Circular Economy Action Plan
Chemelot Circular Hub’s Transition Agenda Dear reader,
With the Chemelot Circular Hub (CCH) initiative in the south of Limburg, a broad alliance of parties has embarked on an exciting and necessary journey. An expedition to look for a sustainable and circular way of living together. We, the public and private partners, brought together in Chemelot Circular Hub’s regional board, are proud to present our Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) that will support our voyage of discovery.
Elaborated by the unique multi-helix partnership between companies, knowledge institutes, governments and residents in and around Limburg. Together we have condensed our dreams, ambitions and plans into this concrete, varied and integrated action plan. Not only do we have a display of our actions, but in the process of compiling we have established new mutual relationships, discovered new common interests, and we have grown in the Colophon: collective image of our circular future. This document has been compiled based on the input of many. This process has been overseen by Chemelot Circular Hub’s Program Office. Michiel Stork, as team member of This CEAP was established with the contributions of many enthusiastic CCH’s Program Office, has coordinated the process, with colleagues in many different organizations. Thanks to all for these contributions! support from others in CCH’s program office (Paul Brandts, With this CEAP all parties are confidently entering a new phase of the Ardi Dortmans, Jelle Egas, Eef Middendorp, Maurice Olivers, Maud Simons, René Verhoeven and Servi Verstappen). transition to a circular economy. It is a living document, built on an integrated approach based on four pillars that support our development and growth This CEAP is intended to inform and inspire the journey ambitions, provides detailed information about the chosen paths to circularity, ahead and has been written in the action modus, however: • For many of the intentions expressed the business case especially focusing on the underlying projects and connections between the is not (yet) acceptable and the investment decision various pillars. The CCH parties invite you to join us, making our plans reality, hasn’t been taken; funding (government support) is to set out on our joint expedition reaching to that one summit: becoming truly thus needed to create an acceptable business case. • Targets and ambitions mentioned in this document that Chemelot Circular Hub. New partnerships are necessary in order to should be interpreted as inspirational targets/ambitions, achieve these plans, to demonstrate our solutions and tell our story. Are you, and are not formalized targets/ambitions of the CCH like us, willing and able? ……Let’s do this! partners mentioned. • The projects mentioned in this document often contribute to meeting these inspirational targets, but often many more actions need to be taken before Bert Kip these targets would be delivered. Chair regional board Chemelot Circular Hub / CEO Brightlands Chemelot Campus Concept and design: Zuiderlicht, Maastricht Lia Voermans
Contact: Program Manager Chemelot Circular Hub Office [email protected] www.chemelotcircularhub.com © Chemelot Circular Hub, Sittard-Geleen April 2021 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 1 Proud partners of Chemelot Circular Hub
2 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 3 Thank you for all your contributions1:
Eric Appelman (Brightlands Chemelot Campus) Simone Mager (het Laagland) Diederick Barendz (ZO Wonen) Pieter Meekels (Sittard-Geleen) Joris de Beer (DSM) Yvonne van der Meer Nick Bos (Maastricht University) (Maastricht University, Aachen-Maastricht Bert Bosman (Sabic) Institute for Biobased Materials) Saskia Brand (Gruwel) Cyriel Mentink Paul Brandts (Brightlands Chemelot Campus) (Chemelot Innovation and Learning Labs) Bart Brorens (RH DHV) Eef Middendorp (Sittard-Geleen) Ruud Burlet (Province of Limburg) Ramon Niessen (Leo Loopbaan) René Cimmermans (Province of Limburg) Maurice Olivers (Brightlands) Thomas Cleij (Maastricht University) Davy Pieters (Sittard-Geleen) Maarten Cornelissen (RH DHV) Peter Princen (Zuyd Hogeschool) We are taking Denis Crompvoets (Sittard-Geleen) Loek Radix (Chemelot) Ardi Dortmans (TNO) Sebastiaan De Reede (Chemelot Career Center) Jelle Egas (Province of Limburg) Frank Schaap (Chemelot) the lead Dennis Fokkinga (Driven by Values) Kim Schmitz (Sittard-Geleen) Marnix van Gurp (Brightlands Materials Center) Maud Simons (Brightlands Chemelot Campus) Tom Hermanussen (N&M Limburg) René Slaghek (Sitech) Harry Horbach (DSM) Nienke van der Smissen (RH DHV) Demi Janssen (Jongerennet Limburg) Cees Sterk (executive coach/ Ferdinand van Kampen (VISTA college) strategic sparring partner) Bert Kip (Brightlands Chemelot Campus) Manuel Stoffels (UWV) Dick Koster (Brightsite) Arnold Stokking (Brightsite) Frank Kuijpers (Sabic) Roger Treur (Brightlands Chemelot Campus) Gerard Kwant (DSM) Carola vd Weijden (Province of Limburg) Maurice Lambriex Servi Verstappen (Province of Limburg) (Brightlands Chemelot Campus) Lia Voermans (Brightlands Chemelot Campus) Luc Lanclus Maarten Wilbers (Province of Limburg) (Chemelot Innovation and Learning Labs) Harry Wilberts (Province of Limburg) Remko de Leeuw (Chemelot) Ilmar Woldring (GE Limburg)
For a circular future
1 Inclusion in this list doesn’t imply approval of all targets and projects mentioned in this CEAP.
4 1 Join the journey of discovery 8 1.1 Vision and ambition 10 Index 1.2 Chemelot Circular Hub’s guiding goals 14 1.3 An integral assessment via four pillars 16
2 Chemelot Circular Hub’s journey 22 2.1 Overall picture 24 2.2 Pillar 1: Circular innovations and applications 28 2.3 Pillar 2: Circular human capital agenda 48 2.4 Pillar 3: Circular fundament 62 2.5 Pillar 4: Circular society 72
3 Action List Chemelot Circular Hub 86
Appendix 92
6 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 7 1 Join the journey of discovery
8 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 9 1.1 Vision and ambition Feedstock transition
The world is looking for a way of living together in which we are in Energy transition balance with our planet and guarantee a sustainable future for next generations. A broad alliance of parties around the Dutch chemistry and materials cluster Chemelot is now developing a world that is Cooperation transition free from waste and in which used products and materials are processed into new raw materials for new products. Clean, safe and sustainably competitive. Using innovative chemistry as a growth accelerator for the transformation to a sustainable economic and socially prosperous future. Figure 1: Three intertwined, mutually dependent transitions.
The Netherlands are facing enormous challenges. Broad alliance Consumer needs challenges ahead, to respond flexibly to How can the nation emerge stronger from the opportunities and developments that arise in corona crisis, while at the same time making Chemelot Circular Hub is the key to solving the This ambition further enhances the already the future. The parties gathered within the the world more sustainable, ensuring everyone urgent and major transitions that the region, large contribution the chemical industry makes Chemelot Circular Hub alliance are at an can participate and help make and keep us all as the Netherlands and Europe are facing. The to the regional economy, with many world important intersection that will determine the healthier? There is also a growing awareness in Chemelot Circular Hub consists of a broad alli- leaders in materials product-market combinati- future. A change in the course of actions is the Limburg region of how urgent it is to look ance of companies, many of the organizations ons at Chemelot and offers the opportunity to needed. Over the next thirty years, we here at ahead together, and to proactively make the based at Chemelot and Brightlands Chemelot diversify the business models of the chemical the Chemelot Circular Hub will be cashing in economy stronger. This is why Chemelot Campus are global leaders in their specific field. industry. It is a direct response to the needs of on the opportunity to bend the effects of Circular Hub’s common goal is to meet the Together with knowledge and educational insti- consumers and residents, the market and last industrialization in a sustainable direction. social and economic challenges we face head tutes and government bodies they all advocate but not least society to avert the risks imposed Chemistry becomes more and more part of a on, with ambitious circularity targets and deep an integrated, future-proof investment in its by climate change and to consequently more consumer driven circular economy and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The core quality: making chemistry, materials, the recreate the current base of our prosperity and value chains. It concerns cohesion with other joint parties must act now and plot out the path economy and society circular. With complete wellbeing. sectors: with feedstock and energy supply, with to a circular future and grasp its opportunities. industrial-urban symbiosis, with closed material-, waste companies, with heat management in the Chemelot Circular Hub can and is doing this; energy- and water-loops. Its vision is based on region, with companies (Large Enterprises and after all, it is not without reason that its motto the specific assets in the region, earlier Important intersection Small and Medium Enterprises) converting is ‘leading circularity’. experience with big transformation (from mi- chemical products into end-products (design ning to a chemical hub), and now towards a Limburg is positioning itself as an international for recycling), with society and end-users global frontrunner in chemical- and material- hub for circular economy and society. It is (recycle products), with governments at all science as driver for a circular economy. undergoing a radical innovative transition levels, and with educational institutes and process, making it all the more urgent to get knowledge institutes within the region and started now with an action agenda to mobilize cross borders. strength. This means an agenda that builds on both willpower and resilience to meet the
10 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 11 Chemelot Circular Hub thus stands before three Creating social impact for adaptive education with attractive hybrid intertwined, mutually dependent, transitions learning environments, training and retraining (Figure 1): All parties joining CCH are creating the leverage of the workforce to hone current skills and • A feedstock transition from linear to needed for the transformation to a circular soci- develop circular competences. As transitions circular value chains based on either ety, one in which every resident can participate. require new knowledge and new players, recycled or renewable materials; For residents and consumers, this must lead expanding the existing connections with other • An energy transition towards climate neutral to an even cleaner, safer and healthier living relevant networks via a bottom-up process is production and products that do not environment. Tackling demographic challenges required. Connecting ‘the dots’ with other produce greenhouses after their use2; like the aging population, the low labour chemical- and material-clusters in the • A cooperation transition, from cooperation participation3, the share of youngsters not Netherlands like EnZuid, Rotterdam or Groningen. based on value chains to cooperation participating to education or the jobs market4, But also via cross-border in the so-called connecting value networks and ecosystems. education and health. Captivating young ARRRA cluster (Antwerp, Rotterdam, Ruhr- generations and securing their loyalty with Rhein Area) or other European partnerships educational programs focused on circularity, as Processes4Planet (Spire) and/or regional Joining forces to accelerate appealing career prospects and the connection chemical ecosystems such as Axelera in France, to a vital labor market. This also applies to Eyde cluster in Norway, Lombardia in Italy and Chemelot Circular Hub focuses on accelerating people who are interested in retraining to the Asturias region in Spain. and scaling up towards a circular economy by acquire circular knowledge and skills. building a powerful collective movement towards circularity. A movement that provides New social development opportunities are Staying competitive answers to the questions about the intertwined arising in the area, creating synergy with the transitions no single party could solve on its Province’s spatial development challenges. For The Chemelot Circular Hub partners are own. Answers to complex issues where system entrepreneurs, Small- and Medium-sized feeling the sense of urgency to become more breakthroughs and new ways of integral and enterprises and industry, it generates economic sustainable. Since they operate on a global inclusive cooperation are needed. Where opportunities, and provides knowledge level, a level playing field is key when it comes companies, knowledge- and education-institutes institutes with a top position globally and to legislation, regulations and environmental and governments within the ecosystem join structural embedding in the region. and other levies. A focus on this level playing forces in a multilevel operation – regional, NL, field is necessary in order to remain competitive. EU, global - supported by the rapidly growing Another factor involves the enormous demand on the part of society, consumers and Connecting the dots investments this transition can require around producers for sustainable circular products. 4 billion EURO until 2030 (refer to chapter 3 Within CCH we are creating circular value chains, When it comes to success in circularity, not for more context about this number). When circular business models and increasing earning managing the probable but leading the possible it comes to costs, ‘nothing ventured, nothing capacity with the chemistry and materials sector applies. Chemelot is the ideal location in Europe gained’ applies, and circular processes will have as the main driver. An economic crystallization to ensure the transition to circular raw materials to be invented, scaled up and implemented point and driving force for broad prosperity and will be a success. Industry and science have alongside the need to maintain current the development of social welfare for the entire been innovating together here for 80 years, in production processes. Supporting contributions South-Limburg region and its surroundings. a setting that offers plenty of expertise and the and new ways of working are needed to help room to experiment and scale up. The region bridge this phase and keep competitive also has a complete, collaborative chain of conditions intact and to strengthen them. educational and research institutions at its disposal, making it an excellent starting point
2 For example: Plastic recycling prevents incineration of plastics at the end of their life – which avoids the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their incineration. 3 Draft provincial environmental vision, retrieved from: https://ris2.ibabs.eu/Reports/ViewListEntry/Limburg/35a71bdc-d892-46be-8c90-eb8e511f3144 4 Double the Dutch average (Draft provincial environmental vision, retrieved from: https://ris2.ibabs.eu/Reports/ViewListEntry/Limburg/35a71bdc-d892-46be-8c90-eb8e511f3144)
12 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 13 1.2 3 4
Chemelot Circular Hub’s Generate societal returns Increase the labour participation
a. Create inspiring, attracting employment, a. Provide competent people to staff new, guiding goals perspectives and places to live and work; future-proof and attractive jobs; b. Design and shape the transitions together b. Retrain the existing workforce to acquire circu- with all residents and consumers with lar knowledge and skills (lifelong learning); collaborative actions so that they truly c. Bind young generations and attract talent Delivering the transitions essentially recreates, safeguards and embrace circularity in consumption; from other regions with educational broadens the region’s current prosperity and socio-economic c. Create a cleaner, safer and healthier living programs focused on circularity, appealing environment; career prospects and the connection to a base in many different manners; Chemelot Circular Hub aims at d. Promote the region as a Circular Hub to fuel vital labor market; delivering six societally coherent goals 5: collective pride and invite people to actively d. Reduce migration of talents to other parts of participate. the Netherlands or abroad to find a suitable job by providing a bright future perspective for the younger generation within the own region.
1 2 5 6
Accelerate the transitions towards a Generate economic returns Strengthen the region’s knowledge Establish Chemelot Circular Hub in the circular and climate-neutral economy position Euregion as a showcase of European and generate concrete environmental a. Strengthen the foundations of the regional cooperation returns6 economy: The Human Capital and the Attract talent, education institutes, innovation embedding of the regional economy in the centres, the process industry and the A successful transition will not only have an a. In 2030: 25% reduction of intake of virgin national economy (e.g. future logistics); manufacturing industry and cultivate vibrant impact within Limburg, but also internationally, fossil feedstock (1 Mt) / 25% of the hydrogen b. Create new, competitive, circular revenue innovative cooperation. such as for the Euregional partners, the ARRRA 7 production without CO2 emissions, 25% models and synergies, expanding from the cluster and beyond. reduction of water intake for industrial chemical- and materials-cluster to amongst processes and 25% reduction of the harmful others the manufacturing industries (VDL), substances in emissions to the surface water; the Digital cluster (Heerlen) and to other b. In 2050: Climate neutral, no intake of virgin cities transitioning; fossil feedstock (4 Mt) / 100% of the hydrogen c. Offer opportunities for entrepreneurs,
production without CO2 emissions, no water regional Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises, intake for industrial processes and no harmful multinationals, suppliers and customers. substances in emissions to the surface water.
