the vision for 2025 and beyond - suschem españa · the industry today 5 chemical products 5...

The vision for 2025 and beyondA European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry

FOREWORD 1EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2INTRODUCTION 3THE CURRENT SITUATION 5The industry today 5

Chemical products 5Chemistry: the engine for innovation 6Competitiveness at risk: the challenge for Europe 6Regulatory issues 7

Research, development and innovation 7Human resources 8

THE VISION 9The sustainable vision 9Materials technology 11Reaction & process design 13Industrial (“white”) biotechnology 14Innovation framework and economic outcomes 15

HOW TO ACHIEVE THE VISION 17The rationale 17Scope and objectives 17The European Technology Platform 17Platform organisation 18Key technology priorities 19The horizontal issues 19

RECOMMENDATIONS 21

ANNEXES 22Annex 1. Materials technology 22Annex 2. Reaction and process design 26Annex 3. Industrial biotechnology 29Annex 4. Horizontal issues 31

CONTRIBUTORS inside back coverREFERENCES AND NOTES inside back cover

Contents

The European model of society requires a competitive industry as a basis for growth and jobs, whilemaintaining its commitment to social and environmental sustainability. The European TechnologyPlatform for Sustainable Chemistry demonstrates the great potential of industry to contribute to thebroader policy agenda.

This vision paper is a commendable illustration of the joint stakeholder efforts. It forms a solid basisfor the forthcoming Strategic Research Agenda to help Europe become the leader in key scientific andtechnology areas.

I consider myself a stakeholder in the success of this platform, both as a European citizen and as the European Commissioner for Research.

Janez PotocnikEU Commissioner for Science and Research

The European Technology Platform for SustainableChemistry seeks to boost the competitiveness of theEuropean Industry by strengthening chemistry, biotechnologyand chemical engineering research and development inEurope. It is a joint initiative of Cefic and EuropaBio, andwas facilitated by the European Commission.

Former Research Commissioner Philippe Busquinannounced the European Technology Platform forSustainable Chemistry at a media event on 6 July 2004 inBrussels, together with representatives from Cefic andEuropaBio, and in the presence of representatives fromvarious stakeholder groups.

The chemical industry's views on the rationale, scope andorganisation of the technology platform were expressed in adocument produced for the July 2004 launch event. Thesewere intended to act as a thought-starter, and an invitationto other relevant stakeholders to participate in forging theplatform's future plans.

This vision document will be a tool for all stakeholders inthe chemical and associated sectors to help co-ordinatefuture research funding policies at European, regional andnational levels. This will secure the innovation basis of thechemical industry in Europe and strengthen its role as aninnovation engine in many downstream industries.Addressing innovation will be a fundamental contribution to achieving our common goal of a “knowledge-based” and sustainable European economy and will be a factor in the improvement of the industry's eco-efficiency andsocial contribution.

Further discussions, analytical work and consultations willlead to subsequent documents that articulate a StrategicResearch Agenda for sustainable chemistry in Europe andoutline implementation plans for this agenda. The initialfocus is on the next EC's Research Framework Programme 7(FP7) but will also be on the longer term and national and regional level programmes.

The European Technology Platform for SustainableChemistry represents a unique opportunity to strengthen EU chemistry, biochemistry and chemical engineeringresearch. Its mission is to contribute to successful, competi-tive, sustainable EU chemical and associated industries withglobal business leadership based on technology excellence.

Editorial teamFrank Agterberg, CeficJohn Butler, BayerDirk Carrez, EuropabioMarcos Gómez, BASFRuediger Iden, BASFElmar Kessenich, BASFColja Laane, DSMSean McWhinnie, Royal Society of ChemistryRussel Mills, Dow EuropeKlaus Sommer, Bayer

WebsiteThe website of the European Technology Platform forSustainable Chemistry can be found at:http://www.suschem.org

Foreword

1

"The European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry is an ambitious initiative to revitalise chemistry and biotechnologyinnovation in Europe. It aims to strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of the European chemical, biotech-based andassociated industries, and contributes to meeting the Lisbon objectives for Europe.

We are very pleased to present this vision document. We are confident that it provides solid guidance in setting the strategy forsustainable chemistry research, and in creating a supportive framework for chemistry and biotechnology innovation in Europe.

This document has drawn contributions from a wide set of stakeholders, which is proof of the support and the high level of expectations and commitment to the success of this endeavour."

P. ElverdingPresidentCefic - European Chemical Industry Council

F. SijbesmaPresidentEuropabio - European Association for Bioindustries

2

A European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry - The vision for 2025 and beyond

Executive Summary

Chemistry is ubiquitous and is a signifi-cant factor in the improved quality oflife enjoyed by European citizens today.Europe's ambitious goals of generatinggreater wealth while at the same timereducing emissions and conserving ournatural resources can only be achievedwith a significant contribution fromchemistry. Better use of chemical sciences will enable our European society to become more sustainable,due to new and improved products andprocesses that supply new and existingproducts more efficiently. Indeedchemistry will contribute to solvingmultiple societal issues. This requiresmajor chemical innovations driven bycompetitive EU chemical and associat-ed industries that can capture theirvalue and spread their use.

The EU is world leader in chemicalsproduction. The industry supplies products to virtually all downstreamindustrial sectors, and is a majorcontributor to the EU economy interms of revenues, trade balance andemployment. It acts not just as asupplier of chemicals; it is also anengine for innovation for other indus-tries, with the introduction of newmaterials and chemicals and theirapplication.

However, the EU chemical industry'scompetitiveness is at risk due torelatively high cost of production inglobal terms, low market growth, anddelocalisation of customer industries.Innovation and sustainability are keydrivers for future competitiveness. Thedesign and manufacturing of higheradded value products and increasedeco-efficiency are important factors ifwe are to keep a viable chemicalsmanufacturing base in Europe.

This would also help increase publicconfidence in the industry and itsproducts and technologies.

We envision sustainable Europeanchemical and associated industrieswith enhanced global competitivenessand minimal environmental impact,powered by a world-leading, technologi-cal innovative drive. It would maintainits substantial contribution to EUemployment and would enjoywidespread societal appreciation. This is an important prerequisite to fulfilEurope's vision of a sustainable andcompetitive knowledge-based economy.

Our vision for the EuropeanTechnology Platform forSustainable Chemistry is that:

1. The European chemical and associated industries will remaincompetitive based on technologyleadership and innovation.

2. Mastering the molecular scale (asin nanotechnology and biotechnol-ogy) will yield new generations ofproducts with enhanced propertiesleading to new applications inmany industrial sectors.

3. Better use of chemistry andbiotechnology will enable increasedeco-efficiency of the industry.

4. The industry will have a reputationas a reliable, safe, and responsiblepartner in society.

5. Europe will provide an effectiveframework for chemical andbiotechnological innovation andwill strengthen its excellent skills base.

Research and Development is a majorsource of innovation in this 'knowledge-intensive' industry. However, EUchemical R&D expenditures aredecreasing and are structurally lowerthan in competing regions, whichsometimes are better organised tocapitalise on new areas of chemistryresearch.

There is an urgent need to boostEuropean research, development andinnovation in chemical technologies ifthe economic contribution of theindustry is to be sustained. Innovationwill be a major determining factor tosecure the sector's competitivenessand consequently the competitivenessof its vast downstream customer base.

Through engagement of all relevantstakeholders in a European TechnologyPlatform for Sustainable Chemistry,known today as SusChem, the R&Dand innovation strategies proposed willprovide the required broad support andfacilitate implementation of the ActionPlan for the Strategic Research Agenda.

SusChem will work towards this andwill develop a Strategic ResearchAgenda in three sections: IndustrialBiotechnology, Materials Technology,Reaction and Process Design. ThePlatform will also identify and addressbarriers to and opportunities forchemistry innovation that will be dealtwith in the Horizontal Issues Group.

Chemistry n. (pl. -ies) 1 the study of theelements and the compounds they formand the reactions they undergo. 2 thechemical composition and properties of a substance. 3 colloq. the attraction orinteraction between people.

Chemistry deals with the manipulationof molecules; its essence lies in thedesign, production and transformationof basic materials into other, oftenmore complex, products and materials.These substances, which are derivedfrom natural resources (crude oil, gas,natural oils, fats, sugars etc.), provideuseful functionalities, and their veryusefulness means they are found everywhere.

Chemicals are essential components ofpower-generating and storage systems,from nuclear to wind-power and fuelcells. They power and construct ourtransport infrastructure and helpincrease fuel efficiency in transport andheating. Chemicals provide essentialfunctionalities in food production (e.g.crop protection), packaging andconservation. They also show theirusefulness in security applications,medical treatment and diagnostictechnologies, hygiene and cosmeticsand they are an essential part ofmodern textiles, dyes in print andpainting, computers and mobilephones and other communicationdevices. Chemicals play a key role inleisure and sporting goods andfashion. Chemistry is an essential part

of the solution for legacy environmen-tal issues, e.g., (bio)chemical soil andwater treatment technologies that areremediating contaminated sites.

The last decade has witnessed adramatic progress in chemical knowl-edge. The promise of chemistry canbring further positive changes in oursociety. “Chemistry is, still, everywhere: itmust be! It is the science of the realworld. But, to remain a star in the playrather than a stagehand, it must open itseyes to new problems. If chemists movebeyond molecules to learn the entireproblem – from design of surfactants, tosynthesis of colloids, to MRI contrastagents, to the trajectories of cells in theembryo, to the applications of regenera-tive medicine – then the flow of ideas,problems, and solutions betweenchemistry and society will animate both.1”This can only become a reality if thechemical industry succeeds in transfer-ring breakthrough laboratory inventionsinto the new products and servicesdemanded by the market.

Socio-economic challenges

The world is changing and presentsnew opportunities and threats for thechemical industry and for our society inEurope. Globalisation, progress intelecommunication and data transfer,limited resources (soil, energy andwater) and worldwide populationgrowth with aging societies are the

most significant trends determining thefuture of the planet.

Conflict resolution, safeguarding foodand water supply, development ofrenewable energy resources andimprovement of healthcare systems areindispensable prerequisites to achievea prosperous and peaceful global devel-opment for an increasing worldpopulation. These objectives are bestpursued through a balanced effort thattakes into account economics, environ-mental protection and quality of life.Major contributions from the chemicalindustry supported by new research arenecessary to meet these challenges.

Some examples will demonstrate theimpact of global trends and challengeson the demands for technologicaldevelopment in the areas of chemicaland process engineering, new materialsand industrial applications of biotech-nology:

• Our energy mix is currentlydominated by the consumption offossil fuels derived from oil, gasand coal. The vast majority of oiland gas is consumed to generateenergy for transportation, heatingand other purposes with only arelatively small part utilised aschemical feedstock. Renewableenergy sources could help securelong-term energy supply andreduce carbon dioxide emissions. A major research effort is required

3

Introduction

to provide technologies for moreefficient and affordable photovolta-ic devices, hydrogen generationand transport infrastructure andfuel cells;

• In addition, energy saving throughprocess integration and newprocess technologies will continueto play a leading role in resourceconservation;

• Efficient technologies to minimisewater usage and to treat or recycleprocess water on a large scale arerequired outside and within thechemical industry. Improved logisti-cal systems will further contributeto conservation of this importantand limited resource; and

• In 2025 the world is expected tofeed more than 8 billion people.This is a big challenge for mankindthat can only be met throughprogress in crop protection, breed-ing and biotechnology.

The chemistry challenge

For chemistry the best is yet to come:novel anti-cancer, anti-aging anddisease prevention therapies based onexploitation of the human genome;cleaner and more sustainable energyproduction, storage and supply; reliableand fast high capacity informationstorage, distribution and processing;increased food quality and productionwith less demand on arable land. It willprovide functional materials that makeour vehicles lighter and stronger andhence more energy efficient and safe,our buildings safer with lower energyconsumption, and provide solutions tooutstanding health problems.

The European Technology Platform forSustainable Chemistry has beenlaunched to bring together key stake-holders in the chemical industry andassociated sectors to boost investmentin chemical research, development andinnovation in Europe. Innovation is keyto the survival of the European chemi-cal industry itself5, and requiresconcerted action on the European,national and regional level.

