Bioresources and Recycling Technologies

Central themes are:

Biogas production

Conducting of process studies, process optimisation and technology development of biogas production including the assessment of various feedstocks and organic waste-streams, pre-treatment and potential studies, and post-treatment of liquid digestates from the biogas process.

Composting

Conducting of process studies, process optimisation and technology development of composting.
  

Microalgae

Conducting of process studies, process optimisation and technology development of microalgae in the production of specialty products, and for utilisation and concentration of nutrients.
  

Evaluation and pre- and post-treatment of waste streams

Creation of new products from waste.
  

Organic waste products as fertiliser/soil improvement

Methods and product development for utilising nutrients and stable organic materials as fertiliser and soil improvement.
  

Evaluation of environmental and climate impacts

Evaluation of the environmental effects, climatic effects and hygiene from organic waste treatment.
 

Environmental monitoring

• Environmental monitoring of waste treatment facilities, composting and landfilling, odour statistics, leachate treatment, waste management.
• Archaeological Cultural Heritage: Environmental monitoring, soil physical and chemical analyses and evaluation of conditions for preservation of cultural deposits from the Middle Ages that shall be preserved in situ.

The majority of the department is localised at the Biogas Laboratory at Vollebekk in Ås, which is well equipped with a variety of biogas reactors, photobio reactors and a multitude of relevant analytical instruments. The department also has activity at Tingvoll in the county of Møre and Romsdal, and is available for projects throughout Norway.