Hubs for circularity for near zero emissions regions applying industrial symbiosis and cooperative approach to heavy industrialized clusters and surrounding ecosystems (Processes4Planet partnership) (IA) -

Expected Outcome

Projects outcomes will enable achievement of the objectives of Processes4Planet partnership by demonstrating hubs for circularity (H4Cs) concepts, fostering circularity within and beyond process industries and driving the partnership’s innovation portfolio towards “First of a kind” demonstrators so as to de-risk investment for subsequent roll-out. (P4Planet operational objectives 8 and 9).

Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

• Achieve a step change in circular utilization of resources within the process industries reducing the use of virgin resources (materials, energy, and water) by at least 20% of reduction as compared to current state of the art;
• Citizens living in proximity of heavily industrialized clusters will benefit from a healthier environment through industrial symbiosis by lowering emissions through circular and renewable energy sources;
• Use industrial symbiosis and cross-sectorial cooperation to pave the way for achieving the EU Green Deal and “Fit for 55” package objectives: providing recommendations for optimized regional framework conditions by highlighting barriers and suitable innovation-oriented policies.

The targets above are meant to be achieved collectively by the region/area where the demonstration is located, not only by consortium members.

Scope

An industrial symbiosis, near commercial scale demonstrator, hub should integrate infrastructures (e.g., industrial waste, by-product and water management infrastructure, fluid flow networks, digital infrastructure), and energy networks and grids (e.g., smart operations scheduling, district heat integration, digital power plant including distributed generation, seasonal storage, biomass, and heat pumps integration). Industries involved should boost: their resource efficiency, heat recovery, integration of e renewable energies, use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, and/or support the implementation of CCU locally or prepare for CCS logistics. The proposed demonstrator should comprehensively show how symbiosis and cross-sectorial cooperation can trigger the green transition by sharing resources and infrastructure investments.

Proposals should address the following aspects:

• Develop systemic solutions leading to a Hub for Circularity (H4C) for near zero emissions as described above;
• (Co-)design and adapt existing processes to integrate new solutions (energy and mass flow coupling, infrastructure, and logistics) and to exploit new synergies between sectors;
• Use digital modelling tools and sensing systems as a basis for dynamic resource management, including information on quantities and characterisation of material, component and product streams in view of full integrated LCA;
• Establish IT infrastructures and tools that provide a secure basis for the integrated management and the preservation of confidentiality of sensitive data, it might not be in the same location as the demonstrator and serve the needs of multiple hubs;
• Deploy one Industrial symbiosis near commercial scale demonstrator using renewables as energy sources, including renewable hydrogen as energy carrier, to achieve at least 30% CO2 reduction when deployed at full scale at the Hub for Circularity and close environment level. This should balance the overall energy consumption with efficiency gains for the Hub for Circularity of at least 10%, including utilisation through cascading heat recovery, smart grid, and digitalised power plants. Optional: in addition, apply or enlarge the use of CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage) to the existing local industries; the sustainability gains in energy use should be detailed;
• Plan in detail the replication and adaption of the concept, including the simulation and the business case and exploitation strategy of the First of a Kind hubs, in two to three alternative locations in close cooperation with the relevant local actors;
• Consider when applicable the co-development of industrial decarbonization strategies with heat-nets, i.e., based on a socio-economic optimum in the cascading re-use of waste heat and the supply low temperature process heat to the surrounding ecosystem;
• Use established reporting methodologies for the assessment of industrial symbiosis activities and exchanges including Symbiosis Readiness Levels (SRLs) and best practices established by the H4C European Community of Practice (ECoP). In addition, interact with the ECoP for support, best practice and knowledge exchange on technological and non-technological issue;
• Include a plan to extend the hub to additional parties who also should benefit and multiply the local/regional synergies in the co-implementation of the identified innovations and solutions within the next five years;
• Implement a social innovation action involving at least one of the local community actors and, additional actions to facilitate relations and engage with e local community actors e.g., exchanging knowledge with the educational establishments and developing flexible learning resources.

Proposals submitted under this topic should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination. As a project output a more elaborated exploitation plan should be developed including preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation, and deployment (feasibility study, business plan and financial model) indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (e.g. Innovation Fund, LIFE, InvestEU, ESIF).

Relevant indicators and metrics, with baseline values, should be stated clearly in the proposal. Research must build on existing standards or contribute to standardisation. Interoperability for data sharing should be addressed.

Clustering and cooperation with other selected projects under this cross-cutting topic and other relevant topics in Horizon Europe as well as building on existing projects is strongly encouraged (see also Industrial Symbiosis[1] and Trends[2] Report from March 2020).

This topic aims to support the goals of the smart cities and climate adaptation missions by contributing to a decrease of harmful industrial emissions while favouring renewable energy sources.

This topic implements the co-programmed European partnership Processes4Planet.

Activities are expected to start at TRL 5 and achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

[1]https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/f26dfd11-6288-11ea-b735-01aa75ed71a1

[2]https://www.aspire2050.eu/sites/default/files/pressoffice/publication/trends_report_2020.pdf

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