L. Asveld
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1
An Exploratory Study of Sociotechnical Imaginaries Surrounding Cultured Meat
Visions of Proponents and Opponents in the European Union
The global food system faces pressing challenges, including environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and ethical concerns surrounding conventional meat production. Cultured meat has emerged as a potential solution, promising to address sustainability, food security, and animal welfare issues. However, its future remains uncertain due to conflicting sociotechnical imaginaries—collective visions of desirable futures and how science and technology shape society.
This study examines the imaginaries of both proponents and opponents of cultured meat within the European Union (EU), exploring how these visions influence present-day actions, governance, policy, and the broader protein transition. The research reveals that competing imaginaries shape the discourse on cultured meat. Proponents emphasize economic opportunities, food security and sustainability benefits, and the potential to create a cruelty-free food system. They argue that cultured meat can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, limit land-use change, provide a stable protein source amid growing global demand, and increase European competitiveness. In contrast, opponents frame cultured meat as a disruptive force that threatens socio-economic stability, cultural traditions, and sustainability. They highlight concerns over monopolization, regulatory uncertainties, health and environmental impacts, as well as effects on culture and farming traditions.
Despite these opposing views, governance solutions are actively being debated. Proponents advocate for favourable regulatory frameworks, public investment, and incentives to accelerate commercialization. Opponents, however, call for strict labelling laws, potential bans, and policies that protect traditional farming communities. The EU’s Novel Food Regulation plays a critical role in determining whether cultured meat gains market access, with some Member States considering national restrictions.
The findings suggest that the trajectory of cultured meat will depend on which imaginaries gain political and social dominance. While technological advancements and regulatory approvals may pave the way for its adoption, acceptance remains a key challenge influenced by differing sociotechnical imaginaries, their values, and interests. Understanding these competing visions can help policymakers navigate conflicts, design effective governance mechanisms, and ensure a balanced approach to food system transformation. Cultured meat represents both a disruptive innovation and a contested technology. As stakeholders negotiate its role in the future food system, addressing ethical, environmental, and economic concerns will be essential for shaping a sustainable and inclusive protein transition in Europe.
...
This study examines the imaginaries of both proponents and opponents of cultured meat within the European Union (EU), exploring how these visions influence present-day actions, governance, policy, and the broader protein transition. The research reveals that competing imaginaries shape the discourse on cultured meat. Proponents emphasize economic opportunities, food security and sustainability benefits, and the potential to create a cruelty-free food system. They argue that cultured meat can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, limit land-use change, provide a stable protein source amid growing global demand, and increase European competitiveness. In contrast, opponents frame cultured meat as a disruptive force that threatens socio-economic stability, cultural traditions, and sustainability. They highlight concerns over monopolization, regulatory uncertainties, health and environmental impacts, as well as effects on culture and farming traditions.
Despite these opposing views, governance solutions are actively being debated. Proponents advocate for favourable regulatory frameworks, public investment, and incentives to accelerate commercialization. Opponents, however, call for strict labelling laws, potential bans, and policies that protect traditional farming communities. The EU’s Novel Food Regulation plays a critical role in determining whether cultured meat gains market access, with some Member States considering national restrictions.
The findings suggest that the trajectory of cultured meat will depend on which imaginaries gain political and social dominance. While technological advancements and regulatory approvals may pave the way for its adoption, acceptance remains a key challenge influenced by differing sociotechnical imaginaries, their values, and interests. Understanding these competing visions can help policymakers navigate conflicts, design effective governance mechanisms, and ensure a balanced approach to food system transformation. Cultured meat represents both a disruptive innovation and a contested technology. As stakeholders negotiate its role in the future food system, addressing ethical, environmental, and economic concerns will be essential for shaping a sustainable and inclusive protein transition in Europe.
...
The global food system faces pressing challenges, including environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and ethical concerns surrounding conventional meat production. Cultured meat has emerged as a potential solution, promising to address sustainability, food security, and animal welfare issues. However, its future remains uncertain due to conflicting sociotechnical imaginaries—collective visions of desirable futures and how science and technology shape society.
This study examines the imaginaries of both proponents and opponents of cultured meat within the European Union (EU), exploring how these visions influence present-day actions, governance, policy, and the broader protein transition. The research reveals that competing imaginaries shape the discourse on cultured meat. Proponents emphasize economic opportunities, food security and sustainability benefits, and the potential to create a cruelty-free food system. They argue that cultured meat can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, limit land-use change, provide a stable protein source amid growing global demand, and increase European competitiveness. In contrast, opponents frame cultured meat as a disruptive force that threatens socio-economic stability, cultural traditions, and sustainability. They highlight concerns over monopolization, regulatory uncertainties, health and environmental impacts, as well as effects on culture and farming traditions.
Despite these opposing views, governance solutions are actively being debated. Proponents advocate for favourable regulatory frameworks, public investment, and incentives to accelerate commercialization. Opponents, however, call for strict labelling laws, potential bans, and policies that protect traditional farming communities. The EU’s Novel Food Regulation plays a critical role in determining whether cultured meat gains market access, with some Member States considering national restrictions.
The findings suggest that the trajectory of cultured meat will depend on which imaginaries gain political and social dominance. While technological advancements and regulatory approvals may pave the way for its adoption, acceptance remains a key challenge influenced by differing sociotechnical imaginaries, their values, and interests. Understanding these competing visions can help policymakers navigate conflicts, design effective governance mechanisms, and ensure a balanced approach to food system transformation. Cultured meat represents both a disruptive innovation and a contested technology. As stakeholders negotiate its role in the future food system, addressing ethical, environmental, and economic concerns will be essential for shaping a sustainable and inclusive protein transition in Europe.
This study examines the imaginaries of both proponents and opponents of cultured meat within the European Union (EU), exploring how these visions influence present-day actions, governance, policy, and the broader protein transition. The research reveals that competing imaginaries shape the discourse on cultured meat. Proponents emphasize economic opportunities, food security and sustainability benefits, and the potential to create a cruelty-free food system. They argue that cultured meat can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, limit land-use change, provide a stable protein source amid growing global demand, and increase European competitiveness. In contrast, opponents frame cultured meat as a disruptive force that threatens socio-economic stability, cultural traditions, and sustainability. They highlight concerns over monopolization, regulatory uncertainties, health and environmental impacts, as well as effects on culture and farming traditions.
Despite these opposing views, governance solutions are actively being debated. Proponents advocate for favourable regulatory frameworks, public investment, and incentives to accelerate commercialization. Opponents, however, call for strict labelling laws, potential bans, and policies that protect traditional farming communities. The EU’s Novel Food Regulation plays a critical role in determining whether cultured meat gains market access, with some Member States considering national restrictions.
The findings suggest that the trajectory of cultured meat will depend on which imaginaries gain political and social dominance. While technological advancements and regulatory approvals may pave the way for its adoption, acceptance remains a key challenge influenced by differing sociotechnical imaginaries, their values, and interests. Understanding these competing visions can help policymakers navigate conflicts, design effective governance mechanisms, and ensure a balanced approach to food system transformation. Cultured meat represents both a disruptive innovation and a contested technology. As stakeholders negotiate its role in the future food system, addressing ethical, environmental, and economic concerns will be essential for shaping a sustainable and inclusive protein transition in Europe.
Towards a just bioeconomy
Lessons from emerging bio-based value chains in Spain, Colombia and Namibia
This dissertation investigates how emerging bio-based value chains (BBVCs) can be developed to account for the needs, knowledge, skills, and values of all relevant actors. Particular attention is given to stakeholders at the beginning of the value chain, who play a critical role yet are often overlooked in the design, development, and improvement of (bio-based) value chains.
The transition to a bioeconomy, where biomass replaces fossil resources to produce energy and materials, is expected not only to contribute significantly to tackling climate change but also to generate socio-economic and environmental benefits in biomass-producing regions. While technological innovation is a key driver of this transition, achieving a sustainable bioeconomy requires a broader societal transformation involving multiple stakeholders who both shape and are affected by how the bioeconomy is developed and governed. Although new BBVCs can create opportunities for producers to diversify income and improve practices, they have also been criticized for negative environmental and social consequences. Ensuring that BBVCs realize their potential, therefore, depends on understanding how they can be developed in ways that are both sustainable and socially equitable. This is especially critical for rural contexts in the Global South, where a large part of the available biomass is produced and where poverty and socio-economic exclusion are widespread, particularly among smallholder farmers.
By studying three diverse cases of prospective BBVCs based on waste biomass - olive oil residues in Spain, coffee and cocoa residues in Colombia, and encroacher bush in Namibia - this research provides insights into the social dynamics that shape the potential for a just bioeconomy transition. The central research question of this dissertation is: How to develop secure, inclusive, and sustainable bio-based value chains that take into account the needs, knowledge, skills, and values of all relevant actors, with special attention to actors at the beginning of the chain? ...
The transition to a bioeconomy, where biomass replaces fossil resources to produce energy and materials, is expected not only to contribute significantly to tackling climate change but also to generate socio-economic and environmental benefits in biomass-producing regions. While technological innovation is a key driver of this transition, achieving a sustainable bioeconomy requires a broader societal transformation involving multiple stakeholders who both shape and are affected by how the bioeconomy is developed and governed. Although new BBVCs can create opportunities for producers to diversify income and improve practices, they have also been criticized for negative environmental and social consequences. Ensuring that BBVCs realize their potential, therefore, depends on understanding how they can be developed in ways that are both sustainable and socially equitable. This is especially critical for rural contexts in the Global South, where a large part of the available biomass is produced and where poverty and socio-economic exclusion are widespread, particularly among smallholder farmers.
By studying three diverse cases of prospective BBVCs based on waste biomass - olive oil residues in Spain, coffee and cocoa residues in Colombia, and encroacher bush in Namibia - this research provides insights into the social dynamics that shape the potential for a just bioeconomy transition. The central research question of this dissertation is: How to develop secure, inclusive, and sustainable bio-based value chains that take into account the needs, knowledge, skills, and values of all relevant actors, with special attention to actors at the beginning of the chain? ...
