Baltic sea region research co-operation on eco-efficient products and processes

The project introduced the new member countries at the Baltic Sea into the European Research Area in the field of eco-efficiency and sustainable production. There are a number of new research consortia have been established in different specific fields like green buildings, advanced waste water treatment, etc. The work of these consortia will help to improve industrial development. The research network has been strengthened. The Baltic 21 Institute for Sustainable Industry provides a platform for further development of these network and catalysing of new research groups. The improved networking and more efficient research work both nationally in the different countries and internationally will have positive effects on the environment as well as on industrial development and working environment.

As a result of the project activities following results were achieved: The Baltic 21 Institute for Sustainable Industry strengthened in Estonia as well as internationally (through created network of research centres and industrial companies), for: - National core network of research centres formed in co-operation between IVL and Estonian partners. The network involves Centre of Ecological Environmental Technologies, Estonian Agricultural University and Tartu University Institute of Technology. - Strengthened capacity of research institutes and capacity of industry (till now mainly construction industry) in applying the received knowledge to their production systems and processes to provide competitive products with high quality, environmental performance and resource efficiency. As a result of the project, the involved research institutes (3 research centres) have more comprehensive and high-quality knowledge on green building materials and ecological building solutions. LCA seminar was held in Tartu, Estonia, for presenting the project, introducing the topic of green building and materials to potential users and for creating contacts with a wider range of companies. The project supported environmental development in the BSR through initiating elaboration of technical specifications for green building materials and solutions, disseminating the possibilities of green construction and transfer of knowledge within the BSR.

A number of new contacts have been established between research and industry organisations nationally and internationally during this project. These contacts are valuable in terms of cooperation in improving environmental performance of industry and potential new projects in this area. As a result of the project, one study visit (duration -2 weeks) from APINI to IVL has been organised. For APINI, establishment of new contacts facilitated implementation/ development of other projects finance by the European Commission.

Biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and chemicals from biomass. By producing multiple products, a biorefinery can take advantage of the differences in biomass components and intermediates and maximize the value derived from the biomass feedstock. A biorefinery might, for example, produce one or several low-volume, but high-value, chemical products and a low-value, but high-volume liquid transportation fuel, while generating electricity and process heat for its own use and perhaps enough for sale of electricity. In the most advanced version, the biorefinery will be the flexible producer of hydrogen from biomass and biowaste with hydrogen storage capacity, large enough to play the role of hydrogen fuel station for transportation needs of local communities. From economic reasons there exists the urgent need of elaboration the technical background and design of complementary elements of equipment for thermal destruction, fermentation, separation and purification of derived from biomass products at different stages of conversion. Those elements of modular nature produced in large quantities (economy of scale) will be used next as the flexible components in construction of specialized plants with their production portfolio and capacity optimised to local conditions. The project activities assume full utilization of any synergy will arrive from parallel development of hydrogen economy concept with necessities of changes in long term of European Common Agriculture Policy. Transfer from economy of scale to economy of scope is seen to be the integration backbone for future activities of the project group. Timetable of the use and dissemination activities within the next 3 years after the end of the project: Development of the Virtual Model of Biorefinery Enterprise (VBE) optimised for European conditions: - Elaboration of the concept and preparation the IT background for development of Virtual Biorefinery Enterprise embedded in European socioeconomic, natural and technical conditions; - Testing the VBE using the available databases and defining the preferences for chosen European location (Baltic Rim); - Executors: GIG, IVL, London School of Economics. Evaluation and optimisation of processes and equipment elements will be used next in construction of flexible, modular biomass conversion plants for Europe: - Screening of the processes, systems and equipment elements could be effectively adopted in construction of European biomass and biowaste conversion plants; - Preparation and demonstration of the Biorefinery plants in chosen rural locations of Baltic Rim; - Executors: University of Bremen, ICSO Blachownia, and Lithuanian Energy Institute, University of Tartu. Analysis and use of synergy elements existing between biorefinery and hydrogen economy concepts in sustainable development of European agriculture and energy systems: - Analysis of European RTD agriculture, energy and regional development programmes from the point of view of identification exploitation of existing and potential synergy elements to facilitate the progress of implementation of biorefinery concepts; - Dissemination and lobbying the biorefinery and hydrogen economy development based on existing demonstration plants.

Local and international network of experts in the environmental and energy technologies is created. The network organised training activities, workshop and conferences on permanent basis. The awareness of activities of Baltic 21 Institute is growing. Baltic 21 Institute gained reputation between academic and business community working in the field of environmental protection, energy saving, sustainable development. Increasing interest from the side of municipalities and governmental institutions took place during last year. The LTP acts as professional intermediate for the local players and other networks co-ordinated by member of Baltic 21 Institute in Estonia, Sweden, Lithuania, Russia, and Poland. Projects were generated and project generation is become as substantial part of network activities. Projects involve not only members of the network, but also universities, municipality and state organisations. Technology transfer activities from researcher of Riga Technical University and other institution are supported from LTP by publishing technology offers, co-operation with Innovation Relay Centres network. Also co-operation within Regional Innovation Strategy and Regional Innovation Action Plan is in progress. Latvia Technology Park involved in important support action and initiatives.

The project contributed to capacity strengthening of the participating organizations in the area of sustainable industrial development, e.g. information/ knowledge gained and contacts established during the project have strengthened research activities of APINI in the areas of Eco-design, process optimisation, closing water cycles (Ph.D. research).