The July 2004 launch of the TechnologyPlatform was a joint initiative of theEuropean Chemical Industry Council(Cefic), the European Association forBio industries (EuropaBio) and theEuropean Commission. Since thenthese organisations have been consult-ing increasingly widely with thestakeholder community in relevantsectors.

The Platform will work towards thisvision and will develop StrategicResearch Agendas in three sections:

• Industrial Biotechnology;• Materials Technology; and• Reaction and Process Design.

The Platform will also identify andaddress barriers to, and opportunitiesfor, chemistry innovation that will bedealt with in the Horizontal IssuesGroup.

4


The industry today

CHEMICAL PRODUCTSThe chemicals sector produces thousandsof different products, and suppliesthem to almost all other sectors of theeconomy. A major share (27%) ofprimary chemical products is furtherprocessed within the industry itself.

The products range from basic chemi-cals (37.7%), through specialty and finechemicals (28.8%) and pharmaceuticals(23.3%) to consumer chemicals(10.2%). As shown in Figure 1, thebiggest industrial customers of chemicals are the metals, mechanical,electrical and electronics industries,textiles and clothing, the automotiveindustry and paper and printingproducts.

The value-addition by downstreamsectors is typically orders of magnitudelarger than the chemicals sector itself.For example Organic Light-EmittingDiodes (OLED's) represent a relativelymodest market of €350 million, butgenerate a market in display technologyproducts some 10 times larger, whichin turn are important components inconsumer products (mobile phones,flat screens, etc.) with a retail value of nearly €50 billion. This exampleclearly demonstrates the enablingnature of chemistry.

The EU is a leading global chemicalsproducing area, with 32% of worldchemicals production. The sectorcontributes 2.4% to EU GDP andcomprises some 25,000 enterprises inEurope. 98% of these are SMEs whichaccount for 45% of the sector's addedvalue. The EU(25) chemical industrycurrently employs 2.7 million peopledirectly, of which 46% are in SMEs,with many times this numberemployed indirectly.

The EU chemical industry sells over70% of its output within the Europeaninternal market of which almost halfare intra-EU exports. The net chemicaltrade surplus has grown from€14 billion in 1990 to an estimated€40 billion in 2004. The chemicalindustry is therefore a major netcontributor (some 25%) to the positivemanufacturing trade balance of theEuropean Union.

5

The current situation

Figure 1. The share of chemical domestic consumption incl. pharmaceuticals

Chart 1.9: EU* chemical industry consumption structure

Sources:Cefic & Eurostat Notes: Percentage shares are calculated by taking into account the re-allocation of domestic consumption to downstream customers of chemicals self-consumption & consumption by the rubber & plastic processing industries* EU 15

% of chemical domestic consumption

Rest of manufacturing 6.1%

Textile & clothing 6.3%

Agriculture 6.4%

Electrical goods 3.9%

Office machines 0.7%

Industrial machinery 1.9%

Metal products 2.5%

Services 16.4%

Construction 5.4%

Automotive 5.3%

Paper & printingproducts 4.5%

Consumerproducts 30.3%

Rest of industry 10.3%

Chart 1.9: EU* chemical industry consumption structure

Sources:Cefic & Eurostat Notes: Percentage shares are calculated by taking into account the re-allocation of domestic consumption to downstream customers of chemicals self-consumption & consumption by the rubber & plastic processing industries* EU 15

% of chemical domestic consumption

Rest of manufacturing 6.1%

Textile & clothing 6.3%

Agriculture 6.4%

Electrical goods 3.9%

Office machines 0.7%

Industrial machinery 1.9%

Metal products 2.5%

Services 16.4%

Construction 5.4%

Automotive 5.3%

Paper & printingproducts 4.5%

Consumerproducts 30.3%

Rest of industry 10.3%

CHEMISTRY: THE ENGINE FORINNOVATIONMore than just a supplier of rawmaterials, the chemical industry is amajor source of innovation todownstream sectors. As shown inFigure 2, this is achieved throughvarious mechanisms including: newmaterials for improved and novelproducts, new materials for processinnovations, and price reductionenabling use of chemicals in more andlarger volume applications. A recentGerman study underlined the dispro-portionate impact of chemicalsinnovation as a driver of innovation inother sectors3: accounting for well over50% of innovation in pharmaceuticals,textile and clothing, metal and petrole-um processing industries. In Germanyalone €19.2 billion of annual additionalturnover from product innovations plus€9.4 billion cost savings (1998 data)from process innovations was generated;this translates into every Euro spent inchemical R&D yielding €0.80 additionalannual turnover and €0.50 cost savingsdownstream, in addition to the benefitsfor the chemical sector itself4.

COMPETITIVENESS AT RISK: THECHALLENGE FOR EUROPEWhilst the industry today appearsstrong and healthy, a recent study byCefic5 concluded that the sector's futurecompetitiveness is in danger. Pressureson the chemicals business in Europe,such as by the growing number ofregulations, have increased over the

years. The industry has respondedappropriately, but this has resulted inan unfortunate dilution of focus oninnovation and growth.

The European chemical industry hasreached a phase of maturity; manyproducts have become commoditiessubject to strong competition particu-larly from Asia. Markets in Europe arestagnant, whilst strong growth occursin China6. Efforts based on newproducts through innovations and costreduction by economy of scale andtechnology excellence as well ascompetitive feedstock supplies appearsincreasingly futile.

The leading position of the EU inchemical manufacturing is already

slowly eroding because of the dynamicdevelopment in Asia and the globalinvestment pattern that goes with it;the EU(15) share of global output hasdeclined from 32% a decade ago to 28% today. While labour productivityhas steadily increased over the last tenyears, employment in the EU(15)chemical industry has decreased by16% to 1.7 million, and by 40% inCentral and Eastern Europe to onemillion.

Further investment in chemicals is notparticularly favourable in Europe,because of low returns on investmentdue to a combination of relatively highproduction costs, high costs related toregulation, the changing regionalbalance in manufacturing in customer

6


Requirements to suppliers of chemical industryimproved basic materials - new facilities, machines and apparatus - new producer services

Improved productcharacteristics

longer durability reduced weight, smaller sizemore environment-friendly

increased stability improved visual characteristics

new functionality

Lower production costs

eased manageabilitymore diverse applicability

higher load capacityreduced resource consumption

increased performanceimproved recycling

Price-reduction inmaterials and components

lower product prices andimproved competitiveness of products with chemical

materialsaccelerated diffusion

of new products

Chemical innovations(new materials)

Figure 2. Impact of chemical innovations on innovation activities in other industries3

sectors, and the absence of advantagedfeed stocks. This, however, also dependson the development of feed stock priceson the long run. This is leading to a netoutflow of investment to other regions.The EU needs innovative leadership toreduce or even reverse this trend and tobeat international competition, in partic-ular from emerging Asian economies.To do this will rely on enhanced knowl-edge and skills.

The Cefic competitiveness study devel-oped four future scenarios with a 2015time horizon. The EU share of globalproduction was calculated to decreaseto 16-23%, depending on the particularscenario. In all but the most optimisticscenarios the net trade balance fallsand Europe could well become a netimporter of chemicals by 2015. Thiswould have a serious 'knock-on' effecton the future viability of customerbusinesses in Europe. The differencebetween the most optimistic scenarioand the others is a chemical industryfocused in innovation, thus innovationbeing the key driver for the futurecompetitiveness sector and its associ-ated supplier and customer industries.

REGULATORY ISSUESThe usefulness of chemicals derivesfrom their reactivity and industry's skillin harnessing this. With this goes theresponsibility for effective managementof risk to both health and the environ-ment. In common with many othertechnologies there often is public

concern about the effectiveness of riskmanagement and the extent of ourknowledge of risks. This in turn has ledto calls for increased regulation ofchemicals and greater efforts to quanti-fy their risk via European initiativessuch as REACH and SCALE.

In terms of the broader ecological load,the industry has made good progress indecoupling production growth fromemissions and energy usage. By 2002the chemical industry had increasedproduction by 43% compared to 1990but its energy consumption hadincreased by only 1% while CO2

emissions have fallen by 9%. These are important developments in eco-efficiency consistent with theCommission's call for more sustainabletechnologies contained in theEnvironmental Technologies ActionPlan7. The aspiration should be for evermore sustainable production andconsumption of chemicals in the future,increasing eco-efficiency (and thereforereducing waste) and restored confi-dence in the industry's (new) productsand technologies.

Research, development and innovation

The chemical industry is particularly“knowledge intensive” and Europe'sresearch is globally competitive. Europeis a leader in many key technologyareas, as demonstrated by its high

share of publications in the principalscientific journals in this field, and bythe large number of patents depositedby European companies andresearchers, e.g. in the US (23%). TheEuropean chemical industry has animpressive track record of turningchemistry inventions into products and process innovations. R&D, next tocustomer relationships, is recognisedby most chemical companies anddownstream users of chemicals as akey driver for innovation3,8.

However, the current focus on financialperformance, frequent restructuringprogrammes and increasing regulatorycosts are limiting R&D spending inindustry, which structurally underper-forms in comparison to the USA andJapan (see Figure 3). As chemistryoffers the base for many innovations in other sectors, this has wider reper-cussions for European manufacturingand for the provision of knowledge and skills.

Unlike Europe, both the USA9 and Japan10

have formulated national strategies androad-maps for key chemical technologyareas to guide public-private researchexpenditure. In comparison Europeanefforts are fragmented and public-private partnerships are not yet fullydeveloped. This places Europe at acompetitive disadvantage relative to itsmain competitors: competitors that aregenerally recognised to provide moresupportive environments for innovation.

7

Traditionally there is a high degree ofindustry-academia collaboration inchemistry research. For example, 22%of German chemical companies areengaged with universities compared to less than 7% overall in Germanindustry. Two major incentives forcollaboration are improved access toremote expertise and shorter time-to-market. Collaboration is increasinglyimportant, driven by the trends towardslean organisations and outsourcing of“non-core” activities. It is particularlyimportant to SMEs, however largercompanies tend to benefit most fromthis trend. In today's marketplace,collaboration should ultimately savetime for all companies11.

Human resources

Europe is witnessing a sharp decline inthe number of students graduating inchemistry and chemical engineering.This trend is expected to continue inthe foreseeable future and reflects asimilar experience across all scientificdisciplines. If the sector is to remaininnovative and continue to grow, thenthis must be reversed.

Education systems within the EuropeanResearch Area must be developed inorder to present chemical sciences andtechnologies as an essential and

relevant part of modern culture and inturn inspire more students to take upcareers in science and technology. Thedemand side on human resources alsoneeds to improve: the industry needsto communicate its longer term needsand requirements.

The image of chemistry is an importantfactor in attracting potential students;explicit attention to sustainablechemistry and engineering in second-ary and tertiary education couldcontribute positively to engaging theminds of the next generation.

Additional pertinent questions are: Howto ensure that academics engage withthe (industrial) problems that need addressing? How to train the nextgeneration of researchers? How to fundthe required infrastructure to ensure ourworld-class universities have the equip-ment they need? And, how to providesufficient attractive career opportunitiesto retain the best students?

8


Figure 3. Trends in private R&D expenditure 1996-2003Chart 7.3: Chemical industry R&TD spendings in the EU*, the USA �and Japan

Sources: Cefic and OECD* EU 15, excluding pharmaceuticals

USAJapan EU

R&D

Spen

ding

(%of

sale

s)

Chemicals 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003EU* 2,4% 2,3% 2,4% 2,2% 2,1% 2,0% 1,9% 1,9%USA 3,0% 2,2% 2,9% 2,6% 2,6% 2,6% 2,5% 2,4%Japan 3,6% 4,0% 4,4% 3,8% 3,5% 3,3% 3,0% 2,7%

1996-2003

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

4,0

4,5

5,0

20032002200120001999199819971996

3.6

3.0

2.4

4.0

2.2 2.3

4.4

2.4

2.9

3.8

2.6

3.5

2.6

2.1

3.3

2.6

2.0

3.0

2.5

1.9

2.7

2.4

1.9

2.2

The sustainable vision

Chemistry was one of the foundationsof the wealth and growth of theEuropean economy during the 20thcentury based on an ever-improvingunderstanding of interactions on amolecular level to enable increasinglysophisticated manipulation of the physi-cal world. Chemistry will continue to bea primary driver for growth and sustain-able development in the Europeaneconomy and for the well-being of itscitizens.