This dissertation investigates how emerging bio-based value chains (BBVCs) can be developed to account for the needs, knowledge, skills, and values of all relevant actors. Particular attention is given to stakeholders at the beginning of the value chain, who play a critical role yet are often overlooked in the design, development, and improvement of (bio-based) value chains.
The transition to a bioeconomy, where biomass replaces fossil resources to produce energy and materials, is expected not only to contribute significantly to tackling climate change but also to generate socio-economic and environmental benefits in biomass-producing regions. While technological innovation is a key driver of this transition, achieving a sustainable bioeconomy requires a broader societal transformation involving multiple stakeholders who both shape and are affected by how the bioeconomy is developed and governed. Although new BBVCs can create opportunities for producers to diversify income and improve practices, they have also been criticized for negative environmental and social consequences. Ensuring that BBVCs realize their potential, therefore, depends on understanding how they can be developed in ways that are both sustainable and socially equitable. This is especially critical for rural contexts in the Global South, where a large part of the available biomass is produced and where poverty and socio-economic exclusion are widespread, particularly among smallholder farmers.
By studying three diverse cases of prospective BBVCs based on waste biomass - olive oil residues in Spain, coffee and cocoa residues in Colombia, and encroacher bush in Namibia - this research provides insights into the social dynamics that shape the potential for a just bioeconomy transition. The central research question of this dissertation is: How to develop secure, inclusive, and sustainable bio-based value chains that take into account the needs, knowledge, skills, and values of all relevant actors, with special attention to actors at the beginning of the chain?
The transition to a bioeconomy, where biomass replaces fossil resources to produce energy and materials, is expected not only to contribute significantly to tackling climate change but also to generate socio-economic and environmental benefits in biomass-producing regions. While technological innovation is a key driver of this transition, achieving a sustainable bioeconomy requires a broader societal transformation involving multiple stakeholders who both shape and are affected by how the bioeconomy is developed and governed. Although new BBVCs can create opportunities for producers to diversify income and improve practices, they have also been criticized for negative environmental and social consequences. Ensuring that BBVCs realize their potential, therefore, depends on understanding how they can be developed in ways that are both sustainable and socially equitable. This is especially critical for rural contexts in the Global South, where a large part of the available biomass is produced and where poverty and socio-economic exclusion are widespread, particularly among smallholder farmers.
By studying three diverse cases of prospective BBVCs based on waste biomass - olive oil residues in Spain, coffee and cocoa residues in Colombia, and encroacher bush in Namibia - this research provides insights into the social dynamics that shape the potential for a just bioeconomy transition. The central research question of this dissertation is: How to develop secure, inclusive, and sustainable bio-based value chains that take into account the needs, knowledge, skills, and values of all relevant actors, with special attention to actors at the beginning of the chain?
Holistic Ethical Assessment of Industrial Ecology Research
Mapping and Systematically Scrutinising Moral Assumptions for Informed Scientific Decision Making
Although Industrial Ecology (IE) aims to optimise resource use, reduce environmental impacts, and promote sustainable systems, many of its methods and proposed solutions rely on normative decisions that often remain implicit. This thesis explores the foundational role of ethics in IE by examining how explicit and implicit moral assumptions influence its research and applications. Drawing on examples such as the Circular Economy, green growth and degrowth, Life Cycle Assessment, and anthropogenic impacts on nonhuman animals, this research shows how unresolved ethical tensions can shape both the direction and effectiveness of IE and sustainability research more broadly. In response, this study develops a systematic tool to help researchers identify, evaluate, and communicate the moral assumptions underpinning their work.
To explore how ethics is explicitly applied, a targeted literature review of 32 IE-related papers was conducted. Each paper was assessed for its use of ethical theories, its moral assumptions, and the role these play in guiding research outcomes. While a wide variety of ethical theories are referenced in the literature, no single one dominates the field. Nonetheless, outcome-based reasoning, focused on how people or animals would be affected, is consistently used to justify normative choices. The analysed papers also pay special attention to the perspectives of underrepresented groups, such as informal workers, nonhuman animals, and future generations.
To analyse implicit ethical views, two case studies covering 53 papers were conducted: one on green growth versus degrowth, and one on anthropogenic impacts on nonhuman animals. The results suggest that moral disagreements are often rooted in differences in reasoning and available information, rather than in fundamentally opposing and irreconcilable views. Across both case studies, normative arguments again tended to rely on the anticipated impacts on affected groups, reinforcing earlier findings. These results were presented in a Delphi study with a panel of academic experts, who discussed them from multiple perspectives. Despite some differences in interpretation, participants broadly supported the need for moral pluralism, transparency, and experience-based ethical reasoning, while cautioning against rigid, prescriptive frameworks.
Building on these insights, this thesis proposes a non-prescriptive framework for evaluating moral assumptions in sustainability research: the Descriptive Holistic Moral Framework (DHMF). Grounded in four key premises that emerged from this research, the DHMF centres on the lived experiences of all sentient beings affected by sustainability-related decisions. It forms the foundation for the Holistic Moral Evaluation (HoME) Profile, which is a one-page overview designed to help researchers summarise their scientific contribution, core recommendation, moral assumptions, and anticipated experiential impacts. By making ethical reasoning more visible and accessible, the HoME Profile supports clearer communication, critical reflection, and broader engagement with stakeholders, even those without a scientific background.
Ultimately, this thesis argues that ethical reflection must become a core part of sustainability research. The DHMF and HoME Profile do not replace existing ethical theories but complement them by promoting transparency, inclusivity, and shared responsibility in addressing the urgent and complex sustainability challenges of the 21st century. ...
To explore how ethics is explicitly applied, a targeted literature review of 32 IE-related papers was conducted. Each paper was assessed for its use of ethical theories, its moral assumptions, and the role these play in guiding research outcomes. While a wide variety of ethical theories are referenced in the literature, no single one dominates the field. Nonetheless, outcome-based reasoning, focused on how people or animals would be affected, is consistently used to justify normative choices. The analysed papers also pay special attention to the perspectives of underrepresented groups, such as informal workers, nonhuman animals, and future generations.
To analyse implicit ethical views, two case studies covering 53 papers were conducted: one on green growth versus degrowth, and one on anthropogenic impacts on nonhuman animals. The results suggest that moral disagreements are often rooted in differences in reasoning and available information, rather than in fundamentally opposing and irreconcilable views. Across both case studies, normative arguments again tended to rely on the anticipated impacts on affected groups, reinforcing earlier findings. These results were presented in a Delphi study with a panel of academic experts, who discussed them from multiple perspectives. Despite some differences in interpretation, participants broadly supported the need for moral pluralism, transparency, and experience-based ethical reasoning, while cautioning against rigid, prescriptive frameworks.
Building on these insights, this thesis proposes a non-prescriptive framework for evaluating moral assumptions in sustainability research: the Descriptive Holistic Moral Framework (DHMF). Grounded in four key premises that emerged from this research, the DHMF centres on the lived experiences of all sentient beings affected by sustainability-related decisions. It forms the foundation for the Holistic Moral Evaluation (HoME) Profile, which is a one-page overview designed to help researchers summarise their scientific contribution, core recommendation, moral assumptions, and anticipated experiential impacts. By making ethical reasoning more visible and accessible, the HoME Profile supports clearer communication, critical reflection, and broader engagement with stakeholders, even those without a scientific background.
Ultimately, this thesis argues that ethical reflection must become a core part of sustainability research. The DHMF and HoME Profile do not replace existing ethical theories but complement them by promoting transparency, inclusivity, and shared responsibility in addressing the urgent and complex sustainability challenges of the 21st century. ...
Although Industrial Ecology (IE) aims to optimise resource use, reduce environmental impacts, and promote sustainable systems, many of its methods and proposed solutions rely on normative decisions that often remain implicit. This thesis explores the foundational role of ethics in IE by examining how explicit and implicit moral assumptions influence its research and applications. Drawing on examples such as the Circular Economy, green growth and degrowth, Life Cycle Assessment, and anthropogenic impacts on nonhuman animals, this research shows how unresolved ethical tensions can shape both the direction and effectiveness of IE and sustainability research more broadly. In response, this study develops a systematic tool to help researchers identify, evaluate, and communicate the moral assumptions underpinning their work.
To explore how ethics is explicitly applied, a targeted literature review of 32 IE-related papers was conducted. Each paper was assessed for its use of ethical theories, its moral assumptions, and the role these play in guiding research outcomes. While a wide variety of ethical theories are referenced in the literature, no single one dominates the field. Nonetheless, outcome-based reasoning, focused on how people or animals would be affected, is consistently used to justify normative choices. The analysed papers also pay special attention to the perspectives of underrepresented groups, such as informal workers, nonhuman animals, and future generations.
To analyse implicit ethical views, two case studies covering 53 papers were conducted: one on green growth versus degrowth, and one on anthropogenic impacts on nonhuman animals. The results suggest that moral disagreements are often rooted in differences in reasoning and available information, rather than in fundamentally opposing and irreconcilable views. Across both case studies, normative arguments again tended to rely on the anticipated impacts on affected groups, reinforcing earlier findings. These results were presented in a Delphi study with a panel of academic experts, who discussed them from multiple perspectives. Despite some differences in interpretation, participants broadly supported the need for moral pluralism, transparency, and experience-based ethical reasoning, while cautioning against rigid, prescriptive frameworks.
Building on these insights, this thesis proposes a non-prescriptive framework for evaluating moral assumptions in sustainability research: the Descriptive Holistic Moral Framework (DHMF). Grounded in four key premises that emerged from this research, the DHMF centres on the lived experiences of all sentient beings affected by sustainability-related decisions. It forms the foundation for the Holistic Moral Evaluation (HoME) Profile, which is a one-page overview designed to help researchers summarise their scientific contribution, core recommendation, moral assumptions, and anticipated experiential impacts. By making ethical reasoning more visible and accessible, the HoME Profile supports clearer communication, critical reflection, and broader engagement with stakeholders, even those without a scientific background.
