SDG’s of DBG: Sustainable Development Goals in action!
In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the purpose of protecting the planet, ending poverty and ensuring that people worldwide enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Achieving the SDGs in every context can only be made possible if knowhow, creativity, financial resources and technology all go hand in hand. It is therefore no surprise that the biotechnology industry has been known to have lots to offer in that regard.
We at DBG are committed to six Goals. We manage to do so, because of our all-round solution: we take care of waste in a sustainable way, but we also create green products – which, compared to current alternatives, are friendlier for both environment and economic development.
The Goals are integrated with each other and acknowledge that action in one area will have an effect on other domains. That is how DBG, as a waste-to-energy company, contributes to zero hunger for example… Bet you’re curious how exactly that works. Well, read on!
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Fertilisers form the basis of modern agriculture, as they are necessary to grow the high amounts of crops that are necessary to feed the global population. An unfortunate side effect of the widely used synthetic fertilisers is that they deplete the soil and pollute ground water. Additionally, the production of artificial fertiliser makes use of fossil fuels and causes harmful emissions. There is therefore an urgent need for more sustainable alternatives, in order to keep up food production while at the same time being more gentle for our planet.
DBG Bio Energy develops both land improvers and fertilisers which improve the organic content and water-holding capacity of the soil. Because our green fertilisers come forth from an upcycled organic waste stream -paper sludge-, we do not have to rely on fossil fuels. The DBG fertiliser is created from organic and plant-based materials, and is able to replenish the organic matter content of the soil (as opposed to traditional mineral fertilisers).
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• Due to nature of long-haul transport, electric batteries are not the most suitable answer for heavy duty and maritime industry – hence there is a need for a different solution… At the moment, BioLNG provides a good and greener alternative for this sector. BioLNG has lower emission levels than fossil-based LNG and is made from organic waste. The feedstock we at DBG use for the production of BioLNG is paper sludge. Whereas many different feedstocks qualify for the production of biogas, paper sludge in particular has very valuable characteristics, as it is continuously and readily available throughout the year, and is 4 times more energy-dense than manure. Those features make our feedstock very energy-efficient and makes our BioLNG a reliable energy source.
• The BioLNG we produce will be supplied to the heavy-duty transport and maritime sector. Those sectors typically use diesel or maritime diesel, which are both very pollutive as they emit lots of NOx. As a reference, NOx is a 25 times more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. By switching the sector to BioLNG, they will start to use natural gas as a fuel, which leads to lower NOx and CO2 emissions.
• We produce the BioLNG always in close vicinity (maximum radius of 500km) to the place where we collect the feedstock, which reduces our dependency on energy from far-away places, thus ensuring energy self-sufficiency.
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DBG Bio Energy has an ambitious plan to build 5 plants within the next five years. One DBG plant creates about 50 fulltime employment positions. Both operators as well as people with specialized knowledge will be needed. This means that there will be an extensive knowledge exchange. Furthermore, DBG Bio Energy cooperates with schools and universities so as to further enhance the (local) knowledge network. This will result in knowledge sharing about innovative sustainable technologies.
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• DBG developed a process which is highly innovative and completely new. Our process exists out of upcycling an industrial waste stream, paper sludge, into a number of different products: both agricultural as well as energy products. By taking a waste stream, which is currently incinerated or landfilled, and turning it into other products, we close the loop and create a win-win situation. Moreover, the products we create are more sustainable alternatives than their current traditional ones. By producing BioLNG – a fuel used for heavy transport and the maritime industry- we offer a more sustainable alternative to the current traditional fossil fuels. By producing green fertilisers, we offer a better alternative to the currently used synthetic ones. This is all made possible because of the innovative pre-treatment technology developed by Episome Biotechnologies.
• DBG cooperates in knowledge exchange schemes with developing countries with a project currently running in Vietnam and South Africa. We aim to help them with sustainable and circular solutions for their own organic waste streams (such as elephant grass). This way, we work towards helping developing countries becoming more circular and more energy self-sufficient as well. This fosters inclusivity and an intensive knowledge exchange.
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• When using the DBG fertiliser, you need significantly less fertiliser per hectar of land (compared to traditional mineral fertilizer) in order to achieve the same result and quality of crop growth. This therefore means that we actively work towards a more efficient use of resources and more responsible consumption.
• DBG secures the sound management of waste, this is in line with federal and European guidelines for processing paper sludge. By upcycling sludge, we stop the practice of incineration and landfilling, resulting in the end of air, soil and water pollution. This therefore creates a positive impact on the environment as well as on human health. We do not only reuse an entire waste stream, but upcycle it into more products that are far more environmentally friendly than their currently available alternatives.
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• The way DBG produces fertiliser is more environmentally friendly than other traditional artificial fertilisers. This is due to fact that DBG fertiliser production per unit requires approximately 90% less minerals which are fossil-fuel based, than average artificial fertiliser. Besides significant avoided emissions of GHGs, DBG fertiliser product benefits go beyond the plant growth and development, since they include restoring the overall soil's health.
• According to calculations of independent consultancy firms, every single one of our plants has the capacity to save a total of 140.000 tonnes of direct and indirect CO2 emissions. In terms of direct CO2 emissions: the conversion of paper sludge into BioLNG will save 77.000 tonnes of CO2. As for indirect CO2 savings: by moving away from incineration and landfilling of paper slib, we can save 53.000 tonnes of CO2 emissions; additionally, by transporting paper slib by barges instead of by truck, we can save 10.000 tonnes of CO2 emissions
• By working intensely together with authorities, DBG is actively paving the (regulatory) path to get paper sludge recognised as valuable organic feedstock. This will ultimately aid other innovative initiatives as well, as it can give them the push to start upcycling paper sludge as a valuable feedstock for other ends.
• Our cooperation with developing countries supports the resilience of communities worldwide to foresee in their own energy and get rid of their waste in a non-polluting manner.
• DBG created Paper Sludge Academy as a means to spread awareness about the importance and possibilities upcycling organic waste streams has. This way, we aim to foster knowledge exchange. We are also engaging in partnerships with universities and actively participating in multiple conferences and events where we want to share knowledge and learn from people in the industry.