The next challenges for chemicalscience will be key to solving thechallenges that society will face in thenear future. “Other fields sometimes takebasic chemistry for granted. This is unfortu-nate, because it serves as both an enablingtechnology - it helped make high-through-put sequencing of the human genomepossible, for example - and a commonlanguage that scientists in many disciplinesuse to communicate. Investing more inbasic chemistry will advance other fields,and help the language of science evolve12”.

The European chemical and associatedindustries will remain competitivebased on technology leadership andinnovation

Increased investment in chemistryresearch and innovation, particularly inthe key areas of industrial ('white')biotechnology, materials technology andreaction & process design, will lead to

breakthrough chemical product andprocess innovations. This in turn willimprove the competitiveness of thechemical industry and allow it to contin-ue to make significant contributions tosolving major societal challenges. TheEU chemical industry will maintain alarge global share well above 20% and,as a consequence, make a significantcontribution to the net EU tradebalance.Mastering the molecular scale (as innanotechnology and biotechnology) willyield new generations of products withenhanced properties leading to newapplications in many industrial sectors.

Improved and new tailored propertieswill be generated by means of rationaldesign of new materials and newformulations based on controlled trans-fer of the properties at the molecularlevel to the macroscopic one.

Continuous improvement of control atthe molecular level will lead to improve-ments in materials efficiency, leading tonew applications in e.g. energy, health,transport, communications, electron-ics, security, and food and feed.Examples include new materials forhydrogen storage, improvedmembranes for more viable waterdesalination plants and waterborneself-repairing coatings.

Better use of chemistry and biotechnol-ogy will enable increased eco-efficiencyof the industry.

The 'Eco-efficiency'13 of the industry'sproducts and processes will furtherimprove by better use of chemistry andbiotechnology. The development oflarger bulk production sites will makebetter use of integration to maximisethe efficient use of resources, reducechemical transportation and develop

9

The vision

Our vision for the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry is that:1. The European chemical and associated industries will remain competitive

based on technology leadership and innovation.2. Mastering the molecular scale (as in nanotechnology and biotechnology) will

yield new generations of products with enhanced properties leading to new applications in many industrial sectors.

3. Better use of chemistry and biotechnology will enable increased eco-efficiency of the industry.

4. The industry will have a reputation as a reliable, safe, and responsible partner in society.

5. Europe will provide an effective framework for chemical and biotechnologicalinnovation and will strengthen its excellent skills base.

new technologies that will create usefulco-products from today's wastestreams. In parallel, for other applica-tions, new types of chemical plantscould emerge which are smaller andless obtrusive, more flexible and lesscapital-intensive.

Industrial biotechnology can make asignificant contribution, enablingproduction by minimising hazardousmaterials, waste and emissions andoperating at more benign conditions oftemperatures, pressures, pH as well asusing novel auxiliary materials andsolvents.

The industry will have secured accessto competitive feedstock. Approachesto improving the efficiency of currentfeedstocks will be balanced with thesearch for alternatives. Chemical conver-sions will become more efficient withthe use of advanced catalysis applied inprocess-intensified equipment, which isflexible across a broad range of productscales and scope. Process conditionswill be benign and utilise (integrated)advanced separation technologies, e.g.membrane technology. The viability ofbiomass as a raw material will havebeen demonstrated for certain specificfeedstock applications.

The industry will have a reputation as areliable, safe, and responsible partnerin society.

The tendency to open communication,as facilitated by programmes such asResponsible Care, will be continuedand further improved. The industry willbe well organised for continuous,constructive and open dialogue with allstakeholders.

Europe will provide an effective frame-work for chemical and biotechnologicalinnovation and will strengthen its excel-lent skills base.

Europe will foster and sustain itschemical and chemical engineeringskills base and research infrastructure.Renewed approaches to education andmobility will keep our excellent skillsbase.

Legal and financial conditions willstimulate chemical investments inEurope. European society will celebrateentrepreneurship that stimulates newbusiness initiatives

Boosting chemical research will lead toworld leadership in chemical innovation.

Enhanced research in chemicalsciences including industrial applica-tions of biotechnology will be a priorityfor European, national and regionalresearch funding programmes.

The Technology Platform will providean effective mechanism to generateand exploit innovations in technology

partnerships. This will help providesolutions in response to market needsin downstream industries, providingincreasingly integrated systemsolutions rather than only deliveringbasic materials. Improved communica-tion within the supply chain willfacilitate this.

The challenges stated above require aboost in chemistry R&D across theboard to sustain and strengthen theEU's leading position both in scienceand business. This boost will be essen-tial to give added impetus14 tochemistry that will underpin industrialdevelopment consistent with the maintenets of sustainable development15.

We would like to end by quotingProfessor George Whitesides fromHarvard University:

“Chemistry has always been the invisiblehand that builds and operates the tools,and sustains the infrastructure. It can bemore. We think of ourselves as experts inquarrying blocks from granite; we havenot thought it our job to build cathedralsfrom them16”.

10


Materials technology

Material and material development arefundamental to our very culture. Weeven ascribe major historical periods ofour society to materials such as theStone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, SteelAge (the industrial revolution), PolymerAge and Silicon Age (the telecomsrevolution). This reflects how importantmaterials are to us. We have, andalways will, strive to understand andmodify the world around us and thematerial it is made of. As the 21stcentury unfolds, it is becoming moreapparent that the next technologicalfrontiers will be opened not through abetter understanding and application ofa particular material, but rather byunderstanding and optimising materialcombinations and their synergisticfunction, hence blurring the distinctionbetween a material and a functionaldevice comprised of distinct materials17.

Discovery of new materials withtailored properties and the ability toprocess them are rate-limiting to newbusiness development in many indus-tries. The demands of tomorrow'stechnology translate directly intoincreasingly stringent demands on thechemicals and materials involved: theirintrinsic properties, their cost, theirprocessing and fabrication, benignhealth and environmental attributesand their recyclability with focus oneco-efficiency. This requires doingcomplete life cycle analysis on the new

developed products and consideringboth the ecological as well as theeconomic components. Furthermore,material science will play an importantrole in contributing to solve someemerging societal needs and toincrease the quality of life of Europeancitizens.

Converging with the various perform-ance demands are a suite of newtechnologies and approaches that offermore rapid new materials discovery,better characterisation, more directmolecular-level control of their proper-ties and more reliable design andsimulation.

There is a need for enhanced identifica-tion of opportunities, in closeco-operation with partner industriesdown the value chain, and to co-ordinate and enhance public-privateresearch to move beyond the limited

nature of industrial researchprogrammes to avoid fragmentationand duplication of efforts.

The confluence of market demand andinnovative technology development willcreate many opportunities for newenterprises in the materials sector,amongst which will be new hightechnology leaders. Moreover, innova-tion in this area will drive manyinnovative, high-value applications inthe downstream industries.

Application areas of interest include:

• Functional materials: bio-compati-ble and bio-degradable materialswith tailored properties whichinclude thin films and surfacecoatings, medical prosthetics,materials for therapeutic anddiagnostic applications, formula-tion technologies for drugs,agrochemicals, nutrition, cosmetic

11

Our vision is:1. To make Europe the world's leading supplier of advanced materials.2. Innovation in materials technology driven by societal needs and contributing

to improved quality of life for European citizens. 3. Accelerated identification of opportunities, in close co-operation with partner

industries down the value chain, leading to materials with new and improvedproperties.

4. The ability to rationally design materials with tailored macroscopic propertiesbased on their molecular structure.

5. Products based on integrated complex systems available by improving andcombining the benefits of traditional materials and nanomaterials.

6. Convergence of market demand and technology development creating manyopportunities for new enterprises in the materials sector (e.g. SMEs).

and personal care products and bio-nanocomposites using nanotech-nological and biomimetic materialsconcepts amongst others. In thisarea links with the technology sectionindustrial biotechnology are to befound and concerted activities will benecessary;

• Intelligent Materials with tailoredelectrical (e.g. superconducting),optical, mechanical and magneticproperties for applications inelectronic devices such as displaysor sensors for the development oforganic electronics;

• Materials for new sustainabletechnologies in the areas of energycreation, storage, transport andconversion covering areas rangingfrom renewable energy sourcessuch as solar and fuel celltechnologies to nanoporousmaterials for insulation; and

• Development of new methods forthe controlled synthesis of rationaldesigned materials including novelpolymerisation techniques andcatalytic processes giving access toyet unknown materials.

Activities in this area will be linkedwith activities in the other twosections: Reaction & ProcessDesign and IndustrialBiotechnology, seeking the mosteco-efficient process possible.

12


Nanotechnology18 is the design, characterisation, production and application of structures, devices and systems by controlling shape and size at the nanometre scale.

This technology has the potential to make a significant impact on our world. Likechemistry it has an enabling character - it underpins technology clusters of impor-tance to the EU such as materials and manufacturing. Application areas includeconstruction, cosmetics, polymer additives, functional surfaces, vehicles, aerospaceindustry, sensors and biosensors, molecular electronics, targeted drug release andmanufacturing. Design approaches are (top-down) miniaturisation and (bottom-up) molecular assembly.

Although there is nothing like a single “discipline” called “nanotechnology”, neverthe-less the ability to design the properties of many materials on molecular scale will becrucial for most high-value applications. The technology development will go hand-in-hand with assessing and managing the balance between benefits and risks.

Reaction & process design

Conventional plant and processes,which have served the chemical industryand society well in the past, haveevolved as chemistry and chemicalengineering have advanced and as newfeedstocks have emerged. Chemicalprocesses have continually improved interms of their increased utilisation of rawmaterials, improved safety, andincreased productivity whilst minimisingwaste and energy use. Step-changeimprovements are possible throughfurther chemical and process intensifica-tion, including the use of catalysis, newsolvents and separation techniques,and novel plant design. In our vision,the chemical industry will change significantly within the next 20 years:

• The smart design of the syntheticroute itself is a key factor for newprocesses with reduced waste, sideproducts and energy consumptionand which use inexpensive rawmaterials. High throughput experi-mentation accelerates productdevelopment due to rapid parameterscreening (e.g. solvents, tempera-tures, and catalysts). Highlysophisticated, multifunctional ormicro-structured mixing/reactiondevices give access to intensifiedprocesses with better economics.Mature large-scale productionprocesses serve to illustrate thatprocess optimisation and innovationis indispensable, and feasible, evenfor a bulk commodity. New reactionpaths (e.g. based on powerful oxida-

tion agents such as hydrogen perox-ide or breakthroughs in selectiveoxidations using molecular oxygen)can open the door for potentiallysuperior processes that will differen-tiate Europe from other chemicalproducing countries.

• Micro process technologies haveachieved major break-throughs notonly in areas such as fine chemicalsbut also for bulk chemicals andpolymers. Process integration,combining multiple steps in onedevice, opens up areas for improve-ment in bulk chemical processing.Reactive distillation, divided wallcolumns, separation with ionicliquids, and heat and power integra-tion will result in significant savingsin capital and operational expenses.

• More than 80% of chemicalproducts depend on catalyticreactions. Due to its significantimpact on process performance,catalysis is a key enabling technolo-gy. Even in mature processes suchas polyolefin production, the latestcatalyst developments achieveimproved reaction activities ordersof magnitudes greater than in earlier

decades. Catalyst development isenabled by reaction engineering andvice versa; therefore catalyst andreactor should be developed simulta-neously. Integration and intensificationof processes combined with newcatalyst concepts is essential for thedesign of competitive commodityprocesses. Catalysis is a decisivetechnology in exploiting newfeedstocks, producing high perform-ance materials and creatingenvironment-friendly processes.