5 Adjusted from the Investment Agenda 2020- 2030, www.chemelotcircularhub.com/en#download 6 www.klimaatakkoord.nl/documenten/publicaties/2020/10/22/koplopersprogramma-cluster-chemelot 7 Europe’s most important chemistry axis that runs from Antwerp and Rotterdam to the Rhine-Ruhr Area.
14 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 15 1.3 An integral assessment via four pillars
s ion C at s C irc v on a u o ti p la n a it r in c a li l H The above goals have been arranged into four characteristic r p A u la p g m u a P e 1 il n a c l n r d r a d pillars as a basis for the new ecosystem. CCH is working on an i la r n l a C a i 2 integrated approach from these four perspectives. P
NL NRW
C P i i r l FL 4 c la r Pillar 1 Pillar 3 u r a l ll y a 3 i t r P e i fu c o n s d r am a ul Circular innovations Circular fundament en rc t Ci and applications What is needed for the transition of Chemelot related to its external environment to create How can we improve our ability to innovate a Chemelot Circular Hub with European and do business so that we can make an significance? The transition towards circularity indispensable contribution to the transition requires new logistics and infrastructure and to a sustainable, circular economy in Limburg, offers new possibilities for industrial-urban the EuRegion and in the Netherlands and the symbiosis (for example closure of the materials surrounding countries? What investments in loop and exchange of residual heat) and a new new first-of-a-kind installations are needed? vision on the use of scarce space. Which new technologies do we aim to attract to the Chemelot Circular Hub? Figure 2: Integrated approach from four perspectives
Pillar 2 Pillar 4 Delivering these pillars requires major Chemelot Circular Hub hopes that this interventions. Chemelot Circular Hub foresees document helps all stakeholders, all people, its flagship-approach to be implemented via to see how they can contribute to the circular Circular Human Circular society projects and foremost the transition taking economy transition. place through synthesis between the different Capital Agenda How can we develop the surrounding cities and pillar projects into new programs. The different region to build a leading circular testing ground projects listed in the remainder of this Circular How can we provide people in the region with with simultaneous improvement of both the Economy Action Plan are being used as ‘bricks’ worthwhile jobs and attract new people to physical and social living environment? to build these innovative transition programs. work in the region? How can we strengthen the circular skills in the region to ensure there are sufficiently skilled people to fulfill the Chemelot Circular Hub’s long-term growth ambitions?
16 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 17 How do the transitions relate to the What is the Circular Economy? goals of policy makers? In a circular economy, consumption becomes more conscious (refuse and rethink) and products can be re-used (by others) or repaired more often. The transitions towards circularity and climate neutrality are supported By improving design for recycling and separation and sorting more pro- by policy makers on multi levels: The European Union, the ARRRA-region, ducts can be recycled in loops as short as possible, and the amount of the Euregion, the Netherlands, and Limburg region. Chemelot Circular incinerated (recovery of energy) and landfilled waste is limited as much as Hub aims at working and partnering on this multilevel approach. Figure 3 possible. Meanwhile, the production processes can be optimized to reduce shows the key policy aims and instruments to accelerate these transitions. the material-, energy- and water-use.
Figure 3: Visualization of multilevel key policy aims/instruments Figure 4: Illustration of the various circular routes in a Circular Economy8
Circularity Water circularity
EU Netherlands Limburg Energy circularity
EC’s Circular Economy Action Plan: Rijksbreed programma Nederland • Innovation at Chemelot • More sustainable (use of) products Circulair • Circularity part of Mission-driven Virgin • Reduce waste • 50% reduction raw material use in economic framework hydrocarbons • Increase recycling, specific targets 2030 • New Euregional circular value chains for a.o. plastics and packaging • No waste in 2050, fuelled by • Human Capital Agenda • Update skills agenda renewable raw materials • Actively involve communities R2 Reduce • Strengthen role Small- and Transition Teams “Plastics” and Medium-sized enterprises “Manufacturing Industry” Intermediate
R1 R6 Refuse and Recovery Chemical rethink Consumption product
Application like plastics
Climate change
EU Netherlands Limburg R3 Re-use Aims at climate neutrality in 2050, 2030 Climate agreement: • Innovation at Chemelot R4 Repair, Refurbish, recently increased ambition level for • Carbon levy for industry; • For buildings: Heat networks/ Remanufacture and Repurpose 2030: • Minimum carbon price for power heat pumps • Emission trading: Price and cap on production; • Generation on-land renewable R5 Recycling total industry + power emissions • Support for generation of electricity • Focus on energy efficiency, rene- renewable energy and low carbon wable energy and standards industry • Climate Pact as cooperation and learning platform Consequences increased EU ambition to be discussed
8 R-numbers are adjusted from www.rvo.nl/onderwerpen/duurzaam-ondernemen/circulaire-economie/ r-ladder, and represent steps on a ladder representing preferred options (from R1 – R6)
18 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 19 What is a Hub for How will Chemelot The high variety in partners involved11 lays an The success of Chemelot Circular Hub depends as strong as possible support base. To increase on a variety of elements: on people who have Circularity? Circular Hub operate? the individual and collective success in meeting the guts, take leadership and entrepreneurship their needs, these partners cooperate in to join the journey and also on the quality of the consortia that represent the envisioned, future connections and networks, trust and persistence, The concept for Hubs for Circularity (H4C) has To deliver the required system breakthroughs value networks. consistency, coherency and cooperation. been introduced in the Processes4Planet’s and manage the interdependencies, the way of (former SPIRE) vision9, supported by the working also needs a transition: An alliance of Chemelot Circular Hub’s partners benefit from Chemelot Circular Hub connects and enhances European Commission. Chemelot Circular Hub partners has founded Chemelot Circular Hub their combined executive force described in bottom-up cooperation, partners creating is inspired by this concept. H4Cs are self- with the ambition10 that Limburg will be the first this Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). consortia, in a complex and dynamic Multi-helix sustaining economic industrial ecosystems for European Circular Hub. The determination and success of early movers collaboration. Chemelot Circular Hub co-creates full-scale Industrial-Urban Symbiosis and will accelerate the transitions and over time the on the basis of a ‘coalition of the willing and Circular Economy. They are closing energy, Chemelot Circular Hub takes an integral full transitions are shaped and materialize: also acting’, maintaining partners’ autonomy, and in resource and data loops and bringing together Multi-helix approach - cooperation between in other National and European regions of close dialogue with an actively engaged and all relevant stakeholders, technologies, infra- companies, educational and research institutes, society when other partners join in time. participating society. Chemelot Circular Hub structures, tools and instruments necessary for governments and consumers. The approach is has an open structure, thus new parties can join their incubation, implementation, evolution and based on bottom-up, integral and inclusive the coalition of the willing. If you are interested, management. In a H4C the process industry cooperation. Partners generating the projects you are invited to join the Journey! teams up with the regional community, research/ and partners choosing whether to participate academia, the public sector and society, (see for example Figure 5 for an overview of applying disruptive innovation and design to parties involved in a recent grant application). Figure 5: Parties involved in the recent Euroboros grants application recycle to arrive at new sustainable business The approach benefits from connecting models, industries and residents’ involvement. different value networks in the value chain, ensuring partners meet each other, cooperation is fostered, and broader and cross borders perspectives are stimulated. This can ensure the comprehensiveness of the transition and keep the many partners together in this challenging journey – with so much to be explored and so many options still open. Governement Industry & Society
Research & Education & Innovation Competence building
9 Processes4Planet is the cross-sectoral cooperation on Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency: https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2834550/5%202019%20SPIRE%202050%20H4C.pdf 11 The (international) headquarters of the companies operating at Chemelot, large and small companies at Brightlands 10 Adjusted from Limburgs Policy Framework Circular Economy 2.0, retrieved from: https://ris2.ibabs.eu/Agenda/Details/ Chemelot Campus, companies operating outside Chemelot, Educational and Research institutions, residents in Limburg and Limburg/243933b4-e798-4f49-88d8-f1b0df6a6e90. the Euregion, their authorities, the Dutch government and the European Commission.
20 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 21 2 Chemelot Circular Hub’s journey
22 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 23 Chemelot and the wider region strengthen each This Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) will 2.1 other in Chemelot Circular Hub: evolve continuously. In every pillar a multi-helix • Chemelot offers attractive circular jobs and mix of stakeholders brought his/her circular income, while the region provides the skilled projects to the table. These projects are the Overall picture labour force for the circular jobs; circular ‘building blocks’. The synergy and • Chemelot boosts entrepreneurship in the connection between the pillars and these buil- region, offering new positions in new ding blocks are the base for the integral value chains (also for SME’s), while, amongst Chemelot Circular Hub program. While finali- Chapter 2 presents all the building blocks that contribute to others, SME’s and Citylabs in the region zing this version, already additional multi-pillar delivering the Chemelot Circular Hub aims presented in the generate innovative ideas; activities were being planned. New network • Chemelot offers residual heat, which the connections were developed, synergies being previous chapter. These building blocks have, based on the region can consume; explored. This version is nevertheless communi- Chemelot Circular Hub Investment Agenda 12 and the preceding • Chemelot offers products that are designed cated now, because this is a continuous process for recycling, while the region lives circulari- and because the Chemelot Circular Hub analytical and strategic work, been prepared bottom-up by 4 teams ty, including separating waste for recycling community is proud on its plans and would like (in total ~50 stakeholders), representing different pillars, which (see Figure 4 for all rungs of the R-ladder) to give you the opportunity to see how you can generating high quality waste streams to cooperate with or participate in Chemelot can deliver the transitions only when components from all 4 pillars feed the demonstrator plants using of Circular Hub. This CEAP will be regularly materialize, and with an integrated approach: sustainable feedstock; updated. • Chemelot and the region co-create Chemelot Circular Hub.
Like in any transition, the exact path forward Pillar 1 Pillar 3 is not (yet) known, but this integral plan offers paths to follow during the journey. Time will tell which paths materialize, and which ones will Circular innovations Circular fundament not. This plan thus needs to be updated regularly. But only with the contribution of all and applications Arranging the logistics of the circular pillars and cooperation between all pillars, can production processes, and establishing the journey be successful. Chemelot Circular Inventing and using new processes using new industrial-urban symbiosis, described in Hub intends to facilitate this integration. materials, described in paragraph 2.2. paragraph 2.4.
Pillar 2 Pillar 4
Circular Human Circular society
Capital Agenda Stimulating circular consumption and involving residents – so crucial for Chemelot Circular Reskilling people to enable their success in Hub’s success, described in 2.5. the circular economy and attract them to the region, described in paragraph 2.3.
12 www.chemelotcircularhub.com/en#download
24 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 25 How to read the many plans described in this chapter?
• •
The document is written in the action While Chemelot Circular Hub strives modus (“Chemelot Circular Hub will…”); towards circularity, not all circles for many of the intentions expressed the need to or will be closed within the business case is not (yet) acceptable (South-)Limburg region – one of the and the investment decision hasn’t been reasons to aim for a (geographic) taken; funding (government support) expansion of the partners Chemelot is thus needed to create an acceptable Circular Hub is cooperating with. business case. • We can • In the next paragraphs, the contribution Not all targets mentioned in the of each of the flagships to the Broad do it document have been approved by Prosperity Goals13 is described, based those who would need to deliver on on just a quick estimate comparing them; the targets should thus be expected impacts with key Sustainable interpreted as inspirational targets. Development Goals, which have originally been developed by the United • Nations (refer to Annex 2). For example: Connected
The projects mentioned in this document often contribute to meeting to people these inspirational targets, but often many more actions need to be taken before these targets would be delivered. • • For some pillars – this CEAP is the This chapter has been prepared up-to-date plan describing Chemelot bottom-up; starting points are not Circular Hub’s plans; for others, this automatically the same. CEAP includes the plans already described in other documents to enable an integral view; in the latter case the other documents are leading.
13 www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/publicatie/2020/21/monitor-brede-welvaart-de-sustainable-development-goals-2020, chapter 4.3.
26 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 27 Chemelot Industrial Park is already a highly Six flagships have been developed to cover 2.2 integrated site, with plants using each other’s Chemelot Circular Hub’s innovation & (by)products and with heat integration over the application needs – real sustainability impact is full park. The park emits ~1/3 of Limburg’s total only made once these are implemented. They 14 15 Pillar 1 greenhouse gas emissions (~5,2Mton CO2e ), are visualized in Figure 6 and described in more ~3% total Dutch greenhouse gas emissions16. detail further below. The greenhouse gas emissions over the full Circular innovations and value chain of chemicals produced at Chemelot These flagships can build on the knowledge Industrial Park are significantly higher. Imple- available in the many knowledge- and educa- menting this paragraph’s plans with their strong tional institutes present at Chemelot Campus, applications focus on circularity will significantly reduce the including the research at low TRL levels17 - for greenhouse gas emissions of Chemelot and which the Chemelot Campus is well positioned its products’ value chains. The plans close the with Maastricht University and the Aachen materials loop (by improving recyclability and Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials. increasing recycling, and for water), add Further, it is the intention to execute the biomaterials to the loop, enable processes to innovation activities in this CEAP in close be driven by renewable electricity and reduce cooperation with other networks – Chemelot other emissions – with an integrated approach. Circular Hub doesn’t need to develop all technologies itself. Chemelot Circular Hub will continuously track initiatives and will periodically update this paragraph of the CEAP.
s ion C at s C irc v on a u o ti p la n a it r in c a li l H r p A u la p g m u a P e 1 il n a c l n r d r a d i la r n l a C a i 2 P
NL NRW
C P i i r l FL 4 c la r u r a l ll y a 3 i t r P e i fu c o n s d r am a ul en rc t Ci
14 In 2018, the total CO2 emissions in Limburg where 11,7 Mton and non-CO2 emissions were 2,8 Mton (klimaatmonitor.databank.nl/Jive?report=co2_rapport_2016&inp_geo=provincie_12). 15 Emissions for 2019, based on www.chemelot.nl/file/jaarverslag_chemelot_2019.pdf: 4,1 Mton CO₂, 3,7 kton N2O, correspon- ding to 1,1 Mton CO2e, and 370 ton of methane, corresponding to 0,01 Mton CO2e and 310 ton of other volatile hydrocarbons, using Global Warming Potentials of 298 for N2O (in line with NEA and EU ETS) and 28 for methane (www.ghgprotocol.org/ sites/default/files/ghgp/Global-Warming-Potential-Values%20%28Feb%2016%202016%29_1.pdf) and ignoring the impact of the other volatile hydrocarbons. 16 Preliminary 2019 greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands: 184 Mton CO2e (www.pbl.nl/sites/default/files/downloads/ pbl-2020-klimaat-en-energieverkenning2020-3995.pdf). 17 Initial ideas, explored at laboratory scale, often at universities.
