SusChem España Stakeholders in Barcelona

SusChem España will be holding its Annual Stakeholder event on 16 November during Expoquimia - Spain’s premier International Chemistry Trade Show that is taking place from 14 to 18 November in Barcelona. The day before the Spanish national platform is also involved with a major cross technology platform event at the same venue.

On 15 November, SusChem España is organising a major workshop with other Spanish national technology platforms entitled "Searching for Innovation at the Knowledge Crossroads". The aim of the workshop is to try and identify areas in which there are opportunities to cooperate, that in turn could lead into new innovative projects.

The following day the SusChem España stakeholder event takes place. The programme includes presentations on the next European Commission Framework Programme (Horizon 2020) and activities carried out both by the European and Spanish technology platforms. Antonia Morales Perez, Innovation Manager at Cefic, will present SusChem Europe’s current activities and prospects for the forthcoming Horizon 2020 programme.

Attendees will also receive information about the various activities and initiatives developed over the last year by the Spanish platform's groups working to define the “Sustainable Chemistry after 2012” roadmap. The stakeholder event will close with an award ceremony for the SusChem Young Chemist Prizes, under the categories of “Innova” and “Futura”

CDTI Forum
Antonia Morales Perez will also be presenting at the III Forum CDTI on 18 November in Madrid where she will outline SusChem’s proposal for a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials that is specifically looking at the development of new innovative materials by design and solutions for the substitution of critical materials. Ms Pilar Aguar, Deputy Head of Unit of the Operational Unit Materials at the European Commission DG Research & Innovation will also be talking on this topic.

CDTI is the Centre for Industrial Technological Development an agency of the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation and organised the forum to discuss the EU 2020 agenda and the general concepts behind the proposed EIPs.

For more information on SusChem España activities please contact Cristina Gonzalez or visit the SusChem España website.

Rare Earth Shortages can hamper Low-carbon Technologies

A new report from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) highlights the threat to successful deployment of low-carbon energy technologies due to a potential shortage of five elemental raw materials. The report recommends a set of actions to prevent shortages and allow a smooth implementation of the Commission's Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan.

Scientists from the JRC’s Institute for Energy and Transport (IET) have carried out an in-depth analysis of the use of raw materials, especially metals, in the six priority low-carbon energy technologies of the Commission's SET-Plan: nuclear, solar, wind, bio-energy, carbon capture and storage and electricity grids.

The study 'Critical Metals in Strategic Energy Technologies' reveals that five metals commonly used in these technologies – neodymium, dysprosium, indium, tellurium and gallium – show a high risk of shortage. Europe depends on imports for many of these, for which there is rapidly increasing global demand and limited supply, often concentrated in a few countries with associated political risks. Furthermore, these materials are not easily recyclable or substitutable.

Deployment issue
A large-scale deployment of solar energy technologies, for example, will require half the current world supply of tellurium and 25% of the supply of indium. At the same time, the envisaged deployment of wind energy technology in Europe will require large amounts of neodymium and dysprosium, (about 4% of the current global supply each) for permanent magnet generators, which could only be eased if the supply of such metals in the future is increased, which may not be simple. Virtually the whole European supply of these metals comes from China.

The report considers possible strategies to avoid or mitigate shortage of these metals, including promoting recycling and reuse and looking into substitution by other less critical materials. Further measures could be the development of alternative technologies. These are all issues that are addressed in the proposed European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials for a Modern Society being developed with significant SusChem involvement.

Chemistry for a Better Life at European Parliament

Chemistry takes centre stage at the European Parliament in Brussels tomorrow (November 9) where the European Parliament's Science and Technology Options Assessment Panel (STOA) is holding a workshop on 'Chemistry for a Better Life'.

The workshop will be chaired by Teresa Riera Madurell, MEP and starts at 3pm. The event has been organised by STOA, in cooperation with the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS) and the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) and aims to highlight the crucial contribution of chemistry to achieving a better quality of life and welfare for humanity. The event takes place within the framework of the IUPAC/ UNESCO International Year of Chemistry 2011.

The workshop will be televised 'live' via a web video link. The main workshop session will be preceeded by a poster exhibition between 12:30 and 14:00.

Speakers at the workshop include:

• Prof. Avelino Corma, Instituto de Technología Química, Valencia
• Prof. Ulrich Schubert, EuCheMS
• Prof. Dr. Dieter Jahn, BASF
• Prof. Dr. Nicola Armaroli, CNR Bologna
• Richard Allan, Scottish Water Horizons
• Prof. Luis A. Oro, EuCheMS

Chemistry for solutions
Chemistry is fully committed to developing sustainable solutions to Europe’s pressing problems, including fostering resource efficiency (such as the proposed SPIRE PPP), developing alternative energy portfolios, redressing the consequences of climate change, improving our health conditions and assuring an adequate food supply for a growing population.

