XVIIWAWorldConferenceonAnaerobicDigestion,Delft,2019AD16,TheNetherlandsandBelgiumPlaceandspecificvenuefortheconferenceTheconferencewillbeorganizedwithpartnersfromTheNetherlandsandBelgium.TheorganizationalleadwillbetakenbytheTechnicalCommitteeAnaerobictreatment(TCA)oftheRoyalNetherlandsWaterAssociation(KWN)incooperationwithFlandersKnowledgeCenterWater(VLAKWA).Universities,involvedintheorganizationofworkshopsandthescientificprogrammingwillbeWageningenUniversity(WU),DelftUniversityoftechnology(DUT),Ghentuniversity(UGhent),CatholicUniversityLeuven(KULeuven)andtheinstituteforwatereducationUnesco‐IHE(IHE).

TheconferencelocationwillbeDelft,TheNetherlands.Thissmallcityhasarichhistoryinscienceandculture,suchasthebirthplaceofAntonivanLeeuwenhoekandtheDelftschoolofmicrobiologyandofcoursetheworldfamouspainterJohannesVermeer.DelftishousingtheDelftUniversityofTechnology,whichwillhosttheconference.TheConferenceCentreoftheTUDelft(Aula)willbetheconferencevenue.TheAtriumhasplacefor1000personsforplenarysessions,while5lecturerooms(200‐350persons)directlyconnectedtotheAulaoffergreatpossibilitiesforbreakoutsessions.Furthermorethereisalargefoyerforcateringandvidesandsmallerroomslinkedtothisfoyerforpostersessionsandexhibitions.

BeforetheconferencewewillalsoorganizespecialistcoursesatthelocationsofthepartneruniversitiesinBelgiumandtheNetherlands.

ProposedThemesThemesthatarecurrentlyofgreatinterestare:AnaerobicMicrobiology:

‐ Microbialpopulationdynamicsinanaerobicsystems‐ Interspecieselectrontransfer,syntrophy

Resourcerecoveryandfermentationprocesses:‐ Anaerobichydrolysisandpretreatmentofcomplexsubstrates‐ Roleofanaerobicdigestioninresourcefactories(recoveryofnutrientsandenergy)‐ Reductivetransformationsforproductrecoveryand/orproductsynthesis‐ Fermentationdesignforefficientdown‐streamprocessing‐ Secondgenerationbio‐electrochemicalsystems‐ Electro‐fermentation‐ Maximizingchemicalenergyrecovery

Modellingandinstrumentation:‐ MixingandCFDmodellinginAD‐ Bigdataanalysisforanaerobicsystems‐ ProcesscontrolinAD

Emerginganaerobictechnologies:‐ Novelnichesandapplicationfieldsrequiringnoveltechnologicalapproaches‐ Anaerobictreatmentunderextremeconditions‐ Biogasupgradingandbiogasuse‐ Aerobictreatmentofdomesticsewageandslurries

DetailsaboutaccommodationandtransportDelftisatouristicsmallcitywitha17thcenturystreetplan,easytodiscoverbyfoot.Atotalofalmost800roomsareavailableinthecitycenterofDelft,another500roomsareavailablewithin15minutesbypublictransport,varyingfromhostelstotopendhotels.Pubsandrestaurantsarescatteredinthesmallhistoriccitycenter,forallofustoenjoy;nobodycangetlost.InthedirectvicinityofDelft,TheHagueandRijswijkhasevenmorelargehotels.AHTMconferencetransportpass(€15,50for4daysunlimiteduse)allowsparticipantstotravelbypublictransporttoRijswijk,TheHagueandeventothebeachesofScheveningen.Delfthasafrequentdirect(40min.)connectiontoAmsterdamSchipholAirportforlessthan10€).MosthotelsareatwalkingdistancefromthebrandnewDelfttrainstation,orareconnectedbybusortram.Participantscouldevenrentabikeatthetrainstationtogoaroundascarsarenotallowedinlargepartsoftheoldcenter.ScientificcommitteeselectionpolicyThestartingpointofthescientificcommitteeselectionwillbeanopencalltojointhecommittee.Asmallcommitteefromthe4organizingUniversitiesandtheKWNandVLAKWAwilljudgetherequests.Themembersofthescientificcommitteeshouldbegeographicallywelldistributed,haveanexcellenttrackrecordinthefieldofanaerobicdigestionprocessesandcomefromthedifferentrelevantdisciplinescoveringtheprogram.Specialattentionwillbepaidtoincludingyoungerupcomingtalentstobepartofthescientificcommittee.