28 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 29 Figure 6: Visualization of the flagships on innovation and applications
Flagship 6: Integration
Flagship 4: Reduction of Flagship 1: non-Co2 emissions Circular Design Flagship 5: Electrification
High Value Plastic Naphtha Polymer Chemicals consumption
Mechanical recycling
Flagship 3: Separation/ Biogenic raw Chemical recycling: Depolymerisation sorting materials
Chemical recycling: Pyrolysis oil/gasification
Flagship 2: Waste as raw material source for carbon and hydrogen
Natural gas Hydrogen Ammonia Fertilizers
30 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 31 What Flagship 1 This center will amongst others focus on developing cost-effective21 fully recyclable The goal of this flagship is to make products solutions for: Circular Design fully recyclable, or produced from renewable • All packaging applications by 2030, as: resources, without affecting their overall functi- - A significant amount of plastics is used as onality, with an ambition to enable delivering: packaging • 50% in 2030 - Currently often many layers of different • 75% in 2040 materials used to provide the required • 90% in 2050 functionality hamper recyclability, • Composites (thermoset and thermoplast), How enabling recycling of for example windmills and polyester boats in large volumes, Dozens of products and thousands of articles improving recycling technologies need redesigning, and initially new solutions (mechanical: improve performance; chemical: Why will not have the scale of economies of incum- improve cost/yield, quality) and doubling the bent solutions. Therefore a Center for Circular current value of secondary raw materials; Current products have often not been designed Design will be set up where large corporates, • Building & Construction waste: By improving with (full) circularity in mind: the energy use for SME’s and start-ups can rapidly generate cir- current sorting, separation and cleaning and recycling, or when using the products, is high, cular designs by providing access to relevant by cracking strong water-based bonds in or materials are combined that cannot be se- knowledge and equipment at limited cost. bricks and cement, land filling will be reduced, parated (yet) in the recycling phase. Designing The cooperation between knowledge centres, the value of secondary materials can be products for recycling will reduce landfilling/in- educational centres and companies described doubled and recycling will be enabled; cineration, the need for virgin feedstock, energy in Flagship 7 (chapter 2.3) will contribute to the • Technical plastics from automotive and consumption and greenhouse gas emissions success of this center, enabling students and electrical & electronics containing a broad due to closing the carbon cycle. The importan- student teams (compare to Eindhoven Engine) spectrum of ingredients like glass fibres, ce of addressing this need is confirmed in the to work on industry projects. The intention is fillers, flame retardants, colorants and sta- European Commission’s CEAP, stating that up to start in 2022, with 10 companies focused at bilizers: The goal is to enable increasing the to 80% of products’ environmental impacts is design active in the center by 2025. In this cen- recycling rate from the ~zero nowadays to determined at the design phase18, and amongst ter, a wide variety of companies designs circu- 30% in 2030 for the largest plastic streams. others in SusChem’s Sustainable Plastics Strate- lar articles, is connected to suppliers and with • Fibers and textiles, to reduce their (fossil) gy19, while the importance of “materials” for the recycling parties and has access to a laboratory energy- and water-consumption by energy transition, sustainability and the circular with test-equipment, enabling rapid prototy- increasing recovery of textiles. economy is confirmed in the recently published ping and testing. The Center will be housed in National Agenda Materials20. an inspiring and open facility called ‘Makers- The activities can be executed in close pace Circular Products’. cooperation with the City Labs (Flagship 16). The activities in this flagship can be expanded with new applications.
18 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:9903b325-6388-11ea-b735-01aa75ed71a1.0017.02/DOC_1&format=PDF 19 www.suschem.org/files/library/Image-Library/Suschem_Sustainable_Plastics_Brochure-FINAL.pdf. 20 https://materialennl-platform.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Nationale-Agenda-Materialen-Advancing-Materials- Technologies-1.pdf. 21 Cost-effective under future policy regimes and/or incorporating new business models.
32 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 33 What Flagship 2 With unified Likely, there will be a dynamic portfolio of Waste as raw material many technologies, aiming at recycling of plastic waste and biomass-waste. Innovations strength source for Carbon and in the separation, sorting and recycling techno- logies (both physical recycling, like mechanical Hydrogen recycling or solvolysis, and chemical recycling, like depolymerisation, pyrolysis or gasification) will improve the efficiency and applicability of all technologies, which will impact the relative attractiveness of the pathways. For example, in case mechanical recycling could be applied economically to more waste streams, more energy consuming technologies like gasification or pyrolysis might become less attractive pathways. The aims are to enable that: Why • By 2025 key technologies have reached full demonstration stage on industrial scale In a fully circular economy, all waste will be within the Chemelot Circular Hub perimeter, recycled towards material sources to be con- additional waste streams have been identi- verted into applications of similar quality/value. fied and a model describing the preferred This avoids landfilling and incineration, with routing of waste through the various path- the associated greenhouse gas emissions, and ways based on energy, carbon and capital reduces the use of scarce primary materials. efficiency is operational; Furthermore, mechanical recycling, and to a • By 2030 all waste generated within the lesser extent chemical recycling, reduces the Chemelot Circular Hub perimeter can be energy consumption and associated green- treated in such a way that optimum carbon re- house gas emissions of the production of mate- covery is achieved and additional sources from rials. There is large potential for improvement, elsewhere will be sourced; this contributes to as for example currently in the Netherlands only replacing 1 Mta virgin fossil feedstock26. ~15% of disposed plastic waste is recycled22. • By 2040 the cost of all recycled waste-based While in principle the collection and sorting of feedstocks will be at par with fossil sources; waste can be designed in such a manner that • By 2050 all carbon-containing waste streams much more waste can be recycled, its costs can be recycled to secondary raw materials effectiveness can be improved. using the pathway with the highest com- bined carbon and energy efficiency for that The importance of these developments is, particular stream and this contributes to amongst others, stressed in the Dutch roadmap replacing 4 Mta virgin fossil feedstock27. for the chemical industry23, the Dutch Multiyear Mission Driven Program on Closing Industrial Figure 7 summarizes the major waste For the value chains24, and the SusChem Plastic strategy25. processing routes pursued. generations 22 www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/rapporten/2018/01/15/bijlage-3-transitieagenda-kunststoffen 23 www.vnci.nl/Content/Files/file/Downloads/VNCI_Routekaart-2050.pdf of tomorrow 24 www.klimaatakkoord.nl/documenten/publicaties/2019/11/07/mmip6-sluiting-van-industriele-ketens 25 www.suschem.org/files/library/Image-Library/Suschem_Sustainable_Plastics_Brochure-FINAL.pdf 26 www.klimaatakkoord.nl/documenten/publicaties/2020/10/22/koplopersprogramma-cluster-chemelot 27 www.klimaatakkoord.nl/documenten/publicaties/2020/10/22/koplopersprogramma-cluster-chemelot
34 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 35 Figure 7: The variety of waste processing options pursued
Chemical Recycling
Pyrolysis: Sabic Depolymerisation/ Plastic Energy Gasification Recycling Technologies Depol: Itero Ioniqa Solvolyse/ Waste-based ... Plasma: Purification Feedstock Brightsite ... Recycling Avenue Mechanical
... Recycling
Goal 2050 Nafta QCP 0% Crude oil CHILL nessesary Re-use
replacement Blue Plastics ... Out of scope
Crude oil Naphtha Monomers Plastic Chemicals Polymers Compounds Articles Natural gas Hydrogen Intermediates Waste
Synthesis Goal 2050 gas 0% Natural gas nessesary Waste-based Gasification Feedstock RWE
Green Hydrogen
36 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 37 How - Methanol - for MBTE production). • Solvolysis to convert plastics like High- Flagship 2 is heavily dependent on flagship 14; - Fischer Tropsch conversion into hydrocar- Impact PolyStyrene, AcrylonitrileButadiene cooperate with flagship 12. • Ensuring that the current availability of waste bons which can replace 1 Mta virgin naphtha Styrene and PolyVinylChloride towards their streams, their collecting, sorting and utilization by 2050. After exploring the economics, monomers which should be more efficient The activities can be executed in close and how the waste streams can be optimally a 1 kta plant can be built in 2025, a 20 kta than the route through gasification and/or cooperation with the City Labs (Flagship 16), allocated to the various recycling technology Fischer-Tropsch plant can use part of the pyrolysis but requires innovation to deal with and with the wider community, entrepreneurs from the perspectives of waste management syngas produced from waste (see earlier) by additives like fillers and pigments. The aim is and schools (pillar 2) – jointly collecting (no landfilling/incineration), energy-, carbon- 2030, and 100 kta Fischer Tropsch oil can be to demonstrate the technology for at signi- materials (like packaging, tires and window and capital efficiency is understood (ensure procured from oversees in 2040. ficant waste streams by 2025 and to have a frames) for recycling. alignment with the starting points of flagship • Replacing the cracker feedstock by waste-ba- commercial plant in 2030 at Chemelot. 14; cooperation with flagship 19). This includes sed feedstock (based on pyrolysis). The cur- • Recycling of polyamides and polyesters by understanding the trade-off between separa- rent two crackers – Olefins 3 and 4 – convert depolymerization, with a focus on the two ting and sorting the waste locally (where it be- naphtha to a wide range of chemicals, feeding largest products in this group: PA6 and PET, comes available avoiding transport of materials into the polymer plants, the caprolactam- and aiming at a demonstration plant producing with a low energy density over long distances) the acrylonitrile plant. The goals are: circular caprolactam at commercial cost and and in larger scale installations (potentially - Pyrolysis can be used to convert with the lowest (or no) carbon footprint by enabling more sophisticated processes due to hard-to-recycle waste into valuable 2030, while also further increasing PET economies of scale). cracker feedstocks: Drive innovation for recycling capacity. • Gasification of (in the form of pellets) waste pyrolysis, by demonstrating at least 5 • Furthermore, it will be explored whether/ producing hydrogen (FUREC: Fuse Reuse pyrolysis technologies on Chemelot and how other waste streams can be recycled as Recycle)28, which provides an alternative for the crackers using 50 ktpa of pyrolysis oil efficiently as possible into hydrocarbons, like: the current production at Chemelot based as feedstock by 2025. This enables: - Converting tyres into carbon black or new on natural gas (Steam Methane Reforming). - That by 2030 the crackers use 400 ktpa. rubbers. Currently, at Chemelot hydrogen is mainly - That by 2040 1 Mtpa pyrolysis oil (or other - Chemically recycling the epoxy and used to produce ammonia, which is subse- waste-derived cracker feed is used in the polyester thermoset composites in quently converted into fertilizers, melamine, Chemelot crackers). windmill blades, where the high amounts acrylonitrile and caprolactam, while in the - Using all waste streams in the wider regi- of incorporated other materials such as future hydrogen will also be used for the on for which pyrolysis is the best recycling glass fibres pose a challenge requiring treatment of pyrolysis oil. The technology pathway as cracker feedstock by 2050. innovation.
eliminates the CO2 emissions from waste - A more efficient process for the pyrolysis • Finally, any remaining CO2 emissions can be incineration in case that is the reference process will be explored. captured and re-used, in applications like technology but can increase the emissions - To attempt finding an even more direct gas fermentation (converting hydrogen and
for the production of hydrogen in case the route, directly converting waste to cracker CO2 with single cell proteins to useful waste is fossil-based. products (olefins and aromatics), using products like fishmeal) and Fischer-Tropsch
By 2050 all hydrogen Chemelot consumes an innovative process that finds middle conversion (combining the CO2 with H2 to should be produced without fossil green- ground between gasification (which breaks produce hydrocarbons like synthetic/bio house gas emissions (using these technolo- waste down to C1-molecules) and pyrolysis naphtha which can subsequently be cracked gies, applying steam methane reforming to (which produces relatively long molecules in the existing crackers; refer to flagship 3).
biogas, by separating off the 2H produced which are then cracked in crackers). This during steam cracking), when fossil waste would eliminate the need to continue to To enable and accelerate the testing and scaling would be processed, the technology would use the existing crackers and generate up (pilot and demonstration stages) of the va- need to be combined with Carbon Capture significant efficiency gains. The aim is to rious waste technologies, a field lab with facili- & Storage, or with the production of syngas, demonstrate the technology at Chemelot ties required to test waste processing (coope- which could be converted further into: by 2025, which enables understanding ration with flagship 7 and flagship 16) will be set whether this technology has the potential up, with an emphasis on the heavy-duty proces- to replace the pyrolysis route above. ses solvolysis and chemical recycling. Innovation of mechanical recycling will also be pursued, in cooperation with CHILL and the regional Small- and Medium-size Enterprises. Furthermore, waste pre-treatment options will be pursued. 28 www.group.rwe/nl-NL/pers/rwe-generation/2020-11-19-circulaire-waterstofproductie-op-chemelot
38 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 39 What How Flagship 3 • An innovative process converting biomass to levulinic acid (a C6 chemical which can Biogenic raw materials are today mostly used • A big challenge to be overcome is the dilute be converted into amongst others Biogenic raw materials to produce only a small share of chemicals, in nature of the availability of biomass; biomass dimethyladipate, which can be converted applications where the structure of the biogenic is spread over large land surfaces, seasonally to polyamide (caprolactam value chain) and raw material resembles the structure of the available, highly variable in composition and to polyurethane). The aim is to have a pilot final product, such as natural oils for soap and often contains much moist. A large research unit operational in 2024 and a demonstration surfactants, also in cases where bio-based program on Biomass Mobilization, preferably unit in 2028. molecules replace different fossil molecules in a cooperation within Northwest Europe, • Finally, commercializing the innovative delivering the same functionality. Larger volumes will explore the optimal manner to convert process to convert sugar to FDCA, which of bio-based chemicals can be produced by biogenic raw material of diverse origin and can replace PET, will be explored. This would mobilizing the biogenic feedstock cost-effecti- composition into a broadly usable raw ma- generate a new value chain at Chemelot. vely into a small number of large-volume inter- terial for large-scale use, with a high-level Why mediates. The goal is to develop and (possibly) insight available by end of 2022 and detailed Primary focus for the use of biomass is its deploy by 2030 several bio-based routes for insights available by 2025; conversion to materials; for these residual Even in a fully circular economy, some products the current value chains starting in the crackers; • Bionaphtha offers a low carbon route to- streams where conversion to materials is are not fully collected as recyclable waste (for these bio-based materials can feed into the wards the same platform chemicals the complicated, special conversions to energy can example rubbers used in tires or detergents) value chain at various places. This contributes to crackers at Chemelot currently produce. also be considered. and there will be conversion losses in the enabling replacing 1 Mta virgin fossil feedstock Different types of biomass can be converted recycling process. Even at similar overall by 2030 and 4 Mta by 205032. to bionaphtha. A center of expertise will be Flagship 3 is heavily dependent on flagship 14; demand for chemicals, and even more so in set up to explore the various routes available cooperate with flagship 12. case the demand for chemicals continues to Figure 8 summarizes the key biobased to produce bionaphtha, and disseminate the increase, there is thus a need to supplement processes pursued. knowledge gained. primary materials to the cycle, which biomass • Production of hydrogen on the basis of can provide. biomass: - The gasification process (FUREC: Fuse The importance of these developments is, Reuse Recycle) mentioned in Flagship 2 amongst others, stressed in the Dutch roadmap Availability of sustainable biomass can also process biomass pellets. for the chemical industry29, the Dutch Multiyear Biomass can be a renewable energy - A demonstration plant (producing 8 ktpa Mission Driven Program on Closing Industrial source or renewable feedstock due to its hydrogen based on biomass that has been value chains30, and the SusChem Plastic short carbon cycle of 1 to up to 50 years. innovatively pre-treated by torrefaction strategy31. It is important to ensure that this carbon to avoid formation of problematic by-pro- cycle is as short as possible, and that ducts like tar during the gasification) cultivation and harvesting/resourcing of should be operational in 2025 (BrigH2). biomass takes place in a sustainable way. Refer to Flagship 2 for a description of For use as feedstock for the chemical potential uses for hydrogen. industry, sustainability criteria are still to • Part of the products of a cracker are benzene, be developed33, accounting for (amongst toluene and xylenes (BTX), for which less others) the lifecycle greenhouse gas (attractive and commercially available) emissions, land use and land use change. low-carbon routes are available. While Chemelot Circular Hub will be on top of currently lignin is burnt to generate renewable this debate and will pursue increasing the energy, a manner to convert lignin to oil first, supply of sustainable biomass resources. and subsequently to BTX will be explored. • A new value chain that produces bio-buta- diene, one of the products from the cracker, from bio-ethanol. The goal is to complete a 29 www.vnci.nl/Content/Files/file/Downloads/VNCI_Routekaart-2050.pdf pilot plant in 2023 and a demonstration plant 30 www.klimaatakkoord.nl/documenten/publicaties/2019/11/07/mmip6-sluiting-van-industriele-ketens by 2028. 31 www.suschem.org/files/library/Image-Library/Suschem_Sustainable_Plastics_Brochure-FINAL.pdf 32 www.klimaatakkoord.nl/documenten/publicaties/2020/10/22/koplopersprogramma-cluster-chemelot 33 Which can build on efforts to develop criteria for sustainable biomass for use as energy source.
