CONTEXT
In 2012 the European emission of CO2-equivalent accounted for 4544.224 million tons , corresponding to 12% of the annual global greenhouse gas emissions, the main cause of global warming. Successful measures taken at European level and by Member States at national level have led to a decreasing trend in European greenhouse gas emissions (total EU greenhouse gas emissions in 2013 fell by 1.8% compared to 2012, which brings them at around 19% below 1990 levels). However, further improvements in air quality are needs to improve to reduce the harmful effects of such gases on human health, the environment and the economy. Indeed, air pollution represents not only a social but also an economical problem. In the period 2008-2012, damages to health and the environment caused by pollutants emitted to air from Europe’s industrial facilities cost at least EUR 329 billion, as reported by Energy Environment Agency (EEA). From a legislative point of view, air pollution is regulated by the existing National Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive) and by EU’s air quality directives that have been reviewed in 2013 by the new Clean Air Policy Package for Europe to achieve full compliance with existing air quality limits by 2020. Therefore, the installation of a diverse set of technologies to prevent and control emissions to air is a critical milestone for numerous EU actors, without which they would be unable to operate, and, at the same time, a huge market potential that still needs to be exploited: the total value of the EU air pollution control market is estimated at around €16 billion, of which treatment technologies comprise 60% .
In this context, the PAIR project aims to introduce in the market an innovative air emission control system, based on plasma technology, for the active and efficient reduction of pollutants and odours deriving from industrial and agricultural activities. In particular, PAIR project will address two specific target markets:
• VOC emissions from solvent producers and users: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) are released in atmosphere mainly by the production and the use of solvents, as well as by the transport sector. VOCs have negative effects on human health (respiratory illnesses, cancer, toxic to reproduction) and on environment (crop and vegetation damages, formation of ground-level ozone). The EU regulates VOC emissions from industrial activities under the Industrial Emissions Directive.
• Gaseous emissions from livestock farms: More than 130 different gaseous compounds have been identified in the air surrounding animal houses and, in addition, the agriculture sector is responsible for over 90% of NH3 emissions across EU. These aerial pollutants can adversely affect the health of farmers and animals, the soil acidification (NH3) and the global warming (e.g. CH4, N2O). Moreover, microorganisms (e.g. Salmonella) provoke high mortality in livestock and can infect human population and odour emission is an increasing problem for neighbouring activities. Livestock farm emissions are included in NEC, in Gothenburg Protocol (1999) and by Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (96/61/EC). However, there is still a scant regulatory incentive to reduce pollution from factory farming.
OBJECTIVES
The main PAIR goal will be achieved by GRINP through the following objectives:
• Implementation of the technology and its validation in the two reference markets;
• Elaboration of a structured Business Plan for the launch of PAIR system in the selected sectors.
Starting from the beta-prototype of an air pollution control system based on atmospheric plasma technology developed by GRINP and tested in laboratory and field trials with excellent preliminary results, the company will carry out an exhaustive feasibility study that will include several key aspects: focused test fields, market analysis, IPR assessment and stakeholders survey that will converge in the business plan. The latter will drive the next steps towards PAIR’s commercialization.