• Last but not least, by 2025 theprocess industry will be significantlyaffected by developments in in-silicotechnologies. Modern computerhardware and software give rise tofast modelling, simulation and datamining. Computer methods forpersonalised medical therapies, thesearch for active ingredientssupported by property prediction,and improvement in the under-standing of biological processes bysimulation on a cellular level, willaccelerate product developmentsignificantly, increase processyield/productivity and lead to new and unexpected businessopportunities.

13

Our vision is:1. Production plants with increased productivity and efficiency, and reduced cost

of manufacturing. 2. Flexible production plants equipped with appropriate process control systems

and equipment that is geared for variable scale and scope.3. Production facilities having minimal environmental impact and utilising more

benign materials, while maximising recycling.4. More inherently safe design of production facilities leading to near zero

accidents in chemical manufacturing.

Industrial (“white”) biotechnology

Industrial or white biotechnology is theapplication of biotechnology for theprocessing and production of chemi-cals, materials and energy. Whitebiotechnology uses enzymes andmicro-organisms to make products insectors such as chemistry, food andfeed, paper and pulp, textiles andenergy. White biotechnology will have aconsiderable impact by providingbiomass as an alternative to fossilresources for the production ofbiochemicals such as biofuels andbiopolymers. The use of renewable rawmaterials as alternative feedstock willreduce consumption of the limitedfossil resources and lower Europeandependence on imports. Consequentlythis could contribute significantly tomeeting the Kyoto protocol targets forreductions in carbon dioxideemissions. At the same time such usemay also offer an opportunity to boostthe rural economy by providing newmarkets for agricultural crops and forthe development of integrated biore-fineries in rural areas.

White biotechnology processes canhelp make processes more environ-mentally friendly. They take place in acontained environment, and have thepotential to produce high yields ofspecific products with low energy useand minimal waste. The potential forwhite biotechnology is very promisingand it is expected that white biotech-nology will be a key technology

contributing to the achievement of theLisbon strategy to make Europe themost competitive and dynamic knowl-edge-based economy in the world. TheEU's major trading partners recognisethe importance of white or industrialbiotechnology for their industrial baseand have already put in place well-funded long-term strategic plans. Inlight of this, the vision for whitebiotechnology has been established.

The stakeholders recognise that thevision will only become reality with theappropriate enabling political andeconomical environment stimulatingresearch and innovation, entrepreneur-ship, product approval and marketdevelopment. Such a supportingenvironment will help industries toswitch and produce eco-efficientproducts with less of an economic

burden, and benefit from the broadpotential of white biotechnology to theEuropean industry.

The action plan necessary to achievethis vision includes:

• The development of a strategicresearch agenda and road map;

• The removal of technical, economic,regulatory and implementation barriers; and

• The involvement of the society indecision making via stakeholderdialogue.

In this type of activity it is ofparamount importance to carry outextensive and careful life cycle analysisof new developments and to comparealternatives, since only a real eco-efficient technology can beimplemented in a sustainable fashion.

14


Our vision is:1. Increasing numbers of chemicals and materials will be produced using biotech-

nology in one or more of the processing steps. Biotechnological processes willbe used to produce chemicals and materials not accessible by conventionalmeans or in a more efficient way.

2. Biotechnology will allow increasingly eco-efficient use of renewable resources as raw materials for industry.

3. Industrial biotechnology will enable a range of industries to manufactureproducts in an economically and environmentally sustainable way.

4. Biomass derived energy based on biotechnology will deliver an increasingamount of our energy needs.

5. Green biotechnology will make a substantial contribution to the efficient production of raw materials.

6. European industry will be innovative and competitive, with sustained cooperation and support between the research community, industry, agriculture and society.

Innovation framework andeconomic outcomes

The competitiveness of the EU chemicalindustry is dependent on several factors.The decisions made by industry withrespect to R&D expenditure and invest-ment are not made in a vacuum. Theeffectiveness of innovation (turningideas into profitable business) in thethree core areas of this vision will bedefined by overall conditions in theEuropean market. A key question is:how can Europe become the globallocation for chemistry and biotechnolo-gy innovation?

It is essential that all aspects of innova-tion in the European context areconsidered, ranging from society'sconcerns for health and the environ-ment, to the availability of venturecapital; from education to achieving asupportive regulatory environment;from efficient intellectual propertyprotection to the ease with whichindustry consortia can research fertileareas of new science.

This requires that industry, regulatorsand other stakeholders work closelytogether. It is vital that there is engage-ment and alignment with other relevant(EU) initiatives, for example theproposed European Research Council,and with related European Action Plansand initiatives. Such action plans andinitiatives include the “3%”,19 environ-mental technologies,7 innovation and

manufacturing technologies21 actionplans, and other European TechnologyPlatforms for which chemistry is anessential enabling technology.

A further requirement for success is theavailability of a skilled workforce.Education and training issues are criticaland young peoples' interest in science(chemistry) careers needs to be raisedby improving the image of chemistryand chemical engineering.

Economic outcomeAnalysis of scenarios developed by Cefic5

suggests that growth in the Europeanchemical sector is only probable with arevitalised industry with increasedinnovative capacity and a focus oncustomer needs. This vision also relieson a positive market situation and afavourable macro-economic and politi-cal environment. This scenario shouldbe used as the benchmark againstwhich the initiatives coordinated by theTechnology Platform can be measured.

In the most optimistic scenario, growthin the chemical sector due to favourablemacro-economic parameters is furtherboosted by industry's own efforts: inparticular the specialty/fine chemicalssector optimises its downstream valuechain and outperforms even the current-ly excellent competitiveness shown bythe European petrochemicals/plasticssector. Predictions based on thisscenario show an average annualgrowth of 3.3% in chemical output,which is somewhat higher than in thepast decade. This would lead to anincrease in the total value of EU chemi-cal output (excl. pharmaceuticals) from€360 billion in 2002 to €550 billion in2015. In terms of the EU's external tradebalance, this translates to an annualsurplus by 2015 of over €110 billion forthe chemicals sector.

Enabling sustainability throughoutmanufacturingAs we have seen, the EU chemicalproduction platform is an important

15

Our vision is:1. A transparent regulatory framework based on sound science and balanced

consideration of risk and benefit.2. Europe having a regulatory, financial and legal framework conducive to innovation.3. The added boost to innovation provided by this platform significantly raising the

EU chemical and associated industries' output, thus leading to increased net tradesurpluses and employment.

4. A prosperous chemical industry at the heart of a sustainable and competitiveEuropean manufacturing sector.

5. Chemical and biochemical industries contributing to revitalising European manufacturing, driving economic growth and improving quality of life.

factor in maintaining a strong EUmanufacturing industry as a whole. Ahealthy EU chemical industry willcontribute positively in terms of tradebalance and innovation, enabling thesustainable development of the entireEU economy.

The role of the chemical industry inEurope's economy, and the well-being ofEuropean society, cannot be overstated.The chemical industry has direct andindirect impacts on the Europeaneconomy through:

• Demanding products and servicesfrom suppliers;

• Producing products and providingservices for customers; and

• Enabling innovation in sectorswhere further added value is generated.

16


The rationale

In order to achieve the vision for asustainable chemical industry, there isclear and pressing need for a mecha-nism to galvanise and focus researchand innovation activities across thechemical industry and its partners inthe value chain. A strategy is requiredthat will deliver the key elements of:

• A long-term concerted effort, which iscontinuous and fully supported by all stakeholders;

• A comprehensive and structuredapproach;

• A focus on a limited number of critical technology areas; and

• A parallel dialogue to establish regula-tory and economic frameworks thatstimulate innovation, whilst maintain-ing effective public safety.

Scope and objectives

The main goal of SUSCHEM is tosupport the long-term success of theEuropean chemical and associatedindustries' supply chain as a whole, byproviding a major incentive forrenewed chemical innovation inEurope, both across the supply chainand across disciplines.

The main technology platform deliver-ables will be:

• A long-term vision for sustainablechemical technologies in Europe

that will enable a competitive andsustainable chemical industry;

• Strategic Research Agendas (SRAs)and Implementation Action Plansfor the key technology areas identi-fied that will catalyse the alignmentof EU and national initiatives andboost research excellence;

• Mobilisation of financial support forR&D from public (EU, national andregional) funds, and from privatesources, to provide a Europeandimension to chemical sciencesresearch by increasing focus andavoiding duplication of activities;

• Identification of, and action to elimi-nate, barriers and constraints tochemical innovation, includingenhanced skills and education initia-tives, innovation transfer, regulationand societal acceptance; and

• Assessment of the socio-economicimpacts of SRAs and related actions,including the expected benefits andpotential adverse consequencesarising from the prioritised newtechnologies.

SusChem will be instrumental in stimu-lating both the public and privatesectors in Europe to commit more andbetter-focused funds to chemical andbiotechnological R&D. It will addressmajor specific barriers and constraintsto innovation and so accelerate thepace of innovation.

The European TechnologyPlatformSusChem will consist of a network ofstrategic and intellectual alliances thatbridge academia, industry and relevantadditional partners, to foster the wholeinnovation process from initial idea tocommercial application. While thePlatform will be industry led, it isimperative that there is a real partner-ship with other key stakeholderssharing a common vision and goal. Apan-European approach will reducefragmentation and avoid unintendedduplication of research efforts.

Technical solutions to unsolvedproblems can only be achieved by closecollaboration between academic andindustrial research, therefore first-rateacademic partners as well as nationaland international research councils, inparticular through relevant ERAnetssuch as ERAnet Chemistry and ERAnetAcenet, will play a pivotal role in theproposed research activities.

The collaborative research that isproposed to further skills and knowl-edge in the prioritised areas willprovide fertile ground for subsequentcommercial development and deploy-ment and must be truly innovative witha high-risk, high-reward profile. Basicand applied research has to bebalanced to address medium-to long-term technology needs. Determinationof the content and priorities of theresearch agenda will require focus and

17

How to achieve the vision

rigorous choices to be made based onanticipated impact in the context ofsustainability.

Industrial partners from across thevalue chain will have a key role in relay-ing their demands for new chemistry.Links will also have to be made toother relevant European TechnologyPlatforms, such as those on energy,pharmaceuticals, textile and clothing,transport and electronics due to theenabling nature of chemistry.

To enable a smooth transition of aninvention into the market, financialinstitutions, such as the EuropeanInvestment Bank, and venture capital-ists also need to be in close contact inappropriate phases. Innovation frame-work matters can only be effectivelyaddressed by close engagement withpolicy makers and regulatory bodies.

SusChem will operate a transparentstructure and this openness will be keyto achieving public trust. The composi-tion of the partnership will grow orchange as its priorities evolve. It is along-term project. The combination ofskills and infrastructure to support thisinitiative is already considerable inEurope.

Platform organisation

The organisation of the Platform hasbeen outlined, as shown schematicallyin figure 4.

A high-level board, consisting ofnominees from the main stakeholdergroups and representing the threesections, will manage the Platform'soverall activities. Essentially the Boardhas a strategic role - it should set direc-tions, policies and strategies. As theTechnology Platform progresses, theboard will provide advice and guidanceto the Executive Committee which iscomprised of the Board's chair and thechairs of the technology sections andthe Horizontal Issues Group.

The Board will ensure:

• Synergy among the technologysections and the Horizontal IssuesGroup;

• Provision of external representation; and

• Endorsement of proposals from external liaison groups, i.e. the MemberStates' Mirror Group and theIndustry Steering Group.

Furthermore, the Board is responsiblefor:

• Budget and accounting; and• Addition or removal of sections.

In order to maintain an efficient andflexible management, the Board willconsist of around 15 high-level repre-sentatives from industry, academia andother key stakeholder organisations.

The three technology sections willcoordinate their activities in the keytechnology areas identified: materialstechnology, reaction and process design and industrial biotechnology.

18


MemberStates’ Mirror

Group

IndustrySteeringGroup

Industrialbiotechnology

Materialstechnology

HorizontalIssuesGroup

PlatformSecretariat

Board

Figure 4. Proposed organisational structure for the Technology Platform

Reaction & process

design

The task of each of the sections will be to:

• Develop innovation targets, a strate-gic Research Agenda and anImplementation Action Plan for theirrespective sections based on thedetailed long-term vision;

• Form the policy interface on theissues specific to the respectivesections; and

• Initiate and eventually manageprojects relevant to the respectivesections.