Several new project ideas have been generated and elaborated during the project, e.g. Capacity building for different stakeholders (training seminars for industry and other stakeholders, demonstration projects for particular industry sectors); Product development for construction materials/solutions; Development of guidelines for demolishing buildings; Environmental parameters in the design tool; Improving information quality about properties of different chemicals; Capacity building in the area of chemicals management. Discussions will continue among project partners to further elaborate these project ideas and to develop project proposals. This will lead to development of product and process innovations, development of new services and new methods for improvement of industry environmental performance. Two project ideas have resulted in concrete projects on sustainability indicators and Life Cycle Assessment (co-ordinated by IVL).

Holistic view to improve technique and promote implementation of Membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment (WWT)- HITME. A consortium of 10 partners from 5 countries has been established dedicated to development new Membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment. Membrane bioreactors (MBR) for municipal wastewater treatment (WWT). Membrane developers, plant designers and constructors are SME. Partners from Universities and Research Institutes will assure scientific excellence. The idea is to improve the treatment of municipal waste water by MBR technology, which is able to treat such pollutants as endocrine disrupters, which becomes more and more common in municipal waste water resulting from usage of modern pharmaceuticals by modern society. Additionally to that, the MBR technology allows to reuse the treated water will increase since pathogens and parasites will be virtually removed. New developments will contribute to conceptual and technical improvement of MBR systems. Both aerobic and anaerobic MBR technologies will be investigated. The HITME consortium will develop new membrane units with specific properties for aerobic and anaerobic MBR including new tools for process control. The developed units will be further developed and evaluated in 3 pilot-scale plants with different pre-requisites and spread over Europe (Germany, Poland, Sweden). Timetable of the use and dissemination activities within the next 3 years after the end of the project: Scientific publication: If financing can be secured, scientific reports will be an output. Seminars and website: general dissemination of results if project can be financed.

The Polish industry is dedicated to implement of National Environmental Policy for period 2004-2010. The main strategic goals of this policy is to lower pressure on environment resulting from the industrial activities, associated namely with usage of energy and non-renewable resources such as water and other natural resources. Dedicated to eco-efficiency of industry network might be one of the tools to achieve the goals of National Environmental Policy. The Baltic 21 Institute for Sustainable Industry is to be recognised as one of effective mechanism for dissemination of knowledge and know-how on instruments, which might assist directly industry to achieve eco-efficiency. To disseminate knowledge on eco-efficiency among Polish Industry as well as in other countries of the region, The Baltic 21 organised two Forums dedicated to this issues, first has been held in 2003 in Katowice and second in the year 2004 in Stockholm. A number of Polish R&D entities and representatives of Polish industry have been informed on these events and significant numbers of representatives of those entities participated directly in workshops organised within the frameworks of these Forums. On the base of these events, using capabilities of The Baltic 21 Institute for Sustainable Industry an informal network of Polish Industry dedicated to eco-efficiency, which is planned to convert into state supported official network for supporting Polish industry in implementation of eco-efficiency. Timetable of the use and dissemination activities within the next 3 years after: Development of basic Information materials on eco-efficiency to industry: - Elaboration of the concept of basic information materials promoting eco-efficiency in Polish industry. Evaluation of base line of eco-efficiency of main branches of Polish Industry: - Elaboration of selected indicators for main branches of Polish Industry. Establishment of formal network for eco-efficiency for Polish Industry: - Building of formal structure for eco-efficiency of Polish Industry supported by ministry of economy and Ministry of Environment within a framework of state programme.

The strategic goal of the Integrated Institute is to develop the works leading to competitiveness of the economy based on knowledge and entrepreneurship. It is also the way to raise the competitiveness of the scientific units, which are essentially linked among each other. By creating common research areas and strong links with industrial enterprises the institutes that signed the agreement want to ensure themselves the chance to develop and participate in the international programmes of the European Union. The following entities are forming ZINT: - Central Mining Institute GIG, (Katowice); - Institute of Chemical Processing of Coal, ICHPW (Zabrze); - Surface Mining Institute Poltegor, (Wroclaw); - Research and Development Centre for Electrical Engineering and Automation in Mining EMAG (Katowice); - Mining Mechanisation Centre KOMAG (Gliwice); - Institute of Ecology for Industrial Areas, IETU (Katowice). The work of ZINT is planned by the Working Groups created by the Council of Directors. The Central Mining Institute is the Coordinator of the Integrated Institute and its representative. The Integrated Institute is dedicated to initiate common multi-topic works, which will raise the innovativeness of Polish economy. Such scientific network will ensure much wider, diverse and complex market offer and will improve scientific, technical and market competitiveness. The beneficiaries of the agreement suppose that creating of the cooperation links of the new type and strong connections with industry is the chance not only for the scientific units, but also for industry, especially small and medium enterprises which function on still more and more difficult and competitive market. Timetable of the use and dissemination activities within the next 3 years after the end of the project: Strengthening institutional capacity: - Building up of organisational capacity of ZINT including common information system, web site, public Networking activities: - Maintaining network activities, identification of R&D needs of local industry an on national scale for increasing of competitiveness of industry. Dissemination of information on R&D capability of ZINT and network members. Development joint R&D project ideas responding local needs: - Creation of proposals responding to regional need as well as European R&D calls using network.

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