Chemistry is central to progress in many scientific and technological fields. Working with a wide range of experts EuCheMS has published a Roadmap where a number of key areas have been identified in which advances in chemistry can tackle some of the ‘Grand Challenges’ underlined by the Lund Declaration of 2009.

Chemistry, both as an industry and a science, will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the European Union is able to realise its vision of an ‘Innovation Union'. A strong partnership between academic, research and industry will ensure that research is transferred to sustainable economic solutions that contribute to the improved welfare of our society.

The workshop will be opened by a key note speech from Prof. Avelino Corma, Instituto de Technología Química, Valencia, followed by three Panel Sessions. Discussions between the panel members, MEPs and participants will provide an open discussion on the role of and expectations for chemistry in the forthcoming European Commission Common Strategic Framework for Research & Innovation - aka Horizon 2020.

SPIRE proposes Process Efficient Europe

A big step closer to a sustainable, smart and inclusive Europe has been made with the publication of the SPIRE (Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency) proposal for a major Public Private Partnership (PPP) for Horizon 2020 - the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

The SPIRE proposal was developed and is driven by the Resource and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REP) involving more than 10 major process industry sectors which together represent 20% of the European economy. The high-tech process industry is a significant part of advanced manufacturing.

The main objective of SPIRE will be to bring to life, for the first time, a European innovation agenda that would look into new technologies, business models and solutions along the value chain for improved European industry competitiveness, resource efficiency and employment. SusChem has played a leading role in the development of the SPIRE proposal.

Innovative process industry for a prosperous Europe
"The SPIRE initiative is key to the rejuvenation of the EU's industrial base and to its future. It will provide the technological and non-technological tools as well as focus public-private efforts necessary to decouple economic growth from increasing use of resources," said Dr Klaus Sommer, Chair of the SusChem Board.

The consortium behind SPIRE is addressing for the first time, in addition to research, the innovation opportunities for resource efficiency from a full value chain perspective. This value chain goes from raw material suppliers, to transformative industries, such as the chemical (including industrial biotechnology) industries, to intermediate and end-user products.

"The proposal is targeted to be high impact," says Ed D'Hooghe, Innovation Manager at Cefic. "Therefore, along with technological innovation, SPIRE covers novel business models, design and branding services in a comprehensive innovation concept. It looks to include also public sector and social innovation."

SPIRE ambitions
SPIRE will bring together large corporate industry and high-tech SMEs as well as academic centres of excellence to develop innovative materials and breakthrough technologies to modernise the EU's industrial landscape.

"SPIRE can boost enterprise in Europe and create more jobs in the process and related industries including in high-tech SMEs by stimulating existing and new global markets that Europe can lead," concludes Dr. Klaus Sommer. "At the same time, citizens’ quality of life will improve as a greener, more efficient and smarter industry is built in Europe."

For more information on SPIRE and related SusChem activities contact Ed D'Hooghe at Cefic. The SPIRE proposal brochure can be downloaded here and the Executive Summary from the document can be accessed here.

First Steps to a Water Efficient Europe

SusChem attended the first Stakeholder consultation on the candidate European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Water Efficiency on October 20. More than 100 stakeholders had registered for the event in Brussels and SusChem had the opportunity to talk with representatives from interested organisations such as the Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform (WssTP), European Water Partnership, the agricultural sector and SMEs organisations.

For each of the EU2020 targets, water is, without doubt, an essential resource element be it in terms of competitiveness of industry or in terms of sustainable development. So far, European citizens have not been confronted with severe water shortages, but as the demand on water increases and the global climate changes, Europe is becoming increasingly susceptible. The balance between water demand and availability has already reached a critical level in many areas of Europe.

The key water challenges in Europe are:

• Scarcity of water as a resource
• The water / energy nexus
• Unsustainable waste water treatment (including pollution)
• The need for water for making the bio-based economy and the development of eco-industries happen in Europe

Chemical industry
The Chemical Industry plays an important role in the whole water cycle due to its position being, on one hand, one of the biggest water-consuming industries, and, on the other hand, one of the biggest providers of water treatment materials and technologies. The industry’s commitment to the water topic and efforts to address its challenges are clear through its track record of supporting projects through SusChem and the WssTP.

