Eco-Innovation Hot Spots in the Alpine Region

Dr. Gerd Meier zu Köcker

Executive Director

ClusterAgentur Baden-Württemberg

Definition Eco-innovation is any innovation that reduces the use of natural resources and decreases the release of harmful substances across the whole life-cycle* * according to ECO Innovation Observatory

ECO Innovation Scoreboard

according to ECO Innovation Observatory

There is NO Real Cooperation Community in Alpine Region on ECO Innovation

Source: Meier zu Köcker et al, 2015

Alpine Region is one of the Major European Hot-Spots on Advanced Packaging

Austrian Example

• Polymer made of sunflower hulls , starch

and lactic acid • Usable for injection molding and extrusion Application: Production of injection-molded parts, e.g. containers • Material can be processed with the same

technologies and machines as for conventional materials

Source of information: naku website

Alpine Region is one of Several European Hot-Spots on Eco Innovation

Italian Example

Automotive Bioenergy

Pellenc has significantly contributed to efforts to increase recovery rates through efficient waste management techniques. Veolia recently purchased four machines for one of its commercial and industrial waste treatment centres. The machines have contributed to obtaining a 50% of recovery rate, allowing the centre to become one of the most efficient in France.

French Example

Optical Technologies Recycling Source of information: pellence website

German Example

Celitement has led to the development of alternative products to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), that are based on SiO2 and CaO containing standard raw material. While it has many of the attributes of OPC, Celitement also has the benefits of lower energy demands and reduced CO2 emissions.

Construction New Materials

Source of information: Celitement website

Slovenian Example

Domel d.o.o. has constructed a new EC electric motor for HUSQUARNA that uses less energy than existing ones The new EC electric motor was developed for Husquarna, a known world manufacturer of professional machinery and home garden equipment

Source of information: Domel website

The Challenge

ECO Innovation have to outperform

existing solutions !!

… Towards High-Tech Applications raising industrial demand

Source of information: fischer

Alpine Region is NOT a Hot Spot for ECO Innovation Services

Source of information: European Cluster Observatory

Towards a Macro-regional Approach

Systematic Macro-regional approach to be implemented Mutual knowledge about Smart Specialisation Strategies

of Alpine Regions – Where the regions focus at? – Potential for synergies

Synchronisation of regional support schemes among regions – Money is available through ERDF

Missing critical mass due to lack of transregional cooperation possibilities – Cross-boarder cooperation is NOT really facilitated