Nov. 29 and 30, Brightlands Chemelot Campus proudly hosted Europe’s largest event in both the industry and energy sectors: the European Industry & Energy Summit (EIES). Brightsite Program Manager Lianne van Oord gave an ‘Energizing Talk’ on the impact of scarcity in the energy transition and the importance of a systems approach. Furthermore, a joined Brightsite team participated in a white paper competition for young professionals. Read more about Brightsite’s contributions to EIES 2022 below.
The summit focused on a variety of subjects such as emission-free hydrogen, chemcycling, energy efficiency, electrification, carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS), biobased chains and more. More than a dozen keynotes, side events, cases and energizing talks updated an international audience about future opportunities and threats of the energy transition and climate agreement.
Energizing Talk: Scarcity takes center stage
In a 10-minute Energizing Talk in the Brightlands Centercourt, Brightsite Program Manager Lianne van Oord argued that scarcity is the central issue in the field of renewable energy as for renewable resources. One scarcity must not cannibalize the other in the pursuit of becoming climate neutral. A systems approach is essential when it comes to both energy and raw materials. Delays and inefficiencies slow down the transition, and scarcity management can prevent inefficient battles for dominance.
Program Manager Process Innovation Lianne van Oord
“Scarcity management can prevent inefficient battles for dominance.”
According to Van Oord, maximizing CO₂ free energy generation should be the priority. This should apply to all European member states. In addition, she emphasized working on energy efficiency. In other words, electrify what can be electrified. Finally, alternative raw materials must be unlocked. Primarily through recycling, but also through the use of selective biomass. Chemelot itself can be made completely climate neutral by applying three guidelines: electrify, apply CO₂-free hydrogen and apply alternative carbon.
Electe white paper competion
Team Brightsite achieved 2nd place in the Electe white paper competition, the award ceremony for which took place on Nov. 30 during the EIES congress. The assignment from Voltachem and Industrielinqs was to submit an investment proposal for a technology that can make an important step in the much-needed industrial transformation around 2035.
Three teams of young professionals took part in the final of the white paper competition: a team from Rijkuniversiteit Groningen (RUG), a team from TNO and a composite team from Maastricht University and Sitech, in short team Brightsite.
Increasing investment in renewable energy production and its plummeting cost relative to fossil fuels represent great opportunities for electric cracking (e-cracking). The use of electric cracking as a heat source entails that the methane produced during cracking becomes an unused product. The aim of team Brightsite’s white paper is to introduce plasma technology as a possible solution and demonstrate its economic and environmental value compared to autothermal reforming, the main technology currently being developed to address the same problem.
After a detailed examination of the white papers by six judges and their seconds, the RuG student team’s entry, ‘A Step Towards Sustainable Steel Production in the Netherlands’ emerged as the winner. Next year the three students will travel with the Electro Trail Europe (Electe).
