Working on a sustainable N33 motorway
On Monday, November 19, ten organizations, including New Energy Coalition, signed a letter of intent to collaborate on the sustainability of the N33 motorway. The ambition is to make this national highway completely energy-neutral. The partners are exploring how local energy cooperatives and natural resources—such as sludge—can contribute to sustainable solutions, including biobased crash barriers and building blocks.
Declaration of Intent Sustainable N33
Ten regional partners signed a letter of intent on Monday, November 19, to make the N33 more sustainable: the province of Groningen, Rijkswaterstaat, the municipality of Midden-Groningen, the municipality of Appingedam, the municipality of Delfzijl, Groningen Seaports, the BuildinG Foundation, the Groningen Nature and Environment Federation, the Groningen Energy Dome (GrEK) and New Energy Coalition. The signatorees placed their handprint in mud under the declaration of intent.
With this signing, the 10 partners endorse the previously expressed ambition of the province of Groningen and Rijkswaterstaat to construct part of the N33 as a fully energy-neutral national motorway. This brings the realization of this ambition one step closer.
The parties will explore the potential contributions of local energy corporations and raw materials. They will explore how local, natural materials can be used as raw materials in the construction process in a smart way. For example, by making crash barriers from biobased raw materials or using building blocks made from pressed sludge from the Eems Dollard. During the signing ceremony, a work of art featuring large building blocks made from sludge from the Eems Dollard was on display.
Next step
In the short term, the partners who signed the letter of intent will develop a program to further develop the sustainability of the N33 Midden. Sustainability for the N33 Midden will focus on the following topics: circularity, energy, biodiversity, and social relevance.
Fully sustainable N33 Midden
The Province of Groningen and the Ministry previously expressed their ambition to construct the N33 Midden as a fully energy-neutral and, as far as possible, circular national highway. This means that not only the energy consumption of the road itself, but also the energy consumption during its construction will be offset. Furthermore, the brand-new bridge over the Drainage Canal offers more opportunities for an ecological corridor.
