ACN Industry and Innovation Meeting: “Driving Sustainability in the Chemical Industry”
On September 25th, we proudly hosted the first Amsterdam Chemistry Innovation and Industry meeting at the Port of Amsterdam. The meeting brought together over 60 CEOs, CTOs, founders, and researchers in chemistry to address multiple challenges faced by the chemical industry, including energy and materials transitions, EU and national policies, digitalization and innovation. During a full afternoon, we explored solutions for building a decarbonized, bio-based industry.
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INDUSTRY MEETING KICKOFF
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The day started with a warm welcome from Roon van Maanen, Director of Circular Industry at the Port of Amsterdam.
Immediately after, Arnold Stokking, Chairman of 'Groene Chemie, Nieuwe Economie (GCNE)', presented the organization and its role in driving the green transition in the region. GCNE supports entrepreneurs working on new technologies and business models, based on non-fossil raw materials: the so-called game changers. Arnold presented their key proposals for policymakers, their Green Chemistry Accelerator, their quarterly scale-up discussion tables, and their Financial Engine to close the investment gap in green chemistry.
As a new member of GCNE, ACN’s vital role in strengthening connections within the chemical cluster and increasing the platform’s visibility, particularly in the North Holland region, was emphasized.
A highlight of the day was the talk by Frans Stokman, Executive Director of Petrochemicals at the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), who offered deep insights into the transition pathways for the EU chemical industry. For example, Cefic strongly advocates for a Clean Industrial Deal to complement the Green Deal, in order to attract investments in Europe and safeguard quality jobs. This includes a Clean Tech Deployment Fund, a strong focus on energy and infrastructure, and boosting the demand for net-zero, low-carbon, and circular products.
Both GNCE and Cefic emphasized important initiatives driving the future of green chemistry, key proposals on the tables of national and European policymakers.
PANEL DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS
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A dynamic panel discussion, “Greening industry: Overcoming Barriers and Accelerating Change”, brought together leading experts to explore the barriers and accelerators of the current and upcoming policy framework for implementing green solutions in the industry.
The panel gathered a group of inspiring industry leaders and researchers, including Frans Stokman, Executive Director of Petrochemicals at Cefic; Louise Calviou, CEO of Argent Energy; Floris Hekster, VP Operations at HF Sinclair; and Martijn Zieverink, Professor of Biobased Transitions at Avans University of Applied Sciences. The discussion was successfully moderated by Jalal Loutfi from the City of Amsterdam.
The takeaways from the discussion are:
1. Effective legislation is crucial
To scale green innovations in the EU, policy should not only create demand for green products but also reward local production. Well-designed policies simplify and accelerate the transition process.
2. Investments follow the markets
Taxpayers' money cannot be the only solution to unlock the large investments needed for the transition. A change of behavior, sustained by policy and obligations, can create new markets and strengthen business cases for sustainable products. This must happen fast.
3. Localized solutions
Europe needs robust, localized supply chains and infrastructure to create a resilient, competitive, and sustainable chemical industry.
4. Energy vs. Material transitions
These transitions are at two different stages of maturity. While Europe can achieve 100% renewable energy under certain scenarios, a fully bio-based chemical industry seems far from reach. Recycling will then be essential to achieve a circular economy.
TRANSFORMING PROCESS ENGINEERING WITH GENERATIVE AI
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Dr. Artur Schweidtmann, Leader of the Process Intelligence Research Group at TU Delft and Director of the Cheme AI Lab, captivated the audience with groundbreaking insights into the future of chemical engineering. During his presentation, 'Transforming Process Engineering with Generative AI', Dr. Schweidtmann envisioned the future of chemical engineering. He introduced the concept of ChatGPT-like software for designing chemical plants, from auto-completion of flowsheets to translation and auto-correction of PFD to P&IDs.
MEET THE ACN MEMBERS
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Marco Tibaldi from ACN took the stage, highlighting the organization's remarkable growth. Marco emphasized that this expansion is paving the way for new partnerships with companies in the region, which, in turn, will help ACN attract more members and further enhance its impact in the green chemical industry.
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A brief presentation was delivered by several ACN members, beginning with Dr. Louise Calviou. Louise introduced and explained how Argent Energy is expanding its biodiesel production capacity in the Netherlands. Additionally, the company recently opened its first bio-based glycerine refinery plant, at the Port of Amsterdam.
Following this, Dr. Abeer Hossain from the University of Amsterdam highlighted the launch of a Technology Hub to accelerate scientific discovery in molecular and material design through collaborations between researchers and industry partners. Key projects include AI-driven enzyme design, drug optimization, solar energy enhancement, and robotic platforms for therapeutics.
Dr. Halima Mouhib took the stage to highlight AIMMS’ cutting-edge initiatives in pharmaceuticals, food, and life sciences, including novel antimicrobials, precision fermentation, and environmental health assessment. AIMMS is actively seeking collaborations between researchers and industrial partners through events like the 3-Day Food Hackathon and the AIMMS Festival.
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Dr. Federico Montanarella showcased Seaborough’s innovative technologies for tailored, efficient lighting, including their breakthrough products EuroLED and Crystalight. Federico also highlighted Seaborough’s SunLED technology, which uses near-infrared light to boost immunity and improve both mental and physical health.
Gudfinnur Sveinsson introduced Brineworks and its groundbreaking seawater electrolyzer, enabling low-cost CO2 extraction along with H2 co-production; key components for e-fuels. This technological innovation positions Brineworks as a leader in sustainable fuel solutions for the maritime and aviation industries.
Dr. Ludo Boot emphasized the important role of heterogeneous catalysts in Ketjen's research and development, showcasing their innovative materials designed to enhance refining and petrochemical processes, among various applications. Ketjen is also focused on scaling up these catalysts to meet industry demands.
Dr. Olivier Lugier from the University of Amsterdam introduced Nano Hybrids, a start-up developing hybrid core-shell nanoparticles to address challenges in biomedicine and sustainable energy. The company seeks external partners to apply their innovative, environmentally friendly synthesis methods that eliminate polluting solvents.
And closing the stage was Prof. Wim Noorduin from AMOLF, who highlighted their research focus on sustainable energy materials, information and autonomous matter, including groundbreaking work on perovskites for lead detection. He also discussed the applications of light in photovoltaics and forensics, areas in which AMOLF conducts research and welcomes collaborations.
BORREL AND NETWORKING
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The event wrapped up with a lively borrel, offering an ideal opportunity for all the participants to network and exchange ideas. As ACN, we strive to spark concrete follow-ups: reach out to our team if you missed a contact or you want to discuss an idea for a collaboration. We are always "connecting the right dots".
LOOKING AHEAD
We are excited about energy and insights gathered from this event, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact it will have on the chemical industry. A heartfelt thanks to our speakers and contributors for helping to organize such a an enriching event. We look forward to welcoming everyone again next year!
Together, let's drive the transition to a sustainable future! 🚀 🌍💡
Photos by Elle Camara for ACN.