These projects include the FP7 Coordination and Support Action ‘Coordinating European Strategies on Sustainable Materials, Processes and Emerging Technologies Development in Chemical Process and Water Industry across Technology Platforms’ (ChemWater) launched in May 2011 and the FP7 project ‘Economically and Ecologically Efficient Water Management in the European Chemical Industry’ (E4Water). This project to be finalised soon aims to create a breakthrough in industrial water treatment by enhancing its reuse, recycling and valorisation.

Water is used intensively by many different sectors: Agriculture-Urban-Industry, which makes water management, on the one hand, a challenging subject that cannot be tackled by one sector alone, and on the other hand an opportunity for Europe to establish a leadership position in this domain.

Symbiotic approach
There is a need for a symbiotic approach with two axes. Water quality and water quantity. The symbiotic approach includes reuse, waste water treatment, and recovery of raw materials from water that can be used as feedstock for other processes/ industries.

The Water Quality axis includes sustainable water production of the “right quality” for the “right use” (i.e. urban, industry and agriculture) and Sustainable waste water management. In this area examples of chemical industry contributions include more performing/ efficient chemically-enabled technologies with reduced environmental and energy impact such as:

• Products for water purification technologies including new membrane technologies
• Chemical and physical treatments, including seawater desalination
• Elimination of water pollutants like phosphates and nitrates

The Water Quantity axis focuses on reducing the consumption of water. In the chemical industry this includes:

• Reducing water consumption through new design of processes that demand less water
• New sustainable cooling systems without water
• Internal recycling and reuse (Resource Efficiency PPP- REP)
• Reducing the use of fresh/drinking water resources (sustainable use of alternative sources such as desalination, waste water from urban areas, etc.)
• Waste water treatment and management.

Underlying innovation
Underlying the whole approach is improved innovation. In times of major challenges for our economies and societies, innovation is highlighted as one of the efficient tools to achieve the ambitious targets of a smart, sustainable, competitive and inclusive Europe. As captured by the Innovation Union, Innovation is much more than research. It is about exploiting knowledge and ideas into solutions for the whole of society. This is the reason why the chemical and process industry noted with great interest the change in European policy to complement research policies with the European Innovation Partnerships that are supposed to embody this new understanding for the European initiatives and will bring it back in the global competitiveness and sustainable development race.

More information
To find out more on SusChem's work on 'Rethinking Water' contact Antonia Morales Perez at Cefic.

SusChem FP7 Success Stories

Creating economic value through effective collaboration

SusChem Europe and the Polish National Technology Platform SusChem organised a workshop in Warsaw on October 18, under the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the EU. The meeting brought together European policy-makers, politicians, industry and academia to share the benefits and impacts that have resulted through collaborative research and discuss best practices for successful EU projects, including impacts for scientific and commercial partners.

During the event at Warsaw University, speakers presented three FP7 projects involving significant Polish contributions (EUMET, EFECTS and INTENANT) and with great scientific and commercial potential. Dr Keith Simons, who worked as an EC-appointed advisor with these project teams, also described key generic learning points to ensure success in EU projects.

Polish perspective
Speaking at the panel discussion , Mr. Wojciech Lubiewa-Wielezynski, President of the Board of the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry, described the challenges for major Polish industries to successfully work, in collaboration framework projects, with academic colleagues and the importance of SusChem national platform in Poland. However it is necessary to:

• encourage chemical industry in Poland to be much more involved in research and innovation
• increase of practical use of the Polish science potential in chemistry by industry
• organize awareness workshop for the stakeholders with participation of EU-15 chemical industry. An opportunity for such as event could be during the Chemical Technology Congress in Krakow on 8-12 July 2012 or before through the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry.

In this context, the good opportunities in the new EC framework programme, Horizon 2020, were discussed. For energy and resource intensive industries, SusChem is positioning the importance of the process industries in Europe in overall EU 2020 policy objectives. The concrete Public Private Partnership proposal in this area, which is currently under EC evaluation, would give excellent opportunities both for Polish industries and related academic partners.

Horizon 2020
Mr. Lubiewa-Wielezynski looked forward to future European research and innovation programmes saying: “Horizon 2020 will create significant targets on energy and resource efficiency improvements and Poland has a good hand of cards to play in these areas.”

Supporting this statement Ger Spork, Innovation Manager at Cefic said that: “The chemical industry’s participation will be of critical importance for these targets within the Horizon 2020 programme.”

