With the right innovations, the circular economy can contribute to economic growth while meeting sustainability ambitions. The EU-funded ReCiPSS project demonstrates how manufacturing can achieve this by adopting product-service systems. Moving industry from linear to circular models offers new business opportunities, while minimising waste and environmental damage.
Next-generation renewable energy technologies can struggle to move from concept to the market. The EU-funded DTOceanPlus project developed a series of open-source software tools to reduce the risks and costs associated with ocean tech development. The tools are already giving a boost to developers across the sector, supporting the EU’s transition away from fossil fuels.
The energy crisis has highlighted the importance of greater heating efficiency. The EU-funded RELaTED project showed how lower temperatures in district heating systems combined with heat pumps can reduce costs while still keeping homes and commercial premises warm. The findings can boost sustainable energy production, reduce energy waste, and provide cost-effective heating to consumers.
Catalytic reactions are crucial for energy conversion and the production of chemicals, but their operation is limited by slow heat transfer. The EU-funded INTENT project developed new reactor designs with improved potential for heat transfer. The research and results will help in the transition of Europe’s energy sector away from fossil fuels.
Many cities across Europe are aiming to become truly circular not only by recycling 100 % of the resources available from waste materials, but also by changing their production modes and optimising materials’ flows. The EU-funded REFLOW project developed innovative tools and guidelines to help them achieve this goal. The work will support greener cities for citizens.
Climate change, drought and population growth have made the management of India’s water resources a pressing concern. To address this, and in partnership with local stakeholders, the EU-funded PAVITRA GANGA project has successfully piloted and monitored new wastewater treatment technologies. Once fully implemented, these could bring significant health and environmental benefits to citizens.
The capacity of lightweight materials to reduce the transportation sector’s carbon footprint could be erased if their production isn’t efficient too. That’s why the EU-funded RECOTRANS project has developed a state-of-the-art process to manufacture composite components for cars, trains and trucks. Innovations such as these will help the EU reach its climate goals, securing a healthy environment for all citizens.
At low temperatures and high pressures, water behaves strangely, becoming two distinct liquids. With a pioneering use of X-ray lasers, the EU-funded WATER project explored the behaviour of water in this liminal realm. The findings have potential to improve fuel cells and desalination technology, and may even aid the search for life on other planets.
Natural disasters threaten citizens around the world with disruption to essential services, damage to property and infrastructure, and the loss of life. The EU-funded ChEESE project uses supercomputing to help forecast accurate disaster scenarios. As a result, authorities in La Palma were able to make informed decisions and save lives when the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted.
Whilst being a renewable energy, hydropower has a rather large environmental footprint. From its dams causing flooding to its power plants threatening fish populations, the key to the wider use of hydropower is to make it more sustainable. Thanks to new cost-effective measures developed by the EU-funded FIThydro project, environmentally friendly, sustainable hydropower may soon be a reality.