Ultimately, this thesis argues that ethical reflection must become a core part of sustainability research. The DHMF and HoME Profile do not replace existing ethical theories but complement them by promoting transparency, inclusivity, and shared responsibility in addressing the urgent and complex sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
To explore how ethics is explicitly applied, a targeted literature review of 32 IE-related papers was conducted. Each paper was assessed for its use of ethical theories, its moral assumptions, and the role these play in guiding research outcomes. While a wide variety of ethical theories are referenced in the literature, no single one dominates the field. Nonetheless, outcome-based reasoning, focused on how people or animals would be affected, is consistently used to justify normative choices. The analysed papers also pay special attention to the perspectives of underrepresented groups, such as informal workers, nonhuman animals, and future generations.
To analyse implicit ethical views, two case studies covering 53 papers were conducted: one on green growth versus degrowth, and one on anthropogenic impacts on nonhuman animals. The results suggest that moral disagreements are often rooted in differences in reasoning and available information, rather than in fundamentally opposing and irreconcilable views. Across both case studies, normative arguments again tended to rely on the anticipated impacts on affected groups, reinforcing earlier findings. These results were presented in a Delphi study with a panel of academic experts, who discussed them from multiple perspectives. Despite some differences in interpretation, participants broadly supported the need for moral pluralism, transparency, and experience-based ethical reasoning, while cautioning against rigid, prescriptive frameworks.
Building on these insights, this thesis proposes a non-prescriptive framework for evaluating moral assumptions in sustainability research: the Descriptive Holistic Moral Framework (DHMF). Grounded in four key premises that emerged from this research, the DHMF centres on the lived experiences of all sentient beings affected by sustainability-related decisions. It forms the foundation for the Holistic Moral Evaluation (HoME) Profile, which is a one-page overview designed to help researchers summarise their scientific contribution, core recommendation, moral assumptions, and anticipated experiential impacts. By making ethical reasoning more visible and accessible, the HoME Profile supports clearer communication, critical reflection, and broader engagement with stakeholders, even those without a scientific background.
Ultimately, this thesis argues that ethical reflection must become a core part of sustainability research. The DHMF and HoME Profile do not replace existing ethical theories but complement them by promoting transparency, inclusivity, and shared responsibility in addressing the urgent and complex sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
More Than Just a Game
A Hypergame-Theoretic Inquiry into Access and Benefit-Sharing in Digital Sequence Information
The governance of Digital Sequence Information (DSI) has become one of the most contested issues under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). While genetic resources have traditionally been governed through access and benefit-sharing (ABS) rules under the Nagoya Protocol, the rise of DSI has disrupted this framework. Disagreements persist over whether DSI should be treated as a global commons, openly accessible for research, or as a sovereign resource subject to national control. The 2024 Cali Fund represents a partial compromise, yet unresolved questions over contributions, allocation, and enforcement leave governance fragmented and fragile.
This thesis addresses these challenges by developing a hypergame model of DSI negotiations. Classical game theory explains stability under a shared strategic reality, but international negotiations often unfold under asymmetric perceptions: actors disagree not only on payoffs but also on the very game being played. The hypergame model formalises this divergence, enabling analysis of misperceptions, belief revision, and strategic surprise. Applied to DSI governance, the model evaluates how providers and users interact when they adopt different framings (DSI as commons or sovereign resource) and different international relations paradigms (liberalism or realism). ...
This thesis addresses these challenges by developing a hypergame model of DSI negotiations. Classical game theory explains stability under a shared strategic reality, but international negotiations often unfold under asymmetric perceptions: actors disagree not only on payoffs but also on the very game being played. The hypergame model formalises this divergence, enabling analysis of misperceptions, belief revision, and strategic surprise. Applied to DSI governance, the model evaluates how providers and users interact when they adopt different framings (DSI as commons or sovereign resource) and different international relations paradigms (liberalism or realism). ...
The governance of Digital Sequence Information (DSI) has become one of the most contested issues under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). While genetic resources have traditionally been governed through access and benefit-sharing (ABS) rules under the Nagoya Protocol, the rise of DSI has disrupted this framework. Disagreements persist over whether DSI should be treated as a global commons, openly accessible for research, or as a sovereign resource subject to national control. The 2024 Cali Fund represents a partial compromise, yet unresolved questions over contributions, allocation, and enforcement leave governance fragmented and fragile.
This thesis addresses these challenges by developing a hypergame model of DSI negotiations. Classical game theory explains stability under a shared strategic reality, but international negotiations often unfold under asymmetric perceptions: actors disagree not only on payoffs but also on the very game being played. The hypergame model formalises this divergence, enabling analysis of misperceptions, belief revision, and strategic surprise. Applied to DSI governance, the model evaluates how providers and users interact when they adopt different framings (DSI as commons or sovereign resource) and different international relations paradigms (liberalism or realism).
This thesis addresses these challenges by developing a hypergame model of DSI negotiations. Classical game theory explains stability under a shared strategic reality, but international negotiations often unfold under asymmetric perceptions: actors disagree not only on payoffs but also on the very game being played. The hypergame model formalises this divergence, enabling analysis of misperceptions, belief revision, and strategic surprise. Applied to DSI governance, the model evaluates how providers and users interact when they adopt different framings (DSI as commons or sovereign resource) and different international relations paradigms (liberalism or realism).
Food security has become an increasingly critical global challenge, there is a need for protein alternatives that are both scalable and sustainable. Alternative proteins show potential, but the sector faces challenges with sales declining, and consumer barriers relating to taste, texture and price. Mycoprotein, a protein made by fungal fermentation, shows potential to overcome common alternative protein barriers with its meat-like texture, complete amino acid profile and high fiber content with minimal processing. Genetic modification can improve nutritional and sensory characteristics, addressing consumer barriers. However, limited research exists on consumer acceptance of genetically modified alternative proteins, especially in the context of the US National Bioengineering Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS). This research investigated how market communication influences consumer acceptance of genetically modified mycoprotein through a mixed-methods approach.
Three sub questions were addressed, regarding exploration of communication strategies, determining effects of bioengineering disclosure on willingness to try and buy and by exploring mycoprotein nomenclature preferences. Qualitative interviews with four industry and academic experts and a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 165 US consumers were performed to answer the research questions. The survey employed a 2x4 mixed factorial design testing bioengineering logo presence (between-subjects) and four different health/nutrition claims (within-subjects). Thematic analysis was performed to extract themes from the interviews and linear mixed-effects models were used for survey statistical analyses.
Expert interviews identified four primary communication strategies in the alternative protein sector: Respecting consumer routines, evoking familiar associations, emphasizing tangible benefits and employing subtle communication. These communication strategies are responses to the identified main barriers: routine rigidity, food neophobia and trust concerns regarding industry credibility. The interviews indicated a shift from communal benefits, like sustainability, toward tangible health benefits. Contrary to expectations, bioengineering disclosure did not significantly influence willingness to try (p=.983) or buy mycoprotein. However, bioengineered logo was found to negatively moderate the influence of perceived trust (β = -0.263, p < .01) and perceived healthiness (β = -0.173, p < .05) on willingness to try mycoprotein, indicating that bioengineering disclosure might shift consumer decision-making dynamics rather than negatively impacting willingness to try. Health benefits were confirmed to be a primary motivator for consumers interested in mycoprotein (61% of respondents). Food neophobia was found to significantly predict willingness to try mycoprotein (β = -0.220, p < .01), but not to buy mycoprotein. In terms of nomenclature, ‘Yeast’ related naming evoked positive associations in participants, with ‘Nutritional yeast’ receiving the highest Net Positivity Score (30) followed by ‘Yeast protein’ (24), ‘Mycoprotein’ (13), ‘Mycelium’ (6), and ‘Yeast biomass’ (1).
This research extends on dual processing theory to genetically modified alternative proteins, showing that identified communication strategies target either System I or System II thinking. The found moderation effect of bioengineering disclosure on decision-making heuristics present a contribution to existing food decision-making literature and the NBFDS. Findings inform industry product development and communication strategy, emphasizing health benefits with fiber emerging as a promising strategy.
...
Three sub questions were addressed, regarding exploration of communication strategies, determining effects of bioengineering disclosure on willingness to try and buy and by exploring mycoprotein nomenclature preferences. Qualitative interviews with four industry and academic experts and a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 165 US consumers were performed to answer the research questions. The survey employed a 2x4 mixed factorial design testing bioengineering logo presence (between-subjects) and four different health/nutrition claims (within-subjects). Thematic analysis was performed to extract themes from the interviews and linear mixed-effects models were used for survey statistical analyses.
Expert interviews identified four primary communication strategies in the alternative protein sector: Respecting consumer routines, evoking familiar associations, emphasizing tangible benefits and employing subtle communication. These communication strategies are responses to the identified main barriers: routine rigidity, food neophobia and trust concerns regarding industry credibility. The interviews indicated a shift from communal benefits, like sustainability, toward tangible health benefits. Contrary to expectations, bioengineering disclosure did not significantly influence willingness to try (p=.983) or buy mycoprotein. However, bioengineered logo was found to negatively moderate the influence of perceived trust (β = -0.263, p < .01) and perceived healthiness (β = -0.173, p < .05) on willingness to try mycoprotein, indicating that bioengineering disclosure might shift consumer decision-making dynamics rather than negatively impacting willingness to try. Health benefits were confirmed to be a primary motivator for consumers interested in mycoprotein (61% of respondents). Food neophobia was found to significantly predict willingness to try mycoprotein (β = -0.220, p < .01), but not to buy mycoprotein. In terms of nomenclature, ‘Yeast’ related naming evoked positive associations in participants, with ‘Nutritional yeast’ receiving the highest Net Positivity Score (30) followed by ‘Yeast protein’ (24), ‘Mycoprotein’ (13), ‘Mycelium’ (6), and ‘Yeast biomass’ (1).