40 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 41 Figure 8: The variety of bio-based processing options pursued
Biobased Polymers AMI-BM Avantium Biobased Biobased ... feedstock monomers Avantium GBF Biotech Solvolysis Sappi InSciTe Goal 2050 ... 0% Crude oil
necessary Vertoro ... Naphtha replacement Crude oil Naphtha Monomers Plastic Chemicals Polymers Compounds Articles Natural gas Hydrogen Intermediates Waste
Synthesis gas
Goal 2050 Green Hydrogen 0% Natural gas necessary Torrgas BrigH2 InSciTe ...
Biobased Gasification feedstock
42 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 43 What What Flagship 4 Flagship 5
• Chemelot water system: Optimize the water Currently, the share of electricity in Chemelot’s Reduction of non-CO2 household and adjust to the needs of the Electrification energy consumption is only small. The goal is that future, circular, processes to reduce emissions direct renewable electricity can drive the majority emissions of chemical components into the Meuse, use of the processes by 2050. In between goals: of (cooling) water and water discharge by • By 2025 all required electrically driven - Increasingly treating wastewater close to processes are in pilot stage – or further. the source • By 2030 electrically powered processes are - Recovering secondary materials including demonstrated for all processes currently nitrogen and scarce metals and heat from carried out, or alternatives for those. water • 2040: new factories can exclusively be - Using alternative water sources (re-using driven by renewable electricity. water and rainwater), for the current plants and for newly established (circular) How Why plants. • Microplastics: Establish how to quantify With projects to heat on the basis of:
Apart from CO2 emissions, a strategic approach microplastic risks (as a consequence of Why • Electrification of heating has the potential can also be applied to other Chemelot emissions: increasing processing of recycled materials) to replace fossil fuels for many of the chemi- • Chemelot’s wastewater is – after biological as part of responsible operation and Electrification to drive chemical processes, cal processes. The aim is that electric heating treatment - discharged to the river Meuse, Chemelot’s long-term licence-to-operate. replacing fossil fuels becomes a key abatement alternatives have been demonstrated for all without reuse of water or components in lever with the projected quick switch towards major processes by 2030, of which at least 2 the wastewater. The water household at renewable electricity. While currently the cost within Chemelot Circular Hub (3 piloted by Chemelot needs to be adjusted because: How of electricity is still higher than the cost of 2025), in close cooperation with the acade- • Further downstream the river, the dischar- natural gas, like-for-like replacement of natural mic center to be set up in 2021, developing ged water is used for drinking water and • Chemelot water program: gas by electricity (as in boilers) can become into a leading academic center of excellence European and Dutch legislation increasingly - Chemelot can take communal wastewater economically attractive when the cost for by 2025 (linking with pillar 2 (Human Capi- restrict emissions to surface water effluent from the cities nearby instead of renewable electricity decreases sufficiently, or tal Agenda)). More specifically the following • Water scarcity will increase and may limit using water from the Meuse; policies stimulate the replacement. The technologies will be pursued: acceptance of intake (and evaporation) of - Organize water governance enabling importance of these developments is, amongst - Electrically induced plasma, one of the large amounts of water (for cooling). synergy potential to be further exploited; others, stressed in the Dutch roadmap for the heating technologies based on electricity, • The transition towards a climate neutral - New technological solutions piloted and chemical industry35, the Dutch Multiyear Mission offers the unique ability to achieve very and circular site will change processes implemented; Driven Program on Electrification and Radically high temperatures. Such high tempera- and related waste streams and thereby - Holistic approach towards water New Processes36, and Green deal, Processes- tures are required for some of the largest affect the water system. management, combining exploring site 4Planet Roadmap and the European’s SusChem chemical processes currently deployed, transformation scenario’s with water Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda37. such as the conversion of methane (a The importance of proper water management is, management license-to-operate by-product formed in the crackers which amongst others, underpinned in Water Europe’s limitations, with innovative technological can no longer be used as fuel for their Strategic Innovation and Research Agenda.34 solutions increasing the solution space furnaces once they are electrified) into • Microplastics are an increasing risk for the and heat optimization of the water acetylene (for further conversion into et- (water) ecosystem. Part of the microplastics household. hylene) and for the conversion of present in surface water stems from • Microplastics/Nitrogen: To be determined. difficult-to-treat waste streams. A pilot production and introduction of recycled • Nitrous oxide: Key sources are currently will be set up in 2023, followed by a plastics on the site may increase the issue. addressed by projects by Fibrant and demonstration plant in 2025. • About 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions AnQore. from the Chemelot site is emitted as nitrous
oxide (N2O) by-product (~1 Mtpa CO2-e) during production of caprolactam and acrylonitrile.” 35 www.vnci.nl/Content/Files/file/Downloads/VNCI_Routekaart-2050.pdf 36 www.klimaatakkoord.nl/documenten/publicaties/2019/11/07/mmip8-elektrificatie-en-radicaal-vernieuwde-processen 34 https://watereurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Water-Europe-SIRA.pdf 37 www.suschem.org/files/library/SIRA-2020/SusChem_SIRA_07_02_V02_interactif.pdf
44 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 45 RotoDynamicReactor How - A pilot for the Flagship 6 technology that uses electricity instead of fossil fuels to reach the high cracking • Explore potential of a fully independent temperatures needed in the olefins Integration (academic?) institute on the assessment of production process. Circular Economy Actions (Netherlands Insti- - Also aiming at the crackers, the industrial tute on Circular Economy Assessments): Cracker of the Future consortium, facilita- Why - Assessment of integral sustainability as- ted by Brightlands, aims to develop elec- sessment and apply this to key actions; tric cracking. The most interesting techno- With all the new processes to arrive at - Assessment of the impact of the transi- logies to pilot will be selected and in 2030 Chemelot, its energy household will change tion to a circular economy on business the subsequent demonstration program dramatically. Electricity consumption increases models, value chains and society. should be finished. and will be based on intermittent (renewable) • Explore developing a model to assess to • Furthermore, it will be demonstrated that supply. This leads to a – continuous – need to which extent the actions described lead to heat produced in steam boilers, currently optimize and stabilize the energy household. zero greenhouse gas emissions and fully fuelled by natural gas, can be electrified, circular/renewable feedstocks in 2050; with the ultimate goal that all steam can be - Explore including the impact of purchased generated on the basis of electricity. What chemical intermediates in the assessment; - Explore availability, sustainability and Flagship 5 is heavily dependent on flagship 13. • Develop and apply methodologies to get an applicability of resource streams (energy, overall view on resource/energy streams waste, biomass, water) in the region • Ensure energy efficiency (for example heat (resource stream analysis). pumps); - Make the broader impact (acceleration • Develop energy storage (electricity, heat); of regional economic development, job • Be up-to-speed with the possibilities digiti- growth, competitiveness) of Chemelot zation offers as an enabler of many circular Circular Hub measurable (to inform, and technologies and to stabilize the balance to communicate – refer to Flagship 21). between electricity-supply and -demand; • Explore developing a digital twin for key • Ensure the best intelligence from educatio- parts of Chemelot Circular Hub, starting nal institutes and Small- and Medium-Sized small with waste separation; Enterprises is available to jointly innovate; • Reach out actively and seek for connection • Evaluate the impact of proposed changes on between LE and SME’s to pursue and the integral footprint of a circular product; implement innovations, mobilizing them to • Develop know-how on the impact of the contribute/benefit; transition to a circular economy on business • Communicate the Chemelot Circular Hub models, value chains and society. innovations (greenhouse gas/circularity) impact to the wider community to establish pride; • Where necessary, establish more centers of excellence for circular innovations/ technologies • Ensure that new processes coming to Chemelot Circular Hub (and its satellite sites) are communicated and discussed early and proactively in an open dialogue with targeted groups (policy makers, schools) or the wider community (close cooperation with pillars 3 and 4, Flagship 21).
46 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 47 New skills, knowledge and competences are This cooperation can build on an 80-year 2.3 needed to be successful in (the transitions history of innovating and cooperating, on a towards) the circular economy, while many more wide experience in problem-challenge-based employees will be needed to deliver the plans learning at VISTA college, Zuyd Hogeschool, Pillar 2 described in this CEAP. Education and investing Maastricht University and on a strong in talent are thus key for the success of collaboration between the these education Chemelot Circular Hub, which is confirmed by institutes and the companies at Chemelot in Circular human capital agenda Limburg’s and European Union’s policymakers38. Chemelot Innovation & Learning Labs (CHILL). It delivers on the new way of cooperating Many Chemelot Circular Hub partners are described in chapter 1 and ensures the already cooperating to deliver innovative edu- future workforce embraces this new way of cation, in Limburg’s cities and on Brightlands cooperating. Chemelot Campus. The existing (and to be expanded) cooperation offers the opportunity to combine inspiring, state-of-the-art or even first-in-the-world educational programs with the innovation and development pursued in Chemelot Circular Hub’s knowledge institutes and companies – large and small. Educational programs can contribute to and benefit from the innovation and development programs.
s ion C at s C irc v on a u o ti p la n a it r in c a li l H r p A u la p g m u a P e 1 il n a c l n r d r a d i la r n l a C a i 2 P
NL NRW
C P i i r l FL 4 c la r u r a l ll y a 3 i t r P e i fu c o n s d r am a ul en rc t Ci 38 Limburg’s Mission Driven Economic Policy (https://www.limburg.nl/publish/pages/4723/missiegedreven_economisch_ beleidskader.pdf) sets three targets on education: Good quality, broad and future-proof education, a resilient and agile workforce through life-long learning and economic attractiveness in a strong ecosystem. The cooperation between the Brightlands campuses and Limburg’s educational institutes is strengthened and students and graduates are attracted and maintained for the region with a comprehensive approach. Limburg’s Circular Economy policy framework wants to anchor the circular knowledge in cooperation with Limburg’s educational- and knowledge-institutes (https://ris2.ibabs.eu/Agenda/ Details/Limburg/243933b4-e798-4f49-88d8-f1b0df6a6e90), The Province of Limburg’s draft vision on spatial planning and the environment, which stresses the importance of investing in talent, retaining and attracting talent and the match of the regional labour market with the knowledge- and education infrastructure (https://www.limburg.nl/onderwerpen/omgeving/ omgevingsvisie/terinzagelegging/), The Regional Innovation Strategy for Limburg, Noord-Brabant and Zeeland for 2021- 2027 (https://www.stimulus.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RIS3-Zuid-Nederland-2021-2027-21-april-2020.pdf) confirms the importance of efforts to develop skills and ensure the future employability as boundary condition for the transition; The European’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability acknowledges the need for “re-skilling and up-skilling the workforce invol- ved in the production and use of chemicals towards the green and digital transition” (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/pdf/ chemicals/2020/10/Strategy.pdf) and the European Commissions Circular Economy Action Plan (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ resource.html?uri=cellar:9903b325-6388-11ea-b735-01aa75ed71a1.0017.02/DOC_1&format=PDF) launches for a Pact for Skills.
48 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 49
Figure 9: Overview of Chemelot Circular Hub’s Human Capital Agenda
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
Talent
> > > >
PPP in > > connection Labour > with Business Market > (Chemelot & region)
> > Flagship 8 > > > > Labour market
> > > > > Cooperation throughout the region (Regional Talent Office) >Flagship > 7 > > > Joint branding of region (labour education market) with focus on CCH unique proposition > Connect with society pillar (nr 4)
Skilling – reskilling – upskilling - in the circular content & mindset < Challenged based education in all domains / levels < English curricula where relevant at all levels < Flagship 9 real estate Modular set up with new circular modules, also parttime < and 10 facilities
Connect with innovation pillar (nr 1) < > Joint (mbo-hbo-wo) State of the art facilities for research & education All relevant domains / PPP on board < > Implement campus approach to other domains in other parts of region > Fieldlab circular processes and Maker Space circular materials
50 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 51 Figure 10: Snapshot of (some of) the parties involved in Flagships 7-10.
Promotion & branding of education and business for youngsters / new entrants by scattered initiatives
Chemelot to Discover, Talent Day CHILL, LEO Loopbaan,
...
