Explore Some of Our
Projects
Selected Portfolio:
Circular Economy Organics Project
NEOM
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The Challenge
NEOM requested Ricardo and Evolve International to explore opportunities to harness all Organic Waste materials to create a world-leading integrated organics treatment solution - based on Circular Economy principles. The organic waste materials to be considered include being: pre- and post-consumer food waste, green waste from The Line, biosolids from wastewater treatment and agricultural wastes from Food Valley.
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Enabling a transformation of valuable resources into new added value products, especially within sustainable food production. Adhering to the required agility and scalability to service a population up to 9 million people, in a city with rapidly changing needs as it evolves over time.
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The Solution
Ricardo and Evolve International followed a methodology which included a Global Horizon scanning and Due Diligence process. This allowed lessons to be learnt from both new and outdated treatment technologies, planning and historical waste challenges. The conclusion of stage 1 was concluded in a comprehensive proposal for a “Central Organics Treatment Facility” – which would provide NEOM with a range of options to deliver value from all organic waste types.
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Client Benefits
NEOM benefited from Evolve International’s detailed technical recommendations for the implementation of a “Central Organics Facility”, as well as the required process flows between inputs, outputs and additional outputs – which can be further combined and enhanced to obtain higher value products according to sector needs. The proposed facility will also output value added derivatives applicable to NEOM sectors including food, agriculture, packaging and energy.
Vertical Farming Pilot Project
NEOM
Project Aim
EVOLVE is currently designing the NEOM Vertical Farming Pilot Projects, the first of its kind in the world, The trial will install, assess and capture the learnings from (initially) growing leafy greens, strawberries and herbs via multiple vertical farming suppliers and their technologies in addition to new R&D developments.
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Project Delivery
EVOLVE led on all aspects of supplier selection and due diligence from 87 supplier shortlist up to and including Pre-Concept built environment Design and are currently being considered to be the supporting consultants for the next stages of NEOM’s implementation, namely Detailed Design and Master Planning, supplier tender creation, EPC construction supervisors in the role of employee's agent (risk mitigation).
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Outputs
Competitive landscape global overview including robust RAG reporting against all relevant comparative metrics, underpinned by 4th generation grower knowledge led by one of the UK’s pioneers of vertical farming (Ian Angus), Covering Initial built environment concept designs and construction costs leading to detailed designs.
Sahara Forest Project
UN Climate Change Talks
STATE OF QATAR
Project Aim
This project required a critical demonstration Pilot Project build to support Qatar's commitment to developing sustainable solutions to global circular economy challenges at the UN Climate Change Talks in Qatar.
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Project Delivery
Similar to NEOM’s aspirations for complete circulatory of sea water use, this system took raw seawater all the way through to salts by making use of various treatments and growing technologies along the way. From Concentrated Solar Desalination, to cooling GHs to irrigation water, to field crop to algae to halophyte production through to processed separated salts for fertiliser and industrial use, as well as integrating organic pre- and post-harvest wastes into organic soils and fertilisers.
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Outputs
EVOLVE managed all stages from initial concept development to technology reviews with the client. Assessment and selection through to Master Planning, detailed design, strategic partner selection and procurement negotiations. Onsite Project Management of construction in Qatar, commissioning and proof of concept operation for two years. The pilot project achieved the highest yields in GGC records and has since been expanded by the clients (QAFCO and YARA) into 26 hectares of sustainable crop production.
Humming Boy Farm, Maldives
Maldives Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture
The Challenge
To design a fully off-grid, sustainable 5-hectare Greenhouse food production site on a desert island without using any desalination or ground water. Site to utilise 100% green energy including wind and solar power for all systems including the deep sea (1.2km depth) cooling process.
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Project Delivery
The challenge above was fully scoped and costed including circular treatment and reuse of all organic pre- and post-harvest wastes and the islands human wastes. Proposed technologies were electrochemical processes, advanced biomass, AD+, retort biochar and soils and nutrient production.
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Following an in-depth investigation into the most suitable locations by creating a bathymetric map from 18th century Admiralty maps and ship-based surveys, EVOLVE conducted the due diligence on numerous potential design and suppliers across international deep sea pipe design engineers and installers through to specialised greenhouse and nutrient recovery system manufacturers and produced the cost proposal.
