SusChem has confirmed that the SusChem 2018 Brokerage Event will be held on Tuesday 23 October 2018 at Hotel Le Plaza in Brussels. SusChem #Brokerage2018 will cover published calls relevant to the sustainable chemistry community in the remaining two years of the Horizon 2020 programme.
Save the date – 23 October 2018 now! More information on the Brokerage event will be available via the SusChem website – www.suschem.org – soon and relayed via our social media channels.
Focus area of high interest for sustainable chemistry include:
'Building a low Carbon, Climate-resilient Future' (EUR 3.3 billion budget), will aims to align research and innovation investments with the climate change objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement as well as with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The focus area will support the development of solutions to achieve carbon neutrality and climate resilience by the second half of the century. Over EUR two billion will be invested in the four strategic priorities identified in the Accelerating Clean Energy Innovation Communication, namely renewables, energy efficiency in buildings, electro-mobility and energy storage solutions – with an emphasis on the next generation of batter technologies. SusChem has recently published its views on the innovations required in this area – link to battery paper.
'Connecting economic and environmental gains – the Circular Economy' (EUR 941 million budget) will support the Commission's ambitious Circular Economy package and make a strong contribution to sustainable development goals, climate action, resource efficiency, jobs and growth, and industrial competitiveness.
'Digitising and transforming European industry and services' (EUR 1.7 billion budget) will address the combination of digital technologies with innovations in other technological areas, as emphasised in the Digital Single Market strategy. This field offers huge opportunities for increasing industrial competitiveness, to create growth and jobs and to address a range of societal challenges.
The first open call for involvement with the 'CloudiFacturing' project in the European Commission’s I4MS Funding Programme has been announced. This great funding opportunity, especially focused on SME participation, is for: Testing and implementation of the latest high-performance computing and modelling technologies.
The European Union's initiative ICT Innovation for Manufacturing SMEs (I4MS) connects SMEs, startups and mid-cap companies with European Digital Innovation Hubs, who can help companies to test and adopt the latest digital technologies.
To pursue this mission, computationally demanding production engineering and simulation, as well as data analytics tools, are to be provided as Cloud services to ease accessibility and make their use more affordable. With the Open Call, I4MS is seeking innovative use cases in the context of the project’s mission.
Use case impact
The use cases should clearly state their industrial impact for the involved manufacturing companies, based on their expected benefit from exploiting computational engineering and production services and workflows powered by the CloudiFacturing technology.
The call comprises:
simulations of manufacturing processes or manufacturing tools,
leveraging factory data to learn from it, and
optimising manufacturing processes and/or the manufacturability of goods
The use cases need to be driven by the ultimate end user, preferably SMEs. Seven or more Application Experiments are planned to be funded in this call which has an overall European Commission contribution of roughly EUR 700 000.
The call opening date is 1 July 2018 and the closing date will be 30 September 2018. The duration of the successful funded experiments will be 12 months from 1 January to 31 December 2019.
More information including how to access the call through regional Digital Innovation Hubs can be found in this download document and/ or via this web link.
The workshop succeeded in gathering challenges and perspectives on the management of smart industrial water reuse and featured contributions from the European Commission and the sector made by both “problem owners” and “solution providers”, and with a final insight on the holistic and systemic structure (Smart Governance and Digital Water) which addressed the challenges for discovering and exploiting the true Value of Water as highlighted in the WssTP Vision document.
For WssTP the Value of Water highlights the crucial role of water for our economy, industry, society, nature and citizens and foresees a future digitally connected water-smart society that works with waters of different qualities that are appropriate to their use.
SusChem sees fresh water as a scarce resource and a critical element for sustainable development of society. Water is a priority area for SusChem and it is pursuing specific topics with the overall aim of decoupling economic growth from actual water use.
Outputs for action
The workshop produced tangible outputs through a final parallel breakout session that developed and proposed content, gaps, strengths and needs of the four pillars of the Value of Water vision:
Modelling and Analysis
Big Data
Smart Governance, and
Sensor Networks.
