Recovery of residues and waste streams

Circular economy at industrial sites – towards zero waste

Almost all industrial processes generate by-products of some form – raw materials, wastewater, excess heat, sludge or chemicals and substances.

Some call those side streams “waste”. At Adven, we believe it is only waste if it ends up on landfill – or if it is not recovered as high up in the waste hierarchy as possible. What we do is that we help our customers make the most out of their by-products to reach zero waste targets.

This way, we together contribute to increasing the resource efficiency locally and regionally, creating impact on a global scale.

Our circular services

Becoming self-sufficient in fuel

In addition to the most common side streams, excess heat and wastewater many other side streams can also be recovered and reused. We can help our customers to reuse organic by-products as a fuel in the local energy production. There is particularly big potential in the food and beverage sector, where we for example have supported an oat mill in becoming self-sufficient on fuel by reusing the leftover oat hulls from the production.

Turning waste to income

Many industrial processes need significant amount of different chemicals, whether it is battery manufacturing or the forest industry. Usually, the used chemicals and related substances end up in the wastewater – and go to waste. We know that with modern technologies there is potential to recover these value streams. By-products contained in the side streams can be processed further to increase their value and bring additional, and unexpected, revenue. We can help our customers concentrate nutrients from wastewater or sludge to fertilizers in agriculture. Salts in wastewater can be recovered and re-processed into valuable chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid. Recovering these valuable substances improves security of supply as well mitigates the risk following global commodity prices.

Recovering energy from complex or hazardous waste streams

Sometimes the by-products are more complex or hazardous and need to be destructed. We help our customers in making the most out such difficult waste streams. We always strive for the best possible solution for the waste stream at hand. In doing so, we detoxify the society in a safe and controlled manner. The energy recovered from the waste streams are used for heating of both homes and businesses – in a very efficient way. We, as well as our customers, believe in traceability, which is why our waste customers always know exactly where and for who the waste is bringing value. Nothing is lost and resources are used in the best way possible.

We process a lot of oats that need to be dehulled. Now, this side stream can be used in energy production, making us self-sufficient both in producing steam for the production as well as heating the mill.

Vesa Arjanmaa
Plant Manager at Raisio Group
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Energy as a Service® is our model for tailor-made, long-term and brilliant partnerships. We design, build, own and operate new and existing energy and water related infrastructure for industries and large properties. We work closely together with our customers but take full responsibility for all parts in the value chain throughout our collaboration period.

Discover Energy as a Service®

1. Develop

Our experts tailor-make a solution based on a holistic approach to the customer’s energy and water use – and future needs.

2. Build & Own

We make it happen by taking care of the investment and project leading the construction phase in an efficient and competitive way.

3. Operate & Maintain

Our experienced O&M personnel operates the site locally and secures reliability with 24/7 remote monitoring.

4. Improve

As our customer’s operations – and the world – changes, continuous improvements are made throughout the full agreement period.