From 20 March 2020.
Kalundborg Symbiosis has at its last board meeting admitted two new members to the association, which now counts no less than eleven companies, both private and public. The expansion is fully in line with the association's strategy to be the world's leading industrial symbiosis, among other things by developing and anchoring the symbiosis mindset locally.
"The more partners, the more potential flows there are in the Symbiosis. We are pleased to welcome two new companies to the sustainable production partnership. The two new members are already involved in several different contexts. So it is only natural that they become real members of the partnership", says Lisbeth Randers, secretary of Kalundborg Symbiosis.
The new partners
And who are they, the new members?
Kalundborg Bioenergi has been admitted as a full member of the association, so they will have a seat on the board. Kalundborg Bioenergi exploits the biogas and fertiliser potential of residual biomass from Novozymes (Novogro) and Novo Nordisk (yeast cream) at their biogas plants. The biogas plant produces biogas, which is subsequently upgraded to natural gas quality, removing CO2 and hydrogen sulphide from the product. The natural gas is sent to local companies such as Gyproc Saint-Gobain and Equinor and then to consumers through the natural gas grid. The hydrogen sulphide fraction is captured and used in the production of fertiliser, which is used on local farmers' fields, among other things. Kalundborg Bioenergi is owned by the Danish company Bigadan.
"We are proud that Kalundborg Bioenergi will now become a full member of Symbiosen, which we believe is one of the strongest public-private partnerships in Denmark. We are already an important part of Symbiosis' circular process focusing on resource recycling. We look forward to continuing to be so. I am confident that we can contribute positively as a member, and we look forward to expanding and strengthening Symbiosis together with the strong member companies, Kalundborg Municipality and Symbiosis Secretariat," says Erik Lundsgaard, Director of Kalundborg Bioenergy, and he continues:
"Kalundborg Bioenergi is a key player in the Symbiosis, which helps to bind many companies and Kalundborg Municipality together. If we really want to make a difference and create a sustainable green transition, partnerships like Symbiosis are the way to go. We are happy that with our CO2-neutral biogas production we can add an extra dimension to the partnership."
Unibio is admitted as an associate member of the association. This is a new model, which allows to participate in the development work of the network, while contributing new flows. Unibio has had demonstration facilities in Kalundborg since 2017 and currently produces primarily protein for animal feed using a patented fermentation reactor. The product is a sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources such as soy concentrate and fishmeal. The company expects to expand its facilities in Kalundborg as it works to develop protein for human consumption. Unibio purchases biogas from Kalundborg Bioenergi, adding a new stream to the existing ecosystem of Kalundborg Symbiosis.
"We produce energy from a waste product - and that is symbiosis in itself, as it is win-win for both the economy and the environment. We take a residual stream from symbiosis companies, we sell to symbiosis companies, and we even make symbiosis out of our own residual fraction. So it's obvious for us to become part of the network and help set the direction for new initiatives. We are really looking forward to the collaboration", says Technical Director Jess Dragheim.
"We see many new opportunities for collaboration in the Symbiosis. For example, steam from Asnæsværket and residues from water treatment from the utility could potentially be included in our process. On the other hand, we can contribute to Symbiosis with our knowledge of running pilot plants and our close links to universities, just as we are very happy with local educational collaborations, for example with Absalon. Unibio fits in very well with Symbiosis, says Jess Dragheim.