This research extends on dual processing theory to genetically modified alternative proteins, showing that identified communication strategies target either System I or System II thinking. The found moderation effect of bioengineering disclosure on decision-making heuristics present a contribution to existing food decision-making literature and the NBFDS. Findings inform industry product development and communication strategy, emphasizing health benefits with fiber emerging as a promising strategy.
...
Food security has become an increasingly critical global challenge, there is a need for protein alternatives that are both scalable and sustainable. Alternative proteins show potential, but the sector faces challenges with sales declining, and consumer barriers relating to taste, texture and price. Mycoprotein, a protein made by fungal fermentation, shows potential to overcome common alternative protein barriers with its meat-like texture, complete amino acid profile and high fiber content with minimal processing. Genetic modification can improve nutritional and sensory characteristics, addressing consumer barriers. However, limited research exists on consumer acceptance of genetically modified alternative proteins, especially in the context of the US National Bioengineering Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS). This research investigated how market communication influences consumer acceptance of genetically modified mycoprotein through a mixed-methods approach.
Three sub questions were addressed, regarding exploration of communication strategies, determining effects of bioengineering disclosure on willingness to try and buy and by exploring mycoprotein nomenclature preferences. Qualitative interviews with four industry and academic experts and a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 165 US consumers were performed to answer the research questions. The survey employed a 2x4 mixed factorial design testing bioengineering logo presence (between-subjects) and four different health/nutrition claims (within-subjects). Thematic analysis was performed to extract themes from the interviews and linear mixed-effects models were used for survey statistical analyses.
Expert interviews identified four primary communication strategies in the alternative protein sector: Respecting consumer routines, evoking familiar associations, emphasizing tangible benefits and employing subtle communication. These communication strategies are responses to the identified main barriers: routine rigidity, food neophobia and trust concerns regarding industry credibility. The interviews indicated a shift from communal benefits, like sustainability, toward tangible health benefits. Contrary to expectations, bioengineering disclosure did not significantly influence willingness to try (p=.983) or buy mycoprotein. However, bioengineered logo was found to negatively moderate the influence of perceived trust (β = -0.263, p < .01) and perceived healthiness (β = -0.173, p < .05) on willingness to try mycoprotein, indicating that bioengineering disclosure might shift consumer decision-making dynamics rather than negatively impacting willingness to try. Health benefits were confirmed to be a primary motivator for consumers interested in mycoprotein (61% of respondents). Food neophobia was found to significantly predict willingness to try mycoprotein (β = -0.220, p < .01), but not to buy mycoprotein. In terms of nomenclature, ‘Yeast’ related naming evoked positive associations in participants, with ‘Nutritional yeast’ receiving the highest Net Positivity Score (30) followed by ‘Yeast protein’ (24), ‘Mycoprotein’ (13), ‘Mycelium’ (6), and ‘Yeast biomass’ (1).
This research extends on dual processing theory to genetically modified alternative proteins, showing that identified communication strategies target either System I or System II thinking. The found moderation effect of bioengineering disclosure on decision-making heuristics present a contribution to existing food decision-making literature and the NBFDS. Findings inform industry product development and communication strategy, emphasizing health benefits with fiber emerging as a promising strategy.
Three sub questions were addressed, regarding exploration of communication strategies, determining effects of bioengineering disclosure on willingness to try and buy and by exploring mycoprotein nomenclature preferences. Qualitative interviews with four industry and academic experts and a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 165 US consumers were performed to answer the research questions. The survey employed a 2x4 mixed factorial design testing bioengineering logo presence (between-subjects) and four different health/nutrition claims (within-subjects). Thematic analysis was performed to extract themes from the interviews and linear mixed-effects models were used for survey statistical analyses.
Expert interviews identified four primary communication strategies in the alternative protein sector: Respecting consumer routines, evoking familiar associations, emphasizing tangible benefits and employing subtle communication. These communication strategies are responses to the identified main barriers: routine rigidity, food neophobia and trust concerns regarding industry credibility. The interviews indicated a shift from communal benefits, like sustainability, toward tangible health benefits. Contrary to expectations, bioengineering disclosure did not significantly influence willingness to try (p=.983) or buy mycoprotein. However, bioengineered logo was found to negatively moderate the influence of perceived trust (β = -0.263, p < .01) and perceived healthiness (β = -0.173, p < .05) on willingness to try mycoprotein, indicating that bioengineering disclosure might shift consumer decision-making dynamics rather than negatively impacting willingness to try. Health benefits were confirmed to be a primary motivator for consumers interested in mycoprotein (61% of respondents). Food neophobia was found to significantly predict willingness to try mycoprotein (β = -0.220, p < .01), but not to buy mycoprotein. In terms of nomenclature, ‘Yeast’ related naming evoked positive associations in participants, with ‘Nutritional yeast’ receiving the highest Net Positivity Score (30) followed by ‘Yeast protein’ (24), ‘Mycoprotein’ (13), ‘Mycelium’ (6), and ‘Yeast biomass’ (1).
This research extends on dual processing theory to genetically modified alternative proteins, showing that identified communication strategies target either System I or System II thinking. The found moderation effect of bioengineering disclosure on decision-making heuristics present a contribution to existing food decision-making literature and the NBFDS. Findings inform industry product development and communication strategy, emphasizing health benefits with fiber emerging as a promising strategy.
Kaumera is a material made from wastewater treatment and has shown promising characteristic as a flame retardant. In this research report we aimed to bridge the gap between academia and commerce by analysing the potential of Kaumera using a generalised framework of Sustainable Business Model Innovation and the Lean Startup Methodology. The named models were researched through the method of research through design. Using the SBMI framework of Bocken (2019) a startup was proposed and compared to the Lean Startup Methodology. As defined by the SBMI framework, the symbiotic dependencies were identified to be the producers of Kaumera, the clients of the company, the IP owners, academics involved and potential partners. The neutral dependency is related to legislation and legislative bodies, and the competitive dependency are competitors. Furthermore, it was analysed how the assumptions could be validated by the company for the early-stage, scaling and diversification and internationalisation phases of the company.
The results found that Kaumera is a feasible flame retardant both in a commercial and sustainability perspective. It was found that the SMBI framework focusses too much on the sustainability aspect to be truly a viable Business Model approach for startups and does not allow for flexible and adjustable business strategies. For this reason, a combination with the Lean methodology can be applied to overcome the shortcomings of the SBMI framework. This research report shows that the Lean methodology complements the aspects of SBMI which are not suited for startups. This research report therefore suggests the use of a framework based on Lean incorporating generalised aspects of SBMI as an effective and flexible sustainable business model for startups.
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The results found that Kaumera is a feasible flame retardant both in a commercial and sustainability perspective. It was found that the SMBI framework focusses too much on the sustainability aspect to be truly a viable Business Model approach for startups and does not allow for flexible and adjustable business strategies. For this reason, a combination with the Lean methodology can be applied to overcome the shortcomings of the SBMI framework. This research report shows that the Lean methodology complements the aspects of SBMI which are not suited for startups. This research report therefore suggests the use of a framework based on Lean incorporating generalised aspects of SBMI as an effective and flexible sustainable business model for startups.
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Kaumera is a material made from wastewater treatment and has shown promising characteristic as a flame retardant. In this research report we aimed to bridge the gap between academia and commerce by analysing the potential of Kaumera using a generalised framework of Sustainable Business Model Innovation and the Lean Startup Methodology. The named models were researched through the method of research through design. Using the SBMI framework of Bocken (2019) a startup was proposed and compared to the Lean Startup Methodology. As defined by the SBMI framework, the symbiotic dependencies were identified to be the producers of Kaumera, the clients of the company, the IP owners, academics involved and potential partners. The neutral dependency is related to legislation and legislative bodies, and the competitive dependency are competitors. Furthermore, it was analysed how the assumptions could be validated by the company for the early-stage, scaling and diversification and internationalisation phases of the company.
The results found that Kaumera is a feasible flame retardant both in a commercial and sustainability perspective. It was found that the SMBI framework focusses too much on the sustainability aspect to be truly a viable Business Model approach for startups and does not allow for flexible and adjustable business strategies. For this reason, a combination with the Lean methodology can be applied to overcome the shortcomings of the SBMI framework. This research report shows that the Lean methodology complements the aspects of SBMI which are not suited for startups. This research report therefore suggests the use of a framework based on Lean incorporating generalised aspects of SBMI as an effective and flexible sustainable business model for startups.
The results found that Kaumera is a feasible flame retardant both in a commercial and sustainability perspective. It was found that the SMBI framework focusses too much on the sustainability aspect to be truly a viable Business Model approach for startups and does not allow for flexible and adjustable business strategies. For this reason, a combination with the Lean methodology can be applied to overcome the shortcomings of the SBMI framework. This research report shows that the Lean methodology complements the aspects of SBMI which are not suited for startups. This research report therefore suggests the use of a framework based on Lean incorporating generalised aspects of SBMI as an effective and flexible sustainable business model for startups.
