SusChem proposes Priority Materials Topics for Horizon 2020

SusChem has published the results of its preliminary analysis of research needs for materials in the early calls of Horizon 2020. The analysis is the result of ongoing dialogue with stakeholders and value chain partners undertaken by SusChem’s Materials Working Group and was discussed at the SusChem Stakeholder workshop in mid-May.

From analysis of the size of opportunities and societal challenges faced by Europe SusChem has focused on three prioritised value chains:

• Automotive
• Building Construction and Refurbishment
• Energy Production and Storage

“The SusChem working group then examined these value chains more closely, segmenting sub areas of potential research and analysing the importance of developments for the future, looking at current coverage in the areas by global research activities and identifying significant research gaps,” said Jacques Komornicki SusChem coordinator and Innovation Manager at Cefic.

The results were reviewed at a SusChem Materials Working Group workshop held in March 2013 and further discussed at a workshop that was part of the SusChem Stakeholder event in mid May.

Priority topics
Four provisional research, development and innovation topics considered to be key priorities for inclusion in early calls for Horizon 2020 have been identified. They are:

• Advanced structural composites for cost effective volume production of complex high performance lightweight parts
• Circular economy and how this concept can be developed within the three identified key value chains (and elsewhere) of importance to the chemical industry and society
• Thermal energy conversion and storage (including solar cooling)
• Stationary electricity storage 

These four topics are generally perceived as being at technology readiness levels 4 to 7 (TRL 4 – 7) and therefore have potential for industrial impact in the short to medium term (see diagram above).

Two other topics were also identified as of continuing interest but at a lower TRL. These are:

• Self-healing materials
• Printed electronics

SusChem will maintain a watching brief in these two areas in order that partners can consider more specific developments possibly via funding from sources such as the Future and Emerging Technologies area. You can find more on the analysis process for selecting the priority topics here in a related blog article.

In the working group report proposals for all six topics are described in terms of:

• The general ambition and time frame envisaged
• The Key Stakeholders that should be involved
• Value chain specifics
• The proposed programme
• What the Chemical Industry brings to the topic area

More information?
To obtain a copy of the full SusChem Materials Working Group report, please contact the SusChem secretariat.

This is also the place to find out how you can get involved with the ongoing analysis and work being undertaken by the Working Group to prepare for the first Horizon 2020 calls in 2014.