This final session built the basis for an action plan to bring the outcomes of the workshop to the European Innovation Partnership for Water (EIP Water) Conference, which will be held in the city of Porto in the week of 25 September 2017. A group of participants from the workshop will support the further development of the outputs for final presentation at the EIP Water Conference. A list of action derived from the joint workshop will drive the content of a follow-up workshop that will take place during the EIP Water Conference.
The outputs and challenges identified for each pillar of the Value of Water are briefly described below:
Sensor Networks
Sensor development provides a unique opportunity for enhancing the Value of Water. Advanced sensor development is required to ensure continuous understanding and control of water quality. Handling of dynamic water systems requires advanced sensors. Full implementation, reliable operation costs and maintenance are important.
Big Data
Identifying the value of the water system in generating and creating data is central to its economic value. The creation of a resilient basis for cyber security and privacy legislation is necessary, as no holistic overview currently exists. Links between data silos and pockets of data should be established and prioritized.
Modelling and Analysis
Many models for enhancing water management exist in academia or within RTOs. But these methodologies need to be brought into context before moving to the next pilot phase. It is necessary to identify models and tailor them to the requirements of users in order to develop more efficient water systems, while observing the interactions and implications.
Smart Governance
Smart governance models vary from region to region. The selection process for an appropriate governance design requires extensive consideration. Education and communication is crucial for its successful understanding and implementation.
The 2016 SusChem Stakeholder event that took place in Brussels on 16 June once again showed that SusChem is a strong platform supporting a strong industrial sector. The platform acts as an effective bridge between the sustainable research and innovation needs of the chemical industry and European Commission policies. The debate demonstrated the excellent fit between the SusChem Strategic Innovation and Research Agenda (SIRA), its technologies and priorities, including a sustainable bioeconomy, materials for energy management, processes and catalysis, ICT for processes, and water, and European Commission initiatives such as the Energy Union, Digitisation and the Circular Economy. Despite SusChem having no direct funding for R&I activities the influence of the technology platform is huge. At the event two new members of the SusChem community of national technology platforms were introduced: SusChem Austria and SusChem Greece.
With some 230 delegates registered from 18 European Member States the 2016 annual SusChem stakeholder event demonstrated once again the role of the platform in building a sustainable future for the European Chemical Industry. The video below give a quick overview of the whole event.
The event was also a big hit on social media with tweets using the hashtag #suschem2016 reaching over 25 700 users and with over 101 000 tweet views estimated. The three 'top tweets' from the day are republished below.
In an opening presentation, strategic topics related to the SusChem programme were addressed by Rudolf Strohmeier (above right), former Deputy Director General of DG Research and Innovation, and a good friend and supporter of SusChem since its inception. He highlighted the recent Competitiveness Council of 26 May which for the first time had endorsed the “innovation principle” that the impact of regulation on innovation activities must be taken into account in all EU policy-making. This was a very important positive point for industry moving forward he believed. But he argued that in order to show European decision-makers and investors the value of innovation required sound business cases to be presented.
Implementing the new SIRA: Status and priorities
SusChem Chairman Dr Klaus Sommer (above left) reviewed the progress of the technology platform over the past year. He also noted that the sector had effectively decoupled energy intensity from production growth. He saw an excellent fit between the SusChem Strategic Innovation and Research Agenda (SIRA), its technologies and priorities, and numerous European Commission initiatives such as the Energy Union, Digitisation and the Circular Economy. There were currently 70 open calls across various parts of the Horizon2020 programme that were relevant to the SusChem community. Despite SusChem having no direct funding for R&I activities the influence of the technology platform was massive.
Other NTP presentations were made by Suzanne Coles (SusChem UK), Cristina Gonzalez (SusChem Spain), Eric Firtion (SusChem France), Alexis Bazanella (SusChem Germany), Tine Schaerlaekens (SusChem Belgium), Ladislav Novak (SusChem Czech Republic), and Nico Versloot (SusChem Netherlands) pictured from left to right above.