Talent
Fields of Expertise via Labour market approach Private-Public Partnerships with scattered but some to be connected to CCH PPP in good / unique initiatives connection Labour
Chemistry & materials with Business Market CHILL, AMIBM, BMC (Chemelot & region) Promote
Process Industry CoP, PML, Brightsite Train & Retrain (LLL)
Manufacturing industry (discrete) Guide to (new) job Manufacturing College
Chemelot Talent Office Data & AI Leo Loopbaan Digiwise, MKB Datalab, AI Hub Proces & Maintenance Limburg ... Subsequent & connected Built environment lines of study GOL, CIVIL
Supply Chain management BISCI Vocational Professional. Academic VISTA (mbo) Bachelor/Master Bachelor/Master Zuyd (hbo) UM (wo)
Physical presence and proximity for research and practical education
Brightlands Chemelot Campus ...
52 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 53 As Figure 9 shows, the basis of this pillar is the Flagship 7 Reskilling the existing workforce will enable symbiosis between education and research – them to stay and continue to perform while essential with the ever-accelerating technolo- delivering on this program can increase the gical developments: In Chemelot Circular Hub Strengthening the labour participation, relevant as South Limburg students are trained asking them to work on currently has the lowest labor participation of real projects from the private sector using a education chain the Netherlands39. challenge-based approach, using public-priva- te partnerships and in close cooperation with many of the activities in pillar 1. This enables us What to train the students for the employers’ future needs in a practical, real-life setting. Flagship Deliver a circular mindset and competence 7 delivers inclusion of the knowledge and skills base, symbiotically integrating research and needed in a circular economy in the educational education, throughout the full educational programs with a modular approach. Flagship 8 chain, thus providing challenge-based educa- attracts young talent and people with tion (education based on real-life problems/ experience to Chemelot Circular Hub and helps projects): them with (individual) guidance on the best use • Continue and strengthen the existing of the education modules to pursue a career in modular approach with subsequent the circular economy. In flagship 9 and 10, learning lines from MBO, to HBO, to the real estate and facilities needed for this Why universities with smooth interfaces between multi-stakeholder symbiosis are delivered. the various institutes. Being successful in the transitions requires the • Continue and strengthen the existing ap- Chemelot Circular Hub delivers these flagships workforce, at all levels and in all functions, to proach where education and research are in close cooperation with many partners, understand and contribute to the circular symbiotically combined. including many small- and medium-sized economy. This leads for the existing work force • Develop completely new ‘circular economy’ enterprises (Figure 10). and for new employees starting to work at modules and programs: Chemelot Circular Hub to the need to: - At Maastricht University: the world’s first The full details of the current and future • Gain many new skills, knowledge, and accredited Circular Engineering Bachelor situation are visualized in Annex 1. competences. program and a new master Sustainable • Change the attitude and increase their Manufacturing. This CEAP describes the current and future resilience and agility. - At Zuyd Hogeschool: a new curriculum state of play and will be kept up to date as the Circular Engineering & Science providing overarching source outlining Chemelot Circular As the number of employees working directly a more circular foundation for all existing Hub’s Human Capital Agenda (HCA). This HCA or indirectly for Chemelot Circular Hub is technical bachelors starts in 2021 for 600 puts people first; it is about all of us – it could expected to increase significantly during the students starting yearly. This program will well be about you! transitions, there is a clear need for tailored and be embedded in the practical- and rese- inspirational educational programs for various arch-spaces of CHILL at Brightlands Che- target groups ensuring attractiveness and melot Campus. Furthermore, an Associate efficiency meeting the needs of the employers Degrees for Operational Engineering, ICT optimally. These programs thus need to be and and Business Engineering will be engaged. are (being) set-up and delivered in close - At VISTA college: change the content of cooperation between educational institutes and many vocational curricula to include the the other partners in Chemelot Circular Hub. changing needs of the circular economy.
39 Further, 17,5% of the youth in South-Limburg is neither employed nor following an education – twice the Dutch average, draft provincial environmental vision, retrieved from: https://ris2.ibabs.eu/Reports/ViewListEntry/ Limburg/35a71bdc-d892-46be-8c90-eb8e511f3144
54 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 55 • Increase the number of modules and • Development of an academic follow up • Public/private cooperation between edu- More design-4-recycling activities might be programs/curricula offered in English steeply master at Maastricht University in sustainable cational institutes and other organizations/ added and there is scope to connect these to enable internationals to follow MBO and manufacturing with focus on circular business, to aalign the different educational modules to a Euregional educational approach. HBO education and to allow a smooth chemical engineering, reactor engineering programs of the different educational levels changeover to the academic programs. and process industry, complementary to the and set up collaboration with SMEs, thus Many of these developments are dependent • Continue to offer practical training at existing biobased materials academic master enabling challenge-based education. Cur- on their fit in the overall housing strategy of Brightlands Chemelot Campus for many program. rently this coordination is limited to chemical the educational institutes. additional modules, strengthening the • Access for internationals is improved by processes and materials, but this scope will students’ links with the Chemelot community. offering more modules in English: be expanded. • Connect businesses, knowledge institutes and - Several vocational curricula (laboratory • Streamline the broader cooperation between educational institutes at Chemelot Circular techniques, process technology (ope- industry and educational institutes (with Hub and set up maternity rooms where rator), engineering (maintenance), pro- Communities of Practice Limburg circular ideas are prepared for implementation: duct design and ICT) and HBO programs (entangling MBO education with scientific - A sustainable production technology (Applied Sciences, Engineering, HBO-ICT, research, students and teachers, and pilot field lab as part of Flagship 2; technical business administration and built life-long learning with initial education) - A makerspace sustainable construction environment) continue to be delivered in and company platform Procestechniek and materials as part of Flagship 1. Dutch, but also in English. Maintenance Limburg); • Set up a new vocational Industry 4.0 curricu- - New professional HBO masters are plan- • Integrate the cooperation down the value lum (covering amongst others de-assembly ned, only in English, for “Human interac- chain towards the manufacturing industry end-of-life products, sensors); tion & data visualization” and for ‘Circular (VDL Nedcar Manufacturing College); stimu- • A research group ‘Circular Supply Chain Cities and region’. late the uptake of ICT – enabler of circularity Management’ has been started by (amongst - The WO modules continue to be offered - by education and creation of awareness (Di- others) Maastricht University and Zuyd in English only. giwise), SME implementation support (MKB Hogeschool. • Practical training is offered at Brightlands Datalab) and supporting use of artificial intel- Chemelot Campus for: ligence (AI Hub); share insights on sustainabi- - The Professional Bachelor Applied Sciences, lity, material use, the energy transition and the How and the Academic Master Biobased need of the end-user in the built environment Materials (existing). between to inform the curricula for buildings/ • Maastricht University is the first in the world - The vocational modules Laboratory tech- infra (Gebouwde Omgeving Limburg) and offering an accredited Circular Engineering niques, process technology (operator), for installers (CIVIL); and inform the circular Bachelor. The accreditation enables a engineering (maintenance) and product logistics curricula in general (BISCI). modular approach – allowing to offer those design, the HBO modules engineering, • Continue to use the Communities for De- (new) components that match the needs HBO-ICT and technical business admi- velopment concept in which students test of the ever-developing circular economy. nistration and the academic bachelors concepts for corporate clients in multidis- The Bachelor focuses on circular chemical business engineering and the new Circular ciplinary and multilevel groups, guided by engineering, sustainable biotechnology and Engineering, and the Master Sustainable professionals and coaches; engineering physics for Sustainable Manu- Manufacturing (new)40. • Finally, by continuing to employ hybrid facturing, combining technical engineering • The exact distribution of modules over the teachers (working in companies and as skills with integral thinking (e.g. Life Cycle various levels is optimized. teachers as educational organizations) Analysis), the social dimension and a project • A maker space (connected to flagship 1) to the connection between the educational management/business training, using Maas- jointly develop new circular ideas for circular program and developments in the field is tricht’s challenge-based education approach materials and processes, in which annual- strengthened. and international classroom. ly 200 students test concepts for 15 SME’s using the Communities for Development Concept – operational in 2022 and a field lab (connected to flagship 2, an innovative sorting and mechanical recycling facility) (cooperate with flagship 16).
40 Meanwhile, as Annex 1 suggest, the Maastricht Bachelor Applied Science Program will no longer offer practical education at Brightlands Chemelot Campus due to a lack of space.
56 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 57 Flagship 8 • Support the current workforce to keep their In the future, the activities could be ex- Potentially, in cooperation with pillar 4 skills up-to-date and expand to new skills panded by focussing more on the youth in (Flagship 21): required in the circular economy (like cooperation with primary and secondary • Employees of companies already located on Employability and installing heat pumps, operating chemical schools, to give content to circular economy the campus could share experiences, guide recycling plants, and digitization (21st jobs and companies using storytelling. internships, deliver guest lectures and propo- involvement of people century skills)). • Coordinate the existing connection with the se new people interested in joining – also in primary and secondary education system case these don’t live in Limburg. Where training needs are identified, a tailor- that Technasia, Talent Centraal, STO, Jetnet • The attractiveness of the cities in South-Lim- made selection from the modules described and PML bring Chemelot-wide. burg as student cities for circularity with in Flagship 7 will be offered, optimizing the • A Talent Office will be set up, initially focus- international stature can be established and efficiency of offering these modules. sing on chemical processes and materials exploited (related to flagship 21). at Chemelot, but by 2025 covering the full region and all circular economy topics. This How office builds on the existing Leo Loopbaan platform and approach and offers personal Why Supported by an innovative broad collaboration advice/guidance/counselling towards new within the Euregional labour-market, a customer- circular economy jobs through three routes: The transitions offer opportunities for young relations-approach, and the regional City Labs - Matching people to existing vacancies people continuing after graduating from secon- (refer to paragraph 2.5) the following will be without a need for further education. dary education and for residents from Limburg, done: - Matching people to existing or potential the Netherlands and internationals switching • Building on many good initiatives as basis, future vacancies with a need for further careers from other sectors to the technical a program to help the youth to better education as a condition – for which a sector (reskilling & upskilling). With the delive- choose their education and reduce youth personal program based on the modules ry of flagship 7, Chemelot Circular Hub has an unemployment will be set up. described in Flagship 7 will be compiled. excellent basis to prepare these people for their • To attract lateral entrants, a Talent Office will - Helping people to identify what they like worthwhile jobs. People however need to know connect them with educational organizations to do, skills they have and skills that can about the opportunities and, as the previous and their future employers, organizing events be developed and the job opportunities pages, the amount of options can be overwhel- like Talent Day, Chemelot to Discover, Expat to match these, amongst others using the ming. Thus, people need to discover the oppor- center, Chemelot career center (cooperate tools described above, after which they tunities and support to establish the best path with flagship 21). On the longer term, the can be matched to vacancies. for them personally. Building on the existing office could also organize activities aimed • Helping the existing workforce with a 1:1 experience with a labour-market approach, de- at circular materials and applications in the approach to select the modules (described livery contributes to efficient use of the scarce built environment, maintenance and at under Flagship 7 above) they need to stay labour potential, educational programs and to a mechanics and in the wider region. well-trained for the (upcoming) circular vibrant labour market in and around Chemelot • Once interested people will be offered: economy. Circular Hub. - An experience based approach (for • To enable lifelong learning, Zuyd Hogeschool example teaser short films, cooperation offers many of its programs also parttime, with the city labs (see flagship 16), maker enabling combining learning and working. What space, virtual, Leo Experience & Orienta- These programs are offered in Sittard/ tion approach based on awareness on the Chemelot, partially because of the presence Activities will be undertaken using an integral, importance of life-long education and the of laboratories at Chemelot. data-driven approach to build a relation to: opportunities the circular economy offers • Attract people (also from the wider inter- (for the current workforce)) and national Euregion) connect them with the - A broader orientation-funnel on region, and fascinate them with circularity companies, jobs and skills, and stimulating and the circular economy and the involved pride on the region (see flagship 21) employers at Chemelot Circular Hub. (for the current workforce and for lateral • Help people to identify their talents/skills, entrants). what they like to do, and how they can get there;
58 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 59 Flagship 9 en 10 • In the cities (Heerlen?), on the longer term: Establishing an “Industry 4.0 – ICT” center for VMBO-MBO-HBO. Real estate for education • In Maastricht, on the longer term, a Circular Building Academy. and research and Setting Realizing this plan is conditional on an overall up labs and professional housing plan minimizing vacant buildings (see flagship 9). premises
Many of the activities mentioned above are dependent on a good solution for the real estate. For true symbiosis of education and research, joint housing and facilities are important. These spaces will be coupled to worlds where the practical research takes place, close to or within companies. Teachers can literally guide Cashing in on their students to the research/practical world for which they are educated. Buildings (and the associated equipment) are needed for: opportunities • At Chemelot: - A new space41 for Circular Engineering education at HBO and WO – forming the heart of the circular community, aimed at practical education, including a chemical synthesis laboratory42. We are - Continued and expanded use of the current educational space and workspace for students and teachers Applied Science the key and Engineering streamlining the current two-location (Heerlen, Chemelot) situation – this includes finding a solution- for the potentially no longer used building in Heerlen. - A circular scale up facility (Fieldlab, see also flagship 2) for mechanical recycling and a Makerspace for design to recycling (see also flagship 1)43. - A test location for Circular Materials and applications (expansion of Makerspace, flagship 1) as part of Maastrichts Circular Building Academy potentially, on the longer term).
41 Potentially (partially) in Sittard-Geleen. 42 With MBO continuing its research space for joint (teacher – student) research at all levels. 43 Early 2021 the rented 300 m2 building will become operational, the aim is to increase the space to 1200 m2 by 2030.
60 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 61 Chemelot Circular Hub will profoundly change These sources describe the most up-to-date 2.4 the production routes and processes at status of the plans outlined in this paragraph. Chemelot. This will have consequences for The summary of the Dutch vision on spatial the (international) energy infrastructure and planning and the environment51 stresses the Pillar 3 logistics (optimizing the use of the currently urgency of addressing climate change, the available space at Chemelot, establishing energy transition and the circular economy, and satellite sites and electricity network, pipelines, proposes a new, integral approach, to balance Circular fundament ship, rail and road) and will impact its interests. The Province of Limburg has surroundings (cooperation with flagship 21), as developed a draft vision on spatial planning figure 11 illustrates. and the environment52 stressing the importance of Chemelot Industrial Park’s transition towards Chemelot Circular Hub can build on earlier a circular and climate neutral site, the thinking, such as the: associated spatial and infrastructure needs • Chemelot Masterplan 203044 and that in 2030-2050, Limburg – including • The Chemelot Cluster Energy Strategy45, Chemelot – depends for the supply of the major building on its Frontrunner program46 part of energy carriers on robust (inter)national • Study Multimodal Corridor (ongoing) energy networks. It stresses the importance of • Study Development plan Stein Harbour (to cooperation with local authorities, Chemelot be started) stakeholders, local residents and other • Study Redevelopment areas Chemelot site stakeholders to develop a supported vision53, (to be started) and aims at a comprehensive approach for • Gebiedsverkenning Mobiliteit Westelijke risk- and crisis-communication around s Mijnstreek Chemelot. ion C at s C irc v on a u • MIRT studie Goederencorriodors/Knooppunt o ti p la n a it r in c a li l H r p A u 046/Multimodale Agenda Chemelot la p g m u a P e 1 il n a • Verkenning circulaire satellietsites (final) c l n r d r a d i n la r l a 47 C a i 2 P • Chemelot Vision 2025 and Chemelot Strategy 205048
NL NRW • Program Circular Water Chemelot (ongoing) • TIKI report49
C • Programma Robuust Basisnet Spoor P i i r l FL 4 c la r • Blueports Visie Limburg u r a l ll y a 3 i t 50 r P e i • Systeemstudie Limburg fu c o n s • Study Zero Emission d r am a ul en rc t Ci
44 www.chemelot.nl/visie/masterplan-chemelot 45 First version published in April 2021 46 www.klimaatakkoord.nl/documenten/publicaties/2020/10/22/koplopersprogramma-cluster-chemelot 47 www.chemelot.nl/visie 48 www.chemelot.nl/duurzaamheid/chemelot-strategie-2050 49 www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/rapporten/2020/05/13/adviesrapport-taskforce-infrastructuur-klimaatakkoord-industrie 50 www.ce.nl/publicaties/2532/systeemstudie-energie-infrastructuur-limburg 51 www.novistukken.nl/samenvatting/default.aspx 52 www.limburg.nl/onderwerpen/omgeving/omgevingsvisie/terinzagelegging/. 53 Refer also to Flagship 21.
