a wind turbine displace the wind. The wind speed behind them is therefore lower and this is known as the ‘wake effect’. You can imagine that it is not very efficient to have a wind turbine turning at such a location. Simulations reveal effects like this.”

Snapshot of calculated wind speed behind a wind turbine, with higher wind speeds in red and lower wind speeds in blue.

Furthermore, once a well-conditioned and well-configured wind park is ultimately up and running, thanks to Whiffle, an energy dealer such as Shell Energy (Ed.: Shell’s energy supplier for private individuals) has a better picture of the weather conditions in the immediate future, Jonker explains. “Tomorrow’s energy has already been traded today; that is always the case. But it is possible to estimate things incorrectly. You might count on a good output on a particular day but it turns out that there is hardly any wind that day. It is very expensive if gas-fired power plants have to be fired up at that point. It would have been cheaper if you had known beforehand.”

Triangular cooperation

The software from the Delft-based company suits Shell very well. So well in fact that, in October, the company got its own licence and embarked on a two-year co-operation programme with Whiffle. Kreeft: “Not only did we want to use the product, we also wanted to help Whiffle improve it. That helps us too, in the long term.” The two companies jointly agreed on a number of research themes. Kreeft mentions solar energy as an example: “In the future, we want to lay floating solar panels between the wind turbines. Won’t it be wonderful if we can incorporate wind as well as solar energy in a simulation? Whiffle’s software is suitable for doing this.”

TU Delft is involved in the co-operation via both companies. Whiffle started as an offshoot of the university and it was able to kick off thanks to shareholder Delft Enterprises B.V.. Jonker still works at the university one day a week and so does cofounder Remco Verzijlbergh. The young company is located at the campus: formerly at YES!Delft and currently at NEXT. Students, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers at Delft can apply to the company for research positions.

The ties between the university and Shell go back to before the Second World War. Shell has traditionally invested in research into the petrochemical industry. Another major project focuses on the new Hollandse Kust Noord wind farm. This research focuses primarily on control technology, says Kreeft. “It concentrates on the regulation and control of every turbine. The output of the turbines and Whiffle’s software come together here.”

Push

Although Shell’s investments in solar and wind are growing, the multinational is also still pouring billions into tapping new oil and gas reserves. Is it up to companies like Whiffle, with sustainability deep in its DNA, to push the proverbial oil tanker Shell in the energy transition? Jonker: “I think that we need big players such as Shell in the energy transition, whether we like it or not. What I hope is that we will make it easier for Shell to build wind parks more and more cheaply so that eventually it will no longer be profitable to use oil and gas because these fossil fuels will simply lose the fight against the wind and the sun.” ■

Harm Jonker (left) and Jasper Kreeft

Whereas most weather models have an accuracy of ten kilometres, Whiffle can determine the weather forecast in blocks of fifty by fifty metres

PHOTO © GUUS SCHOONEWILLE

PHOTO © WHIFFLE

The port of the future

By Bennie Mols

SMART, CLEAN AND AUTONOMOUS

The economic importance of shipping

The bulk of the things we use on a daily basis have, at some point or another, been transported by ship.

For the European Union, shipping represents around 80% of the total imports and exports in volume

Every year, about 11 BILLION TONS of goods are transported globally by ship, an average of no less than 1.4 TONS per world citizen

PHOTO © WHO_I_AM, NATALIA LAGUTKINA

Above

Below left Quay wall construction

Amaliahaven. Container quay construction requires sustainable, smart choices so we can minimise the impact on the environment. Below right Shoretension mooringsystem

Imagine ships navigating completely autonomously with sensors continuously measuring their energy consumption and emission levels. Imagine, too, ships communicating with one another to determine the most economical routes and with the surrounding infrastructure to optimise every single logistics operation to ensure that the processes involved are perfectly streamlined and all the goods are at the right place at precisely the right time. That would be the ideal scenario for realising climate-neutral transport by ships in ports and waterways by 2050, which is the target date of the European Green Deal.

TU Delft is already working on each of these technological challenges to enhance the sustainability of transport by water now. Professor Rudy Negenborn, Frederik Schulte and their colleagues at the Faculty of Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering (3mE), for example, are researching how sensors, data, and AI and communication technology can make ports, such as that of Rotterdam, more sustainable. They are, furthermore, investigating how alternative fuels can replace diesel and fuel oil and to make heavy maritime transport sustainable.

At the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Professor Mark van Koningsveld, lecturer Alex Kirichek and their staff are looking into the infrastructural modifications required for the energy transition and how to improve the climate robustness of the water transport infrastructure. They are developing a digital twin of the waterway network, with the objective of testing the effectiveness of combinations of measures in advance.