Retinking Agriculture: Transitioning Towards Agroecology in South Holland
Examining Barriers and Enabler From the Agroecological Farmers’ Perspective
The agricultural sector in South Holland is highly productive and contributes greatly to the economy. However, current industrial agricultural practices generated several severe environmental and socio-economic challenges. Various renowned international institutions have emphasised the necessity for a radical, rather than an incremental, transformation in the agri-food system. There are growing calls to shift the paradigm from industrial agriculture to agroecology. Agroecology is a fundamental alternative vision of the agri-food system, bundling the power of sustainable farming practices that utilise ecological principles and re-establish the connection between farmers and consumers, and by extension nature. This study sets out to introduce the reader to agroecology and to discover strategies for how the province of South Holland can stimulate the transition to agroecology. To achieve this goal, the research methodology comprised a literature review and semi-structured interviews with agroecological farmers, an agroecology expert, and a provincial agricultural policymaker. The results uncovered that the underlying goal of the agri-food system should be transformed from profit and production maximisation of industrial agriculture to sustainability and social justice of agroecology. Achieving this goal shift requires fundamental changes and will be a tremendous challenge because of the complex and embedded nature of the agri-food system. Agroecology simultaneously tries to realise this transformation on three fronts: as a science, a set of agricultural practices, and a movement. Furthermore, the research identified key barriers and enablers in the transition to agroecology in South Holland from the agroecological farmers’ perspective. The province of South Holland could stimulate the transition by providing long-term affordable land, revising regulations to support forward-thinking practices, adopting an integrated approach to agriculture, bridging the gap between civil servants, farmers, and consumers, restructuring subsidy allocation, and lobbying to simplify (organic) certification processes. The research verifies the results of previous studies on several barriers and enablers but distinguishes itself by focusing specifically on the farmers’ perspective and the province of South Holland. Additional research is needed to broaden the scope beyond the viewpoint of agroecological farmers, and how to implement the policy recommendations effectively. Currently, the Dutch agri-food system is not yet ready for a paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to agroecology. However, the system is being pressured from various angles generating windows of opportunity. While being just one actor in the agri-food system, the province of South Holland could stimulate the development of agroecology by incorporating agroecology explicitly in policymaking.
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The agricultural sector in South Holland is highly productive and contributes greatly to the economy. However, current industrial agricultural practices generated several severe environmental and socio-economic challenges. Various renowned international institutions have emphasised the necessity for a radical, rather than an incremental, transformation in the agri-food system. There are growing calls to shift the paradigm from industrial agriculture to agroecology. Agroecology is a fundamental alternative vision of the agri-food system, bundling the power of sustainable farming practices that utilise ecological principles and re-establish the connection between farmers and consumers, and by extension nature. This study sets out to introduce the reader to agroecology and to discover strategies for how the province of South Holland can stimulate the transition to agroecology. To achieve this goal, the research methodology comprised a literature review and semi-structured interviews with agroecological farmers, an agroecology expert, and a provincial agricultural policymaker. The results uncovered that the underlying goal of the agri-food system should be transformed from profit and production maximisation of industrial agriculture to sustainability and social justice of agroecology. Achieving this goal shift requires fundamental changes and will be a tremendous challenge because of the complex and embedded nature of the agri-food system. Agroecology simultaneously tries to realise this transformation on three fronts: as a science, a set of agricultural practices, and a movement. Furthermore, the research identified key barriers and enablers in the transition to agroecology in South Holland from the agroecological farmers’ perspective. The province of South Holland could stimulate the transition by providing long-term affordable land, revising regulations to support forward-thinking practices, adopting an integrated approach to agriculture, bridging the gap between civil servants, farmers, and consumers, restructuring subsidy allocation, and lobbying to simplify (organic) certification processes. The research verifies the results of previous studies on several barriers and enablers but distinguishes itself by focusing specifically on the farmers’ perspective and the province of South Holland. Additional research is needed to broaden the scope beyond the viewpoint of agroecological farmers, and how to implement the policy recommendations effectively. Currently, the Dutch agri-food system is not yet ready for a paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to agroecology. However, the system is being pressured from various angles generating windows of opportunity. While being just one actor in the agri-food system, the province of South Holland could stimulate the development of agroecology by incorporating agroecology explicitly in policymaking.
Biofuels offer the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in merchant ships by up to 90% and can be seamlessly integrated into existing engines as drop-in fuel. Utilising residual biomass sources for biofuel production presents financial and environmental advantages. In Spain's Jaén province, approximately 2,05 million tons of olive residue are annually available, offering a resource for biocrude production through Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL). Biocrude can be subsequently upgraded to biofuel. Additionally, the HTL process yields biochar as a by-product, which holds potential as a soil amendment to combat erosion in olive groves. This thesis focuses on developing a viable, inclusive business model for maritime biofuel production from olive residues in Jaén, Spain, employing the LINK methodology. Three distinct value chain scenarios were evaluated in the initial phase of a two-tier assessment. The analysis revealed that biocrude production either at Jaén's largest secondary mill, San Miguel Arcángel (scenario 1), or at a newly established centralized biorefinery in Úbeda (scenario 2), is more advantageous than establishing a standalone centralized HTL biorefinery for biofuel production (scenario 3). In the second-tier evaluation, the economic, environmental, and social impacts of three value chain implementation options were assessed and compared. These evaluations were integrated and analysed in economic, environmental, and social Business Model Canvasses (BMCs) for the value chain stakeholders. The analysis indicated that while scenarios 1 and 2 marginally contribute to the annual income of olive farmers, they substantially aid in carbon emissions reduction through biochar sequestration, can be used to mitigate olive grove soil erosion and positively impact regional employment opportunities. Scenario 1, with biocrude production at a secondary mill, exhibits greater social benefits due to enhanced smallholder inclusion and autonomy. However, this is counterbalanced by the superior economic and environmental advantages associated with biocrude production at a larger, centralized HTL biorefinery in scenario 2, attributed to economies of scale and reduced local environmental impacts. Recommendations include further research on enhancing smallholder inclusion, exploring the profitability of biocrude production at smaller secondary mills, and conducting a comprehensive financial assessment to ascertain feasibility, profitability, and potential investment avenues.
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Biofuels offer the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in merchant ships by up to 90% and can be seamlessly integrated into existing engines as drop-in fuel. Utilising residual biomass sources for biofuel production presents financial and environmental advantages. In Spain's Jaén province, approximately 2,05 million tons of olive residue are annually available, offering a resource for biocrude production through Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL). Biocrude can be subsequently upgraded to biofuel. Additionally, the HTL process yields biochar as a by-product, which holds potential as a soil amendment to combat erosion in olive groves. This thesis focuses on developing a viable, inclusive business model for maritime biofuel production from olive residues in Jaén, Spain, employing the LINK methodology. Three distinct value chain scenarios were evaluated in the initial phase of a two-tier assessment. The analysis revealed that biocrude production either at Jaén's largest secondary mill, San Miguel Arcángel (scenario 1), or at a newly established centralized biorefinery in Úbeda (scenario 2), is more advantageous than establishing a standalone centralized HTL biorefinery for biofuel production (scenario 3). In the second-tier evaluation, the economic, environmental, and social impacts of three value chain implementation options were assessed and compared. These evaluations were integrated and analysed in economic, environmental, and social Business Model Canvasses (BMCs) for the value chain stakeholders. The analysis indicated that while scenarios 1 and 2 marginally contribute to the annual income of olive farmers, they substantially aid in carbon emissions reduction through biochar sequestration, can be used to mitigate olive grove soil erosion and positively impact regional employment opportunities. Scenario 1, with biocrude production at a secondary mill, exhibits greater social benefits due to enhanced smallholder inclusion and autonomy. However, this is counterbalanced by the superior economic and environmental advantages associated with biocrude production at a larger, centralized HTL biorefinery in scenario 2, attributed to economies of scale and reduced local environmental impacts. Recommendations include further research on enhancing smallholder inclusion, exploring the profitability of biocrude production at smaller secondary mills, and conducting a comprehensive financial assessment to ascertain feasibility, profitability, and potential investment avenues.
The demand for meat is estimated to reach 470 million by 2050. This demand forms a challenge for conventional meat production. Conventional meat production has come under pressure from the negative externalities it brings forth. Cultured meat is seen as a potential solution to meet the demand while avoiding these externalities. The biggest challenge for cultured meat is consumer acceptance. Consumer acceptance is crucial for a successful market integration. Literature shows that several factors within consumer acceptance rely on the level of information. This paper seeks to identify the influence of information on the willingness to try and buy cultured meat in the Netherlands. The effect of information was investigated by interviewing Dutch students. During the interviews, they were given information in the hope of increasing their awareness and knowledge about cultured meat. From these interviews can be observed that several factors were actively influenced by the information consumers have. At the same time, they showed that dependency on information differs per the content of the information. Information on product properties could show a more distinctive effect on consumers' willingness to buy cultured meat than information on the production process and the regulatory framework.
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The demand for meat is estimated to reach 470 million by 2050. This demand forms a challenge for conventional meat production. Conventional meat production has come under pressure from the negative externalities it brings forth. Cultured meat is seen as a potential solution to meet the demand while avoiding these externalities. The biggest challenge for cultured meat is consumer acceptance. Consumer acceptance is crucial for a successful market integration. Literature shows that several factors within consumer acceptance rely on the level of information. This paper seeks to identify the influence of information on the willingness to try and buy cultured meat in the Netherlands. The effect of information was investigated by interviewing Dutch students. During the interviews, they were given information in the hope of increasing their awareness and knowledge about cultured meat. From these interviews can be observed that several factors were actively influenced by the information consumers have. At the same time, they showed that dependency on information differs per the content of the information. Information on product properties could show a more distinctive effect on consumers' willingness to buy cultured meat than information on the production process and the regulatory framework.
The meat industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and ethical concerns, which highlights the need for sustainable and innovative alternatives to ensure food security. Cultured meat, produced by in vitro cultivation of animal cells, presents a promising alternative to conventional meat production. Cultivated meat could offer potential reductions in land use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. However, its development and market acceptance face numerous challenges, including microbial contamination, allergenicity, scalability issues, and the strict European Union (EU) regulatory framework for novel foods.
This research addresses the critical risks associated with the lab-grown meat production process and explores how Safe-by-Design principles can mitigate these risks to meet EU safety, ethical, and regulatory standards. SbD focuses on integrating safety measures within the whole production process, including cell sourcing, culture development, proliferation, differentiation, and bioreactor design. This study identifies key risks, such as contamination, genetic instability, and ethical concerns, and proposes solutions like serum-free media, optimised bioreactor systems, and improved cell differentiation techniques. Furthermore, it discusses the bottlenecks of the EU’s regulatory approval process and evaluates how SbD can help streamline compliance.