Panels debate Circular Economy, Energy Union
After lunch two panel debates took place involving European Commission and industry representatives. The first focused on SusChem and the Circular Economy and was moderated by Pierre Barthélemy, Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cefic (pictured below, right). The circular economy could boost Europe’s global competitiveness, growth and jobs. SusChem had produced a position paper on the Circular economy calling for a sustainability based approach. Innovation is key to achieving a circular economy but this needed to be accompanied by a clear regulatory framework to ensure deployment stated Barthélemy.
The panel members were Reinhard Buescher, Head of Unit 'Chemicals' at DG GROW (middle right above); Waldemar Kuett, Head of Unit ‘BioBased Products and Processes’ at DG Research and Innovation; Gloria Gaupmann, Public & Regulatory Affairs Manager, Biotechnology and Renewables at Clariant; Reinier Grimbergen, Director Science to Innovate at DSM; Anton Valero, General Manager at Dow Chemical Ibérica (left above); and Greet van Eetvelde, Head of Energy & Innovation Policy at INEOS (middle left above).
The second panel discussion covered two topics – SusChem and the Energy Union and SusChem and Digitisation – and was moderated by Alexis Bazzanella, Head Research & Project Coordination at DECHEMA e.V. with panel members Eva Hoos, Policy Officer at DG Energy (middle above); Helene Chraye Head of Unit 'Advanced Materials and Nanotechnologies' at DG Research and Innovation; Khalil Rouhana, Director for 'Components & Systems' at DG CNECT (left above); Jens Rieger, Senior Vice President at BASF (right above); Henrike Gebhardt, Senior manager Scientific Relations at Evonik Industries AG; and Nicolas Cudré-Mauroux, Research & Innovation Group General Manager (CTO) at Solvay
From the two panel discussions on the ‘Circular Economy’ and on ‘Digitisation’ and the ‘Energy Union’ the role of the chemical industry as an amazing enabler for innovation was clear, but there was a need to ensure enhanced collaboration along and across value chains to maximise the impact of the sector’s innovations on the wider economy. Sustainable chemistry has a key role in maximising use of resources (including water) and energy both within our own sector and across other industrial and manufacturing sectors.
Concepts such as industrial symbiosis, advanced digital technologies, and recyclable and renewable materials innovation pioneered by the chemical sector would be essential in enabling Industry 4.0, the circular economy and other sustainable development initiatives while maintaining competitiveness, jobs and growth in Europe.
Conclusions
Summing up the day Dr Klaus Sommer said that the clear link between competitiveness and innovation had been demonstrated, but he stressed the need for establishing sound business cases to ensure innovation can gain investment and move to implementation. Future SusChem priorities had been described and he called on all interested stakeholders to get involved with the relevant working groups. He concluded by stating that SusChem was still a strong platform supporting a strong sector and acting as a bridge between our research and innovation needs and European Commission policies.
Today (16 June) at its annual Stakeholder event (#suschem2016) the
European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem) will discuss how
sustainable chemistry can continue to deliver innovation for competitiveness for Europe. The
SusChem Stakeholder Event is the biggest annual event held by the technology
platform and brings together the chemical industry, academia, Research
Technology Organisations (RTOs) and EU policy representatives to address common
challenges and debate priorities in the European chemical and biotechnology
innovation sectors.
SusChem
Chairman Dr. Klaus Sommer (right) said: “In the context of the European Commission
Innovation Strategy and the recently published action plans on the Circular
Economy, Energy Union and Digitisation, this year’s Stakeholder Event will
highlight the role of the European chemical industry in five innovation
priority areas. These areas are Sustainable bio-economy, ICT for processes,
Water, Catalysis and Processes, and Materials for Energy and were identified
through intense discussions during our 2015 Stakeholder Event.”