PHOTO © DANNY CORNELISSEN

The smart use of sensors, data, Artificial Intelligence, communication technology and simulation will make ports and waterways climate neutral by 2050

PHOTO © ERIC BAKKER

PHOTO © M. VAN KONINGSVELD

PHOTO © ERIC BAKKER

Aerial photo Theemswegtrace

Middle Barge at Euromax terminal

➝ Smart ships

To make ships navigate more efficiently and sustainably, Professor Negenborn is researching interactions between control and optimisation algorithms. Negenborn: “At the drive level, we can use smart control techniques to bring about a more efficient injection of fuel into engines that are combined with fuel cells. At the ship level, we can optimise the energy supply on board. If, moreover, we introduce the environment to this mix, we can optimise the route planning as well – although the fastest route is not necessarily the most sustainable one. Among other things, we are investigating the mutual interaction between ships and that between ships and the surrounding infrastructure, such as bridges, locks and machines in container or bulk terminals.”

The core idea is that many processes in the transport chain can become more sustainable if the links in this chain automatically communicate with one another about their intentions. Cooperative navigation is an important element here. Imagine two ships approaching a waterway crossroad or lock; a lot of fuel will be wasted if both ships try to reach the crossroad or lock first. Less fuel will be consumed if the ships agree that one of them will travel more slowly and the other will maintain its normal speed or that they will jointly travel in a specific formation.

➝ Emission-free inland shipping

The 6-year-long research project

PATH2ZERO, to be led by lecturer Alex Kirichek and Professor Mark van Koningsveld, will start slightly earlier, in January 2023. The ultimate goal of this project is to realise fully emission-free inland shipping. Van Koningsveld: “To this end, we are choosing a holistic approach to the transport system. What ships navigate on what waterways? What is the state of the infrastructure along the network? What new fuels and energy carriers are envisaged? What is the impact of low water or, on the other hand, high water? Transport by water is a complex system. If we take a particular measure to enhance sustainability for one waterway, how will that affect another? To find answers to questions like these we need new tools that will combine the data from all these different elements in a simulation model: a digital shipping twin.”

➝ Twin model of the waterways

In the coming years, the digital twin model that is key to the PATH2ZERO project will focus on three different waterways: the transport corridor from Rotterdam to Duisburg, the transport corridor from Rotterdam to Ghent and the greater Rotterdam port area. “In recent years, our team has already built a successful prototype in close collaboration with inland shipping companies”, says project manager Alex Kirichek. “We will continue to improve and expand this prototype. With a digital twin model, we can try out various actions, compare scenarios and calculate the most effective sustainability measures. How effective is it, for example, to have ships that are in port for a while use onshore renewable electricity for their energy supplies and what infrastructure is needed for this? How effective are investments in engine innovation and traffic measures? The digital twin model can become an important tool for making new knowledge accessible to policymakers and decision-makers.”

➝ Smart ports

How can you use AI-driven data analysis to have a port operate such that it is fully climate neutral? This is the central question of the NetZero AI Port research initiative being set up by lecturer Frederik Schulte, Professor Negenborn and their colleagues. Schulte: “The current approach by ports to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, such as by introducing cleaner fuels, focuses on separate components of these ports. NetZero AI Port looks at the port as a whole and the operational logistics processes that take place there. This provides many more opportunities for climate-neutral operation. If one port component has to release higher emissions for a while, we can look at whether we can have another component temporarily release lower emissions (a comparable quantity) so that we meet important climate targets on time.”

➝ Clean shipping using ammonia

Global emissions by maritime vessels are approximately equivalent to those from a large country, such as Germany. Liquid ammonia (NH3) that is produced using renewable energy can, in theory, form a good alternative for the heavily polluting diesel and fuel oil currently used by large maritime vessels. Ammonia has a big advantage over other alternative fuels, such as green hydrogen, in that it contains a lot of energy in a relatively small volume, so that ships do not have to be enlarged to accommodate it.

However, before green ammonia can actually be used on ships, research will have to be carried out to determine how a combination of fuel cells and an engine can be made as efficient as possible, how and where the ammonia can best be produced and we must look into the economic and safety aspects. Professor Rudy Negenborn and his colleagues are going to investigate these questions in the Dutch Research Council (NWO) project AmmoniaDrive, which is to be launched in February 2023. ■

‘We want to show what has to be done – and how to do it’

By Jurjen Slump

THE PORT OF ROTTERDAM AUTHORITY IS TAKING THE LEAD IN DEVELOPING A SMART, GREEN HARBOUR

The Port of Rotterdam is facing the gigantic challenge of being fully climate neutral by 2050. To this end, the Port of Rotterdam Authority (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Port Authority’) is making every effort to achieve both sustainability and digitalisation. Innovation will play a crucial role in this, says CEO Allard Castelein in an interview with Pioneering Tech. “A transition of this kind has yet to be achieved anywhere in the world.”

