16th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion

Local Organizer: Ghent University, Wageningen University and Research, Leuven University, Koninklijk waternetwerk, Vlakwa
Community Organizer:
  • anaerobic digestion

We are honored to organize the 16th World Congress on Anaerobic Digestion in Delft (The Netherlands) in June 2019, after a long history in the successful anaerobic digestion conference series. This international platform to discuss advances in anaerobic digestion and related processes is an event that is part of the IWA Anaerobic Digestion Specialist Group conference series. The organisation is in hte hands of 4 universities and several companies within the framework of the Dutch water association KNW and the Belgian Vlakwa. Delft was selected for AD16 by voting amongst the participants of the IWA-AD14 conference in Chili. This is the reason why we think IWA should support this international conference.
The theme of the 16th issue of the AD conference is “Accelerating natural cycles with anaerobic digestion.” We accelerate natural cycles from small to large scale on sewage, sludge, manure or agrowaste. We increasingly treat industrial wastewater anaerobically, and these engineered digestion systems allow recovery of energy and resources including carbon and nutrients. AD16 will further strengthen this evolution, by bringing together and activate debate across the multiple disciplines needed to understand the processes related to anaerobic digestion.
We aim for attendance of engineers, biotechnologists, microbiologists, chemists, physicists, mathematical modelers, and technology innovators to participate. All pioneers, freshmen, and leaders in the field, and other interested parties, are welcome to critically discuss the state-of-the-art of anaerobic digestion and learn about new developments. Attendants can join our pre-conference workshops, visit latest-generation installations and anticipate future breakthroughs and developments.
Specialized short courses will be offered before the conference to reinforce knowledge on certain innovative aspects. These courses will be organized by Ghent University, University of Leuven, Wageningen University and Delft University. All are conveniently located in The Netherlands and Belgium, all within less than 3 hours by train from Delft.

Topics

  • Anaerobic MBR, research & application
  • Bio-electrochemical systems / Microbial fuel cells
  • Granular sludge bed technologies
  • Novel anaerobic high-rate reactors / advanced sludge retention systems
  • Sludge and slurry digestion (waste activated sludges, energy crops, co-digestion, sludge dewaterability, etc.)
  • Low-tech solutions for developing countries
  • Modelling, instrumentation and control
  • Pre-treatment technologies (physicochemical / biological)
  • Nutrient removal/recovery linked to AD (Anammox, struvite, N/P in general)
  • Post-treatments anaerobic effluents/digestates
  • Agricultural use of anaerobic effluents
  • Sulfur cycle technology
  • Biogas upgrading and management
  • Microbiology of anaerobic digestion/ (meta)genomic research
  • Bio-polymer production using anaerobic systems
  • Resource recovery
  • Anaerobic biotransformation of micro-pollutants
  • Environmental management and policy (life cycle assessment, clean development mechanisms)

Programme Committee

Name Affiliation Country
Jules van Lier
TU Delft Netherlands
Ilse Smets
KU Leuven Belgium
Cees Buisman
WUR Netherlands
Miriam van Eekert
WUR Netherlands
Robbert Kleerebezem
TU Delft Netherlands
Merle de Kreuk
TU Delft Netherlands
Korneel Rabaey
U Gent Netherlands
Juan Lema
USC Spain
Lutgarde Raskin
Michigan state university United States Of America
Jorge Roderiguez
Masdar Institute of Science and technology United Arab Emirates
David Jeison
universidad de la frontera Chile
Aiji Wang
CAS China
Damien Batstone
AWMS-UQ Australia