During the online conference of Watervisie 2021, it was announced which project has been granted the ‘Water Innovator of the Year 2021’ award. The three selected ideas were Mid Mix, Mezt and the DUCAM-project. The jury and the results of the online voting determined which finalist eventually won this prestigious award. This was the DUCAM-project of Wafilin Systems b.v. and Avebe.
Innovative companies, start-ups or government institutions that prioritize innovation, sustainability and public-private partnerships have been selected for this election. Watervisie, the organizer of the event, specifically searched for innovations that make the use of (industrial) water cheaper, more sustainable or more efficient.
In an exciting debate the finalists discussed the value of water innovation with André Mepschen of the Water Alliance. The short pitch about the project, which included how the DUCAM-project was originated and what advantages this new membrane filtration application Avebe brings, was one of the deciding factors for winning this award. Harry van Dalfsen, Founder and Technical Director of Wafilin Systems b.v., emphasizes the importance of cooperation through years of experience of all parties. “With the experience of the past and the knowledge we have today, we – together with Avebe – were able to develop a solid and reliable solution.”
The DUCAM-project (Dutch abbreviation for the sustainable concentration of potato juice with membranes) meets the criteria of the jury. DUCAM achieves significant energy savings, CO2 reduction and ensures that water – filtered from potato juice – can be reused. In other words; a sustainable and circular solution. By reusing the water, the cycle is closed, creating a better world today and in the future. In addition, there is also great energy and water saving potential in other biorefinery processes in the food industry when this technology is applied.
“With the DUCAM project, we are taking big steps towards achieving our sustainability goals. It will allow us to save a lot of water, energy and CO2. I am proud that we were able to achieve this with a small team”, says Erik Koops, Program Energy Effiency Manager at Avebe.