Smart quay walls, the construction of Europe’s largest green hydrogen factory, a hydrogen pipeline to the German Ruhr area, the first inland vessels propelled by green electricity, a digital twin of the entire Port and a digital route planner for container shipping are just only a handful of the many initiatives being set up. The Port Authority currently has more than 50 energy transition-related projects and another 30 digitalisation-related projects on the go.

These are in line with the immensity of what Castelein calls the ‘Port industrial complex’. “We directly and indirectly employ 565 thousand people here and are good for 8.2% of the gross national product, which amounts to 63 billion euros.”

The Port Authority is responsible for 13% of the national CO2 emissions and consequently has a ‘significant footprint’.

Pioneer

Because of the size of this footprint, the Port of Rotterdam will play a key role in the national energy transition. “We can realise 35% of our 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 55% here”, says Castelein. “We can make an enormous impact.” But how do you lead a complex that is traditionally 50% fossil fuel-driven to a climate-neutral future while retaining its current economic position?

Rotterdam is at the forefront “A transition of this kind has yet to be achieved anywhere in the world”, Castelein continues. “A great many parties are needed to accomplish this: knowledge partners, such as TU Delft, along with public and private parties too. Legislation also plays a big role and we have to keep a close eye on our competitiveness. Nobody knows what the blueprint will look like.”

Greening and digitalisation go hand in hand

The Port Authority is trying to implement the energy transition along the lines of four themes: (1) increasing the efficiency of existing industry and building infrastructure

The Port of Rotterdam is responsible for 13% of the national C02 emissions

Allard Castelein, CEO Port of Rotterdam Authority

© PORT OF ROTTERDAM AUTHORITY / ERNST BODE

for the transition, (2) producing and using renewable energy such as green electricity and hydrogen, (3) making all production processes circular and (4) making all transport movements passing through the port CO2 neutral.

All this goes hand in hand with digitalisation. A smart route planner can ensure that ships moor faster. The Port’s digital twin contributes here as well: not only does this help by enabling ships to navigate autonomously, but it also reduces waiting times and optimises mooring, loading and departure times.

Maritime innovation ecosystem

Castelein summarises the situation: “It is like playing multiple games of chess simultaneously. There is no one silver bullet. They are all incremental steps.”

The digitalisation of the Port, including the logistics chain and infrastructure, is a project that will take many years. “It is, in fact, a never-ending project. But it is incredibly exciting and wonderful to be involved in it.”

What is the Port Authority’s role in all this? “We take on the role we think is necessary to make a difference”, says Castelein. For example, the Port Authority promotes and facilitates a maritime innovation ecosystem: dozens of start-ups have been set up in the Innovation Dock at the RDM Campus. With PortXL, the Port Authority has its own innovation programme that enables it to bring promising maritime start-ups from all over the world to Rotterdam to facilitate further growth.

300 million

The Port Authority examines what is necessary for every initiative. “You need different partners for the electrification of inland vessels than for developing a hydrogen corridor to North Rhine-Westphalia. We continuously keep an eye on what is going on and are always thinking about what big processes are required to make the various chains smarter and more sustainable and how can we make a difference.”

The Port Authority also invests a considerable amount, about 300 million euros annually, to enable all these activities.

The legislator is slowing things down

It is no easy process, the CEO emphasises. The Port has arisen over many decades; it is efficient but not always sustainable. “Making anything sustainable implies disruption. It is always uncomfortable, because parties have to think in the broader context.” A factory that emits too much heat has to ‘look beyond its own value chain’ to come op with a sustainable solution for this and collaborate with another party. “That is, by definition, awkward.”

Legislation also slows innovation, whether pertaining to the storage of CO2, reuse of waste material, the blending of renewable fuels or the use of drones. “We have noticed that the companies concerned are very enthusiastic about these topics that the legislative framework is lagging behind technological progress.”

Noblesse oblige

Nonetheless, Castelein is optimistic. “We have the people, means, knowledge and infrastructure. It is our responsibility to show what has to be done and how to do it. We have very ambitious plans and a lot of concrete projects, so we are confident that we will succeed.”

And maintain the leading position the Port of Rotterdam currently holds and its employment opportunities. Castelein expects jobs to disappear because of the increasing digitalisation but that new jobs will be created too. Personnel can retrain to use drones, for example. “The reality of the last 30 years is that, despite all the automation, jobs have only increased in the port area.”