“Progress
in these areas, as an integral part of the SusChem Strategic Innovation and
Research Agenda (SIRA), will be
discussed in two panel debates. These discussions will help us to identify new
opportunities and synergies and define priorities. The outcomes will help to
create a shared view between the Chemical Industry and the European Commission
on future research and innovation actions in the European chemical and
biotechnology sectors. This will then be quality input for the next calls under
the Horizon 2020 programme and other European and national collaborative
research and innovation initiatives. This is exactly the role that a European
Technology Platform like SusChem should play” he continued.
What is
happening?
This
year’s event will include a number of exciting activities and present important
new developments for the SusChem community, including two lively high-level
panel debates to discuss the recently published European Commission Innovation
Strategy packages: Circular economy and the Energy Union and Digitisation.
Strategic topics related to SusChem funding and its programme will be described
by Rudolf Strohmeier, former Deputy Director General of DG Research and
Innovation, and this will be followed by SusChem chairman Dr Klaus Sommer
presenting on 'Implementing the new SIRA: Status and priorities'.
SusChem's network
of National Technology Platforms (NTPs) will also present and demonstrate their vital role in the SusChem
eco-system by leveraging national government funds, working with SMEs and
initiating cross border cooperation.
Plenary debates
The
afternoon sessions will be dominated by two plenary discussions on Circular economy and the Energy Union and Digitisation that will bring together strategy
experts from the European Commission and captains of industry to discuss the
hot topics surrounding these EC packages including:
Identifying
new challenges and opportunities for sustainable chemistry ;
Identifying
areas of consensus that align with the priorities of the EC and the
European chemical industry; and
Defining
new ways forward to ensure that the five SusChem innovation priorities
identified are systematically considered in these two new high-level
policy initiatives.
The first
plenary debate will examine the “Circular
Economy” and be moderated by Pierre Barthélemy, Executive Director of
Research and Innovation at Cefic. Contributions from the European Commission
will come from Reinhard Buescher, Head of Unit 'Chemicals' at DG Internal
Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW), and Waldemar Kuett, Head of
Unit 'Biobased Products and Processes' at DG Research and Innovation (RTD).
On the
industry side the panellists are Reinier Grimbergen, Director Science to
Innovate at DSM, Gloria Gaupmann, Public & Regulatory Affairs Manager,
Group Biotechnology at Clariant, Anton Valero, General Manager of Dow Chemical Ibérica,
and Greet van Eetvelde, Head of Energy & Innovation Policy at INEOS.
The second plenary debate will cover “Energy
Union & Digitisation.” Alexis Bazzanella, Head Research &
Project Coordination at DECHEMA e.V. is the moderator and panellists for the
Commission are Khalil Rouhana, Director for 'Components & Systems' at DG
Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT), Marie Donnelly,
Director for 'Renewables, Research and Innovation, Energy Efficiency' at DG
Energy (ENER) and Helene Chraye, Head of Unit 'Advanced Materials and
Nanotechnologies' at DG Research and Innovation (RTD).
On the industry side are Jens Rieger, Senior Vice President at BASF, Henrike
Gebhardt, Senior Manager Scientific Relations at Evonik Industries AG, and Nicolas Cudre-Mauroux, Research & Innovation Group
General Manager (CTO) at Solvay.
Event objectives
The
SusChem Stakeholder Event is an annual high-level initiative that aims to:
Improve dialogue between our
stakeholders;
Identify innovation drivers for
the future;
Present the European chemical
industry as a solution provider to address societal challenges;
Promote a common view between the
chemical industry and the European Commission to increase synergies and
develop shared solutions on innovation priority areas.
You can follow the SusChem Stakeholder event using the hashtag #suschem2016 The event takes place at the Hotel Bloom in Brussels, Belgium. The full programme
for the event is available here: http://bit.ly/1On0L2A
This year’s SusChem stakeholder event takes place on 16 June in Brussels. One of the major areas for
discussion at the stakeholder event will be advances and issues in information
and communication technologies (ICT) in the process industries. Martin Winter,
Cefic Innovation Manager responsible for this SusChem priority area, outlines
some of the issues up for debate and where your input is sought.