Søren Bøwadt, Programme Officer for DG Research and Innovation commented that he was impressed by the quality of the projects presented and how well they fitted with the SusChem strategic directions. From the panel discussion he sought to encourage the chemical industry and academia in Poland to get further involved with collaborative participation in EC projects, as clearly in the new Framework Programme, Horizon 2020, some good opportunities could be expected on themes important for the SusChem Poland partners.

Patent success
All three projects demonstrated the importance of academia and industries working together to accelerate knowledge creation and build business opportunities. Industrial Biotechnology, Materials Technology and Reaction and Process Design, all key aspects of the Suschem Research Agenda were targeted by the projects. In addition to commercial success, the project outcomes are also impacting upon the challenges facing European society. To date, the projects have already filed 10 patents, and more are anticipated in the near future.

For example EUMET (Design, Development, Utilization and Commercialization of Olefin Metathesis Catalysts) developed a range of novel olefin metathesis catalysts. The first example has already been scaled-up by industrial partner Umicore. Improved olefin metathesis catalysts have also been discovered and approved for the synthesis of the Janssen Pharmaceuticals anti-hepatitis drug, TM435 currently in Phase III clinical trials.

In total over 50 new complexes were created and some 100 reactions tested. In addition to the direct benefit for the project partners, one catalyst is already available from research catalogues, and further selected catalysts are also to be brought to the market.

INTENANT (Integrated Synthesis and Purification of Enantiomers) has developed methodologies for improving the chemical yields (significantly reducing the cost of goods) during the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). AstraZeneca is training over 100 chemists on the use of these new approaches which has been found to significantly improve process yields for a drug currently in Phase II clinical trials. The project has also benefited the German SME Molisa GmbH which has been able to develop an efficient synthetic route to the anti-tusive (cough-suppressing) Noscaspine. The molecule is also under investigation for its anti-cancer properties. In addition, a new company, FGEN has been created as a spin-out from the ETH, Zurich which will be supplying contract research services on the high-throughput racemisation approaches developed within the INTENAT project.

Finally EFECTS (Efficient Environmental-Friendly Electro-Ceramics Coating Technology and Synthesis) reported on the novel functional inks and ink-jet printing techniques developed during the project. The Greek SME Nanophos reported how they were able to rapidly commercialise the formulations developed during the project and offer self-cleaning and water-repellent surface coatings which are being incorporated into various building materials. The German SME Zenergy Power GmbH also reported it development of high-temperature superconducting tapes that could see application in turbines for wind and marine power generation.


Pictures from the meeting show (above from left to right): Johannes Spork - Cefic, Prof B A. Glowacki - University of Cambridge, Prof. Dr. Habil Karol Grela - Warsaw University, Dr. Søren Bøwadt - European Commission DG Research and Innovation, Wojciech Lubiewa-Wielezynski - President of the Board at Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry and Mr. Zbigniew Kamienski - Deputy Director, Ministry of Economy Poland.

Pictured below (from left to right) are: Dr Martin Hedberg - Astra Zeneca, Dr. Angelino Doppiu - Umicore, Prof. Dr. Habil Karol Grela - Warsaw University, Dr. Andras Horvath - Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

SusChem at Wetsus

SusChem was present at the seventh annual Wetsus Congress held in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, on October 3 and 4. Wetsus is a centre of excellence for sustainable water technology.

More than 300 people participated in the convention and on the first day, the topic addressed was “Cooperation in innovation, a global requirement?” and speakers from diverse backgrounds presented their views on this subject. On the second day, the topic was focused on “International scientific developments in water treatment technology”. In addition, a number of parallel sessions were organised around water science and technology.

Several of the world’s leading scientists in this field including Prof. Eilon Adar, Director of the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Israel and Prof. Dr. Benny Freeman, Professor of Chemical Engineering at University of Texas at Austin, discussed the latest developments in water management and water related technologies.

During the Wetsus event, SusChem was represented in the exhibition area. The technology platform reiterated its commitment to addressing the challenges facing water management and supply, and its important role in bringing together academia and industry to speed up knowledge and business opportunity creation in the face of this crucial challenge.

ChemWater
SusChem is actively involved in European initiatives, such as the ChemWater FP7 project, that is contributing to the essential planning required for a future European Innovation Partnership on water efficiency. ChemWater is based on the long-standing, sucessful collaboration between the European Water Platform (WssTP) and SusChem.

ChemWater will outline how a more efficient use of water can be achieved to avoid the anticipated impacts of water shortages driven by climate change and other factors. The process industry, especially chemistry, plays an essential role as both a major water user and a key solution provider for the development of future water technologies.