Dredging

However, a lot remains just the same. While the Port Authority is basically developing into a high tech-company, the nature of the activities is not actually changing very much. “Whether you decide to deepen the Port based on historic expectations or because smart quay walls indicate that it is necessary, you still have to dredge it.” ■

Delft start-ups active in the Port

TU Delft and the Port Authority collaborate closely. Besides carrying out pioneering scientific research, TU Delft is also a partner in SmartPort, which focuses on accelerating innovations. Various Delft start-ups are also active in the Port:

• At the end of last year, Battolyser Systems announced that it will be building the first large factory for producing devices that can make green hydrogen and energy. Battolyser Systems has developed and realised the world’s first integrated battery electrolysis system. When electricity prices are low, a Battolyser can produce hydrogen using solar and wind energy and, when electricity prices are high, feed electricity into the network.

• FleetCleaner has developed a robot that cleans the outside of maritime ships under the waterline. This not only reduces shipping companies’ fuel costs but also leads to lower emissions. The ships are cleaned during loading and unloading, thus saving the company any extra time that would otherwise be needed.

• Q*Bird is constructing an untappable quantum network for the critical communication systems of stakeholders in the Port. Improving the Port’s communication systems enhances the security of tens of thousands of maritime ships annually and the resulting economic traffic.

THE GREEN VILLAGE

Artificial breeze reduces heat in cities

Heat map of the HittePlein, made by a drone

By Karin Postelmans

Photo The Green Village

THE GREEN VILLAGE

More vegetation in cities lowers the temperature but how do you plant more trees, plants and bushes in city squares without compromising the function of these public spaces?

In the case of The Green Village, drones, data and artificial breezes ensure an optimum design. “Creating green areas to reduce temperatures sounds simple but it is actually a lot more difficult than one might think.”

The HittePlein (Heat Square) has been sandwiched between several buildings at The Green Village for a couple of years now. It is a perfectly ordinary square, the type you might find in any village or town, but this is where solutions for heat stress are developed. So far, these innovations have been tested separately from one another. What is their combined effect? And how do you make sure that the square also retains its functions? After all, it has to remain accessible to suppliers’ lorries, for example.

“We are collaborating with researchers, entrepreneurs and the authorities to find answers to these questions”, says project manager Willy Spanjer. “This spring, we are transforming the HittePlein into the ‘KoeltePlein (Coolness Square)’. An integrated design, which serves both people and climate, has been drawn up for this transformation. We are going to learn a lot from it.”

Climate neutral

Among other things, the plans for the square/field experiment involve various species of plants and will test different types of paving and innovations for the storage and management of rainwater. The design will also contribute to research into the effect of vegetation on the urban climate being carried out by architect and doctoral candidate Eva Stache.

Stache: “Our ambition is to produce a water, energy and climate-neutral setup. We can only do that by making the best possible use of plant species which are useful for climate adaptation. You must, for example, know how much water they transpire and whether you can walk on them.” As yet, there is no databank with this kind of information, so Stache worked it all out for herself. And she divided strips of vegetation into sections to test different types of plants.

Artificial breeze

The fact that plants cool the air around them by transpiring moisture has a key role in the design. They need water to be able to cool their surroundings, but this is becoming more and more of a problem during our hot and dry summers. Rainwater storage has therefore also been included in the design. Furthermore, the cooled air must be dispersed. To this end, Stache has used an ingenious method to create an artificial breeze.

This breeze is generated by two strips of paving between the greenery. The paving is black in colour and therefore becomes much warmer than the vegetation. The strips vary in width, running from narrow to broad, resulting in air movement and the creation of a breeze. The breeze is not only a way of expelling hot air from the city, it is also, and particularly, intended to raise the wind chill effect.

In her research, Stache takes those using the square, such as pedestrians and suppliers, into account too. “Creating green areas to reduce temperatures sounds simple”, says Stache, “but it is actually a lot more difficult than one might think.”

PHOTOS © THE GREEN VILLAGE

The Heat Square at The Green Village, sandwiched between several buildings

Additional challenge

An additional challenge in climate-adaptive design is the necessary integrated view of the spaces in the city: the surfaces, the water and the walls. Stache: “Each of these elements has a different owner. If the reflection of sunlight on your building causes my square to heat up, who is going to pay for trees to provide shade? This is why you have to do everything together. BAM and the province understand this. They already know that even if they do not make an immediate profit, the investment will be very beneficial in the long term.”

The unique thing about The Green Village is how fast innovations are developed. According to Spanjer, the realistic setting and TU Delft’s multidisciplinary team contribute to this. “And collaboration with partners, such as municipalities, who will be the ones to roll out the innovations. Their feedback is indispensable when scaling up.”