On 10 March
SusChem organised a workshop involving around 20 ICT experts from companies and
academia to discuss ‘Digitisation’ on the European level and to build the base
for future funding calls, projects and collaborations.
SusChem, Process ICT and #DigitiseEU
From new
forms of production to innovative business models the process industry is about
to experience a revolution enabled by digital technologies. Digitisation is expected to have a high
impact on modernising Europe's production capabilities and can boost European
process industries in the race for global competitiveness and sustainability.
The European
chemical industry is a strong contributor to the roots of the European economy.
Digitisation is already present in all aspects of the sector’s activities as it
is essential from logistics, product and process design, planning, plant
operations and plant safety to marketing/sales and customer integration.
In addition,
smart materials developed by the chemical industry enable new and higher
performing ICT developments in
printable-, wearable-, nano-electronics or 3D printing techniques and also
allow more sustainable manufacture of new electronic devices avoiding material
losses and waste generation.
To remain
competitive, future factories will need well-integrated ICT systems as production
increasingly uses digital innovations such as data capture, planning and
control, modelling and simulation, cloud computing and big data analysis
enabled by high performance computers and data connections. Data analytics will allow enterprises to
convert data into knowledge, and effectively contribute to more efficient and
safer processes with less environmental impact by more efficient management of
resources, water and energy.
Focus for chemicals
With a focus
on the manufacturing environment, important categories for further development
for the chemical industry include:
Modelling,
Simulation and Forecasting: Integration of modelling of single processes
into production routes with modelling extended to all levels of automation,
including scheduling and management systems as well as on-line decision making
processes.
Real Time
Data Availability: Development of hard- and soft-sensors for continuous
processes that are reliable, fast, accurate and contact-less for use in intelligent
self-optimising measurement systems along the whole production route and fully
integrated in the plant automation environment.
Transformation
of ‘Big Data’ into Lean Information: Identifying universal solutions for
handling large amounts of data, methods to improve their reliability,
techniques to assign them to product performance and explaining their practical
meaning to all relevant applications.
Intelligent
Self-learning Systems: Building models based on data and results, which
continue to learn and broaden the scope of the models, based on closed loop
performance monitoring.
Condition
Based Advanced Maintenance: Developing tools and methods based on models,
sensors, diagnosis and data analysis to allow remote control of equipment,
prediction and prevention of failures, identification of trends and avoidance
of efficiency losses and unwanted stoppages.
Product
Quality Monitoring: Implementing integrated quality control factory-wide
systems to monitor the evolution of quality across the production route by calling
on information technology to better link process operations and plant logistics
to give production flexibility.
Resource
and Energy/ Lifecycle analysis (LCA): Enabling monitoring of environmental
targets (energy / water use, CO2-emissions etc.) in all control systems as an
additional set of constraints to optimise the overall sustainable performance.
Data
Privacy: Developing advanced security solutions to prevent misuse of stored
data and protect plant control systems or cloud-stored data from malicious
attack.
Human-Machine
Interface: Developing intuitive and user friendly interfaces for (plant)-managers,
operators etc., information and their interpretation have to be available at
all times in all locations.
Digital potential
However,
digitisation has even greater potential to improve the European chemical
industry. By using the full potential of high speed connectivity, the internet
of things, cloud computing and cyber-physical systems in and for manufacturing,
Europe can create new high-skilled jobs, reduce its consumption of resources
and energy, increase its production capacity and continue to create the
innovative products which a changing society needs.
SusChem
inspired initiatives such as SPIRE are helping to make digitisation of European
industries a reality. Close cooperation and alignment in the definition phases
of the funding calls available under Horizon 2020 across all PPPs and all
levels of stakeholder involvement is necessary to ensure that all the needs of
the process industries are fully considered.