The sections are responsible for theplanning and implementation ofprogrammes and each will be guidedby their respective steering groups.

A professional Platform Secretariat anda Horizontal Issues Group will supportthe Platform.

The Platform will have a Mirror Groupconsisting of representatives ofmember states and regions. This groupwill allow co-ordination with nationalinitiatives and projects, ensure a two-way flow of information to and fromthe platform, and act as a discussionforum for member states and regions.

In addition, an Industry SteeringGroup, composed of high-level repre-sentatives from industry, was formedand has steered the establishment ofSusChem; the Industry Steering Groupwill hand over leadership to thePlatform Board, and continue to

support the Board and the platform bycoordinating industrial input.

Key technology priorities

The outputs from the chemicalsciences have such a broad impact,including in life sciences, computation-al sciences, and advanced methods ofprocess engineering and control, thatresearch requires discovery activitiesand invention across the entirespectrum of the chemical sciences.This spans from fundamental, molecu-lar-level chemistry to large-scalechemical processing technology andcross-disciplinary collaborations withbiology and physics, as well as withunderpinning chemical technologiessuch as catalysis and emergingtechnologies like nanotechnology23.

Three key technology areas for thechemical industry and its partners havebeen identified, which are critical toachieve the vision. These areas will formthe three sections in which the technolo-gy platform will explore its futuretechnical challenges. The basic ratio-nales and perspectives for each sectionhave been described in Section 2 of thisdocument and further details of eachsection are given in the annexes.

Each technology section will develop itsown detailed Strategic ResearchAgenda and Implementation ActionPlan, based on the views of the respec-

tive stakeholder communities involvedand will include relevant existing andfuture European networks, such asERAnets (e.g. ERA Chemistry) andNetworks-of-Excellence.

Strategic Research Agendas describethe main research issues to beaddressed in order to realise the vision.A Strategic Research Agenda is neithera specific research programme nor awork programme. It is in effect, a set ofprinciples, issues, requirements andresearch areas that should inspire allstakeholders when they develop theirown activities or programmes.Research effort will encompass basicresearch, applied research and develop-ment, demonstration and supportingresearch.

The horizontal issues

A strategic approach to innovationmust achieve the appropriate balancebetween value creation, cost effective-ness and responding to critical societalconcerns such as improved environ-mental performance. The capability tobring stakeholders together, at the startof the innovation process, to addresssuch issues is an important advantageof SusChem.

Effective management of the potentialhealth, safety and environmentalconcerns of our new technologies willbe a pre-requisite for their early

19

acceptance by society. This acceptancewill in turn be crucial to ensure asupportive political environment andan effective regulatory framework for allthe industries that rely heavily onchemistry for their innovations.Successful innovation must alsoaddress multiple other generic factors(beyond the technology) to ensure itslong term success. Examples of thesecross-cutting factors for the technologyplatform include:

• Defining the human resourcesneeds for our innovation processesand thus contributing to the debateon science education, skills, trainingand mobility for researchers;

• Refining knowledge and technologytransfer mechanisms;

• Supporting more effective researchinfrastructures and engagement inEU research funding programmes

• Improving involvement and align-ment with other relevant EU andmember state initiatives;

• Increasing access to venture capital; • Building early confidence in our new

technologies both with the generalpublic and political leaders; and

• Developing mechanisms to facilitateaccess to the output of our collabo-rative R&D to SMEs -this isparticularly relevant to chemicaltechnologies due to their enablingrole in downstream innovations.

A number of more general innovationissues, which are beyond the specificremit of this platform, have also beenidentified. Such issues will bemonitored and contributions made topolicy discussions as appropriate.

These issues include:

• Intellectual property rights exploita-tion and protection;

• State subsidies for R&D; and• Technology transfer block exemption

regulation.

Overall there is a need for additionalsupportive political and fiscalmeasures, as well as efforts by allstakeholders to engage in dialogue withend-users and the broader public aboutnew chemical technologies in a moreconstructive fashion. This platform cantherefore serve as an effective interfacewith these stakeholders as well as theEuropean institutions on these matters.

The ultimate aims of our chemicaltechnology initiatives are to “put newchemistry knowledge to work” tosupport the growth, competitivenessand sustainability of our manufacturingindustries and the EU citizens theyserve. The Horizontal Issues Group willdevelop common actions on the result-ing priority issues with contributingstakeholders to support these aims.

Thus an interim vision of our group isto ensure early and broad societalappreciation of these new sustainabletechnology initiatives. This, in turn, willcreate an increasingly supportiveenvironment for further technologicalprogress in Europe.

The development of the vision and planfor the Horizontal Issues Group will besignificantly influenced by both theevolution of the three technologysections and also by the output of itsown working group that will tackle theprioritised horizontal issues during2005/6. Hence the above should beseen as the starting point for our vision.

20


Chemistry has a pivotal role to play inthe transition towards a sustainable,competitive and knowledge-basedEuropean society. In combination withits own downstream and suppliersectors, chemistry can provide anenvironmentally sensitive source ofinnovation that can contribute toimproved economic and social welfare.

To achieve its full potential in pursuit ofcommon European goals, maximumsupport for the activities of theEuropean Technology Platform forSustainable Chemistry is needed fromstakeholders in a wide range of indus-trial, academic, political and publicorganisations. The Platform needs toconsult widely and form a consensuson relevant Strategic ResearchAgendas.

21

Recommendations

To achieve this objective a number of actions are required. In particular, it is recommended that:

1. The three technology sections work to collate initial Strategic Research Agendasto act as feed mechanisms for the formulation process for the next EuropeanCommission's Framework Research Programme during 2005 and 2006, as wellas a basis for discussions on alignment with national and international R&Dprogrammes.

2. The Horizontal Issues Group prioritises issues and develops a coherentprogramme of work in support of the technology sections and industrial competitiveness in general.

3. The Member States' Mirror Group meets regularly to ensure alignment withrelevant national programmes and establish inventories of relevant nationalinitiatives, contact people and Centres of Excellence.

4. The activities of the Platform are publicised widely.

ANNEX 1. MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY

Discovery of new materials withtailored properties and the ability toprocess them are the rate-limitingsteps in new business development inmany industries. The demands oftomorrow's technology translate directlyinto increasingly stringent demands onthe chemicals and materials involved -their intrinsic properties, their costs,their processing and fabrication, andtheir recyclability.

Materials science deals with the designand manufacture of materials, an areain which chemistry plays the centralrole; there is also considerable overlapwith the field of chemical engineeringand physics. Substantial contributionsinclude: modern plastics, paints,textiles and electronic materials; but

there are greater opportunities andchallenges for the future.

The materials sector of the chemicalsciences is vital, both fundamentallyand pragmatically, for all areas ofscience and technology - as well as forthe needs of society in terms of energy,information and communicationstechnology, health care, quality of lifeand citizen protection.

We aim to make Europe the world-leading supplier of advanced materialsadding high value to full growth in the EU.

PROSPECTSImportant areas of innovation in thisarea are numerous. The most impor-tant future topics are:

EnergyThe total world consumption of energyin 2003 was 14 Terawatts with 70%originating from fossil fuels. It ispredicted that the energy need for 2050will be between 30 to 60 Terawatts. Thisincrease presents a major challenge forthe current technologies.

The energy problem can be divided intothe following topics:

• Energy creation: this includescurrent technologies from fossilfuels, alternative technologies forrenewable resources (solar, hydro,wind, geothermal, biomass for bio-refinery) and nuclear. In the case ofmaterials technology the focus willbe on fuel cell technology andphotovoltaics;

• Energy transmission and distribu-tion: this includes heat networks,electric wires and electric grids.

22


Annexes

Figure 5. Proposed structure for the Materials Technology section

Energy ICT Health care

Qualityof life

Citizenprotection

Product Development

1Fundamental

understanding:structure activity

2Computational

material science

3Analytical

techniques

4Tailored

synthesis and manufacturing

NanotechnologyFundamental Knowledge

• Energy storage: batteries, supercon-ductors, hydrogen storage etc.; and

• Energy management: insulation inbuildings, more efficient lighting,lighter materials for transport,minimisation of energy losses, etc.

Without new discoveries in materialscience, the required breakthroughs inany of the above areas will not bepossible.

In energy production and transporta-tion, new materials with usefulconducting and superconductingproperties will have a significant impacton our society in practical systems forthe transmission of large electricalcurrents over long distances withoutenergy losses. New ceramic materialswill play an important role in this area.

In the area of energy management andconservation, new materials with light-weight construction will greatlyenhance the efficiency and environmen-tal sustainability of surface and airtransport. The most common form ofsurface engineering is painting. Whilepaints prevent corrosion and waterdamage, they need to be renewed on aregular basis, which is costly andlabour intensive. One significant contri-bution to modern life would be thedevelopment of long-lasting coatingswith high scratch resistance andweatherability, smart functional packag-ing materials, and even self-cleaningand self-healing properties. Suchsurfaces can easily be cleaned by rain,and have a mechanism to self-repairafter any surface damage.

Information and CommunicationsTechnologies (ICT)In our modern society communication,information and entertainment is one

of the largest market sectors in whichthe electronics industry continuallyseeks new materials for superconduc-tors, polymeric conductors andsemiconductors, dielectrics, capacitors,photo resists, laser materials, lumines-cent materials for displays as well asnew adhesives, solders and packagingmaterials. For the world wide highspeed transfer of digital informationnew materials in the field of opticaldata transfer are also indispensable:nonlinear optics materials, responsiveoptical materials for molecular switch-es, refractive materials and fibre opticsmaterials for optical cables.

The challenge lies not only in the devel-opment of new materials with thedesired properties but also in theireffective incorporation into functionalsystems.

Quality of lifeThe quality of life of European citizenscan be enhanced dramatically by theuse of new materials for better mobility,i.e. mobile phones, portable comput-ers, more efficient and sustainabletransportation, cosmetic preparationsfor better appearance and protectionfrom external environment andimproved nutrition by increasing thestability and bio-availability of vitaminsand food additives via innovativeformulation techniques. This couldmean smart internal and externalcoatings with self-cleaning propertiesand responsive to changes in theenvironment or surfaces with anti-fouling properties able to recogniseand destroy pollutants and corrosionagents. Specialty polymer industrieswould benefit from 'intelligent'composite materials based on organicor inorganic materials and also bio-compatible materials to design longer

lasting batteries, smaller and morestable sensors, materials for functionalclothing that is self-cleaning, adaptingand protecting, prosthetics andimplants, and more.

Health careAs a result of the increase in lifeexpectancy and consequent agingprofile of the population a newparadigm is required to provideoptimal and personalised medical careas well as a higher demand for healthprevention in order to reduce increas-ing medical costs. There is need fornew materials for implants, drug deliv-ery, and novel therapeutics, but also forhealth protection and care, diagnostics,and sensors for prevention and timelydetection of serious diseases.

The path from electronics to biologicalfunction goes via chemistry. Sensortechnology provides a connectionbetween biological function and anelectrical signal. Advanced sensors andnew micro-analytical devices will have asubstantial impact on health, environ-ment, and individual protectionstrategies in the coming years. Theability to reliably link biologically activemolecules to a surface will takefunctional integration to levels previ-ously deemed impossible. Thisprovides huge opportunities forimproved medical devices and drugdelivery strategies. Another aspirationis the design of materials that mimicthe behaviour of physiological systemssuch as muscle.

Citizen protectionSociety has been increasingly challengedby accidents, terrorist attacks, suddenclimate changes and catastrophescausing extensive personal and materialdamage. There is a need to develop

23

new intelligent technologies in order toprotect the civil population from theseextreme situations as well as to providenew ways of predicting and avoidingthem. Sensors for explosives, toxicagents and biohazards at low concentra-tion, materials for personal protectionand/or buildings, e.g. hospitals, airports,and vehicles, functional textiles thatrecognise and destroy toxic agents oradminister the right counteragents. Inaddition, new sensor systems couldhelp to detect chemical or biologicalthreats and play an important role ascomponents of security systems.