62 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 63 Figure 11: Overview of the Circular Fundament flagships
Flagship 13: Energy supply Euregion/Limburg/ Sittard-Geleen
Flagship 11: New circular activities
Flagship 15: Urban– industrial symbiosis
Flagship 14: Satellite Chemelot Satellite Capacity logistic sites Site sites infrastructure
Flagship 12: Security of supply of circular and biogenic raw materials
64 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 65 Flagship 11 can also be in neighbouring provinces in Flagship 12 • Setting up a so called Chemelot Renewable the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany) to Resources Trading Company, to take a stra- pre-process waste/biomass streams before tegic position in the waste and biomass mar- New investments and transporting them to Chemelot. After 2030, Security of supply of ket and procure residual streams on behalf this concept will be expanded to Port of of the companies operating at Chemelot; this the establishment of new Rotterdam and/or Port of Antwerp, to enable circular and biogenic raw could deliver synergy benefits and help to sourcing circular and bio-based feedstocks get waste streams meeting the specifications circular activities from overseas. materials for mechanical/chemical recycling. While this • Activities downstream the value chain will, idea is currently only in the brainstorm pha- depending on available space and syner- se, the aim could be to sign the first contract gies, be hosted on Chemelot and existing or in 2024 and be scaled up by 2030. Currently new business parks/sites nearby (in line with each company operating at Chemelot procu- Chemelot’s desire to extend the value chains res its own waste raw materials, in the future by processing of (bio-based and innovatively Chemelot will work together on this impor- recycled) plastics). tant topic.
Why? How? Why?
The transition to a circular hub requires new • In 2030, 2-3 million ton of solids will be With increasing reliance on circular materials, circular activities. To attract these investments, pre-processed mostly in (Chemelot) upstream securing access to sufficient circular materials, Chemelot Circular Hub needs to offer robust satellite sites, operational in the next years in time, always, with the right quality and at the utilities and handling/recycling of waste-water (delivering regional recycling). After 2030 right price, is key for the continuity and compe- and sufficient physical space. and 2050 Port of Rotterdam and Port of titiveness of Chemelot Circular Hub. Antwerp will also act as ‘upstream sites’ for Chemelot. What? • Downstream activities will, in line with the What? Masterplan Chemelot 2030, be located at the Physical space is made available at the borders of the Chemelot site, and at satellite Take a more strategic approach towards Chemelot-site for new (circular) investments, sites within around 15 km of the Chemelot procurement of waste/biomass streams. with robust utilities and a closed water cycle. site. The feasibility of the various satellite To this purpose: sites will be established as a first step. • The limited space currently available at the • The existing capacity to produce and How? Chemelot site can be used and the “Drie distribute utilities (electricity, demineralized Kruiken”, “Kampstraat/Ovonde”, “De Maurits/ water, steam, sewer capacity) will be • As a first step, a raw material program TOP” and “Kerensheide” areas on the site are expanded. Chemelot 2050 will be prepared in redeveloped to use their (physical and en- 2021/2022, to assess the need (what? How vironmental hygienic) space more efficiently. Citizens’ engagement is crucial for the much? When?) for circular raw materials • New activities are optimally integrated, stakeholders’ acceptance of these plans (refer (like household waste, PMD waste, diapers, increasing their energy efficiency. to Flagship 21). sewage sludge, organic waste, pig manure • Two-three external circular upstream satellite and biomass) between now and 2050. sites54 are developed outside the Chemelot Potential to align with Flagship 6. site (or existing external sites are expanded;
54 The need for satellite sites is included in Limburgs draft vision on spatial planning and the environment, https://www.lim- burg.nl/onderwerpen/omgeving/omgevingsvisie/terinzagelegging/.
66 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 67 Flagship 13 Flagship 14 • Hydrogen pipelines: Hydrogen is currently mainly used for the production of ammonia and can in the future also be used in sever- Security of renewable Adequate capacity for al other (new) circular processes, such as hydrogenation of pyrolysis oil and potentially energy supply logistics infrastructure as sustainable energy source too. The most recent insights on the hydrogen needs are described in Chemelot/Limburg’s Cluster Energy Strategy.
• CO2 pipelines or shipping, to transport
captured CO2 towards storage fields (CCS) or potential users (CCU).
Limburg’s draft vision on spatial planning and the environment confirms the importance of Why? multimodal infrastructure – including the pipeli- ne Rotterdam-Chemelot-Ruhr-area, and inland The move towards circular processes will shipping57. highly increase the demand for electricity (see Flagship 5 in pillar 1). National and Why? regional plans confirm the importance of What? sufficient availability of affordable and Robust infrastructure with sufficient capacity is sustainable energy carriers like electricity55. crucial for an in-land location as Chemelot Cir- Develop a future-proof infrastructure, including cular Hub and offers the perspective of being a focus on added value for the areas surroun- a European switch point. Currently, most of the ding Chemelot: What? feedstocks and energy carriers (virgin naphtha, • To enable the supply of externally sourced natural gas) are supplied by pipeline. 10% of the hydrogen, Chemelot needs to be connected The capacity of the electricity network will be feedstock and 52% of the products are trans- to a hydrogen network. The network can increased (150 kV and 380 kV connections). ported by ship56. The energy transition leads to deliver green hydrogen (from electrolysis) or a demand for new transport modalities: blue hydrogen (on the basis of natural gas,
• Circular raw materials are often solids with the associated CO2 captured and sto- How? requiring transport modalities like shipping, red), produced elsewhere in the Netherlands rail and road transport (cooperate flagships 2 or imported to the Netherlands. Chemelot’s needs will be described a.o. in the and 19). Ensuring sufficient capacity for • To enable Carbon Capture & Storage at
Chemelot/Limburg Cluster Energy Strategy, the logistical infrastructure from/to Chemelot, CO2 pipelines or CO2 shipping which will be updated each 2 years (first Chemelot enables processing of residual/ facilities58 need to be available. publication in April 2021). circular materials produced in the region, • (Mainly) for solid feedstocks the harbour of neighbouring provinces and in the rest of Stein will be transformed to a sustainable Europe/the world in Chemelot Circular Hub. harbour with increased capacity and add a new dedicated multimodal corridor (e.g. for pipelines, electric or hydrogen trucks) be- tween this harbour and the Chemelot site. Furthermore, the rail- and road-connections to Chemelot will be improved.
56 Database Logistiek & Mobiliteit Chemelot, update 2021. 57 www.limburg.nl/onderwerpen/omgeving/omgevingsvisie/terinzagelegging/ 55 www.limburg.nl/onderwerpen/omgeving/omgevingsvisie/terinzagelegging 58 Including a pipeline from the harbour in Stein to Chemelot.
68 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 69 How? How? Citizens’ engagement is crucial for the Flagship 15 stakeholders’ acceptance of these plans • Pipelines: Three options are explored to trans- (refer to Flagship 21). For the transport of persons (operational by port hydrogen and/or hydrocarbons and/or Urban-industrial 2030): carbon dioxide: Re-purposing Gasunie’s gas • Improve car transport by providing electric pipelines to transport hydrogen, connection symbiosis and hydrogen charging points, electrical with Rotterdam and connection with Antwerp. cars, matching parking capacity to the capa- • Stein harbour: The scope of the harbour city of the road network. Persons will benefit development will be determined more exact- from infrastructural measures such as a gra- ly in (pre)feasibility studies first and the aim de separated junction between the Urmon- is to complete the harbour development derbaan and the Oude Postbaan and a direct towards a sustainable harbour (e.g., shore road from Brightlands Chemelot Campus to power) by 2025-2030. Measures are taken the A2 highway. Alternative routes for emer- to reduce noise and increase safety in the gency situations will be set up. harbour and along the corridor. The new de- • Bus routes with direct connection to the dicated multimodal corridor to the Chemelot Why? Chemelot Campus can be optimized, with a site is planned to be ready by 2025-2030, or separate bus-lane for express buses Sittard when possible earlier, turning this corridor A strong physical connection between rail station– Chemelot Campus – Maastricht into a truly multimodal corridor, and redu- Chemelot and its surroundings contributes rail station and Randwyck and Chemelot cing the amount of freight transport over pu- to its attractiveness for people, business, and Campus – City Center Geleen blic road, using more sustainable modalities. pilots/demonstration units. The number of • Express bike lane Maastricht – Chemelot • Rail: The exact solutions will be established residents (and visitors) traveling to the Campus in 2021-2023, followed by feasibility studies. Chemelot site will increase due to the Current thinking is (operational after 2030) expansion of the Campus (for research and The further “how” is to be shaped, with Small- to make new connections59, to electrify the education (refer to flagships 1-8), and the and Medium size- Enterprises, and benefitting railway between Sittard – Chemelot (redu- new (circular) activities will also cause further from innovation routes. cing the need to shunt trains on the Sittard movement of people. In a truly circular hub, station and enabling use of clean locomo- the transport of people needs to be sustainable, tives), provide a battery charging station using road capacity smartly. on Chemelot to charge electrical battery locomotives to enable electric rail transport at the Chemelot site and to use hybrid and What? electrical locomotives towards Chemelot. • Road: Where possible circular raw materials Most urban-industrial symbiosis activities are will be supplied by pipelines, ships or rail but described in other flagships, including: road transport will nevertheless increase (Mas- • Establishing the Chemelot and surrounding terplan Chemelot 2030, December 16th, 2019), area vision with clear added value for the li- for which new infrastructure is foreseen60. ving environment and Chemelot (Flagship 21) • “Het Groene Net” (Flagship 18) • Dealing with waste (Flagships 2 and 19) • The Chemelot water program (Flagship 4)
Here, a remaining activity is described: 59 Establish a south-bound connection from Chemelot and build a new electrified railway between Antwerp, Roermond (the • Action plan to reduce travelling (including west branche of the former “IJzeren Rijn”) connecting to the existing lines towards Venlo and Kaldenkirchen (electrified, more working from home) or towards more modernization of the safety system). sustainable travelling between the built en- 60 Based on several executed/ongoing studies, the current thinking is to improve the road connections by making a flyover vironment and Chemelot. between the Urmonderbaan and the Oude Postbaan, strengthening the crossing between the Urmonderbaan and the Burgemeester Lemmensstraat, connecting the campus with a direct way with the roundabout Nieuwe Postbaan, building a roundabout at Chemelot Gate 7 to improve the connection from Chemelot to the A2 highway, widening the A2 highway and providing truckparking.
70 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 71 The symbiosis between society and Chemelot The Dutch National Strategy on Spatial Planning 2.5 is based on reciprocity: Society and its (NOVI)62 confirms the importance of a good citizens strengthen Chemelot, and Chemelot interplay between the various governmental strengthens society (the cities/dwellings and organizations, societal institutions, businesses Pillar 4 their citizens) (Figure 12). City labs will be used and citizens. This ensures that the various to innovate, educate and communicate, the perspectives, initiatives and creativity are youth’s health will be lifted at primary schools, used in the process, enhancing the quality of Circular society citizens can benefit from Chemelot’s residual solutions and mobilizing collective action and heat and cooperating cities will stimulate intelligence. It will be crucial to connect the circular processing of their waste. Chemelot CEAP’s actions to the opportunities offered by Circular Hub aims to create close cooperation this strategy. opportunities with the Euregion. Finally, Chemelot Circular Hub aims to increase the Sittard-Geleen is currently developing its 2030 regions attractiveness as a place to live, and to Vision – this CEAP can provide useful input, strengthen regional pride on the circular steps and a future version of this CEAP can include it is taking. elements of this 2030 Vision.
Limburg’s Circular Policy Framework61 stresses the importance of cooperation between the many stakeholders, communicating best practices, sharing knowledge, bundle and streamlining communication on the circular s economy. Setting up platforms for the ion C at s C irc v on a u purpose of community building is explored, and o ti p la n a it r in c a li l H r p A u the Province will communicate proactively to la p g m u a P e 1 il n a its citizens about the energy transition and the c l n r d r a d i la r n l a C a i 2 P circular economy.
