Shared Innovation Program VoltaChem Launched
30-09-2015
Thursday 1 October 2015, at the Dutch Topsector Chemicals Day, applied knowledge institutes TNO and ECN launch VoltaChem: a business-driven Shared Innovation Program that connects the chemical industry to the electricity sector and equipment suppliers. As from today companies can join VoltaChem's Community, and via the Community website it is easy for new partners to join the ongoing R&D program.
In VoltaChem, technology and new business opportunities are explored, developed and promoted together in the field of electrification and decarbonization. Renewable energy from solar and wind is envisioned to be utilized together with renewable raw materials to create heat, hydrogen and chemicals as feedstock and products for industry and society.
In an earlier industry consultation 82% of the respondents indicated to foresee promising business opportunities in the field of electrification for their company. Furthermore 62% declared that they surely want to be part of VoltaChem's Community that still had to be launched at that time. By launching this Community today and offering access to the R&D program, VoltaChem expects to attract additional relevant industry players from the chemical industry, electricity sector and high-tech equipment sector.
Move Innovation Faster Towards Commercial Implementation
VoltaChem is the next step in the development of the Shared Innovation Program that ECN and TNO have set up to support the industry in the field of electrification and decarbonisation. This collaboration started at the end of 2014 at the request of The Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Topsector Chemicals when TNO and ECN were awarded a grant of 2 million euros to initiate a program that addresses the challenges of the chemical and electricity sectors. The launch of the Community and opening up of the R&D program today is one of the milestones.
"The growing availability of sustainable electricity and feedstock might be exactly what the chemical industry needs to enhance its competitive position", says Martijn de Graaff, representing TNO in VoltaChem. "The supply of sustainable energy offers numerous opportunities to develop new, high-value products and lowers the carbon footprint of production."
Yvonne van Delft, representing ECN in VoltaChem adds: "Also the energy sector will benefit from a more stable electricity supply. VoltaChem helps to initiate and facilitate collaborative development of technology and business models to move innovation faster towards commercial implementation."
Shared Innovation Program
VoltaChem is a Shared Innovation Program, based on the concept of open innovation and governed by a well-supported 'living' roadmap. Various industries, companies and knowledge organizations that join VoltaChem bring together collective intelligence. Their multi-disciplined technological needs as well as VoltaChem's long-term roadmap that encompasses the entire value chain, require shared research, where intelligence, investments, risks and workload are shared across partners. We work closely with the industry on:
- Developing business-cases for industrial electrification in the short- and long-term.
- Performing collaborative applied R&D.
- Bringing technologies into industrial practice by pilot/demo activities.
- Work on fundamental research questions together with top academic players.
VoltaChem's Three Program Lines and a Community
VoltaChem's activities span across three distinct program lines:
- Power-2-Heat: use of electricity to generate or upgrade heat and steam for efficient use in chemical processes.
- Power-2-Hydrogen: use of electricity for production of hydrogen and direct chemical transformations via hydrogen.
- Power-2-Chemicals: the direct synthesis of higher value intermediates and products using sustainable electricity and feedstock (e.g. CO2 and biomass-derived).
Additionally VoltaChem invites the chemical industry and electricity sector to join VoltaChem's Power-2-Integrate Community. Community members get the exclusive opportunity to participate in one or more program lines and to influence the roadmap. Furthermore members get access to dedicated workshops, (Inter)national events, technology & market intelligence and are kept up to date on the latest achievements in VoltaChem's program lines. In short, the community is an excellent opportunity to meet relevant stakeholders across the entire value chain, exchange knowledge and explore business opportunities together.
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Images: Elodie Burrillon
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