Nanotechnology - contribution &integrationOf particular interest is nanotechnology,which spans many areas including:nanoparticles, nanocomposites andcustom-designed nanostructures thatwill find applications from polymeradditives to drug delivery and cosmet-ics. Especially nanotubes (see Table 1)are of great interest for many applica-tions like storage, transport, separation,drug delivery, thermal isolation, photon-ic and electronic applications ortemplates.

The largest barrier to rational designand controlled synthesis of nanomateri-als with predefined properties is thelack of fundamental understanding ofthermodynamic, kinetic and quantumprocesses at the nanoscale. Today, theprinciples of self-assembly are not wellunderstood nor do we have the abilityto bridge length scales from nano tomicro to macro. This lack of basicscientific knowledge regarding thephysics and chemistry of the nanoscalesignificantly limits the ability to predicta priori structural properties andprocessing relationships. Profitableresearch will result in the developmentof kinetic and thermodynamic rules forsynthesis and assembly that can beapplied to the rational design ofnanomaterials at commercial scales(including hierarchical nanomaterials)from first principles.

Nanomaterials will deliver newfunctionalities and materials options.Manufacturers will combine thebenefits of traditional materials andnanomaterials to create a new genera-tion of nanomaterial-enhancedproducts that can be seamlesslyintegrated into complex systems. Insome instances, nanomaterials willserve as stand-alone devices, providingunprecedented functionality.

Nanotechnology is an integral part ofalmost all areas of interest. Thebenefits of nanotechnology play animportant role as a base for the devel-opment of new functionalised materialsand products, as mentioned above.The wide range of applications knowntoday clarifies the comprehensivecharacter of nanotechnology, e.g. self-cleaning effect of modified surfaces,transparent sun-blocker for skin protec-tive applications and scratch resistantcoatings.

Many of the potential applications arebased on exploiting effects that are partof our current understanding ofscience. However, producing structuresand operating at the atomic level willproduce novel effects that will stimu-late new science and hence lead to newapplications.

The market for nanomaterials has beenestimated by analysts to be €700 to1,000 billion by 201125. As new materi-als and applications are used by thehuman society, the possible impact ofnanomaterials on the environment andhuman health has to be considered.

Such impact studies have to be doneby industrial, NGO or independentnational scientific groups, as currentknowledge is inadequate for riskassessment of nanoparticles and fibres.As materials exhibit unique propertiesat the nanoscale level, which affecttheir physical, chemical and biologicalbehaviour, the potential hazard of eachnanomaterial needs to be considered inparallel with their potential benefits ona case-by-case basis.

24


Nanotubes by fibre templates

Nanotubes by electron spinning with hair

Nanotubes made by wetting

Table 1: Examples for applied production processes of nanotubes24.

Strategic Research AgendaThe astonishing progress in chemicalscience and engineering during the20th century make it possible toenvision new goals that might previ-ously have been consideredimpossible. The Technology Platformwill identify the key opportunities andchallenges for Material Sciences, frombasic research to societal needs andfrom resource utilisation to environ-mental protection. It will look at waysin which chemists in industry andacademia can work together tocontribute to an improved future forour society. The focus of the activitiesgoes well beyond the framework ofindustrial R&D programmes andincludes the following Research Topics:

• Fundamental understanding of struc-ture activity relationships for therational design of functional materials;

• Computational material science;• Development of analytical techniques;

and • From laboratory synthesis to tailored

large scale manufacturing of materials

and Product Areas:

• Materials for energy managementSolutions have do be found in energycreation, transmission and distribu-tion, storage and conservation;

• Materials for the electronics industry -communication, information, entertainmentThe electronics industry continuallyseeks new materials for improvedelectrical and optical conduction,displays;

• Materials for medicine, agriculture,nutrition, health careTopics are for example materials fordiagnostics and imaging, drug and

bio-active compounds deliverysystems, cosmetics;

• Quality of lifeSmart materials that respond to theirenvironment, that are self-cleaning,anti-fouling and have anti-corrosionproperties; and

• Citizen protectionSensors and detectors, novel protecting clothing and more.

CONCLUSION & CONNECTIONS TOOTHER TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMSOR SECTIONSIn summary, the future of the materialstechnology section is driven by societal

needs and the basis of success will bemultidisciplinary teams with intensivecooperation among industries andacademia. Furthermore, new materialsform the cornerstone for many innova-tions in downstream industries andmaterial science will act as an enablingtechnology for many of the otherEuropean technology platforms underpreparation, including: hydrogen andfuel cells; nanoelectronics; nanomedi-cine; photovoltaics; aeronautics andtextiles and clothing.

25

Table 2: Overlap with other Technology Platforms

Understanding of structure

activity relationships

Computationalmaterialscience

Analyticaltechniques

Synthesis &manufacturing

of materials

ProductsTechnology Platforms

Fuel cells

Nanoelectronics

Plant genomics

Water

Photovoltaic

Road transport

Rail transport

Marine transport

Mobile and wireless

Innovative medicine

Aeronautics

Space tech.

Steel

Manufacturing

Construction

Animal health

Advanced materials

Gas reactors

Forestry

Nanomedicine

Artemis/Embeddedsystems

Textiles & clothing

Materials relevance Low Medium High

ANNEX 2. REACTION AND PROCESSDESIGN

Reaction and process design is of vitalimportance for the chemical industry.The life cycles of products are becom-ing shorter and specialty chemicals aretransformed rapidly into commodityproducts. The only way to remainprofitable under these high costpressure conditions is to keep a highlevel of excellence in the area ofreaction and process design. It is ofparamount importance to have thebest, i.e. the fastest, cheapest andcleanest production processes.

As reaction and process design wedefine a group of enabling technologiesthat can be applied to all areas ofchemistry aiming at optimisation ofproduction processes for basic chemi-cals, intermediates and fine chemicals.

Two complementary approaches areintegrated in this section:

Chemical synthesis including:

• Novel synthetic routes and newreactions;

• Novel solvents and solvent-freeroutes; and

• Catalysis.

Process science and engineeringincluding:

• Reactor design;• Drying and purification methods;• Distillation, crystallisation and

separation technologies;• Product design and formulation; and• Process analysis and control.

Reaction and process design encom-passes both reaction design andprocess engineering. These are wellestablished disciplines that are thefoundation for the development, scale-upand design of chemical manufacturingfacilities. When effectively integrated withbasic science and enabling technolo-gies, this area offers great potential fora quantitative understanding of chemi-cal manufacturing allowing forimproved yields, reduced waste andhigher capital utilisation. Our strategicpriorities are to enhance Europe'scapabilities in reaction design andprocess engineering; to promote excel-lence and enthuse the next generation;and to lead debate by guiding informedthinking and influencing public policy.

The smart design of the synthesis routeitself is a key factor for processes withreduced waste, side products andenergy consumption based on inexpen-sive raw materials. High throughputexperimentation accelerates productdevelopment due to rapid parameterscreening (e.g. solvents, temperatures,and catalysts). Highly sophisticated,multifunctional or micro-structuredmixing/reaction devices give access tointensified processes with bettereconomics. Mature large-scale produc-tion processes serve as an example thatprocess optimisation and innovation isindispensable and feasible even for abulk commodity. New reaction paths(e.g. based on smooth oxidation agentssuch as hydrogen peroxide or break-throughs in selective oxidations usingmolecular oxygen) open the window forpotentially superior processes differenti-ating the European industry from otherchemical producing regions.

Micro technologies have achievedmajor break-throughs not only in areas

such as fine chemicals but also for bulkchemicals and polymers. ProcessIntegration combining various steps inone apparatus opens up areas forimprovement in bulk chemical process-ing. Reactive distillation, dividing wallcolumns, separation with ionic liquids,heat and power integration result insignificant savings in capital and opera-tional expenses.

More than 80% of the chemicalproducts depend on catalytic reactions.Due to its significant impact on processperformance, catalysis is still a keyenabling technology. Even in matureprocesses such as polyolefin produc-tion, the latest catalyst developmentsachieve activities orders of magnitudeshigher than in earlier decades. Catalystdevelopment is enabled by reactionengineering and vice-versa; catalyst andreactor are developed simultaneously.Integration and intensification ofprocesses combined with new catalystconcepts are essential for the design ofcompetitive commodity processes.Catalysis is definitely a decisive technol-ogy in tapping new feedstock,producing high performance materialsand creating environment-friendlyprocesses.

In general, the manufacturing of chemi-cals and functional materials based onrenewable resources is becoming moreand more important. Large-scale bio-production of mass polymers and basic chemicals will be state of the art.

In contrast to large-scale biotechnologi-cal processes for commodity chemicalsand polymers, synthesis of drugs,antibiotics, therapeutic proteins, etc.requires sophisticated, small-scaletechnologies offering a wide area forresearch and development.

26


Although fermentation and enzymaticconversion are established productiontechniques, within 20 years newapproaches in biotechnology willprovide an important tool for newbiochemical processes (proteins,antibodies etc.) and a very attractivealternative for classical chemicalprocesses as well. This Platform willconsider computer based optimisationtools of bioprocesses, unit operationsfor fermentation, cell handling/separa-tion and of course purificationtechniques (chromatography, crystalli-sation, virus inactivation andfreeze-drying).

Last but not least, the process industryin 2025 will be tremendously influencedby the developments in in-silicotechnologies. Computer methods havedeveloped dramatically in the lastdecade and will develop further by2025. Both modern hardware andsoftware give rise to fast modelling,simulation and data mining. Thesimulation tools for complex chemicalprocesses represent an excellent know-how basis for many in-silico technologies.As an example, computer methods forindividual medical therapy, the searchfor active ingredients supported byproperty prediction and the improve-ment of biological processes bysimulation on a cellular level will accel-erate product developmentsignificantly, increase process yield/productivity and lead to new andunexpected business possibilities.

STRATEGIC RESEARCH AGENDAThe Strategic Research Agenda forreaction and process engineering mustinclude the following areas in order tomeet the challenges outlined:

Smart synthesis routesOrganic synthesis, despite being amature science continues to developand is learning some new tricks thatwill have great impact on the future ofthe chemical industry including.

Development of novel reactionpathways to give:

• Processes with high atom efficiency(= no or less waste);

• Reuse of wastes, closing of materialloops;

• Selective oxidation using molecularoxygen;

• Processes avoiding hazardousadducts and by-products;

• Use of CO2 as molecular buildingblock;

• Use of biotechnology as an alternativeto chemical processes; and

• Use of renewable feedstocks for industrial chemistry (biorefineries).

New synthetic methodologies couldexploit renewable resources such asemission gases like CO, CO2. Thesecould be used as raw materials for anumber of compounds and products.Development of new methodologiesand catalysts for the incorporation ofthese cheap and readily available rawmaterials is required.

Use of alternative reaction media:

• Ionic liquids: Ionic liquids have beendescribed as green solvents, as aresult of their low vapour pressure,and even though BASF and Degussahave recently developed processesinvolving ionic liquids, a lot ofresearch is needed to allow wider useof ionic liquids in the chemical indus-try. The separation of the final productfrom the solvent is a problem that

remains to be solved, fundamentalstudies on the properties of ionicliquids and the kinetics and reactionparameters in ionic liquids are stilllacking. The wide variety of ionicliquids available and the possibility ofhaving a tailored synthesis of ionicliquid for given applications opensignificant opportunities for this topic; and

• Use of water as a solvent: Water isone of the cheapest and mostenvironmentally friendly solvents,however, most chemical transforma-tions take place in organic solvents.New paradigms in research have tobe developed in order to use water inorganic synthesis, not only dealingwith the stability of reagents andcatalysts, but also with the solubilityproblems of adducts and products.

Use of alternative reaction conditions:

• High pressure and supercriticalgases (i.e. CO2) as solvents, micro-emulsion media;

• Photochemical and electrochemicalreactions; and

• Microwave- and ultrasonic inducedreactions (e.g. polymerisation).

MicrotechnologyDevelopments in this area couldinclude:

• New apparatus for technical applica-tion (cheap, easy to clean and / oreasy to change, long term stabilitytowards reaction conditions, e.g.corrosion resistant, high tolerance of fouling and blockage);

• New plant concepts for highly intensified processes includinglogistic and supply chain aspects;

• Online analytical tools for microreactors; and

27

• Combined/integrated approaches(e.g. catalytic microreactors, highthroughput experimentation includ-ing combinatorial approaches).

