Re-finding Industry’s role in FP9, KETs and PPPs

At the EU Industry Days event on 23 February 2018 European Commissioner Carlos Moedas (right) launched the conference report ‘Re-Finding Industry’ from the High-Level Strategy Group on Industrial Technologies. His speech outlined the  Group's preliminary findings on Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) strategy, their role in a future emboldened European innovation landscape, and showed close alignment with SusChem thinking on KETs, PPPs and the forthcoming European Research and Innovation framework programme FP9.

Commissioner Moedas described three interrelated drivers of a new momentum for innovation in Europe:

• Science to develop the new ideas and technologies of the future
• Start-ups and SMEs to develop the breakthrough innovations, combining technologies and new business models, and 
• Industry to scale up innovations and create economic and social impact.

All three components required support for success and he highlighted industry’s significant involvement in Horizon 2020 that represented an investment of over EUR 20 billion directly in industry.

PPPs 
“Nine out of ten of the collaborative projects [in Horizon 2020] include at least one private sector partner,” he said. “And there are two particular ways we work with industry: the so-called PPPs and the KETs.”

The Commissioner also sees the Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), such as SusChem and the SusChem inspired programmes under SPIRE and BBI JU, as great successes that need to be taken forward incorporating learning from the experience in Horizon 2020.

He stated a need to simplify the array of different public-private instruments and make them more open both to new participants and new funders such as Member States and private foundations. He also saw the need for PPPs to be more flexible and able to adapt to both current and future needs.

SusChem has a long tradition of working closely with Member States through its network of National Technology Platforms and the recent PHEONIX initiative for CO2 valorisation includes three Members States working with the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) to develop and implement Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU/ #useCO2) technologies.

KETs
Commissioner Moedas sees KETs as another essential building blocks for innovation success. “With them, we have the power to create products that place us at the forefront of an advanced economy,” he said. “And they underpin our global leadership in so many of our industries. Their importance cannot be understated.”

He thanked the High-Level Strategy Group on Industrial Technologies, chaired by Jürgen Rüttgers, for their preliminary report ‘Re-finding Industry’ that advises the simplification and merger of some of the existing KETs and two new KET topics: artificial intelligence, and security and connectivity.

The group has been tasked to review the European strategy on KETs and to recommend how to best place them in the forthcoming mission-oriented research and innovation programme. The group's final report is expected to be published in April 2018.

The report states that Europe’s competitiveness lies in its capacity to create balanced, cohesive, well educated, healthy and protected societies. In this context, KETs must contribute to improving peoples’ lives, fighting poverty and correcting inequalities and, therefore, a new, broader definition for KETs is suggested based on four criteria: impact, relevance, key capacity, and enabling power.

In addition to the two new topics, four of the six KETs are recommended to be merged into two broader categories (materials and nanotechnology, photonics and micro and nano-electronics) and the KET ‘biotechnology’ topic should be broadened to ‘Life Sciences technologies’.

The report also investigates the potential links between KETs and mission-orientated research (see above) as advocated as a core element of FP9 and identifies 14 possible mission topics including ‘Industry renewal’, ‘Circular economy – shift to de-production and re-production’, ‘Carbon re-use - from climate killer to industry asset’, and ‘Bio manufacturing – bringing life to manufacturing’ all of potential interest to SusChem stakeholders.

SusChem view
The HLG report broadly corresponds with SusChem thinking on KETs.

SusChem outlined its position on KETs in a recent paper. The document describes what can be achieved by KETs and details the major technology developments and initiatives needed to:

• Create Advanced Materials for use in energy efficiency, renewable electricity production and energy storage, or smart functionalities responding to stimuli
• Develop Advanced Process Technologies, including Industrial Biotechnology, for more sustainable production including through utilisation of alternative carbon feedstock and alternative energy sources.
• Leverage Digital Technologies for use in advanced process control and materials modelling, to enable disruptive business models and to create new customer experiences.

The paper calls for on the European Commission to ensure strong support for KETs in the next Framework Funding Programme. You can read the full SusChem position paper here.

The PHOENIX Initiative rises!

Today (22 February 2018) PHEONIX, a European initiative linking national and European Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) activities on CO2 valorisation, was launched at the EU INDUSTRY Days 2018 in Brussels. The initiative is a collaborative effort supported by EU Member States (France, Germany and the Netherlands) and the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic). PHOENIX will function as an umbrella organisation linking RD&I efforts in this area to ensure an optimal use of public funding and private investment. PHOENIX will interact with all relevant stakeholders from industry through research institutions to national governments and the European Commission.

The PHEONIX initiative was launched at a dedicated workshop at the EU INDUSTRY Days 2018. The workshop was opened by Jürgen Tiedje from European Commission DG Research & Innovation. Dr. Helmut Löwe of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) gave an overview of the objectives of the PHOENIX Initiative and the coming steps. The launch was supported by five short talks from industry speakers providing case studies from all core countries of the initiative and application fields of CO2valorisation.

The talks covered mineralisation of CO2 in the cement industry, biological valorisation of CO2, CO2 for energy storage, CO2 to chemicals, and cross-sectorial approaches.