Construction company BAM Infra, for example, translated Staches’ design into a design that can be implemented. Bas de Jong, BAM project leader: “The balance between climate measures and retaining function is often difficult; that applies here too. Our experience enabled us to make the design realisable and safeguard the objectives. And we are gaining inspiration for heat-resistant urban planning at the same time. There is demand for it.”

Demonstrations

“I recognise that,” says Astrid de Wit, the Province of Zuid-Holland’s programme manager for climate adaptation. “Municipalities and companies are responsible for adapting to climate change but they are still searching for solutions. That is why we are supporting The Green Village. And connecting governmental and non-governmental parties so that they can exchange knowledge.” De Wit takes municipal representatives to demonstrations at the HittePlein on a regular basis. Afterwards, people frequently say:

“We were not aware that so much is possible”. The exchange of ideas also yields insight into the challenges. For example, a discussion with the building sector revealed that legislation is hindering progress. “So we are talking to the Ministry of the Interior about that.”

Drones

Last summer, a student applied various techniques, including the use of heat images from drones, to monitor the Hitteplein for his final project. He measured everything: temperature, air humidity and precipitation. Spanjer: “This gives insight into the effect of the measures taken, which we can use to develop new design principles.” But we have not reached that stage yet. New researchers are waiting in the wings to measure the effects of the transformation from Hitteplein to Koelteplein next summer.

Usable innovations

De Wit wants to come and have another look after the changes have been made. “You know that usable innovations are going to emerge because so many parties are collaborating. That is the best thing about TU Delft. New products or concepts transcend the status of ‘innovation’ and become standard applications almost before they are even finalised.” ■

‘Municipalities and companies are responsible for adapting to climate change, but they are still searching for solutions’

Last year, Delft once again emerged as the best place in the Netherlands for entrepreneurship, according to research by the University of Utrecht and Birch Consultants. This is largely due to the many companies, both large and small, located on the TU Delft Campus. In the early stages, entrepreneurs often work with Delft Enterprises, the vehicle through which the university invests in promising spin-off companies. What is the vision of Paul Althuis, director of Delft Enterprises, for guiding young tech companies?

The investor: Delft Enterprises

By Jurjen Slump

Why does TU Delft invest in spin-offs?

“Delft Enterprises revolves around the university’s intellectual property and how we can make it socially and economically relevant through spin-offs. We are part of the chain that delivers promising research for the benefit of society. Other important factors include an incubator such as YES! Delft, education in entrepreneurship through the Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship, and innovative facilities on the TU Delft Campus like field labs.”

It is currently valued at 500 million euros. Additionally, with 15 years of experience and extensive networks developed over many financing rounds, our spin-offs benefit from our knowledge and experience.”

Sometimes there is also criticism of the share interest that universities take in spin-offs. This would hinder growth because it scares off investors in the next phase. What’s your view on this?

How successful is DE?

“You need to look at each case to see the impact of a company, you cannot capture that in a percentage. Our spin-offs all have one thing in common, and that is that they all want to have a positive impact. That can be in terms of sustainability or a medical innovation that improves people’s lives. Impact and financial success go hand in hand. By financial standards, Delft Enterprises is successful: we have experienced some great exits and the fair market value of our portfolio increases every year. These successes are positive for the new generation spin-offs because as we reinvest part of the income.”

The

TU Delft is large and the research is comprehensive and diverse. How does DE ensure that promising patents don’t end up getting shelved?

“We work with Tech Scouts: colleagues who are close to the research in the faculties and really on top of what is going on. They keep an eye on interesting research proposals and take the lead in setting up a company. For example, our spin-off MEZT, which has a technical solution for the nitrogen crisis, for example, was built around a promising patent at the initiative our Tech Scouts.”

What value does Delft Enterprises offer compared to market parties?

“Private investors often consider it too high a risk to invest in knowledge that has just emerged from the university. That’s exactly where the financing gap is. There are some resources available for early-stage financing, but in my opinion, much more should be provided. We recently launched the TechScout Venture Fund as a supplement to UNIIQ, the regional proof of concept fund in which we are involved. We want to use this fund to accelerate the development of startups in the earliest stage.”

“I think it’s the opposite and actually adds value, especially in cases where the substantive connection with the research is still ongoing. In practice, it has not deterred investors. The spin-offs in which we have a share interest have been successful in raising financing. We recently interviewed several Dutch investors and it turned out the majority prefer a share interest over a royalty payment for the use of the university’s intellectual property.”

But sometimes a company does not make it.

“Not very many companies from our portfolio go bankrupt. You would like the technology to be scaled up, but that doesn’t always happen. That’s not a problem. Does that mean that there is no impact? It may well be that the acquired knowledge is used by other companies, which ultimately results in a positive impact on society. The most important thing is that the university must have done everything possible to ensure that promising technology is transformed into innovation.”