Stakeholder discussions
A highly interactive debate is expected at the Stakeholder event on 16 June and your questions and expectations on the outcomes for the panel debates, in particular on ICT and process issues, are welcome in advance.
You are invited to submit your questions and comments and also your expectations for outcomes as part of the registration process. You can submit your questions and comments when you register and there will also be a link for question submission sent with the registration confirmation email.
Meet the Manager – Martin Winter
Martin is a chemist
by education and received his PhD on a nanomaterial science topic in 1998 from
the Max Planck Society before leaving for postdoctoral study at the Scripps Research Institute in
the U.S. He joined Clariant in 1999 managing several innovation projects
as Research and Development group leader and focusing on innovation and growth
of new businesses. This included setting up external innovation activities
through venture capital mechanisms. In addition a marketing and sales
responsibility for one of Clariant’s start-up businesses brought him to
Asia/Japan for a two year assignment. Since June 2015 Martin has been seconded
from Clariant to Cefic in Brussels as an Innovation Manager responsible for
driving the innovation agenda for the Chemical Industry.
His main area of
responsibility is networking with the industry regarding their research and
innovation priorities and connecting them with the European Commission’s
funding instruments under Horizon 2020, for example, as the chemical sector’s
representative in the SPIRE PPP. His main focus is on ICT, chemical process
technologies and catalyst topics.
He likes to
spend his free time with his family and is also an enthusiastic skydiver.
The SusChem Stakeholder Event is the biggest annual event held by the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem) and brings together the chemical industry, academia, Research Technology Organisations and EU policy representatives to address common challenges and debate priorities in the European chemical and biotechnology innovation sectors.
What’s happening?
This year’s event will include a number of exciting activities and present important new developments for the SusChem community, including two lively high-level panel debates to discuss the recently published European Commission Innovation Strategy packages: Circular economy and the Energy Union and Digitisation.
The doors of the event will open from 08:30 with the first presentation opening and welcoming delegates by SusChem Secretary Flavio Benedito at 09:30.
Strategic topics related to SusChem funding and its programme will then be described by Rudolf Strohmeier, Deputy Director General of DG Research and Innovation followed by SusChem chairman Dr Klaus Sommer presenting 'Implementing the new SIRA: Status and priorities'.
After coffee, delegates will receive updates from our working groups on the SusChem Priorities. The briefings will be given by the Cefic Innovation Managers with responsibility for the respective priorities. Henk Pool will update us on Water, Martin Winter will describe progress in two areas - ICT for processes and Processes & Catalysis, the work of the Sustainable Bioeconomy group will be outlined by Flavio Benedito and progress in Materials for Energy management will be described by Anne Chloe Devic. Just before lunch delegates can catch up with the latest news from SusChem's network of National Technology Platforms (NTPs).
Plenary debates
The afternoon sessions will be dominated by two plenary discussions. The first plenary will look at the “Circular Economy” and be moderated by Pierre Barthélemy, Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cefic. Contributions from the European Commission will come from Reinhard Buescher, Head of Unit 'Chemicals' at DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW), Luisa Presta, Head of Unit 'Environmental Technologies' at DG Research and Innovation (RTD) together with a contribution from DG Environment (ENV).
On the industry side the panellists are Reinier Grimbergen, Director Science to Innovate at DSM, Gloria Gaupmann, Public & Regulatory Affairs Manager, Group Biotechnology at Clariant, Anton Valero, President at Dow Chemical Spain and Portugal, and Greet van Eetvelde, Head of Energy & Innovation Policy at INEOS.
The second plenary debate takes place after coffee and will cover “Energy Union & Digitisation.” Alexis Bazzanella, Head Research & Project Coordination at DECHEMA e.V. is the moderator and panellists for the Commission are Khalil Rouhana, Director for 'Components & Systems' at DG Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT), Marie Donnelly, Director for 'Renewables, Research and Innovation, Energy Efficiency' at DG Energy (ENER) and Helene Chraye, Head of Unit 'Advanced Materials and Nanotechnologies' at DG Research and Innovation (RTD).
