Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, “Marubeni”) has agreed to acquire shares through a third-party allotment in AquaGreen Holding ApS (hereinafter, “AquaGreen”), a Danish company with technology that can dry and pyrolyze wet biomass, such as sewage sludge generated during wastewater treatment, to produce biochar.

Sewage sludge, an organic waste generated during sewage treatment, has traditionally been disposed of by composting or by landfilling, either directly or following incineration (hereinafter, “conventional sewage sludge disposal”). In recent years, however, treatment methods have been subject to review in various countries against the backdrop of increasing costs of sludge disposal, concerns about detrimental health impacts caused by PFAS*1 contained in sewage sludge, and the issue of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions*2. In Japan, the Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures announced by the Ministry of the Environment sets the goal of reducing GHG emissions in the sewerage sector by 2.08 million tons by FY2030 (compared to FY2013 levels) through the treatment of sewage sludge and the promotion of energy conservation and energy creation measures.

Among sewage sludge treatment technologies, drying and pyrolysis is a promising technique that can facilitate the removal of harmful substances such as PFAS, microplastics, and heavy metals contained in sewage sludge while reducing GHG emissions by fixing carbon in the biochar produced in the drying and pyrolysis process. However, this technique has not been widely used due to the high moisture content and low calorific value of sewage sludge*3 and the requirement for auxiliary fuel, leading to low cost efficiency. AquaGreen is the first company in the world to successfully develop and commercialize technology that enables drying and pyrolysis using only the calories of sewage sludge without the need for auxiliary fuel, thereby achieving a reduction in GHG emissions of approximately 80%*4 as well as significant reductions in operating costs when compared to conventional sewage sludge disposal. AquaGreen has already begun sales in Europe, including Northern Europe, where it has a track record of delivering its technologies. Now, Marubeni will support sales promotion for AquaGreen technologies mainly in Japan, Asia, and Oceania, aiming for their widespread dissemination as an alternative to conventional sewage sludge disposal.

Marubeni has many years of experience in water supply and wastewater management projects in Portugal, Philippines, and Chile; seawater desalination projects in Saudi Arabia and Chile; and water recycling projects in South Africa, providing water services to a total of approximately 16.6 million people around the world. To complement its knowhow cultivated in the water business, Marubeni will now also participate in the sewage sludge treatment field through its involvement with AquaGreen, with the aim of providing an even greater range of water services while contributing to the resolution of societal challenges such as environmental issues and decarbonization.

*1 Polyfluoroalkyl substances; a general term for artificially created organic fluorine compounds, also referred to as “eternal chemicals” due to the fact that they largely do not degrade in natural environments. PFAS tend to accumulate in the human body and may cause cancer, impaired immune function, lipid abnormalities, and stunted fetal growth. There are also concerns that PFAS may seep into groundwater and agricultural crops when sewage sludge is used as compost or landfilled, precipitating detrimental health effects in consumers of agricultural produce.

*2 Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) when sewage sludge is transported by truck, methane gas (CH4) produced by sewage sludge when composted or directly disposed of in a landfill, and nitrous oxide (N2O) and CO2 produced during incineration are regarded as major challenges in the field of sewage sludge treatment.

*3 While water content is generally removed from sewage sludge at sewage treatment plants, its moisture content tends to a high level of approximately 80% and does not have enough heat to burn on its own. Note that general sewage sludge in Japan can be dried and pyrolyzed with AquaGreen's technology..

*4 Facilitates GHG emissions reductions of approximately 82% when compared to composting and approximately 78% when compared to incineration (based on verification by AquaGreen).

AquaGreen Company Overview
Company Name:	AquaGreen Holding ApS
Location:	Kingdom of Denmark/Roskilde
Established:	2014
Representative:	Carsten Gram Haagensen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Business Contents:	Development of technology and equipment for highly efficient drying and pyrolysis of sewage sludge and wet biomass to produce biochar
Website:	https://aquagreen.dk/

If you are interested in AquaGreen’s technology, please contact us using the form below.
Inquiry Form