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Outputs
Survey rationale and mapping. Concept development and detailed designs through to technology reviews, managing EIA and permitting programmes, receiving letters of Intent from all of the Maldives independent resort groups, negotiating air transportation agreements, creation of a comprehensive financial model and cost submission for funding to the World Bank.
Qatar, Layan Farms
KELDER GROUP
The Challenge
Evolve were commissioned to design and Plan the construction of a complex off-grid sustainable 100-hectare Greenhouse food production facility in Qatar to utilise the inputs from an adjacent 160-hectare chicken production facility. Scope included the transformation of all onsite organic materials into advanced growing materials, nutrients and value-added substrates.
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The Solution
The methodology and implementation plan was developed to reduce water consumption by 95% in the built environment via the Anaerobic Digestion of chicken manure thus utilising this water as fertigate water for the Greenhouse production, whilst ensuring the site is 100% self-sufficient for energy, heating, cooling (adsorption)
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Client Benefits
The consortium of the Qatar Environment agency, The Prime Minister's Office and multiple investment funds approved just 2 offerings (out of 17 international submits) due to Evolve’s proposal providing the proposed complex with 100% self-sufficiency across energy, heating, cooling and 95% water reuse.
Octopus Energy,
Green Energy Project
PETERBOROUGH, UK
The Challenge
Evolve were commissioned by the UK Environment Agency, Octopus Energy and Stobart Energy to develop the comprehensive strategy to create a Circular Waste to Energy to Food production plant covering numerous new (medium TRL) innovations and developments including the use of Oversize fraction of Green waste recycling as a fuel for biomass production and Amine CO2 recovery.
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The Solution
Evolve created the comprehensive business and financial model and commercial marketing strategy, successfully attracting project funding, and was accepted by Waitrose to become its Flagship growing operation in the UK. Evolve spearheaded the use of an organic ‘waste’ to be reclassified as a ‘fuel’.
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Client Benefits
Evolve successfully challenged the UK Environmental Agency to reinterpret its rules on emissions to allow the use of an organic ‘waste’ (PAS100) to be reclassified as a ‘fuel’ thereby opening the pathway for numerous similar UK circular projects to be developed. successfully attracting project retailer backing and future funding.
Kirkuk, Iraq Master Plan
US ARMY ENGINEERING CORPS
The Challenge
Evolve were commissioned by the US Army Engineering Corps to develop the Solid Waste Management strategy and Master Plan for the redevelopment of the Municipality of Kirkuk, Iraq. The proposal involved scoping, capturing and detailing the philosophy and approach for the planning system for the next 20 years.
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The Solution
The delivery of a mix of solid waste infrastructure, (Residual, Recycling, Energy recovery and Organics). The development of these facilities supported the stated vision to deliver a Circular Economy focused solution. The focus of the solution was to systematically reduce waste to landfill to zero by providing the Municipality with a best practice approach based on an integrated waste management system by capturing waste as early in the hierarchy as practicable.
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Client Benefits
The proposal successfully and systematically provided the roadmap to reduce Kirkuk’s waste to landfill to zero by providing the Municipality with a best practice approach based on an integrated waste management system, critically, by capturing waste as early in the hierarchy as practicable.
Esholt Estate Circular Economy
Redevelopment
KELDER GROUP
The Challenge
Scope the Circular economy redevelopment of the Esholt Estate in Yorkshire to achieve a completely circular use of organic materials, both on site biosolids and liquids, pre- and post-harvest wastes, water reuse, nutrient reclaim, algae production of precursor compounds, Co2 reclaim and use in food production, as well as initial commercial engagement with retailers, growers and investors.
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The Solution
Evolve led a comprehensive evaluation over 18 months of the Esholt estate to identify technical and commercial Circular Economy redevelopment opportunities for the site. This work entailed detailed site analysis, site-wide asset analysis, resource and energy flow reviews, Master Planning, Pre-Concept through to detailed design and engagement with suppliers and investors in order to achieve a completely circular proposal regarding the reuse of organic materials.
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Client Benefits
Completely circular use of organic materials, both on site biosolids and liquids, pre- and post-harvest wastes, water reuse, nutrient reclaim, algae production of precursor compounds, Co2 reclaim and use in food production, as well as initial commercial engagement with retailers, growers and investors.