By applying SbD principles, this research offers practical recommendations for improving the safety, efficiency, and public acceptance (by addressing ethical concerns) of cultivated meat. These insights aim to support researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders in fostering a sustainable and ethical transition within the EU to cultivated meat. ...
This research addresses the critical risks associated with the lab-grown meat production process and explores how Safe-by-Design principles can mitigate these risks to meet EU safety, ethical, and regulatory standards. SbD focuses on integrating safety measures within the whole production process, including cell sourcing, culture development, proliferation, differentiation, and bioreactor design. This study identifies key risks, such as contamination, genetic instability, and ethical concerns, and proposes solutions like serum-free media, optimised bioreactor systems, and improved cell differentiation techniques. Furthermore, it discusses the bottlenecks of the EU’s regulatory approval process and evaluates how SbD can help streamline compliance.
By applying SbD principles, this research offers practical recommendations for improving the safety, efficiency, and public acceptance (by addressing ethical concerns) of cultivated meat. These insights aim to support researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders in fostering a sustainable and ethical transition within the EU to cultivated meat. ...
The meat industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and ethical concerns, which highlights the need for sustainable and innovative alternatives to ensure food security. Cultured meat, produced by in vitro cultivation of animal cells, presents a promising alternative to conventional meat production. Cultivated meat could offer potential reductions in land use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. However, its development and market acceptance face numerous challenges, including microbial contamination, allergenicity, scalability issues, and the strict European Union (EU) regulatory framework for novel foods.
This research addresses the critical risks associated with the lab-grown meat production process and explores how Safe-by-Design principles can mitigate these risks to meet EU safety, ethical, and regulatory standards. SbD focuses on integrating safety measures within the whole production process, including cell sourcing, culture development, proliferation, differentiation, and bioreactor design. This study identifies key risks, such as contamination, genetic instability, and ethical concerns, and proposes solutions like serum-free media, optimised bioreactor systems, and improved cell differentiation techniques. Furthermore, it discusses the bottlenecks of the EU’s regulatory approval process and evaluates how SbD can help streamline compliance.
By applying SbD principles, this research offers practical recommendations for improving the safety, efficiency, and public acceptance (by addressing ethical concerns) of cultivated meat. These insights aim to support researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders in fostering a sustainable and ethical transition within the EU to cultivated meat.
This research addresses the critical risks associated with the lab-grown meat production process and explores how Safe-by-Design principles can mitigate these risks to meet EU safety, ethical, and regulatory standards. SbD focuses on integrating safety measures within the whole production process, including cell sourcing, culture development, proliferation, differentiation, and bioreactor design. This study identifies key risks, such as contamination, genetic instability, and ethical concerns, and proposes solutions like serum-free media, optimised bioreactor systems, and improved cell differentiation techniques. Furthermore, it discusses the bottlenecks of the EU’s regulatory approval process and evaluates how SbD can help streamline compliance.
By applying SbD principles, this research offers practical recommendations for improving the safety, efficiency, and public acceptance (by addressing ethical concerns) of cultivated meat. These insights aim to support researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders in fostering a sustainable and ethical transition within the EU to cultivated meat.
Mapping social context of sustainable attitudes using stakeholder analysis with discourse analysis
Investigating the maritime sector in order to provide knowledge about future technological pathways
Maritime sectors have been notorious for their slow paced innovation efforts and although it is an efficient sector, it has big impact on the environment just because of the size of the industry (M. Rahim, et al. 2016). There is a lot of activity on the seas, changes in this sector could make a big difference when making our world become more sustainable. However, the sustainable field is a field that is faced with wicked problems. There are always many stakeholders involved and their interests and expectations on these matters can vary wildly. Conversations are important to bring alignment and understanding across stakeholders (Whitemore, 2013). These conversations involve the political and social sciences to investigate. A list of stakeholders was drafted and they were assessed on the grounds of their discourses. A discourse is “a way of shared, structured ways of speaking, thinking, interpreting and representing things in the world.” (Guardado, 2018, p 72) The following RQ was formulated: How can different stakeholders regarding the sustainable transition of the maritime industry be assessed using the discourses of Dryzek?
With a basis of Q-methodology, a list of statements was created that, based on Dryzek’s discourse theory, is then used to judge the respondents on their environmental beliefs. Also the sustainability reports of selected companies where investigated. It was possible to identify the main themes that could count on agreement/disagreement and controversy. Nature and the existence of limits to our activities where rated highly, while the way to solve it remained controversial. People are more imaginative than their company’s current policies indicate. People see the limitations to the systems that surround them. The willingness of the employees is there, or there is a lack between the strategy of the board and the values of the employees. Further action is required to bridge the gap.
It is indeed possible to asses different stakeholders and firms on their discourses and the research shows two methods to do it. The set up of the interview and the statements proved to be able to provide information about the environmentalism of the stakeholder. This information gives an insight into the social context of environmentalism and brought forward interesting observations about the willingness of the employees and the stance of the companies. The reports indicate a gap between what is needed (and wanted) and what is currently being done. The companies should be more radical and imaginative in both their vision and their solutions, instead of focussing on the solutions alone. Vision is often omitted from the reports, an important oversight.
Overarching vision and motivation can be uncovered but the specific points of departure for technological advancement remain hidden. The thesis brings a contribution to investigations on stakeholder alignment in the clean shipping sector and uncovers some important issues. The firms specific operating context remains to be investigated with more detail, as to properly find the barriers that hold back solving wicked problems. However a good effort is made to indicate the grounds for disputes from the actors.
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With a basis of Q-methodology, a list of statements was created that, based on Dryzek’s discourse theory, is then used to judge the respondents on their environmental beliefs. Also the sustainability reports of selected companies where investigated. It was possible to identify the main themes that could count on agreement/disagreement and controversy. Nature and the existence of limits to our activities where rated highly, while the way to solve it remained controversial. People are more imaginative than their company’s current policies indicate. People see the limitations to the systems that surround them. The willingness of the employees is there, or there is a lack between the strategy of the board and the values of the employees. Further action is required to bridge the gap.
It is indeed possible to asses different stakeholders and firms on their discourses and the research shows two methods to do it. The set up of the interview and the statements proved to be able to provide information about the environmentalism of the stakeholder. This information gives an insight into the social context of environmentalism and brought forward interesting observations about the willingness of the employees and the stance of the companies. The reports indicate a gap between what is needed (and wanted) and what is currently being done. The companies should be more radical and imaginative in both their vision and their solutions, instead of focussing on the solutions alone. Vision is often omitted from the reports, an important oversight.
Overarching vision and motivation can be uncovered but the specific points of departure for technological advancement remain hidden. The thesis brings a contribution to investigations on stakeholder alignment in the clean shipping sector and uncovers some important issues. The firms specific operating context remains to be investigated with more detail, as to properly find the barriers that hold back solving wicked problems. However a good effort is made to indicate the grounds for disputes from the actors.
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Maritime sectors have been notorious for their slow paced innovation efforts and although it is an efficient sector, it has big impact on the environment just because of the size of the industry (M. Rahim, et al. 2016). There is a lot of activity on the seas, changes in this sector could make a big difference when making our world become more sustainable. However, the sustainable field is a field that is faced with wicked problems. There are always many stakeholders involved and their interests and expectations on these matters can vary wildly. Conversations are important to bring alignment and understanding across stakeholders (Whitemore, 2013). These conversations involve the political and social sciences to investigate. A list of stakeholders was drafted and they were assessed on the grounds of their discourses. A discourse is “a way of shared, structured ways of speaking, thinking, interpreting and representing things in the world.” (Guardado, 2018, p 72) The following RQ was formulated: How can different stakeholders regarding the sustainable transition of the maritime industry be assessed using the discourses of Dryzek?
With a basis of Q-methodology, a list of statements was created that, based on Dryzek’s discourse theory, is then used to judge the respondents on their environmental beliefs. Also the sustainability reports of selected companies where investigated. It was possible to identify the main themes that could count on agreement/disagreement and controversy. Nature and the existence of limits to our activities where rated highly, while the way to solve it remained controversial. People are more imaginative than their company’s current policies indicate. People see the limitations to the systems that surround them. The willingness of the employees is there, or there is a lack between the strategy of the board and the values of the employees. Further action is required to bridge the gap.
It is indeed possible to asses different stakeholders and firms on their discourses and the research shows two methods to do it. The set up of the interview and the statements proved to be able to provide information about the environmentalism of the stakeholder. This information gives an insight into the social context of environmentalism and brought forward interesting observations about the willingness of the employees and the stance of the companies. The reports indicate a gap between what is needed (and wanted) and what is currently being done. The companies should be more radical and imaginative in both their vision and their solutions, instead of focussing on the solutions alone. Vision is often omitted from the reports, an important oversight.
Overarching vision and motivation can be uncovered but the specific points of departure for technological advancement remain hidden. The thesis brings a contribution to investigations on stakeholder alignment in the clean shipping sector and uncovers some important issues. The firms specific operating context remains to be investigated with more detail, as to properly find the barriers that hold back solving wicked problems. However a good effort is made to indicate the grounds for disputes from the actors.
With a basis of Q-methodology, a list of statements was created that, based on Dryzek’s discourse theory, is then used to judge the respondents on their environmental beliefs. Also the sustainability reports of selected companies where investigated. It was possible to identify the main themes that could count on agreement/disagreement and controversy. Nature and the existence of limits to our activities where rated highly, while the way to solve it remained controversial. People are more imaginative than their company’s current policies indicate. People see the limitations to the systems that surround them. The willingness of the employees is there, or there is a lack between the strategy of the board and the values of the employees. Further action is required to bridge the gap.