When it comes to the national investment landscape,

how does the Netherlands score?

“It’s getting better and better. Compared to about 15 years ago, there are more investors, the funds are larger, and the mindset is becoming more entrepreneurial. Investors are also striving for impact these days.”

What could be better?

“I disagree. We have numerous successful examples where our companies have created social and economic impact. Take Blue Phoenix Group, the company that extracts metals from household waste (after incineration) and started as a spin-off.

“The government should have more regard for the different innovation ecosystems in our country, of which DE is also a part, and which are a driving force of business activity and economic growth. For example, the field labs on the TU Delft Campus, are successful, but they spend a lot of time generating funding for their own maintenance. With a targeted investment, they can focus much more on what they were established for: accelerating innovation.” ■

Critics say that universities should not put time and effort into this, as they have too little knowledge of the market to really help startups progress..

‘Every one of our spin-offs wants to make a positive impact’

PHOTO © GUUS SCHOONEWILLE

TU Delft Global Initiative

Disrupting medical care in Africa

Just back from a field trip to a community in his home country of Nigeria, Dr Tope Agbana explains how his innovative diagnostic tool is changing medical care and the future of millions of children in the tropics. “My goal is to develop, produce and implement diagnostic devices for the people in Nigeria.”

By Karin Postelmans Photos AiDx

In the community of Gwagwa, Nigeria, Tope Agbana used his innovative diagnostics tool to screen 1,250 children. “We had already confirmed that the device works, but more data helps to improve it further and sheds light on community infection grades. Equally important, the results shock the leaders there. They now realise just how many children are ill. This tool changes mindsets.”

Main cause of death

As a post-doc researcher at the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering (3mE) of TU Delft, Tope Agbana decided to explore better ways to detect malaria. It is the main cause of death amongst pregnant women and children, mostly due to poor diagnostics.

“Conventional microscopy by highly trained microscopists is the standard diagnostic method. This is available in developed urban areas but not in remote impoverished areas.”

Agbana designed an automated smartphone-based optic diagnostics tool. It combined innovative optimisation of the smartphone’s optical technique with the integration of a smart algorithm. The TU Delft Global Initiative supported the concept with a PhD research position. Agbana developed the tool in cooperation with the Faculty of Industrial Design.

Impact driven

With the support of TU Delft, Agbana also started his company AiDx Medical. It shares research data and offers research opportunities for students. “And thanks to the NWO INSPiRED fund, I can still work as a part-time researcher at TU Delft.” For this, he collaborates with LUMC, the Universities of Ibadan and Lagos in Nigeria, and Cermel Gabon, a leading medical research centre.

“Our project is impact driven. My goal is to develop, produce and implement diagnostic devices to change the future of millions of children.”

This entails extensive travel to Nigeria, often accompanied by TU Delft students. “You need actual boots on the ground to gather data and forge collaborations. And to talk to the people who are going to use the tool. Is this the best solution?”

Broader scope

It appeared not to be the case. “Mobile phone-based sounds great but it had many impracticalities in the field. So we changed the concept.” His group also broadened the scope. Automated optical diagnostics can be used to screen for more neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) than malaria. One such disease is urinary schistosomiasis, which is caused by infection with a parasitic worm. It can cause serious organ damage and lymphatic filariasis – a mosquitotransmitted disease that leads to enormous and debilitating swelling of the limbs and scrotum.

The change of concept resulted in the AiDx Medical Assist. This shoebox-sized device contains a standardised optical system and a processor with artificial intelligence for analysis. It is easy to use and has a battery with backup. “Now it ties in with the needs in the field.”

Proper feeding

The screening Agbana recently conducted in Nigeria was for urinary schistosomiasis. According to WHO standards, 50 worms in a sample is evidence of a high infection load. “Many of the children had 2,000 worms or more. I wept when I saw this,” Agbana admits. He alerted a nearby NGO to start treatments. They were willing but couldn’t because, for the treatment to work, the children needed proper feeding first. So Agbana arranged for food. “Not for all of them, unfortunately: just 60 children. I cannot do research, pack my bag and go. That is not why I am here. I am here to make a difference.” ■

No energy transition and microchips without critical materials

SCARCITY AND UNDESIRABLE DEPENDENCIES THREATEN STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

More sustainable housing with solar panels, an economy that runs on green hydrogen, solar and wind energy, electrical vehicles and digital technologies: none of this is possible without critical materials such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, which often originate from countries that do not meet the minimum standards of the rule of law. Geopolitical developments mean that the supply of these materials is under threat and, as a result, so are our ambitions to become more economically and technologically independent, warns researcher David Peck.