Catalysis26

Catalysis is the chemical and molecularscience that focuses on accelerating andincreasing the material and energyefficiency of chemical reactions. Morethan 80% of the processes in the chemi-cal industry (including pharmaceuticals),worth approximately €1500 billion,depend on catalytic technologies(Source: VCI). Catalysis directlycontributes 2 to 3% of the EU's GDP,and an order of magnitude larger whentaking into account industries thatdepend on chemical raw materials(source: OECD). There is constant needfor improved conversion technologiesand new catalysts including enzymes,coupled with novel reactor and processtechnologies including:• C-H-bond activation for the exploita-

tion of lower alkanes such asmethane and ethane as the majorconstituents of natural gas; directconversion of alkanes to valuable,functionalised molecules; advancedsyngas chemistry;

• Catalytic systems for the conversionof alternative feedstocks such asbiomass and waste ;

• Enabling the use of hydrogen inenergy systems (cheaper, catalysts inconverters and fuel cells with higherlifetime, CO tolerant catalysts in fuelcells, hydrogen storage materials);

• Catalysis with respect to mobility(improved exhaust gas converters,fuels free from sulphur and aromatichydrocarbons);

• Improved catalytic methods for theproduction of life science intermedi-ates and active ingredients (such asenantioselective reactions);

• New and improved catalytic systemsfor high performance polymers(production of monomers, tailor-made polymeric materials by smartcatalysts);

• Environment protection (catalyticexhaust gas and waste water purifi-cation);

• Integrated reactor approaches(catalytic microreactors, catalyticmembrane reactors); and

• Improved methods for the under-standing of catalysts (character-isation, mechanisms) for a rationalcatalyst design.

Reactor design, plant design and unit operationsThe emphasis here should be on:

• Process intensification by integratedapproaches: combination of reactionand separation, catalytic membranereactors, catalytic microreactors;

• Reduced capital investments usingcheaper units (integration of differ-ent separations in one apparatus);

• New plant concepts for reduction ofinvestments (value engineering) andprocess costs including knowledge-based manufacturing concepts (e.g. batch/semi-batch, network/distributed manufacturing); and

• Adaptation of unit operations to newchallenges: pre- and post processingof biomass feedstocks.

Materials properties designThe area will link with the materialstechnology section to investigatetopics including:

• Methods for tailoring active ingredi-ent properties with regard to specificapplication demands (e.g. encapsu-lation of reactives, drug deliverysystems by coating, intercalation or

encapsulation, taste mask, drugtargeting, controlled and triggeredrelease formulations, multi-emulsions).

Drying methods and purificationtechniquesTopics include:

• Adaptation of establishedtechniques to new challenges: dryingand processing of nanomaterials,purification of nanomaterials; and

• Purification of biotechnologicalproducts.

In-silico technologiesThis area will cover:

• Adaptation of established techniquesto new challenges: systems biologyapproach in bioprocesses, metabolicengineering for the improvement offermentations; and

• Digital manufacturing employingadvanced modelling and planningtools.

28


ANNEX 3. INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

In the past, eco-industries have mainlybeen associated with end-of-pipetechnologies focusing on waste treat-ment rather than waste prevention.Today, modern industrial biotechnolo-gies are preventative, focusing oncleaner manufacturing processes tominimise waste at source. Industrialbiotechnologies range from the use ofenzymes or whole cell systems tocatalyse chemical conversions ofconventional or renewable resources,to thermo chemical and (catalytic)hydrothermal (sub- and supercriticalwater) biomass conversion processesfor bulk chemical industry. Examples ofthe results biotechnology can produceinclude:

• The move to bio-processing forproduction of vitamin B2 resulted ina 40% cost reduction and only 5%of the previous level of waste;

• A similar change to a biologicalproduction process for antibioticscombined the original ten-stageprocess into a single step, giving a65% reduction in waste, using 50%less energy and halving the cost;

• Use of enzymes for textile processingreduced energy needs by 25% andgave 60% less effluent;

• Production of bio-plastics derived fromcornstarch reduced the inputs of fossilfuels by 17-55% compared to theconventional alternatives; and

• The use of bio-fuels and conversion ofchemical processes to use agriculturalfeedstocks gives significant reductionsin net carbon emissions.

PROSPECTSFurther development of industrialbiotechnology will enable improvement

of current chemical processes as well asallowing for the use of unconventionalrenewable raw materials including lowvalue biomass.

Although a small number of industriesare involved in industrial biotechnologytoday, its contribution will be mostkeenly felt in the EU's heavy industries,which will increasingly depend on it toremain competitive. Biotechnology willhave an impact on a great many indus-tries including: the chemical industry;the pharmaceutical industry; the food,drink and feed industry; the pulp andpaper industry; the textile industry; thedetergents industry; the energy sector;and the agricultural sector.

The development of industrial biotech-nology is of great interest to theEuropean chemical industry and agro-industry. Through the collaboration ofthese two industries, entirely newchemical activities can be created.Industrial biotechnology can contributesignificantly to the future of Europeanagriculture, and as such is very relevantfor the sustainable development of oursociety.

According to a McKinsey study27

biotechnology is expected to makesignificant inroads in all areas of thechemical industry by 2010, but particu-larly in the fine chemicals sector.McKinsey estimates that biologicalprocess will, at the end of the decade,account for between 10 and 20% ofproduction across the whole industry,from a current level of 5%. For thepolymers and bulk chemicals sector, thepenetration of biotechnology is estimat-ed at 6-12%, but for fine chemicals thefigure is predicted to be between 30 and60%. Continued growth of industrialbiotechnology is expected beyond 2010.

McKinsey estimate the current value ofchemical products produced usingbiotechnology to be at least $50 billionand believe this could rise to $160billion by the end of this decade.

These figures are impressive, but theexact rate of growth will depend on anumber of factors. The relative prices ofoil and agricultural raw materials,combined with the speed of technologi-cal progress, will be major determinants.However, of equal importance will bethe political will to support and developthe technology base.

Strategic Research AgendaWhite biotechnology is a relatively newdiscipline and therefore immature: thereare major areas of knowledge still to beexplored. This presents a bottleneck togreater exploitation, but also offers atremendous opportunity for furtherresearch. As a first step on the road toincreased industrial use of the biologicalsciences, a Strategic Research Agendacovering both basic and applied scienceis needed. Both are essential: basicscience to develop our fundamentalknowledge base, and applied science touse this knowledge to introduce innova-tive products and processes.

Industrial biotechnology is by its naturea multi-disciplinary area, comprisingbiology, microbiology, biochemistry,molecular biotechnology, chemistry,engineering etc. This can be a strength,since combining knowledge from differ-ent scientific specialisms can createunexpected synergies. However, it canalso be a weakness if the various disci-plines remain fragmented andunconnected. Good contacts andcoordination, including the formation ofmulti-disciplinary project teams, is there-fore essential if industrial biotechnology

29

is to be a real driver of innovation andsustainability in Europe.

The strategic research agenda should beorganised within the following researchareas in industrial biotechnology:

• Novel enzymes and micro-organisms -metagenomics: The search for novelenzymes and micro-organisms fromspecific or extreme environments,whether by direct isolation or miningof metagenomes will create anexpanding range of biological process-es for industrial use;

• Fermentation science: Processes willcontinue to be improved as knowl-edge of microbial physiology andnutrition is combined with betterunderstanding of bioreactor performance and improved equip-ment design;

• Metabolic engineering and modelling:As our understanding of micro organ-ism metabolism improves, there willbe increasing opportunities to modifybacteria and yeasts to produce newproducts and increase yields;

• Performance proteins and nano-composite materials: Thecombination of proteins and inorganicmaterials, often with specific nano-scale geometry, offers new andinnovative product areas such as self-cleaning, self-repairing and sensingproducts. This is a good example of anew and fertile scientific interface thatmust be explored by multi-disciplinaryteams;

• Microbial genomics and bio-informat-ics: The key to understanding theactivities of micro-organisms lies in a fuller knowledge of their genetics.With good genome mapping, wewould be in a better position toidentify desirable metabolic pathwaysand adapt them to manufacturingprocesses;

• Biocatalyst function and optimisation:Techniques such as protein engineer-ing, gene shuffling and directedevolution will enable the developmentof enzymes better suited to industrialenvironments. These tools also allowthe synthesis of new bio-catalysts forcompletely novel applications;

• Bio-catalytic process design:Biological processes that work well inthe laboratory need careful scale-up ifthey are to be equally effective on anindustrial level. Good processengineering knowledge and skills areessential to this;

• Innovative down-stream processing:Once made in a bio-reactor, productshave to be efficiently recovered andpurified if the product quality andeconomics are to be acceptable.Down-stream process design istherefore an integral part of success-ful innovation; and

• Integrated bio-refineries: At amanufacturing scale, there has to beefficient integration of the varioussteps from handling and processingof biomass, fermentation in bio-reactors, any necessary chemicalprocessing and final recovery andpurification of the product. The levelof sophistication and control builtup over many years in the chemicalindustry also needs to be achievedin bio-refineries.

These various aspects of industrialbiotechnology have different potentialsin a wide range of application areassuch as fine chemicals, bulk chemicalsand intermediates, performance chemi-cals, biofuels, food and feed ingredients,paper and pulp, textiles, pharmaceuticalsectors.

30


ANNEX 4. HORIZONTAL ISSUES

Successful innovation is never definedsolely by scientific and technologicalaspects. Many other factors need to beaddressed including economic, regula-tory, and societal issues. Where suchissues are common to the threetechnology sections, they will beaddressed within the Horizontal IssuesGroup. This is the starting point andfirst priority for the group.

In addition, the diverse range of stake-holders that contribute to theHorizontal Issues Group may raiseother specific items that are synergisticto the aims of SusChem. Furthermore,advances from the technology sectionsthemselves may yield knowledge thatcan be applied more generically tobring benefits to the technologyplatform's ultimate customers - thecitizens of the EU.

The first step for the Horizontal IssuesGroup will be to identify and under-stand the impact of these genericfactors. From this we will build aportfolio of issues that we believe wecan influence in a significant mannerusing the resources of the platform andits stakeholders. Our goal will be totake concrete steps to minimise themore critical “horizontal barriers toinnovation” and to initiate a few impor-tant programmes that can stimulate “amore supportive environment forinnovation”. The Horizontal IssuesGroup will thus provide a service to thetechnology sections and to the stake-holders of the Platform, and as suchwill be an integral part of SusChem.

To address its programme, theHorizontal Working Group will split its

activities amongst three task forces,covering the following topics:

• HSE - Health Safety &Environmental Issues;

• Requirements for a supportiveenvironment; and

• Financial mechanisms needed formore successful innovation withinthe EU.

Each of the above task forces will needto contribute to a pro-active communi-cations and coordination programme tokeep key stakeholders well informed andensure that due account is always takenof societal concerns. Activities within thetask forces will vary from defining poten-tial research topics for eventualinclusion in the programme to capturingbest practices from other countries orbodies involved in innovation. Activitieson individual issues will also vary fromdirect actions where we manage aproject, to much more limited initiativeswhere we simply generate a positionstatement on behalf of the platform.

An important element of the group'sstrategy will be to leverage effectivelyexisting activities of institutions, associ-ations and other bodies with aninterest in supporting improvements infuture chemistry innovations. Withinthis context we will be very muchfocused on developing new pragmaticsolutions to our future issues, once wehave clear consensus on what today'spriority constraints are.

