BLOG
Innovation Agents on a mission
Every month, an innovation agent from ChemistryNL gives you insight into his/her daily work. Read the blogs of:Martin van Dord, Caroli Buitenhuis, Anton Schotman, René Reijtenbagh, Eric van Sprang, Marco Tibaldi and Robert-Jan Lamers.
This month: Eric van Sprang
Blog March 2024
Optimalisation or transformation?
The climate crisis requires urgent action. Our world is at a tipping point, and the deadlines for our ambitious (but necessary) climate goals are fast approaching. Fortunately, social awareness is growing that we must act. But how do we approach this? What can we learn from the recent past?
Take the Urgenda case from 2015. In this case, the judge obliged the Dutch government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% in 2020 compared to 1990. Although the government took action with all good intentions and implemented various measures, the goal was not achieved. reaches. The outcome may not be very surprising, but it is the reality that the transition to a more sustainable world is complex.
Essentially, there are two strategies to address this challenge: optimize and transform. Both are necessary and complement each other. Optimization focuses on making our current processes more efficient. This can range from improving energy efficiency in buildings to reducing waste in our food production. The goal is to reduce emissions within the systems we already have in place.
Transformation is about a fundamental rethink of how we do things. It aims for full circularity and sustainability, such as transitioning to renewable energy sources and redesigning our urban environments and factories to be greener and more livable.
Innovation is an important key factor here. Without innovative and creative thinking, we cannot make existing processes more efficient or develop new, sustainable systems.
However, successful transformation requires not only technological innovation. Overcoming market resistance, developing revenue models and new regulations are also essential to fully utilize the potential of these innovations.
An example is Avantium. This Dutch chemical company is leading a transformation in circular chemistry through the development of PEF (polyethylene furanoate), a sustainable and fully recyclable alternative to PET plastic. The process developed by them makes it possible to produce monomers from vegetable sugars, which are then converted into PEF. This material is biobased and also offers properties equal to or perhaps even better than PET. From a technological perspective, PEF is an innovation that fully fits within the movement towards a circular economy, where the goal is to fully reuse or break down products at the end of their lifespan.
Another example is Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), which has transformed the traditional lighting industry by focusing on energy-efficient LED lighting. This change has led to a significant reduction in energy consumption worldwide, but also extended the lifespan of lighting products and thus reduced waste.
In short, optimizing or transforming go hand in hand, and it is clear that action on multiple fronts is necessary. Given the urgency, it is time to take action and for everyone to play a role, from individuals to large organizations. Start small and every action counts.
To actively contribute to the transition to a circular economy, a specialized ‘Community of Practice’ (CoP) has been established within COAST, an innovation community in the field of analytical science and technology. This community focuses on the measurement challenges within the circular economy, with a focus on material chains such as plastics. Consider determining the percentage of recycled material, detecting sorting substances or being able to correctly characterize the sorting or quality of materials. The idea behind a CoP is to connect, learn together and share experiences in order to arrive at targeted solutions more quickly.
If you are interested in participating in our CoP or would like more information, we cordially invite you to contact me by sending an email and work together towards a more sustainable future.
More information about our innovation agents:
Free expert support to accelerate
Meet our innovation agents