Wetsus

Wetsus - European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology is a research centre for water technology in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. Over one hundred companies and twenty knowledge institutes work together at Wetsus to develop solutions for global water issues.[1]

History

Wetsus was established as part of Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland (a public-private partnership in the northern Netherlands, covering Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe), the Frisian Water Alliance, the University of Twente, the University of Groningen and Wageningen University & Research to strengthen the position of the region as major player in the water sector.[2][3] In 2007 the institute was labeled Top Technological Institute.[4]

Collaboration

Together with other actors of the WaterCampus Leeuwarden, Wetsus collaborates with several initiatives, such as:

• the Water Alliance to take technological innovations to the market,
• the Centrum voor innovatief vakmanschap water (Centre for innovative craftmanship water) for vocational education;
• the Centre of Expertise Water Technology (CEW) for collaboration in the applied sciences.[5]

Wetsus is home to the MSc Water Technology, a joint degree of the University of Groningen, the University of Twente and Wageningen University & Research.[6]

Innovation & research

Wetsus studied reverse electrodialysis to generate osmotic power. That research resulted in a spin-off company called REDstack that generates blue energy at the Afsluitdijk in the Netherlands.[7] Wetsus also promoted decentralized sanitation and wastewater reuse in the Netherlands through the spin-off company DeSaH.[8][9]

As of 2024, research is focused on removing PFAS from water, and the removal of micro and nanoplastics from water.[10][4]

References

1. "About Wetsus".
2. "Wetsus in de race voor het Technologisch Top Instituut Water". H2O (16): 6–7. 2005.
3. Bakker, Menno (2011). "Specialisten in watertechnologie Zij die de zee oversteken" (PDF). Waterproof (1): 18.
4. "Het sprookje van Leeuwarden: hoe Wetsus in 20 jaar een topinstituut werd. 'Dit is echt heel erg bijzonder'". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 2023-10-07. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
5. "– About WaterCampus".
6. "Onderzoeksinstituut Wetsus doet onderzoek in opdracht van universiteiten en bedrijven en koppelt de resultaten snel terug naar de maatschappij". NEMOKennislink (in Dutch). 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
7. Wolkers, Hans (2015). Wetsus Innovaties en spin-off bedrijven [Wetsus Innovations & Spin-offs] (in Dutch). Rekladruk. pp. 14–17.
8. "DeSaH geeft afvalwater een tweede leven". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 2023-12-11. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
9. Wolkers, Hans (September 2015). Wetsus Innovaties en spin-off bedrijven (in Dutch). Rekladruk. p. 24-27.
10. van Mersbergen, Sander (2024-04-09). "Onderzoekers claimen doorbraak: 'Water kan in toekomst PFAS-vrij'". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-04-17.

External links

• Official site
• WaterCampus Leeuwarden

53.1963°N 5.8038°E / 53.1963; 5.8038