It is indeed possible to asses different stakeholders and firms on their discourses and the research shows two methods to do it. The set up of the interview and the statements proved to be able to provide information about the environmentalism of the stakeholder. This information gives an insight into the social context of environmentalism and brought forward interesting observations about the willingness of the employees and the stance of the companies. The reports indicate a gap between what is needed (and wanted) and what is currently being done. The companies should be more radical and imaginative in both their vision and their solutions, instead of focussing on the solutions alone. Vision is often omitted from the reports, an important oversight.
Overarching vision and motivation can be uncovered but the specific points of departure for technological advancement remain hidden. The thesis brings a contribution to investigations on stakeholder alignment in the clean shipping sector and uncovers some important issues. The firms specific operating context remains to be investigated with more detail, as to properly find the barriers that hold back solving wicked problems. However a good effort is made to indicate the grounds for disputes from the actors.
This doctoral thesis investigates the concept of responsibility in the setting of industrial research and innovation (R&I). Companies have multiple responsibilities in society: profit generation for shareowners, legal and contractual liabilities, as well as socially and morally binding obligations beyond legal compliance. These responsibilities coexist in R&I, and at times, stand in conflict with each other. Moreover, the radical uncertainty of innovation activity raises dilemmas with regard to responsibility. For instance, can R&I practitioners be held responsible for those future impacts of their innovation that still remain unknown at the time of R&I? Furthermore, how should such responsibility be distributed between developers (R&I), enablers (funders, regulators) and appliers (users) of the innovation? To address such questions, the broad notion of responsibility first needs to be opened up, to distinguish between its different meanings and elements. This thesis develops a framework that supports identification and coordination of various responsibilities in the inherently uncertain R&I settings. The main research question of the thesis is: How do different elements of responsibility become identified and carried out in R&I? As outcome, this thesis will present a meta-responsibility map: A tool for industrial R&I teams and consortia to reflect on their responsibilities, in situations such as goalsetting, problem-solving, decision-making, and stakeholder interaction.
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This doctoral thesis investigates the concept of responsibility in the setting of industrial research and innovation (R&I). Companies have multiple responsibilities in society: profit generation for shareowners, legal and contractual liabilities, as well as socially and morally binding obligations beyond legal compliance. These responsibilities coexist in R&I, and at times, stand in conflict with each other. Moreover, the radical uncertainty of innovation activity raises dilemmas with regard to responsibility. For instance, can R&I practitioners be held responsible for those future impacts of their innovation that still remain unknown at the time of R&I? Furthermore, how should such responsibility be distributed between developers (R&I), enablers (funders, regulators) and appliers (users) of the innovation? To address such questions, the broad notion of responsibility first needs to be opened up, to distinguish between its different meanings and elements. This thesis develops a framework that supports identification and coordination of various responsibilities in the inherently uncertain R&I settings. The main research question of the thesis is: How do different elements of responsibility become identified and carried out in R&I? As outcome, this thesis will present a meta-responsibility map: A tool for industrial R&I teams and consortia to reflect on their responsibilities, in situations such as goalsetting, problem-solving, decision-making, and stakeholder interaction.
Fighting Malaria Using Gene Drives: Worthy Tool or Waste of Time?
A Safe-by-Design Assessment for Gene Drive Organisms
Malaria is both an economically and medically burdensome disease taunting people worldwide. Treatments for the disease – transmitted by malarial Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium – are either temporary or in developmental stages, while rising insecticidal resistance and mosquitoes’ behavioral changes call for a lasting solution to responsibly fight malaria. The application of gene drive (GD) technology – biasedly propagating genetic material into a population using CRISPR/Cas9 – has been suggested. By introducing a sex ratio bias into malarial mosquito populations, or by targeting the mosquito’s interaction with the Plasmodium-parasite, malaria could be eradicated. The design, testing and implementation phases of GDs must, however, be approached with caution, due to the invasive nature of and controversy around the technology. To prevent harmful consequences, the risk management strategy of Safe-by-Design (SbD) was used to compose a set of guidelines for selected SbD Risk Categories. Academic literature and scientist interviews were used to obtain insights of possible risks and to find balance between medical progress and technological threats. Stakeholder involvement was found to be an important part of the GD design process, with a multidisciplinary team of experts, appointed and enforced by international organizations. The team must be held co-responsible for compliance with the guidelines of all four SbD Risk Categories, covering (i) unintended effects on non-target organisms and ecosystems, (ii) horizontal gene transfer (HGT), (iii) pathogenicity and toxicity, and (iv) run-off risk and reversibility. Key findings include previously proposed models, including an inhibitory rock–paper–scissors and a confining split-drive model for GD regulation. After carefully considering the available knowledge and the guidelines necessary for responsible research, I concluded that further research into mosquitoes’ ecosystems, target-specificity, HGT prevention and the theoretical GD models is required.
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Malaria is both an economically and medically burdensome disease taunting people worldwide. Treatments for the disease – transmitted by malarial Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium – are either temporary or in developmental stages, while rising insecticidal resistance and mosquitoes’ behavioral changes call for a lasting solution to responsibly fight malaria. The application of gene drive (GD) technology – biasedly propagating genetic material into a population using CRISPR/Cas9 – has been suggested. By introducing a sex ratio bias into malarial mosquito populations, or by targeting the mosquito’s interaction with the Plasmodium-parasite, malaria could be eradicated. The design, testing and implementation phases of GDs must, however, be approached with caution, due to the invasive nature of and controversy around the technology. To prevent harmful consequences, the risk management strategy of Safe-by-Design (SbD) was used to compose a set of guidelines for selected SbD Risk Categories. Academic literature and scientist interviews were used to obtain insights of possible risks and to find balance between medical progress and technological threats. Stakeholder involvement was found to be an important part of the GD design process, with a multidisciplinary team of experts, appointed and enforced by international organizations. The team must be held co-responsible for compliance with the guidelines of all four SbD Risk Categories, covering (i) unintended effects on non-target organisms and ecosystems, (ii) horizontal gene transfer (HGT), (iii) pathogenicity and toxicity, and (iv) run-off risk and reversibility. Key findings include previously proposed models, including an inhibitory rock–paper–scissors and a confining split-drive model for GD regulation. After carefully considering the available knowledge and the guidelines necessary for responsible research, I concluded that further research into mosquitoes’ ecosystems, target-specificity, HGT prevention and the theoretical GD models is required.
The current regulatory regime regarding GMOs within the Netherlands and Europe does ensure safety but struggles in balancing this notion with innovation. In particular, the way the Precautionary Principle (PP) is operationalized in GMO legislation has resulted in a highly precautionary culture in which there is little room to conduct research with associated uncertain risks or uncertainties – it has resulted in a culture of compliance. Although the debate on how ‘new’ genetic engineering techniques such as CRISPR should be assessed in comparison to recently exempted techniques is ongoing within the European Union (EU), this might not have any consequences for GMO regulation at all. These issues do not only stifle innovation but also illustrate that the current regime is not resilient in dealing with emerging techniques. To break free from the impasse between safety and innovation, researchers should be able to learn what uncertain risks entail, for instance, through Safe-by-Design (SbD).
The main question addressed in this thesis is: “How to create an environment that is suitable to learn safely and responsibly what uncertain risks associated with emerging biotechnologies entail?”. I conclude that to enable responsible learning by means of SbD, 3 conditions are needed; regulatory flexibility, co-responsibility and awareness. Thereby, SbD could be a suitable approach to arrive at responsible learning, given that the 3 conditions are met. If not, SbD provides guidelines to lower or mitigate known risks but fails to provide a step-by-step approach to gradually learn what uncertain risks entail. This will leave a knowledge gap between known and uncertain risks which stifles innovation and hinders risk management in ensuring future safety for people, animals and the environment.
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The main question addressed in this thesis is: “How to create an environment that is suitable to learn safely and responsibly what uncertain risks associated with emerging biotechnologies entail?”. I conclude that to enable responsible learning by means of SbD, 3 conditions are needed; regulatory flexibility, co-responsibility and awareness. Thereby, SbD could be a suitable approach to arrive at responsible learning, given that the 3 conditions are met. If not, SbD provides guidelines to lower or mitigate known risks but fails to provide a step-by-step approach to gradually learn what uncertain risks entail. This will leave a knowledge gap between known and uncertain risks which stifles innovation and hinders risk management in ensuring future safety for people, animals and the environment.
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The current regulatory regime regarding GMOs within the Netherlands and Europe does ensure safety but struggles in balancing this notion with innovation. In particular, the way the Precautionary Principle (PP) is operationalized in GMO legislation has resulted in a highly precautionary culture in which there is little room to conduct research with associated uncertain risks or uncertainties – it has resulted in a culture of compliance. Although the debate on how ‘new’ genetic engineering techniques such as CRISPR should be assessed in comparison to recently exempted techniques is ongoing within the European Union (EU), this might not have any consequences for GMO regulation at all. These issues do not only stifle innovation but also illustrate that the current regime is not resilient in dealing with emerging techniques. To break free from the impasse between safety and innovation, researchers should be able to learn what uncertain risks entail, for instance, through Safe-by-Design (SbD).
The main question addressed in this thesis is: “How to create an environment that is suitable to learn safely and responsibly what uncertain risks associated with emerging biotechnologies entail?”. I conclude that to enable responsible learning by means of SbD, 3 conditions are needed; regulatory flexibility, co-responsibility and awareness. Thereby, SbD could be a suitable approach to arrive at responsible learning, given that the 3 conditions are met. If not, SbD provides guidelines to lower or mitigate known risks but fails to provide a step-by-step approach to gradually learn what uncertain risks entail. This will leave a knowledge gap between known and uncertain risks which stifles innovation and hinders risk management in ensuring future safety for people, animals and the environment.
The main question addressed in this thesis is: “How to create an environment that is suitable to learn safely and responsibly what uncertain risks associated with emerging biotechnologies entail?”. I conclude that to enable responsible learning by means of SbD, 3 conditions are needed; regulatory flexibility, co-responsibility and awareness. Thereby, SbD could be a suitable approach to arrive at responsible learning, given that the 3 conditions are met. If not, SbD provides guidelines to lower or mitigate known risks but fails to provide a step-by-step approach to gradually learn what uncertain risks entail. This will leave a knowledge gap between known and uncertain risks which stifles innovation and hinders risk management in ensuring future safety for people, animals and the environment.