NL NRW
C P i i r l FL 4 c la r u r a l ll y a 3 i t r P e i fu c o n s d r am a ul en rc t Ci
61 https://ris2.ibabs.eu/Agenda/Details/Limburg/243933b4-e798-4f49-88d8-f1b0df6a6e90 62 www.denationaleomgevingsvisie.nl/publicaties/novi-stukken+publicaties/HandlerDownloadFiles.ashx?idnv=1760380
72 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 73 Figure 12: Simplified visualization of the symbiosis between society and Chemelot
Euregion/Limburg/ Sittard-Geleen
Flagship 21: Social support and Flagship 17: Regional pride Youth Health
Flagship 20: Flagship 18: Strengthening Acceleration of Industry Euregional links sustainable energy and connections consumption
Flagship 16: Innovation Test Campus: neighborhoods and Makerspace centers, such as City Labs and Fieldlab
Flagship 19: Intelligent handling of waste in society
74 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 75 How? Flagship 16 The Citylabs can potentially translate the perhaps abstract transitions to concrete and Connecting the Human Capital Agenda Citylab Geleen Circular covers five main meaningful activities for citizens (such as a with the City Labs: Test neighbourhoods themes (green and vital lifestyle, sustainable focus on awareness of their energy use and To illustrate how the cooperation between consuming, green energy, sustainable building/ exploring how they would deliver a say 30% the various initiatives can concretely look and centers such as renovating and sustainable mobility) and will: reduction of their own energy use). like, some (rough) ideas from a recent • Develop methodologies, tools, processes and brainstorm on the connection between the City Labs a minimal (governance) structure required to Citylab Historical Sittard focuses on the Human Capital agenda (paragraph 2.3) build, maintain and improve a scalable and development of the historical centre of the and this flagship (Citylabs): sustainable organization. Sittard area and includes 5 themes: authentic • Cooperate on collecting specific waste • Experiment on each of the lab’s themes, deli- and fair-trade shopping, inclusive and streams (PET bottles?) with youth in vering an approach which can be duplicated sustainable lifestyle, arts & culture, walking and residential areas and convert into in other cities in the Chemelot Circular Hub, biking, urban green. something attractive for these areas; for example experimenting with the societal • Use each other’s product streams side of the circular waste value chain Chemelot could support ‘Het Verspreide Paleis’ (for example 3D print art, pump tracks (Distribute & Retail, Repair, ReUse, Build and by jointly overthinking how the develop- for BMX-bikes (ongoing), hooks for Use and Collection). and management-aspects of integrating the climbing walls (ongoing) in City Labs); Why? • Actively engage with stakeholders (citizens, industrial world with the built environment can • Jointly launch Circular City Game63. industry, institutions and government) by serve the mutual interests. Circular innovations • “1001 Ideas for Limburg” festival for Involvement of citizens in the development of continuous education, communication, and can be tested and applied. youth/citizens, facilitated by CHILL, Chemelot Circular Hub is crucial (see Flagship using new participation/engagement aiming at practical circular solutions 21). Active participation can make this transition methods and tools to be developed, leading Experimental garden Smart City will be set up and develop and implement the best and all changes/(technical) innovations that to a growing number of active and engaged as a pilot project, implementing digital tech- ideas in Acceleration Tables come with it accessible for society and create Citybuilders (Stadmakers). nology, testing new technologies/materials, • Citylab can showcase Chemelot awareness around the circular economy and • Develop an open Geleen Circular data lab using sustainable materials and implementing developments to make these easily can accelerate the process from (circular) idea with a growing number of valuable real time a climate adaptation approach. The project will accessible for children/youth. to successful enterprise. Vibrant cities and circular insights. establish a network to ensure its learnings can • Jointly work towards vertical greening attractive nature contribute to the attractive- • Develop and execute an incubator for early be replicated and results will be shared in the of the city. ness of regions and facilitate finding sufficient stage entrepreneurs in the 5 focus themes, Climate Table Limburg. employees. including the society part of the circular plastic value chain. • Develop and execute an active interaction & What? engagement program with the other citylabs and the parties on Chemelot to maximise sy- Contribute to the transitions, while enhancing the nergy between the society and development quality of life in residential areas, by delivering: aspects of the Chemelot Circular Hub. • Two city labs in Sittard-Geleen, as pilot for • Organize activities for the young generation the Euregion, are foreseen to create an at all education levels. This can potentially inspiring environment in both Geleen include hackatons and/or circular design- (Citylab Geleen Circular) and Sittard (City- and-build challenges. lab Historical Sittard), (see also Flagship 21). • Cooperation with flagships 1 (Makerspace • Design competition to re-vitalize Geleen’s circular products), 2 (fieldlab circular City Center (‘Het Verspreide Paleis’). processes), 7 and 21 • Experimental garden Smart City will • The Citylabs can be embedded in a national improve the public space in Zeeheldenbuurt. city-deal of the national Dutch Government • Recovery of the brook “Geleenbeek” and the and some 8 cities on the subject of social/ adjacent area between Heerlen and Sittard impact enterprises. This will have the func- (Corio Glana) and establishing an ecological tion of a (growing) national community in connection Graetheide between (Grens) which knowledge will be spread about City- maas, Geleenbeek (via Middengebied), and labs as an accelerator for innovations for the Rode Beek (via Limbrichterbos). circular society of the future. 63 https://deweekvandecirculaireeconomie.nl/geslaagde-eerste-editie-nationale-hackathon-circulaire-economie/
76 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 77 Flagship 17 and approach and already implement a few Flagship 18 currently deliver heat (and sometimes cold) to parts of the program, but not to the full extent. 1300 dwellings and 25 business connections71. • Career guidance on secondary schools. South-Limburg’s Regional Energy Strategy72 Youth Health Acceleration of projects a total heat demand of >11 PJ in dwellings and > 4 PJ in utilities in South- How? sustainable energy Limburg in 2030, of which 2,7 PJ and 1 PJ in the Westelijke Mijnstreek. The Regional Energy • ‘De Gezonde Basisschool van de Toekomst’ consumption Strategy further notes that 24% of the houses do not just offer ’learning’, but also ‘learning in Zuid-Limburg can currently be heated with to live’. Children receive healthy meals, residual heat > 70°C from Chemelot; this parents are informed about a healthy life number is expected to increase due to style and there is more structural attention improved insulation73. for exercise at school (children at least 1 Why? hour per day active), including after-school activities. Inclusion of kitchen gardens is How Currently, Limburg, especially the urban areas, investigated. Teachers are actively involved, scores lower on health than the rest of the and each school has a project leader. To prepare unlocking (part of) 450 TJ heat Netherlands64. Program ‘Trendbreuk’ (Trend- • The cooperating stakeholders (Trendbreuk/ Why (from Chemelot) for Het Groene Net Zuid74, break) aims to overcome at least 25% of the GGD, Primary Schools, PIW-MIK (Ecsplore) Sabic’s Olefins 4 plant in Geleen, which has re- persistent health gap, which already started and Maastricht University) can cooperate The current Chemelot production processes sidual heat of 95°C available, has placed a tie-in at an increasingly younger age, between with Chemelot (on Circular Competences contain more than 3 PJ68 residual heat (>70°C), to unlock the heat recovery for Het Groene Net, South-Limburg and the rest of the Netherlands (flagship 7) to explore how to enhance the which could in principle be used as heat in without a further need for a maintenance stop as a whole, by 203065. Such health gaps have the program with the addition of circularity cities69. While this residual heat currently has a (which typically happens every 6 years only)75. tendency to be passed through to next genera- concepts, while maintaining the overall fossil origin, with the transition to a fully circular This heat can be delivered to Geleen’s districts tions and impact labor participation, education, programs integrity. and climate neutral site this would change, Geleen-Zuid and Krawinkel. social skills and physical and mental health66. • Further, the Program Trendbreuk is exploring with – when set-up well – the citizen benefitting This is even more problematic in view of the ex- providing guidance to the South-Limburg from this residual heat (mutual benefits). By coupling the heat network from the Biomass pected vacancies in Chemelot Circular Hub until youth at secondary schools, helping them Energy Centrale with the heat network from 2030 (see pillar 2). ‘De Gezonde basisschool van answering questions addressing who they Chemelot (for back-up or peak demand), de Toekomst’ started in 2014 as part of Program are, what they can, what they want, and What starting to harvest the residual heat from Trendbreuk. The Limburg-pilot-project produced what motivates them – in cooperation with Sabic’s Olefins 4 plant, and by adding more positive results in the context of research by businesses, societal- and educational-organi- The residual heat from Chemelot can be used in heat sources at Chemelot, and meanwhile Maastricht University. Children appeared to be zations. This provides the youth with future synergy with sustainable heat sources, like the delivering heat to buildings in an increasing healthier, with a lower BMI, and there was less perspective. The transfer from secondary current Biomass Energy Centrale (BES) which part of Limburg, the impact of Het Groene Net bullying at school67. Since Covid-19, important schools to MBO schools is smooth, the MBO produces renewable electricity and heat on can gradually increase. The business case of additional positive effect is a higher resistance. knows every student from his/her portfolio the basis of garden waste70. This can build on the expansion of Het Groene Net is challenging built up in this perspective – including the current heat networks in Sittard, which though and comes with risks, thus materialization internships and lifelike projects. In view of of the plans above is far from certain76. What? the need to fill many vacancies requiring (partially) circular economy competences • Currently one primary school in Sittard-Geleen before 2030, it is straightforward to is working with the program ‘De Gezonde cooperate with the similar initiative Basisschool van de Toekomst’. The other 26 described in Flagship 7. 68 www.regionale-energiestrategie.nl/reszl/Default.aspx primary schools subscribe to the philosophy 69 Considering neither the distance to cities nor the economic attractiveness. 70 http://besbv.nl/ 71 https://ennatuurlijk.nl/warmtenetten/sittard 72 www.regionale-energiestrategie.nl/reszl/Default.aspx 64 www.limburg.nl/publish/pages/4723/missiegedreven_economisch_beleidskader.pdf 73 www.regionale-energiestrategie.nl/reszl/Default.aspx 65 www.ggdzl.nl/fileadmin/files/ggdzl/Documenten/Factsheets/Regionale_gezondheidsnota-2020-2023.pdf 74 www.chemelot.nl/nieuws/sabic-zet-belangrijke-eerste-stap-in-realisatie-restwarmtelevering-aan-het-groene-net 66 www.ggdzl.nl/fileadmin/files/ggdzl/Documenten/Factsheets/Regionale_gezondheidsnota-2020-2023.pdf 75 www.chemelot.nl/nieuws/sabic-zet-belangrijke-eerste-stap-in-realisatie-restwarmtelevering-aan-het-groene-net 67 www.nieuweoogst.nl/nieuws/2020/11/12/limburgse-kinderen-gezonder-door-lunch-en-beweegproject 76 www.1limburg.nl/uitbreiding-groene-net-op-losse-schroeven
78 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 79 How As next steps, the optimal concept will be Flagship 19 further explored, addressing: • Berenschot’s recommendations77. • ‘Waste Cooperation Limburg’ (ASL) is • The targeted heat consumers (which areas; Intelligent handling of preparing a program including: businesses, private individuals or housing • Circular tendering of main waste cooperates). waste in society stream(s) (residual waste, organic waste, • Their (future) heat demand and whether PMD; in total ~300 kton79). This innovative their design enables delivery of all the tendering method (Rapid Impact required heat – also in the winter). Contracting80) includes flexible processes, • The likeliness of sufficient availability of enabling applying new solutions when residual heat from Chemelot in the future they become available81, and municipalities (after its transition to full circularity). cooperating at scale to sort their waste • Alternatives to deliver heat, for which and convert it into useful materials for South-Limburg’s regional energy strategy78 new applications within the province of mentions heat storage, aquathermal heat, Limburg82. solar collectors and heat from biomass. • Raw material management, (regional) closing of raw material value chains for Potentially the risk (initial investment) can household waste by chain management, be reduced by using an innovative salt-based advocacy and business development heat-battery – rather than pipelines – to Why • Bundling the municipal resources in a transport heat to the buildings connected. circular platform cooperating with other This approach needs to be further explored, The Westelijke Mijnstreek aims to reduce the actors on specific developments in the scaled-up and validated. amount of non-recycled municipal waste to 100 multi-helix program. kg waste per person in 2025, 30 kg in 2030 and • Building on the experiences with the Circular zero in 2050. By increasing (regional) recycling Craft Center pilot in Maastricht, additional rates, generation of waste can be eliminated, meeting places could be created, also aiming and materials can be preserved the region at youth. contributing to full circularity – in Limburg and • The circular narrative can be shared stronger in the broader Euregion. with society, and plans are being developed to stimulate local entrepreneurs, schools and residents to separate waste, enabling circular What: processing.
• Waste Cooperation Limburg (ASL) stimulates circularity; • Meeting places, like the Repair Café’s in Munstergeleen and Sanderbout, create social awareness of the importance of circularity while strengthening social cohesion.
79 https://online.ibabs.eu/ibabsapi/publicdownload.aspx?site=Limburg&id=a1d6cc2f-f874-45db-8a2c-32b49c0c1c56 77 Berenschot evaluated the first period of Het Groene Net in: Berenschot, Eindrapportage Verdiepingsonderzoek naar 80 https://online.ibabs.eu/ibabsapi/publicdownload.aspx?site=Limburg&id=a1d6cc2f-f874-45db-8a2c-32b49c0c1c56 financiën en beheersing, January 11th, 2021. 81 https://afvalsamenwerkinglimburg.nl/limburg-ambieert-rol-als-circulaire-grondstoffenregisseur/ 78 www.regionale-energiestrategie.nl/documenten/handlerdownloadfiles.ashx?idnv=1714358 82 https://online.ibabs.eu/ibabsapi/publicdownload.aspx?site=Limburg&id=a1d6cc2f-f874-45db-8a2c-32b49c0c1c56
80 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 81 How Flagship 20 Flagship 21 Limburgs Circular Economy policy framework wants to actively communicate the circular • Three business parks in Limburg (Business- narrative to citizens, townships, companies Strengthening park Stein-Elsloo, Krawinkel or Bergerweg in Social support and and other organizations, engaging them to act Sittard-Geleen and De Koumen in Heerlen) proactively playing an exemplary role83. Euregional links and have the pilot status in Charter Energy regional pride Transition SMEs; expansion of the scope of connections the Charter to the Euregion is explored. What • Potentially: Experimental self-driving taxis between knowledge institutes/city This Flagship is a central cornerstone of labs/centers of excellences. Chemelot Circular Hub. It aims to: • Make the transitions an activity that all stake- holders jointly undertake, with a crucial role for citizens and youth, engaging in an open, trans- parent, and sometimes vulnerable dialogue, Why jointly shaping and jointly owning our future. • Improve the image residents (especially the Why Communication and cross-fertilization between young generation) have of Chemelot, widen the inhabitants of Limburg and Chemelot the communication focus from just external As the Dutch part of South-Limburg is relatively Circular Hub is key for many reasons: safety/disturbances to also include the small, connection with the Euregion widens the • Inhabitants, institutions and entrepreneurs: intention to move from linear to circular. scope and possibilities of Chemelot Circular Hub. - Are more involved in the circular • Increase confidence in the necessity of the The Charter Energy Transition Small- and processes (awareness of what circularity transition (“the right thing to do”), not only Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) can help SMEs means, sorting household waste, testing from environmental perspective, but also to meet the Chemelot Circular Hub’s – future – recycled products etc.). from the perspective of regenerating the expectations from their partners. - Will provide new perspectives, key in a community and its (working) population. transition that still needs to be jointly invented and developed, and thus What increases the quality of the transition. How - Will improve the local democracy and • Charter Energy Transition SMEs stimulates inform local policy making. • Set-up a Youth Circularity Council. This awareness, knowledge sharing and offers - Can be early adaptors in many of the forum could discuss this CEAP and contact with experts to support SME’s in the other Chemelot Circular Hub flagships. strengthen its next updates, and immediate energy transition; expanding this Charter to • The transition towards a circular society will next steps, and support the communication the full Euregion is explored. impact the inhabitants and teaming up and efforts and messaging to other citizens. Its • Improve Euregional public transport communication builds the understanding of members could act as the citizens voice and infrastructure. what happens at Chemelot industrial park as Circularity ambassadors to other citizens. and Brightlands Chemelot Campus, and thus They could strengthen the activities and add contributes to regional pride, and conse- further connections/initiatives. quently Chemelot’s ‘license to operate’. • The Youth Circularity Council could additio- • Many inhabitants work, directly or indirectly, nally cooperate with Flagship 17 and with the at or for Chemelot. Human Capital Agenda Flagships 7-10, and • It accelerates the transition and reduces the help to preserve young talents for the region. likeliness of criticism and resistance, often They could regularly link with young people leading to long decision processes. in the climate movement, with BCC’s Young Professionals network and with the educational institutes.
