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Chemicals

Chemicals
Chemicals

Context

Formed under the European Chemical Regions Network (ECRN), this thematic area partnership has been developed on the ground of the inter-regional collaboration. ECRN is a network of regional authorities across Europe where chemical industry plays a key role for regional economic growth. The network has more than 20 years of experience in connecting chemical regions and their stakeholders across borders.

Year established: 2018

Regions (lead and partner)

  • Leading regions: Limburg (NL), Lombardy (IT)
  • Participating regions: Catalonia (ES), Central Ostrobothnia (FI), Mazovia (PL), Saxony-Anhalt (DE), Usti region (CZ), Wallonia (BE)

Mission

The mission of the Chemicals partnership is the modernisation of the chemical industry to a sustainable, energy- and resource efficient sector that is globally competitive and that provides innovative solutions.

Objectives

The objectives of this partnership are to develop solutions on:

  • Sustainable production based on renewable raw materials and clean energy (decarbonised fossil energy and solar- and wind power)
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (mainly CO2) and energy and resources consumption in chemical plants
  • Promoting new high value-added value chains, circularity and recycling and their integration across regional borders and across sectors, such as logistics, agriculture, forestry, energy, etc., in a way that complementarities of regional specialisations are utilised.
  • Supporting close-to-the-market products, scale-ups, pilot, and demo plants.

Main activities

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Organisations involved

Czechia:

  • Unipetrol Centre for Research and Education -UniCRE (CZ)

Italy:

  • Assolombarda Lombardy (IT)

Spain:

  • Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) (ES)

The Netherlands:

  • Brightlands Chemelot Campus Limburg (NL)
  • Brightlands Materials Centre Limburg (NL)

Other:

  • European Chemical Regions Network (ECRN)

Shared smart specialisation areas

Chemical industry, energy transition, circular economy

Related projects

  • Bi-Rex – Valorisation of agro-food biomass to recover alternative feedstock using Deep Eutectic Solvents. (https://ecrn.net/s3platform-project-bi-rex-will-receive-support-from-the-technical-assistance-facility/)
  • Flow Chemistry Interregional Hub (FCIH): Flow chemistry is the development and study of chemical reactions whereby reactants are combined by pumping fluids, including solutions of reagents, though tubes at known rates and controlled temperature by ACCIÓ – Agency for Business Competitiveness of Catalonia.

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