On the industry side are Jens Rieger, Senior Vice President at BASF and Peter Nagler, Head of International Innovation at Evonik Industries AG.
#suschem2016 will conclude around 17:00.
Event objectives
The SusChem Stakeholder Event will be, as usual, a high-level initiative that aims to:
Improve dialogue between our stakeholders;
Identify innovation drivers for the future;
Present the European chemical industry as a solution provider to address societal challenges;
Promote a common view between the chemical industry and the European Commission to increase synergies and develop shared solutions on innovation priority areas.
To ensure full, open and interactive discussions on current innovation priorities and to identify those that are missing from the European Commission packages, you are invited to submit your questions for the panels and also your expectations for outcomes from these two high-level panel debates as part of the registration process. You can submit your questions and comments when you register and there will also be a link for question submission sent with the registration confirmation email.
In October 2015 the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem) published a position paper on the Circular Economy. You can download the paper here. Since its inception in 2004 SusChem has inspired numerous research and innovation activities that address major European societal issues. SusChem’s solutions are based on sustainable enabling technologies developed by the chemical industry and its partners in academia, research and technology organisations, and other industrial players from a wide variety of different value-chains and sectors. The paper illustrates how many of these technologies are essential to the implementation of a sustainable circular economy.
The position paper develops SusChem’s vision for a functioning circular economy in Europe (and globally) and provides some concrete examples of the high impact contributions that the platform and its partners can make to achieve this essential objective.
A Circular Economy will be the subject of a dedicated panel discussion at the forthcoming SusChem stakeholder event on 16 June and in preparation for the discussion SusChem is seeking your questions and observations on the role of sustainable chemistry in implementing a circular economy.
The SusChem position
SusChem’s position paper has three main messages.
1/ A sustainability-based approach is needed
The integration of all aspects of sustainability over the whole product life-cycle is essential to the development of a circular economy in order to effectively ensure a positive impact on society while optimising environmental impact and maintaining economic growth.
2/ Technology development is required for a sustainable circular economy
A circular economy cannot be achieved only through implementation of new regulations, services and business models. Advanced technologies are essential to enable a better use of existing resources along the whole life cycle to develop new production and recycling paths – and the expertise of the chemical industry as a material supplier is highly valuable and important here.
In particular SusChem believes that the principle technology developments should take place in the following three areas:
Utilisation of sustainable alternative feedstock including secondary raw materials, ligno-cellulosic biomass, waste or industrial gas effluents (including CO2).
Design of sustainable materials enabling eco design of ‘products’ that are easy to recycle while maintaining or improving performance.
Improved efficiency for production processes to maximise the use of all resources entering the system including primary and secondary raw materials, water, and energy.
3/ Coherence and stability over time for the policy framework is critical for European leadership
To contribute fully to a sustainable economy, the circular economy policy should be developed in coordination with other related policies such as the Energy Union Package. Policy coherence, as well as policy stability over time, is essential to establish a regulatory framework that enables investment in sustainable, resource efficient and innovative technologies in Europe and ensures European leadership in sustainable/clean technologies.
The position paper concludes with five examples that describe a selection of potential contributions by SusChem technology solutions to the circular economy: the use of CO2 as an alternative carbon resource; new composite materials; new catalysts; industrial symbiosis; and biorefineries. Stakeholder discussions
The full position paper can be downloaded here. SusChem welcomes your questions and observations about the paper and / or current European policy in this area to inform the discussions at our 2016 Stakeholder Event.
Registration for the 2016 SusChem Stakeholder event is now open. The event will take place on 16 June 2016 at the Hotel Bloom in Brussels, Belgium. A dedicated registration website has been set up for the event that includes links to discounted accommodation at the Hotel Bloom.
You are invited to submit your questions and comments and also your expectations for outcomes as part of the registration process. You can submit your questions and comments when you register and there will also be a link for question submission sent with the registration confirmation email.