Examples of potential generic issuesthat would need to be characterisedand addressed include:

• Risk communication: The real, ratherthan perceived, risk from innovativetechnologies needs to be effectively

discussed with wider society toachieve earlier and broader societalacceptance. Past practices whichhad one side focusing on scare-mongering and the other sideignoring the need for dialogue, needto be replaced by an inclusiveprocess based on a constructive andearly dialogue. In addition thebenefit of the technology needs tobe effectively communicated toensure adequate understanding ofthe risks of not making use of thenew technology;

• Global communication coordination:New technologies that attractheadlines such as nano-technologyand bio-technology face an array ofinitiatives at country and regionallevel. These initiatives vary fromsetting standards to devising testmethods to proposing use restric-tions. In each of these cases there isa need for a coherent communica-tions strategy. Whilst the individualtechnology sections will address theirtechnical concerns, there may be animportant coordination role for theHorizontal Issues Group to ensure aconcerted European approach;

• Skills and knowledge base: The avail-ability and mobility of anappropriately qualified and skilledlabour force is essential to the long-term viability and innovative capacityof the European chemical industry.The ability to attract the best humanresources, update trainingprogrammes and ensure adequatefunding for the chemical sciencesthroughout an enlarged Europe is animportant objective of SusChem.Activities here can be pursued inconjunction with partner organisa-tions such as AllChemE22;

31

• Education: Teaching activities inscience and chemistry in particularmust be enhanced. Laboratories mustbe made more available for schoolpupils to make chemistry more attrac-tive. With no, or very limited, practicalexperience in chemistry, we lose notonly potential future innovators butwe also risk building a society thatfinds it increasingly difficult to under-stand the most basic aspects of thetechnology that they expect us todeliver. An example of a recent initia-tive in this area is the EuropeanUnion Science Olympiad (EUSO):http://www.euso.dcu.ie;

• Regulatory safety assessment: Newactions are being taken to work onmore intelligent testing strategies.Included within this are specificplans to develop alternatives toanimal testing. It is logical to exploresynergies with these programmes fora number of reasons. Firstly newtechnologies will raise new issues andthese will need to be appropriatelyaddressed in any new testing strategy.Secondly the technologies themselveswill develop new capabilities, such asadvanced computational modelling,that may have applicability withinthese testing strategies. Potentialpartners in the Commission, includ-ing the Joint Research Centre (JRC), willbe an instrumental factor in this area.The Horizontal Issues Group can alsoserve as a mediator between thePlatform and initiatives on the above atECOPA, ECVAM and ECETOC;

• Industry-academia research collabora-tions: Collaborative research is animportant driver of innovation.Facilitation of cooperation withacademic partners to access remoteexpertise and enhance time tomarket is an aim of SusChem;

• More effective use of resources:Significant societal concerns such asreducing our reliance on fossil fuelsand reducing the emission of wastewill be addressed from the technicalperspective in all the technologysections. Within the HorizontalIssues Group the breadth of ourstakeholder base could be used tofacilitate the exploitation of progressmade in these areas; and

• Access to Venture Capital: This is apotentially limiting factor in thesuccessful adoption and implemen-tation of innovation. In particular,this is a problem for SMEs.Improved knowledge of sources, andenhanced availability, of risk capitalwill therefore be a success criterionfor SusChem. Roles for the EuropeanInvestment Bank (EIB), theEuropean Investment Funds (EIF)and private venture capital providerscan be envisaged here.

Within the Horizontal Issues Group wehave an obvious goal to supportsuccessful innovation. We are alsofocused both on the future and thecurrent needs of the platform's newtechnologies. However, we are at thestart of both the definition of these newtechnologies and our stakeholderdialogue processes. To take account ofthis our “horizontal vision” will maturewith further input. In parallel, the above(and other) examples will evolve intoconcrete issues or be removed fromour priority list. In this manner thehorizontal agenda will develop into aclear and actionable support plan forSusChem.

Ultimately, our vision will yield a planthat addresses which specific items weneed to change within 5, 10 and 15years. Successful implementation ofthese changes will create a society witha sufficient understanding and appreci-ation of our innovations so that theywill become a primary catalyst forfurther innovations.

32


1 - G.M. Whitesides, Taking Chemistry in NewDirections, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2004, 43, 3632.

2 - Stated otherwise, data source is Cefic throughoutthis document.

3 - Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW)and the Lower Saxony Institute for EconomicResearch (NIW), Innovation Motor Chemistry:Influence of Chemical Innovation on Other Industries.

4 - Data: VCI.

5 - Cefic, Horizon 2015: Perspectives for the European Chemical Industry,www.cefic.org/horizon2015.

6 - Cefic, for details: http://www.cefic.org/factsand-figures; G. Festel, Historical Evolution and ActualTrends of Global Chemical Industry, Chemie &Wirtschaft, Jg. 2, 1, Feb 2003, pp. 27-42.

7 - The European Commission, StimulatingTechnologies for Sustainable Development: AnEnvironmental Technologies Action Plan for theEuropean Union, COM(2004) 38,http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/etap/etap.htm.

8 - The Oxford Handbook of Innovation, OxfordUniversity Press, Oxford, 2005; for example see alsothe EU project: Towards a European Research Area ofResearch and Innovation (TEARI);http://tikpc51.uio.no/teari/eu/eu-funded.htm.

9 - See for example: Beyond the Molecular Frontier-Challenges for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,The National Academies Press, Washington DC,2003, http://www.nap.edu/openbook/0309084776/html/; Chemical Industry Vision2020 Technology Partnership (Vision 2020), http://www.chemicalvi-sion2020.org/.

10 - A New Systemization of Chemical Science &Technology and Related Roadmaps, JCII, Tokyo, 2000,http://www.jcii.or.jp/report/dai3kaiE/down/3rdreport.PDF.

11- M. Ingham and C. Mothe, How to Learn in R&DPartnerships, R&D Management, 28, 4, 1998, pp. 199-212; J.E. van Aken and M.P. Weggeman, ManagingLearning in Informal Innovative Networks: Overcomingthe Daphne-dilemma, R&D Management, 30, 2,2000, pp. 139-149.

12 - S. Lippard, Naturejobs 406, 17 August 2000, pp.807-808.

13 - Eco-efficiency is defined as maximal economicbenefit from goods and services with progressivereduction of ecological impact and resource intensity.See for example: www.wbcsd.org.

14 - J. Jenck, F. Agterberg and M. Droescher, Products and Processes for a Sustainable ChemicalIndustry: a Review of Achievements and Prospects,Green Chem., 2004, 6.

15 - See for example: What NGO Leaders Want for the Year 2020. NGO Leaders Views on Globalization,Governance and Sustainability - Report of the SecondSurvey of the 2020 Global Stakeholder Panel, March2004; C.O. Holliday, S. Schmidheiny, P. Watts (eds.), Walking the talk -The Business Case for Sustainability, Greenleaf publishing, San Fransisco, 2002.

16 - G. Whitesides, Assumptions: Taking Chemistry inNew Directions, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2004, 43,3632-3641.

17 - R. A. Vaia and H. D. Wag, Materials Today 2004,11, 32.

18 - The Royal Society & The Royal Academy of Engineering, Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies, July 2004.

19 - The European Commission, Investing inResearch: an action plan for Europe, COM(2004) 226final/2.http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/era/3pct/index_en.html

20 - http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/innovation/consultation/index.htm

21 - http://www.manufuture.org.

22 - AllChemE is the Alliance for Chemical sciences,technologies and engineering in Europe, joiningindustrial (Cefic), academic (EuCheMS, EFCE andCOST Chemistry), governmental research funding(CERC3) and education (ECTN) members of theEuropean Chemistry community. www.AllChemE.org.

23 - The European Commission, Towards a EuropeanStrategy for Nanotechnology, COM (2004) 338 final.

24 - Hou, H., Z. Jun, A. Reuning, A. Schaper, J.H.Wendorff, A. Greiner,Poly(p-xylylene) Nanotubes byCoating and Removal of Ultrathin Template Fibers,Macromolecules 2002, 35, 2429-2431; Polymer, Metal, and Hybrid Nano- and Mesotubes byCoating of Degradable Polymer Template Fibers (tuft-process). M. Bognitzki, H.Q. Hou, M. Ishaque, T. Frese, M.Hellwig, C. Schwarte, A. Schaper, J. Wendorff, A.Greiner, Abstracts Of Papers Of The AmericanChemical Society, 2000 (PMSE), Vol. 219, pp. 55;Polymer, Metal, and Hybrid Nano- and Mesotubes by Coating of Degradable Polymer Template Fibers (tuft-process). M. Bognitzki, H.Q. Hou, M. Ishaque, T. Frese, M.Hellwig, C. Schwarte, A. Schaper, J. Wendorff, A.Greiner, Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng. (2000), 82, 45-46;Polymer, Metal, and Hybrid Nano- and Mesotubes by Coating of Degradable Polymer Template Fibers(tuft-process).M. Bognitzki, H.Q. Hou, M. Ishaque, T. Frese, M.Hellwig, C. Schwarte, A. Schaper, J. Wendorff, A.Greiner, Advanced Materials, 2000, Vol 12, Iss 9, pp 637-640.

25 - Report: Safe Production and Use of Nano-materials.

26 - CONNECAT, Roadmap der deutschenKatalyseforschung(http://www.connecat.de/media/document/36_1016roadmap-gesamt-final.pdf ).

27 - R. Bachman (McKinsey & Company), Industrialbiotech - New value-creation opportunities,Presentation at the BIO Conference, New-York, 2003.

Representatives from the companies and organisations listed below have contributed tothis document in one or more stages of itsdevelopment.

Industrial companiesATOFINA BASFBayerBP ChemicalsDegussaDow EuropeGenencorDupont de NemoursDSMNovozymesOleonPfizerProcter & Gamble EurocorRohm and Haas

Industry Networks, AssociationsAISE - International Association for Soaps,

Detergents and Maintenance ProductsAssociation of Chemical Industry of the

Czech RepublicCefic - European Chemical Industry CouncilCEPI - Confederation of European Paper IndustriesCIA - Chemicals Industries Association (UK)COLIPA - European Cosmetic Toiletry and

Perfumery Association

Crystal Faraday Partnership (UK)ERRMA - European Renewable Raw Materials

AssociationEURATEX - European Apparel and Textile

OrganisationEuropaBio - The European Association for

BioindustriesFEDERCHIMICA - Federazione Nazionale dell'

Industria Chimica (Italy)FEDICHEM - Fédération des Industries Chimiques

de Belgique (Belgium)FEIQUE - Federacion Empresarial de la Industria

Quimica Española (Spain)Finnish Chemical Industry Federation (Finland)IMEC -InterUniversity MicroElectronics Centre,

BelgiumORGALIME - European Association of the

Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic andMetalworking Industries

Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry (Poland)Société de Chimie Industrielle (France)UK CLC-ITF - Chemical Leadership Council,

Innovation Task ForceVCI - Verband der Chemischen Industrie (Germany)VNCI - Vereniging van de Nederlandse Chemische

Industrie (Netherlands)Academic networks, associationsCERC3 - Chairmen of the European Research

Councils Chemistry CommitteesCOST Chemistry - European Cooperation in the

field of Scientific and Technical Research

DECHEMA - Gesellschaft für Chemische Technikund Biotechnologie (Germany)

ECTN - European Chemistry Thematic NetworkAssociation

EFC - European Federation of CorrosionEFCE - European Federation of Chemical EngineersE-MRS - European Materials Research SocietyEPF - European Polymer FederationESAB - European Federation of Biotechnology -

Section on Applied BiocatalysisEuCheMS -European Association for Chemical

and Molecular SciencesGDCh - Gessellschaft Deutscher Chemiker

(Germany)RSC - Royal Society of Chemistry (UK)

UnionsIG BCE - Mining, Chemical and Energy Union(Germany)

Governments and government organisationsECRN - European Chemical Regions NetworkEuropean Commission, DG Enterprise and IndustryEuropean Commission, DG ResearchJRC Ispra - Joint Research CenterMember States Mirror Group

(Inclusion in this list does not imply formal endorsement of the document.)

Contributors

References and notes

For more information please contact:

Dr. Johan Vanhemelrijck - Secretary GeneralEuropaBioAvenue de l’Armée 6, B-1040 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +32 (0)2 7350313 - Fax: +32 (0)2 7354960Email: [email protected]

Dr. Marian Mours - Innovation ManagerCeficAvenue Van Nieuwenhuyse 4, B-1160 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +32 (0)2 6767387 - Fax: +32 (0)2 6767347Email: [email protected]

www.alligence.com

the vision for 2025 and beyond - suschem españa · the industry today 5 chemical products 5...

Documents