Finally, a lively panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Pierre Barthélemy involving members of the European Commission, the Phoenix initiative and representatives of the various industry sectors concluded the successful launch event.

What is PHEONIX about?
PHOENIX’s ambition is to build the future of CO2 valorisation on a European scale, collaborating across national borders. PHOENIX will strive for joint progress, while recognising that policies will vary from country to country or region to region. In striving for progress, PHOENIX will make optimal use of national, regional and European instruments to achieve significant CO2 valorisation in and from Europe.

The technical scope of the PHOENIX initiative includes five elements that can contribute to a more sustainable production of chemicals, materials, fuels, biomass and can provide means to store renewable energy. Cost-competitive access to CO2 is a cross-cutting element (see below).

Why CO2 valorisation? 
Carbon is a crucial part of a wide variety of products – from food to materials – that are all essential to society. Alternative carbon sources and production pathways need to be considered for more sustainable production in and from Europe. CO2 sources are abundant and available in Europe. Recycling carbon from CO2 for a more sustainable production of chemicals, materials, fuels and biomass needs to be part of our European strategy towards CO2 emission reduction in a future circular economy.

CO2 valorisation can be beneficial for multiple sectors including, chemicals, cement, steel, transport, renewable electricity and horticulture. It can also contribute to Europe’s industrial leadership in clean technologies, stimulate growth and pave the way to a more circular low carbon economy.

The right policy framework
Coherence between the various policies (energy, circular economy, innovation, industry) is essential to enable innovative technologies developed in Europe to contribute fully to a sustainable European economy and address climate protection and resource efficiency issues. This is as true for PHEONIX as any other large-scale innovation initiative.

Policy coherence in content and timing, as well as policy stability over time, is essential to establish a regulatory framework that enables investment in sustainable innovative CO2 valorisation technologies. Uncertainty and extended timelines for policy decisions have negative consequences on the confidence of private and public investments in these new clean technologies. An appropriate, coherent and supportive regulatory framework is an essential element to ensure continuing European leadership towards a low carbon economy including circular concepts.

How can I get involved?
Additional Member States and Horizon 2020 associated countries are invited to join the initiative and interested industry stakeholders are requested join in contributing to the design of PHOENIX as a powerful initiative to support the deployment CO2 valorisation in and from Europe.

For more information, visit the PHEONIX Initiative website.

PHOENIX: A European Integrated Approach to CO2 Valorisation

Join the launch event of the PHEONIX initiative during the EU Industry Days on 22 February at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Brussels. The PHOENIX initiative aims to facilitate the development and deployment of CO2 valorisation technologies at both European and national level. Interested? Register now! Registration will close on 8 February 2018.

Carbon is an essential part of a wide range of products we depend on, including our food, chemicals and materials, and which we currently derive mostly from fossil fuel sources. To ensure more sustainable production in and from Europe, we must consider alternative carbon sources, such as carbon dioxide (CO2).

“CO2 is abundant and available in the form of industrial point sources all over Europe. Recycling carbon from CO2 for a more sustainable production of chemicals, materials, fuels and biomass needs to be part of our European strategy towards radically reduced carbon emissions in a more circular economy,” says Sophie Wilmet, Innovation Counsellor at Cefic.

CO2 valorisation can be beneficial for multiple sectors including, chemicals, transport, cement and renewable electricity. It can also contribute to Europe’s industrial leadership in clean technologies, stimulate growth and pave the way to a low carbon economy.

You can read more about chemical valorisation of CO2 in Europe here.

Launching PHOENIX
The PHOENIX initiative will be officially launched on the afternoon of 22 February during the EU Industry Days event in Brussels organised by the European Commission.

During the event, the PHOENIX initiative will be introduced to all interested stakeholders from the private and public sectors in an interactive session. This will include an exchange on the value of an integrated European approach on CO2 valorisation to transform technology developments into real benefits for Europe. In addition, there will be short presentations from industry to showcase the variety of CO2 valorisation projects already ongoing in Europe including mineralization, CO2 to chemicals, CO2 valorisation for renewable energy storage etc.

“The impact of CO2 valorisation in Europe will depend on having ensured support for breakthrough technology development, willingness to share risk and an appropriate sustainability-based policy framework,” concludes Sophie.

Four Members States - France, Germany, The Netherlands and Spain - that have jointly started the PHOENIX initiative in close collaboration with Cefic are inviting other Member States to join and engage their stakeholders.

This interactive stakeholder workshop will be held on 22 February 2018 from 14.30 to 16.00 in Brussels during the EU Industry days Event.

Registration and more information
Registration for the event is open until 8 February. You can register now here and you can obtain more information on the EU Industry Days event here.

EU Industry Day will update stakeholders on the Commission's strategic approach to industrial policy and actions to further develop industrial competitiveness in Europe.

It will also be a forum where stakeholders contributing to European industrial competitiveness can showcase their activities, learn from each other, discuss cross-cutting issues and develop joint visions for the future.

Attendees will come from a variety of industrial sectors, finance, research and innovation, government and public administration.

The main event in Brussels, Belgium on 22-23 of February will be a high-level conference with many key experts and a number of stakeholder workshops including the PHEONIX initiative.