Chemical industry maps out a sustainable future

The agenda has been developed by SusChem, the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry, since its formation in July 2004.

It proposes a broad range of research around the themes of the bio-based economy, healthcare, the application of information technology, nanotechnology, the design of sustainable products and processes and transport.

In addition the Implementation Action Plan (IAP) that was backed at last week’s meeting in Budapest, outlined three higher level projects that will put sustainable chemistry into action. These are the construction of a smart energy home, building an integrated biorefinery that can be used for collaborative research and piloting new processes, and “F3”, a chemical facility for modeling Faster and more Flexible Future production processes.

The delegate called also for a supportive regulatory and financial environment.

Precise project proposals

Alfred Oberholtz, Deputy Chairman of the chemical company Degussa and chair of the SusChem board, said the IAP will now be further honed into precise project proposals that can be submitted for funding under Framework Programme 7, or other funding schemes. The plan of action remains opens for comments, and the final version will be published before the end of the year.

SusChem said its programme will be a driver for innovation in many technologies and disciplines, improving traditional processes and combining them with nano- and biotechnologies to provide new and better products.

Achieving the vision of a sustainable chemicals industry will require annual funding of Euros 1.4 billion. SusChem says about half of this should come from public funds.

“This figure demonstrates the expectations from SusChem stakeholders in terms of public contributions, and at the same time gives an estimate of the amounts the private sector is willing to spend on SusChem R&D priorities, provided  that public co-financing is provided,” says the IAP document.

Chemicals is one of the few sectors where Europe can still claim to be globally competitive, with around 2 million employees and 33 percent of the world market.

European Technology Platforms bring together industry and academe to define and implement research programmes in support of economically important sectors. SusChem is run jointly by the European Chemical Industry Council and EuropaBio, the biotech industry body, with support from the European Commission.