By Jurjen Slump Photo Marcel Krijger

David Peck

For his dissertation, Peck, who works at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, researched how England dealt with the scarcity of materials during the Second World War. It turned out that the British government was able to halve the use of materials in two years by the strict supervision of supplies and a system of licences, permits, distribution and rationing. In doing so, the national government took a coordinating approach to the field of product design, which rapidly assumed a big role in developing solutions.

“At the time, everyone knew the cost of those scarce goods: many ships were sunk on the Atlantic Ocean by the Germans”, says Peck, who is himself British. “A lot of sailors died, so people took good care of the products they had.” The same applied during the Hunger Winter. “Everyone knew how little there was. Every gram counted.”

End of an era

Now, in 2023, Peck’s research – he obtained his PhD in 2016 – is more relevant than ever. The war in Ukraine has led to a grain crisis and rocketing energy prices. Corona has disrupted global production chains and China’s authoritarian course is causing headaches for politicians and companies: the United States is demanding that ASML stop delivering its most advanced chip machines to this country. And, furthermore, tensions are rising between China and Taiwan, which has a substantial chip industry.

What defines critical materials?

Many people would probably consider gold to be a scarce material and, thus, a critical one but it is not. The European Commission defines a ‘critical raw material’ (CRM) as a raw material with a high risk of disruption of supply chains and, simultaneously, of huge economic importance.

• A high risk of disruption of supply chains means that it may not be possible to meet the demands of European industry;

• A large economic interest means that the material is of fundamental interest for the industry in that it adds value and creates jobs. These will be lost if the material is not available and if there are no suitable alternatives available.

These developments are causing government bodies to become more actively involved in industrial politics, as was the case during the Second World War. In September 2022, European Commissioner Thierry Breton announced the end of an economic era: an era with logistics based on ‘everything arriving at a particular spot precisely on time and specialisations that were spread across geographic regions’. “We live in a time of permanent crisis and all our dependencies can be used against us.”

According to Minister Micky Adriaansens (Economic Affairs), “This is proof that our economy must be resilient and that, where necessary, we must strengthen our strategic autonomy and our independent position as the Netherlands – and Europe – in a number of areas.” If one or two countries dominate the entire production of a specific group of products, this can lead to ‘excessive dependency’, the minister wrote last summer to the House of Representatives. “These days, we cannot afford to ignore this; we have to take it seriously.”

Adriaansens is committed to greening the economy and creating a circular industry to achieve these objectives. By generating energy from renewable sources and recycling materials, we can stop being so dependent on other countries.

AI, chips, batteries, hydrogen and robotics

Strategic autonomy goes hand in hand with technological sovereignty. Only with its own advanced technology can Europe thrive, remain independent and protect itself properly against external threats. At the same time, this technology is needed for the energy transition, for digitalisation and to guarantee our safety.

The European Commission is investing billions to this end. The primary focus is on AI, chips, the energy transition (batteries and hydrogen), quantum technology and robotics. All fields in which TU Delft has a leading position when it comes to teaching, research and innovation.

“In time, lithium and rare-earth metals will be more important than oil and gas. Our demand for rare earth metals alone will multiply by a factor of five towards 2030. […] We must avoid becoming dependent again, like we did with oil and gas.”

European Commissioner Thierry Breton, 14 September 2022

Minerals in a smart phone

In the dark

The paradox is that we want to be autonomous but need a great many critical materials to realise this. “All the key technologies we are working on use critical raw materials”, says Peck. “Without them, you have no robotics, no wind energy, no electric cars, no smartphones, no sustainable houses, no laptops and no AI. Nothing. Without them, we would be sitting here in the dark.”

Casing

Action is vital, because the risk of disruption of our supply chains is growing rapidly. Research carried out by the European Commission shows that, compared with 2017, this risk has increased considerably for a substantial number of the raw materials deemed critical. “The list of materials from China is massive. If something happens in Taiwan, we will be in really deep water”, says Peck. Not only does this involve raw materials but semi-manufactured products, such as solar panels and chips, as well.

Recycling, remanufacturing and mining

Peck agrees with Breton and Adriaansens’ opinion that the way out is the transition to a circular economy and more efficient use and recycling of materials. “Recycling is essential”, he says. “Ultimately we will have to recycle everything.” The problem is that the demand is increasing faster than the supply. That is why we have to look at mining in Europe too. This is a highly controversial subject, Peck acknowledges, but it would help us to become less dependent quickly. “We cannot recycle ourselves out of this situation.”

