GasTerra invests 0.9 million in research facility for renewable gas and circular raw materials
The innovative research facility will be built in the energy testing ground of EnTranCe - Centre of Expertise Energy. Research will focus on the production of renewable gas and circular raw materials. The facility is expected to be completed by autumn 2023.
The facility will be called ‘REMO lab’, which stands for renewable molecules. The facility is being set up to develop, improve and optimise the production of renewable gases and circular chemicals. Construction of the facility will enable Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen to initiate and scale up innovations. The expansion ties in with the role envisaged for renewable gases and green raw materials in achieving a CO2-neutral economy and reinforces the positions of EnTranCe and the Research Centre Biobased Economy as learning, practice-oriented knowledge communities.
“The fact that the construction of this facility at EnTranCe means that thorough research into the production of sustainable gases and the use of low-value residual flows can now be done in Groningen is very important to us. We hope and expect that this will give a huge boost to the use of EnTranCe long after GasTerra has discontinued its own activities.” says Jan Hendrik Annema, GasTerra’s Energy Transition Manager.
Practice-oriented research and innovation
EnTranCe, the Research Centre Biobased Economy of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen and the University of Groningen will work together in the REMO lab. This will provide a unique environment for linking research on the energy transition and the raw materials transition. Projects carried out in the REMO lab will include fermentation, electrolysis and the synergy between the two. The aim of these projects is to develop innovations that can increase the efficiency of hydrogen and green gas production, reduce harmful emissions and produce green chemicals from renewable raw materials. This will reduce society’s dependence on fossil natural gas, accelerate the transition to the hydrogen economy, and achieve agrochemical energy symbiosis.
An environment suitable for experiments and demonstrations
EnTranCe’s energy testing ground is already, for various applications, an attractive environment for research into and development of innovations that will take the energy transition one step further. The new REMO lab will offer opportunities for a fresh group of companies to become part of the EnTranCe community and start projects. Companies can apply to use the Centre of Expertise as they can with EnTranCe’s other facilities. Partners of EnTranCe and the Research Centre Biobased Economy are given access to knowledge and facilities for conducting research and experiments in order to improve processes and develop innovative ideas quickly. The facility fulfils an important role as a place to resolve business issues and perform technical research; it is also used to train future professionals, who are currently pursuing vocational training or studying at university.
GasTerra is financing the construction of the REMO lab. The cooperation agreement was signed today by Dick Pouwels, Chair of the Executive Board of Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen and Annie Krist, CEO of GasTerra.
