CIRCUROAD: Collaboration Towards Non-petroleum Binders in the Netherlands

In response to climate challenges an energy transition is ongoing which exerts indirect pressures on the availability of petroleum-based construction materials, particularly within the road industry. Urgently transitioning to non-petroleum-based infrastructure materials is paramount, given the uncertainties surrounding crude oil supply and the compelling demand for environmentally sound alternatives. This paper describes the CIRCUROAD value chain collaboration program the Netherlands has adopted for exploration of bio-circular binders as viable substitutes for bitumen in road construction. In the collaboration, parties across the value chain work together: road owners, contractors, producers, knowledge institutes and raw material suppliers. Collaborative endeavors aim to expedite this transition, guided by roadmaps delineating commercialized technologies, explorative developments, and carbon capture strategies. Sustainability perspectives from Dutch stakeholders underscore the imperative of circular regulations and emission-free materials. International collaboration is deemed essential to achieve sustainability objectives while meeting economic and performance benchmarks.