83 https://ris2.ibabs.eu/Agenda/Details/Limburg/243933b4-e798-4f49-88d8-f1b0df6a6e90
82 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 83 • Communicate incessantly about circularity • Potentially Chemelot’s safety staff and Chemelot Circular Hub, its ‘case for could deliver broad safety/sustainability/ change’, its vision, the CEAP (in a more circularity-at-home trainings to the citizens accessible version), immediate next steps, living nearby – delivering Chemelot’s safety A global top using different communication modalities: thinking to citizens nearby; these trainings - Inform citizens about circularity, the could also provide an apt platform to discuss impact of Chemelot Circular Hub (flagship safety at Chemelot. A network of safety position 6), advantages and disadvantages ambassador residents could be set-up. (from a personal view), building on the • Learning from, or singing up for, the European City Labs (flagship 16). Climate Pact84, could be considered too. - Help citizens and young people to make their circularity ambitions concrete This citizen participation/engagement will need (“Chemelot Circular Hub helps me to to discover what works and what doesn’t and become more circular”). requires an innovative mindset, exploring new - An accessible version of the investment ways to cooperate – and every now and then agenda – in understandable language accepting that innovation can come with failure. - A version of the investment agenda aimed at the youth (primary school, secondary school). - Communicate and create pride on the innovations pursued and delivered in Flagships 1-5, the achievements of the Human Capital agenda and the further development of all other Flagships. - Create pride on the Chemelot Circular Hub transitions and use these as a lever to attract new people to the region and provide people with stories to tell about their Chemelot Circular Hub! • Circular events (in-person and virtual). • Residents participation: Creating a setting in which people can act themselves in a circular manner or participate and interact in the transition. • Potentially explore whether to set up an infrastructure enabling citizens to crowd-fund (innovative) start-ups at Chemelot Circular Hub.
84 https://europa.eu/climate-pact/about_en: “The Climate Pact is an opportunity for people, communities and organisations to participate in climate action across Europe: Learn about climate change, develop and implement solutions, connect with others and maximise the impact of these solutions. As part of the European Green Deal, the Pact aims to become a lively space to share information, debate and act on the climate crisis, and offer support for a European climate movement to grow and consolidate.”
84 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 85 3 Action List Chemelot Circular Hub
86 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 87 The table on the next page presents the key • Public funding from national and EU (e.g. actions described above. These are the building Erasmusplus, Marie Curie skłodowska, blocks for Chemelot Circular Hub’s actions. In European Social Find etc) to educate, train the time to come, the Chemelot Circular Hub and foster the professionals and citizens for partners will build a future, sustainable society the future circular economy. for all, each partner using its own contribution • Public and private finance (e.g. Invest Europe, and building blocks. This action list is dynamic European Innovation Council, European and will be updated regularly. Institute for Technology, COSME etc) to unlock and support private investments The projects mentioned here demand a towards large scale infrastructure commitment from the business community as investments in the Regional Circular well as authorities and other stakeholders in the Economy (e.g. roads, multimodal transport region, on behalf of the national government solutions, pipelines etc) as well as to foster a and the European Union; this includes: vibrant cleantech entrepreneurial eco-system • Investments from the Regional Government (e.g. through seed funds and vouchers to (Limburg as well as neighbouring regions in support start-ups and scale-ups to further Germany and Belgium) to foster the enabling develop, test and launch circular economy infrastructures for the circular economy (e.g. solutions that contribute to closing the loops for logistics of biogenic and waste feedstock). in the circular economy. • Public funding from European Structural and • The Dutch national support schemes Investment Funds (e.g. INTERREG), to support Accelerated Climate Investments Industry cross-border collaboration programmes (VEKI), Support Sustainable Energy (SDE++) fostering a Euregional circular economy (e.g. and the Growth Fund (Groeifonds). for realising regional logistics and standards for biomass mobilisation, waste collection, A CEAP Funding strategy aims to leverage on and joining forces towards a critical mass of all funding sources, targeting an optimal biogenic and waste feedstock or for foste- synergy between private – regional – national ring citizens engagement cross-border). and European public funding and finance, • Public funding from national and EU towards realising the goals. The strategy will be (Demonstration Energy & Climate Innovation designed and continuously updated according (DEI+), Just Transition Fund, Horizon Europe, to the dynamic and continuously evolving European Recovery and Resilience Fund, funding landscape. Innovation Fund, LIFE etc) research programmes to carry out research, Achieving the Chemelot Circular Hub ambitions development, demonstration and first-of-a- will require a minimum investment of € 4 billi- kind commercial pilots, to develop the on over the next ten years (2020-2030). This enabling technologies, non-technological so- involves additional public-private investments, lutions and business models for the Circular in other words, on top of those that companies Hub and to overcome the key bottlenecks – or governments already intend to make in the such as longer term ROI related to innovative greening of production processes, creating
CO2 reduction investments – to realise the infrastructure or introducing new applications circular economy and the ambitions of this and/or competencies.85 CEAP.
85 Based on Investment Agenda 2020- 2030, www.chemelotcircularhub.com/en#download; Chemelot Circular Hub is working on a more detailed view on these costs, including yearly costs (CAPEX and OPEX).
88 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 89 Flagship Project Flagship Project
1 Circular Design 1.1 Fieldlab/Makerspace Circular Design 8 Employability and involvement 8.1 Attract talent 1.2 Circular Packaging of people 8.2 Expand activities 1.3 Recycling of composites 8.3 Talent Office 1.4 Circular building and construction materials 8.4 Experience Approach 1.5 Recycling of technical plastics 8.5 Youth 1.6 Textiles 8.6 Youth – connect with existing initiatives 2 Waste as raw material source 2.1 Understanding waste streams and (pre)processing 8.7 1:1 Recruitment for carbon and hydrogen 2.2 Waste to cracker feedstock: pyrolysis 8.8 Regional Circular Talent Office 2.3 Waste to hydrogen 8.9 Reskill current workforce 2.4 Waste to cracker feedstock: Solvolysis/pyrolysis 9 Real estate for education 9.1 Circular Engineering 2.5 Waste to cracker products and research 9.2 Educational Space Applied Science and Engineering 2.6 Waste to carbon: Pyrolysis of tires 9.3 Fieldlab 2.7 Waste to monomers: PET/PA 9.4 Makerspace 2.8 Waste to plastics: Solvolysis 9.5 Industry 4.0/ICT space
2.9 Apply CO/CO2: Gas Fermentation 9.6 Renovation Labs Zuyd Heerlen
2.10 Apply CO/CO2: Fischer Tropsch 9.7 International Circular Building Academy 2.11 Fieldlab Waste as Feedstock 10 Setting up labs and professional 10.1 Furnishing and equipment circular engineering 2.12 Chemical recycling development centre premises 10.2 Furnishing and equipment or scaling up in process industry 2.13 Supporting technology 10.3 Furnishing and equipment for processing of materials 3 Biogenic raw materials 3.1 Biomass mobilization to bulk chemicals 10.4 Mechanical plastic recycle line 3.2 Biomass mobilization to syngas 10.5 Chemical synthesis lab 3.3 Biomass to hydrogen 11 New investments and the 11.1 Satellite sites 3.4 Biomass to bionaphtha establishment of new circular 11.2 Redevelop areas + Downstream satellite sites activities 3.5 Biomass to ethanol and butadiene 11.3 Expand utilities 3.6 Biomass lignin to BTX 11.4 Circular water --> refer to flagship Ω 3.7 Biomass sugar to FDCA 12 Security of supply of circular and 12.1 Raw material program Chemelot 2050 3.8 Biomass to C6: levulinic acid biogenic raw materials Renewable trading company 13 Security of renewable energy supply 13.1 380 kV 4 Reduction of non-CO2 emissions 4.1 Circular water 4.2 Microplastics 14 Adequate capacity for logistics 14.1 Pipelines infrastructure 4.3 Nitrogen 14.2 Hydrogen network 4.4 N2O emission reduction 14.3 Harbour Stein and multimodal corridor 5 Electrification 5.1 Plasma technology 14.4 Rail transport 5.2 Academic plasma Centre 14.5 Road transport 5.3 Rotodynamic technology 15 Urban-industrial symbiosis 15.1 Mobility 5.4 Cracker of the Future 16 Test neighbourhoods and centers 16.1 City labs such as City Labs 5.5 Electrification of high temperature processes 16.2 Pilot Garden Smart City – Zeehelden buurt 5.6 Demonstration 20 MW electrical steam boiler 16.3 Ecological connection Graetheide 6 Integration 6.1 Institute for Assessment of Circular Economy Actions 16.4 Het Verspreide Paleis 6.2 Model towards zero GHG emissions and fully circular/renewable 2050 16.5 Corio Glana Highlight 6.3 Digital twin 16.6 Geleen Zuid 6.4 Outreach to LE and SME’s on innovations 17 Youth Health 17.1 Healthy primary school of the future 7 Strengthening the 7.1 Master Curricula Circular Engineering 17.2 Career orientation and guidance education chain 7.2 Master Circular Urban Redesign 18 Acceleration of sustainable energy 18.1 Het Groene Net consumption 7.3 Bachelor Circular Engineering & Science 19 Intelligent handling of waste 19.1 Waste Cooperation Limburg 7.4 AD Engineering in society 19.2 Meeting places 7.5 Communities of Practice for process industry 20 Strengthening Euregional links 20.1 Charter Energy Transition Limburg 7.6 Centre of Expertise Circular Engineering and connections 20.2 Self-driving taxis 7.7 Curriculum – De-assembly end-of-life products, sensors in manufacturing processes, education innovation industry 4.0 21 Social support and regional pride 21.1 Citizen participation and Circular events 7.8 Circular Supply Chain Management 7.9 English language Applied Computer Science/AI, Business Engineering and Applied Science 7.10 Makerspace Circular Materials 7.11 Sustainable Process Technology 7.12 Circular building materials 7.13 Broaden cooperation activities 7.14 Hybrid teachers
90 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 91 Appendix
92 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 93 Annex 1 The visuals below visualize the current situation, and the aimed for future state for Pillar 2 in much detail. “As is” and “To be” for Pillar 2
Familiarisation with business and promotion of studies various parties: a.o. Leo Loopbaan, Chemelot Talent Oce, CHILL, Chemelot Organisations
As is Young New Entrants Entrants LEGEND secondary Talents inside & outside education region Practical education at Brightlands Chemelot Campus English Dutch & English New content in context of circular economy
fields of expertise Connected with business organized in public- mbo hbo wo vocational private partnerships Research & Associate Degree Academic Bachelor (process)industry ICT AD parttime Maastricht Science Program Laboratory techniques Operational Engineering Biomedical Sciences Chemistry & materials Processtechnology (operator) Data Sciences and Artificial Intelligence CHILL, AMIBM, BMC Engineering (maintenance) Business Engineering Product design Professional Bachelor APPLIED SCIENCES Process Industry Construction Biomedical Science Material Science CoP, PML, Brightsite Academic Master Installation techniques Chemistry Chemical Engineering Systems Biology ICT Biobased Materials Data Science for Decision Making Manufacturing industry (discrete) ENGINEERING Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing College Mechanical Engineering Biomedical Sciences Mechatronics Eelectrical Engineering (manufacturing industry) Energy Technology Data & AI
ICT Centralised and joined labour approach Leo Loopbaan, Chemelot Talent Oce Digiwise, MKB Datalab, AI Hub Supply Chain Management and Process optimization BUSINESS ENGINEERING BUILT ENVIRONMENT Built environment GOL, CIVIL Subsequent & connected lines of study; module based parttime Supply Chain management BISCI
To train
Research teams
Potential Labour Population To interest and retrain
Operator for the sustainable cracker Predictive maintenance engineer Circular engineer Directly to new job ….
94 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 95 Annex 1 “As is” and “To be” for Pillar 2
Familiarisation with business and promotion of studies various parties: a.o. Leo Loopbaan, Chemelot Talent Oce, CHILL, Chemelot Organisations
To be Young New Entrants Entrants LEGEND secondary Talents inside & outside education region Practical education at Brightlands Chemelot Campus English Dutch & English New content in context of circular economy
fields of expertise Connected with business organized in public- mbo hbo wo vocational private partnerships Research & Associate Degree Academic Bachelor (process)industry ICT AD parttime Maastricht Science Program Laboratory techniques Operational Engineering Biomedical Sciences Chemistry & materials Processtechnology (operator) Business Engineering Data Sciences and Artificial Intelligence CHILL, AMIBM, BMC Engineering (maintenance) Business Engineering Product design Circular engineering Professional Bachelor Process Industry Construction Applied Sciences Academic Master CoP, PML, Brightsite Installation techniques Engineering ICT Systems Biology Business Engineering Biobased Materials ICT Built environment Manufacturing industry (discrete) Data Science for Decision Making Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing College Biomedical Sciences Mechatronics Professional Master Sustainable Manufacturing (manufacturing industry) Human interaction & datavisualization Biotechnology Data & AI Master Circular Cities and region Supply Chain Management Digiwise, MKB Datalab, AI Hub Centralised and joined labour approach Leo Loopbaan, Chemelot Talent Oce and Process optimization
Built environment GOL, CIVIL Subsequent & connected lines of study; module based parttime Supply Chain management BISCI
Makerspace Fieldlab To train circular circular materials processes
Maternity Rooms for new Potential Labour Population To interest and retrain circular ideas
Operator for the sustainable cracker Research teams Predictive maintenance engineer Circular engineer Directly to new job ….
96 Chemelot Circular Hub: Circular Economy Action Plan 97 Annex 2 Sustainable Development Goals assessed for their fit with Chemelot Circular Hub’s flagships
The Sustainable Development goals assessed with the quick estimate are summarized in the table below.
Logo87 Key point of Sustainable Logo Key point of Sustainable Development goal Development goal
Ensure healthy lives and Build resilient infrastructure, promote well-being for all at promote inclusive and all ages sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation
Ensure inclusive and equitable Make cities and human quality education and promote settlements inclusive, safe, lifelong learning opportunities resilient and sustainable for all
Ensure access to affordable, Ensure sustainable consumption reliable, sustainable and modern and production patterns energy for all
Promote sustained, inclusive and Take urgent action to combat sustainable economic growth, climate change and its impacts full and productive employment and decent work for all
87 Logos from: https://sdgs.un.org/goals. Not all SDG’s have been assessed. SDG’s coverage is broader than included in this table / in the assessment.
98