Bacteriophages as agents against locust swarming
A Safe-by-Design study on the application of gene and microbiome therapies
The rapid advancements in synthetic biology have allowed for the development of revolutionary technologies such as bacteriophage-mediated gene and microbiome therapies. These technologies create the need for management of the upcoming risks and uncertainties. Safe-by-Design is a strategy to build in safety measures in an effort to mitigate and anticipate risks in synthetic biology applications. This study aims to portray a nuanced review of the opportunities and challenges posed by Safe-by-Design through a case study on this year’s iGEM project, the application of gene and microbiome therapy principles to mitigate the issue of Desert Locust swarms. To gather an all-round perspective on the current state of synthetic biology, bacteriophage-based therapies, and Safe-by-Design, these aspects are assessed in terms of governance. Synthetic biology regulations have long ensured safe research practices, but the lack of adequate regulations for novel phage-based technologies hampers the development of this field of research. In further detail is discussed how the use of the precautionary principle guarantees biosafety but also limits the discovery of risks and uncertainties. Downstream Safe-by-Design is proposed as a method to facilitate policy-making and to tackle concerning issues such as transnational regulations and public perception of biosafety. In this report, the risks associated with the application of bacteriophages for non-therapeutic purposes are determined and multiple Safe-by-Design approaches are analyzed to mitigate these risks and uncertainties. This resulted in the collection of quorum sensing, kill switches, encapsulation, anti-CRISPRs, and auxotrophy as suitable Safe-by-Design measures for this project. Furthermore, the challenges and limitations regarding the application of Safe-by-Design are reviewed. This analysis concludes that uncertainty and a lack of knowledge of the intricate synthetic biology systems are the main constrains on Safe-by-Design for synthetic biology. Lastly, it is concluded that Safe-by-Design is a promising strategy to ensure biosafety because of its dynamic and proactive character, and recommendations are made to stimulate future progress in this area of research.
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The rapid advancements in synthetic biology have allowed for the development of revolutionary technologies such as bacteriophage-mediated gene and microbiome therapies. These technologies create the need for management of the upcoming risks and uncertainties. Safe-by-Design is a strategy to build in safety measures in an effort to mitigate and anticipate risks in synthetic biology applications. This study aims to portray a nuanced review of the opportunities and challenges posed by Safe-by-Design through a case study on this year’s iGEM project, the application of gene and microbiome therapy principles to mitigate the issue of Desert Locust swarms. To gather an all-round perspective on the current state of synthetic biology, bacteriophage-based therapies, and Safe-by-Design, these aspects are assessed in terms of governance. Synthetic biology regulations have long ensured safe research practices, but the lack of adequate regulations for novel phage-based technologies hampers the development of this field of research. In further detail is discussed how the use of the precautionary principle guarantees biosafety but also limits the discovery of risks and uncertainties. Downstream Safe-by-Design is proposed as a method to facilitate policy-making and to tackle concerning issues such as transnational regulations and public perception of biosafety. In this report, the risks associated with the application of bacteriophages for non-therapeutic purposes are determined and multiple Safe-by-Design approaches are analyzed to mitigate these risks and uncertainties. This resulted in the collection of quorum sensing, kill switches, encapsulation, anti-CRISPRs, and auxotrophy as suitable Safe-by-Design measures for this project. Furthermore, the challenges and limitations regarding the application of Safe-by-Design are reviewed. This analysis concludes that uncertainty and a lack of knowledge of the intricate synthetic biology systems are the main constrains on Safe-by-Design for synthetic biology. Lastly, it is concluded that Safe-by-Design is a promising strategy to ensure biosafety because of its dynamic and proactive character, and recommendations are made to stimulate future progress in this area of research.
Vibrotactile wearable devices are a non-intrusive and inexpensive means to provide haptic feedback directly on the user’s skin. These devices utilize one or multiple vibrotactile actuators to generate vibrations across the skin and into the tissue. Combining these vibrations in amplitude can create the illusion of a funneled sensation on the skin at another location than at the actual sites of stimulation. This allows for the placement of virtual actuators on the skin, such that fewer actuators need to be deployed. However, the illusion does not take into account that the waves originating from the actuator attenuate and disperse due to the viscoelastic properties of the skin. We hypothesize that this diffusion of the elastic energy in the skin is affecting the perception of this illusion. Therefore, if we correct for the wave propagation speed, and temporally focus the stimulation, we hypothesized that the specificity of the stimulation on the skin could be drastically improved. In this paper, a novel technique, which is named the inverse filter technique, was introduced that enables to focus the amplitude, frequency and phase of vibrations to one location while cancelling them at the remaining nearby positions. We developed a wearable device for the volar surface of the forearm on which we could independently control arbitrary waveforms at any position between a set of four physical actuators. A human-subject study found that the performance in terms of localization confidence was improved significantly, whereas the precision and accuracy of the task did not improve compared to when we did not correct for the wave attenuation and dispersion. These results show that focusing waves towards a target location has a direct influence on our confidence of localizing vibrotactile stimuli on the arm. Therefore, we anticipate that our findings can benefit industries int Biorefineries are considered an integral part in the transition to sustainable bio-based economies as they can convert renewable biological resources into various bio-based products, while co-products are recycled and energy is produced out of the residuals. In this thesis, it is suggested to apply this biorefinery concept to revive the sugar industry of Jamaica, where currently only raw sugar is produced. For this, the development of a conceptual process design itself and the feasibility of the implementation is studied as the entire chain of utilizing biomass is influenced by both technical, environmental, social and economic aspects. With the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework, the information obtained during the fieldwork about how (new) technologies function in the Jamaican agricultural industry are translated into context-specific design constraints. Those design constraints are used in the development of the context-specific conceptual process design for the Jamaican sugar industry. Three scenarios of the proposed design including the material balances and financial viability are discussed. The "status-quo" scenario predicts the bankruptcy of some of the sugar factories due to the reduced possibility to sell raw sugar, which will also leave the farmers without income. The "engineering-view" scenario was found to fail due to the unrealistic assumptions that all the products can be sold, that the farming yields can be improved, and that the Jamaican sugar sector can be seen as one. In the "most-realistic" scenario, it is considered that the energy generation from bagasse covers the energy demand for the processes and that the amount of plantation white sugar, anhydrous bio-ethanol and bio-pellets annually produced from 30,000 hectares of sugarcane land are considered to be 100,000 tonnes, 51 million liters, and 80,600 tonnes, respectively. It is suggested that this "most-realistic" scenario is able to revive the Jamaican sugar industry and to support the establishment of the sustainable bio-based economy, however the financial viability of the project and the inclusiveness of the various actors have to be taken into account.erested in including localized vibrotactile feedback on the human body surface.
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Vibrotactile wearable devices are a non-intrusive and inexpensive means to provide haptic feedback directly on the user’s skin. These devices utilize one or multiple vibrotactile actuators to generate vibrations across the skin and into the tissue. Combining these vibrations in amplitude can create the illusion of a funneled sensation on the skin at another location than at the actual sites of stimulation. This allows for the placement of virtual actuators on the skin, such that fewer actuators need to be deployed. However, the illusion does not take into account that the waves originating from the actuator attenuate and disperse due to the viscoelastic properties of the skin. We hypothesize that this diffusion of the elastic energy in the skin is affecting the perception of this illusion. Therefore, if we correct for the wave propagation speed, and temporally focus the stimulation, we hypothesized that the specificity of the stimulation on the skin could be drastically improved. In this paper, a novel technique, which is named the inverse filter technique, was introduced that enables to focus the amplitude, frequency and phase of vibrations to one location while cancelling them at the remaining nearby positions. We developed a wearable device for the volar surface of the forearm on which we could independently control arbitrary waveforms at any position between a set of four physical actuators. A human-subject study found that the performance in terms of localization confidence was improved significantly, whereas the precision and accuracy of the task did not improve compared to when we did not correct for the wave attenuation and dispersion. These results show that focusing waves towards a target location has a direct influence on our confidence of localizing vibrotactile stimuli on the arm. Therefore, we anticipate that our findings can benefit industries int Biorefineries are considered an integral part in the transition to sustainable bio-based economies as they can convert renewable biological resources into various bio-based products, while co-products are recycled and energy is produced out of the residuals. In this thesis, it is suggested to apply this biorefinery concept to revive the sugar industry of Jamaica, where currently only raw sugar is produced. For this, the development of a conceptual process design itself and the feasibility of the implementation is studied as the entire chain of utilizing biomass is influenced by both technical, environmental, social and economic aspects. With the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework, the information obtained during the fieldwork about how (new) technologies function in the Jamaican agricultural industry are translated into context-specific design constraints. Those design constraints are used in the development of the context-specific conceptual process design for the Jamaican sugar industry. Three scenarios of the proposed design including the material balances and financial viability are discussed. The "status-quo" scenario predicts the bankruptcy of some of the sugar factories due to the reduced possibility to sell raw sugar, which will also leave the farmers without income. The "engineering-view" scenario was found to fail due to the unrealistic assumptions that all the products can be sold, that the farming yields can be improved, and that the Jamaican sugar sector can be seen as one. In the "most-realistic" scenario, it is considered that the energy generation from bagasse covers the energy demand for the processes and that the amount of plantation white sugar, anhydrous bio-ethanol and bio-pellets annually produced from 30,000 hectares of sugarcane land are considered to be 100,000 tonnes, 51 million liters, and 80,600 tonnes, respectively. It is suggested that this "most-realistic" scenario is able to revive the Jamaican sugar industry and to support the establishment of the sustainable bio-based economy, however the financial viability of the project and the inclusiveness of the various actors have to be taken into account.erested in including localized vibrotactile feedback on the human body surface.