Over the past few months, Brightsite has contributed to four different Growth Fund proposals. These proposals all touch upon key topics relating to the greening of Chemelot and similar sites in the Netherlands. I therefore welcome this strong Limburg initiative and the way in which Brightsite has played its part by highlighting the importance and possibilities offered by the greening of chemistry. Given the enormous challenges associated with these transitions for sites like Chemelot, the national government will surely lend a helping hand.
Brightsite focuses on leveling up knowledge and skills for an emission-free chemical industry, which is developed in collaboration with businesses and various knowledge partners. In this way, Limburg shows that it can and will play a leading role at the heart of the industrial transition, for Chemelot and for the whole of the Netherlands. The province has awarded a long-term grant to the Brightsite knowledge center, a partnership between the companies at Chemelot, TNO, Maastricht University and the Brightlands Chemelot Campus. This will require cross-sectoral collaboration, for example in the field of water, electrification, agriculture and using waste as a raw material, and that calls for a certain level of direction and stimulation.
The Nationaal Groeifonds (National Growth Fund) does not automatically focus on the sustainability of the chemical industry, so this requires distinctive proposals from various consortia. The National Growth Fund is a government fund investing in projects that will provide long-term economic growth. This is necessary because of the huge amount of effort involved. At the same time, there are considerable opportunities. If we manage to create a climate-neutral industry in Sittard-Geleen where products are made that we all use on a daily basis – a clean industry where young people want to come and work – then our efforts will have been worthwhile. Here at the Province of Limburg, we therefore wholeheartedly support the work done by Brightsite and its partners in creating these proposals for the National Growth Fund.
Stephan Satijn
Representative of the Province of Limburg