Another topic on which Peck has carried out a great deal of research is remanufacturing. This entails making new products from old ones. It goes a step further than what are known as ‘refurbished products’, which are already available on the market. “Remanufactured telephones will be displayed in the shops next to brand-new ones but they will be indistinguishable from them.”

In fact, remanufacturing buys us time. “It does not solve the crisis regarding critical materials but, by reusing materials, you do get more time to think up solutions. Time is crucial.”

Innovation

Innovation plays an important role in all this.

“The Netherlands may have few critical materials but it does have strong universities and research institutes, such as the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), that can make all the difference.” It is not just a question of developing key technologies but also of training technical personnel.

TU Delft is involved in a series of projects in the field of critical materials. Various faculties are playing a role in this: Materials Science, for example, is researching how recycled materials behave, Civil Engineering and Geosciences has expertise in the field of mining and Technology, Policy and Management (TBM) has a great deal of knowledge regarding administrative embedment and sustainable business models in house.

SOURCE: POTOMAC INSTITUTE, VISUAL CAPATALIST

GREENMET

Critical raw materials are used throughout Europe’s ecosystems, and particular in strategic sectors such as robotics.

Countries accounting for the largest share of EU sourcing of CRMs (2020)

Product design

You cannot simply leave this to the market. “So far, the market has failed. The business community does not realise the urgency of the situation”, he says. “You need politicians and policymakers to make important decisions.” Ultimately, the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering will also make a significant contribution. This is because product design will play a substantial role in resolving the problems concerning critical materials, as it did during the Second World War.

Peck also has high expectations of what are known as ‘material passports’, in which AI and, in the future, quantum computing, will also play a major role. They will be deployed to establish when, where and in what products critical materials are used, which will enable high-quality reuse. “At the moment, we often have absolutely no idea of the history of these materials.”

Elephant in the room

When will the Netherlands, and the EU, achieve this strategic and technological autonomy? This is out of reach of the Netherlands; the EU may eventually achieve it but only on the basis of mutual dependencies with multiple partners.

“I would like to ask another question”, says Peck. “How autonomous do we want to be and what effects will that have?” The most important consideration is what we need as opposed to how much we want. “That is the elephant in the room. Everyone is talking about the demand for materials with which to make products whereas we should really be talking about what is necessary.”

“Strategic autonomy is possible if we live in keeping with what we really need and within planetary boundaries. But it will lead to enormous social change.” Universities are playing an important part in answering these questions, according to Peck. “It is a ‘wicked challenge’. There are no easy answers.”

And yet, the British managed during the Second World War. “A period of two years was all they needed to work things out. We can do it if we have to.” ■

“We […] want to enhance our resilience with safe home-grown technologies; these are invaluable in the turbulent world in which we live.”

President Ursula von der Leyen, 17 March 2022

Front-row access to the latest trends in tech

The leading online platform for disruptors & decision makers

■ Get the latest news, analysis & insights

■ What’s driving decision makers? Listen to our podcast

■ Stay ahead and subscribe to our newsletter

➔ Learn more at tudelft.nl/pioneeringtech

One small step for a robot...

There is no shortage of visionary ideas at TU Delft but the students behind the Lunar Zebro are working on a project that can truly be called a moonshot. The Lunar Zebro, a six-legged, autonomous robot, is currently being readied for outer space. The team is in advanced talks on participating in a moon mission, probably after 2025.

The Lunar Zebro is small, light and inexpensive. Its A4 footprint, height of 8 - 10 cm (shorter than an index finger) and weight of 2.5 kg make it considerably lighter than regular moon robots (rovers), which weigh hundreds of kg. Its two cameras, which are the size of small coins and only weigh 7 g each, were designed by master’s students.

The first mission revolves around demonstrating the technology, i.e. showing that the rover functions as it should. Its c-shaped legs have never been tested on the moon’s surface and neither has its radiation sensor. The latter forms the scientific component of the mission and will chart the radiation on the moon’s south pole. It communicates directly with earth.

If the test succeeds, on future missions the team intends to send dozens of zebros to the moon where they will work together as a swarm. This will, for example, enable them to explore caves and other locations that are not easily accessible, in the search for sites with low radiation levels for potential manned lunar bases. What’s more, the rovers are able to jointly form a single large antenna at the back of the moon so that they can catch primordial signals from the cosmos.

The team behind the Lunar Zebro works closely with numerous industrial partners, as the technology also offers numerous applications on Earth. We are looking forward to the countdown! The rover might just be a giant leap for aerospace innovation.

LIKE TO KNOW MORE? SEE TUDELFT.NL/ PIONEERINGTECH

By

Jurjen Slump  Photos Studio Jamal Ageli

Analogue mission to research human-machine interaction in Iceland