CHAPLIN-XL
Will we be able to use biobased asphalt on a large scale anytime soon? CHAPLIN-XL is constructing test strips using "bioasphalt" in the Netherlands to develop the necessary knowledge to make this happen. Here, the fossil component of asphalt—bitumen—is replaced by lignin, an important part of plants and trees. Road construction becomes greener, biogenic carbon can be stored in roads, and we become a little less dependent on oil.
Large-scale pilot project
CHAPLIN stands for Collaboration in aspHalt Applications with LIgniN: a consortium that wants to contribute to the greening of road construction. CHAPLIN-XL's asphalt-producing partners will improve the processes in their asphalt plants, enabling the technology of lignin-based asphalt to be scaled up to to the level of system prototype demonstration in an operational environment. In addition to conventional lignin production, recycled asphalt in combination with lignin will also be processed in the test strips. Different compositions are used in various layers of the road construction. The process is also extensively monitored on health, safety and environmental aspects. Extensive life cycle analysis will map out environmental performance and climate gains along the entire value chain, and techno-economic feasibility will also be analysed.
Investment in greening road construction
Asphalt plants need to be converted to realise at least four test strips containing upwards of 10 tons of lignin. This is why financial support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), which stimulates Sustainable, Agricultural, Innovative and International entrepreneurship, was required to start CHAPLIN-XL. RVO signed a 1.5 million euro subsidy; the consortium surrounding the CHAPLIN program is investing the remaining sum of more than 2 million euros.
Test results expected at the end of 2020
There is a great deal of interest in biobased asphalt at home and abroad. Martin Junginger, professor of Biobased Economy at Utrecht University and project coordinator of CHAPLIN XL: “The opportunities offered by bio-asphalt are recognized nationally and internationally. Because the Netherlands is at the forefront, road builders and managers are eagerly awaiting our test results. In order to be able to use lignin at a large scale in the future, it is necessary that road builders can provide financial and technical justifications for tenders. In addition, it is important to gain a good insight into the overall climate and environmental performance of asphalt containing lignin. We will be collecting an important part of the information for this in the coming months. ”
Value chain collaboration
The fact that the Netherlands is at the forefront of making road construction more sustainable is partly due to the unique collaboration of partners along the entire value chain, supported by research and technology parties. Rijkswaterstaat (Department of Waterways and Public Works), provinces and municipalities are strongly involved as road authorities. Joop Groen, initiator and programme leader from the Circular Biobased Delta Foundation: “In this specific project, Utrecht University (UU), Asphalt Knowledge Center (AKC), Avantium Chemicals BV. (AVT), Circular Biobased Delta (CBBD), H4A, Roelofs Wegenbouw bv, Wageningen Food and Biobased Research (WFBR) are involved. The project CHAPLIN-XL, however, boosts collaboration within the entire CHAPLIN consortium, also with the other partners. It gives an impulse to the development of biobased asphalt and we are going full steam ahead to realise renewable roads.