MotivationtoorganizeAD16BelgiumandtheNetherlandsarehistoricallystronglyrelated,whichcertainlyisthecaseforAnaerobicTreatment.Worldmarketleadersonanaerobictechnologyarebasedinourcountriesandsodothefounderfathers’universitiesofthevariousanaerobictechnologies.However,thusfar,theworldIWA‐ADconferencewasneverheldintheNetherlands.The4organisinguniversitiesplayaprominentroleinconsolidatingwhathasbeendeveloped,meanwhileadvancinginthenextgenerationofADtechnologiesincooperativeresearchprojects.ADisfullyintertwinedinourenvironmentalengineeringapproachandmanydifferentkindofapplicationscanbefoundatfull‐scale.Inaclosecooperation,wewouldliketoshowourachievementsanddiscusswithallADintereststhecurrentpotentialsinthefield.Wearesurethatnewcreativeideasandcooperationwillevolvefromtheconference.Ourproposalisfullybackedbythenationalwaterprofessionalnetworks,governmentalinstitutionsandcommercialcompaniesworkinginthefield.WhywouldpeoplecometoAD16inDelft?TheNetherlandsandBelgiumgavebirthtoanumberofADtechnologiesthatfoundtheirwaytosuccessfulcommercialapplication.InTheNetherlandsandBelgium,ADplaysakeyroleindevelopingenergyneutralorevenenergyproducingsewagetreatmentplants.Numerousindustriesapply,alreadysincetheearly1980’s,anaerobictreatmentoftheirwastewaters,whilerecoveredwaterandenergyareincreasinglyreusedinindustrialortreatmentprocesses.ReductivetechnologiestoclosetheN‐cycleandS‐cyclecanbevisitedatshortdistance.Infact,everythingisatshortdistanceintheNetherlandsandBelgium(!),readytosharewithallofyou.Before,duringandaftertheconferencewewillofferaninterestingcontent/line‐upinafriendlyatmosphere,withchancestonetwork,interactanddiscussatacompactconferencevenueinasmallcity.PossibletechnicaltoursandnetworkingeventsWewillorganizespecialistscoursesbeforethestartoftheconference,thetopicswillbedeterminedbyourscientificcommitteereflectingtheforeseenmosturgenttopicsof2019.

PossibletechnicaltourswithintheNetherlandsandBelgiumtofullscaleanaerobicinstallationsare:‐ AnumberoffullscaleUASB,EGSBinstallationsforindustrialwastewatertreatment(chemical

wastewater,foodprocessing,beer).Paques,Biothane,Waterleau,Colson,etc.arearoundthecorner,happytoinviteyouforacloselook.

‐ Towardszerodischargewithanaerobictreatmentascore‘kidney’technology(paper,textile)‐ NovelfullscaleAnaerobicMBRsforconcentratedwastewaters(e.g.candyfactory)‐ AnaerobiccompostinginstallationsofOrganicWasteSystems,Dranco,Aterro,Omrin,orOrgaworld.‐ Full‐scaleADreactorstreatingblackwaterinnewsanitationapproaches.‐ Full‐scaleautotrophicNremovalusingAnammox,Demon,Olandorothertechniques.‐ Full‐scaleS‐cycletechnologiesforoff‐gases,metalrecovery,biogascleaning.

NetworkingeventswillbeorganizedinDelftandTheHague:‐ AguidedcitytouralongthehighlightsofDelfthistory,includingthegraveofAntonivanLeeuwenhoek,

RoyalDelftwherethebeautifulDelftBluePotteryisproduced,Vermeer’shomeandtheroyaltombs;‐ Aconferencedinner,foreseenatthehistoriclocation‘theKurhaus’attheScheveningenbeach‐ DelfthasasmallcityCentre,wherepeoplewillmeeteachotheroverdrinksanddinner.

Touristictoursthatwillbeorganizedaspossiblepartnerprogram:‐ Excursiontotheinternationalcourt(peacepalace)andMadurodam(miniatureHolland)‐ ExcursiontoUnesco’sheritage–thewindmillsofKinderdijk,theharborareaofRotterdam,orthe

famouscoastaldefense,the‘Deltaworks’:seehowtheDutchlivewithwaterforovercenturies.‐ Inadditiontouniversitycities:visitAntwerporAmsterdam–greattradingcitiesoflateMedievalages.

WayswewilladdresslowincomenationattendanceAsduringformerADconferences,specialrateswillbeensuredforattendeesoflowincomecountries.Inaddition,withthehelpofsponsorswewouldliketo(co‐)fundtheparticipationofselectedyoungprofessionalsfromdevelopingcountries.WewillalsofocusonAfricanyoungwaterprofessionals;currentlymanyinitiativesonADareemployedinthescopeof“BiogasforLife”and“AfricaBiogasPartnershipProgramme”ofSNVandHivos.Unesco‐IHE,theInternationalInstituteofWaterEducation,home‐basedinDelft,willactivelyapproachtheirstudents,alumni,andnetworkinlowincomecountriestoparticipateinAD‐16.HopingtomeetyouallinDelftin2019!!!LiseAppels,DamirBrdjanovic,RafDewil,NicoGroeneveld,MerledeKreuk,RobbertKleerebezem,JulesvanLier,MarkvanLoosdrecht,HenkLubberding,KorneelRabaey,ChrisReijken,CarlSchultz,HenriSpanjers,BramVersprilleandGrietjeZeeman.AndofcoursethisinvitationhasitsstrongsupportfromGatzeLettingaandWillyVerstraete!

PicturesfromDelftandpossibletechnicaltours

    TUDelftconferencecentre

    ImagesofDelft(Beestenmarkt,canalsofDelft)

      Technicaltours (DrancoinstallationforVFYdigestion,Anaerobichigh‐ratetreatmentinazero‐dischargepapermill, AnaerobictreatmentofdomesticwastewaterintheDESAHapplication)