Developing and embedding upcycling technologies into viable business (Processes4Planet partnership) (IA)

The research and innovation under this Destination will continue to support a globally competitive European industry through the twin green and digital transition. The development of new and cross-cutting technologies will boost the transformation of existing value chains and the creation of new ones.

Supporting net-zero manufacturing is a key objective of the Net-Zero Industry Act and has a crucial role to play in the transition towards a green and sustainable society, going from ‘smart factory’ to a ‘smart sustainable value chain’. Smart manufacturing will help develop the materials and products needed to support net-zero and less polluting industries. There is much scope for improvement in circularity technologies applicable to different value chains, with special attention needed for product design, re-use, disassembly, remanufacturing/upgrading, recycling, and ‘Zero-X’ – zero defects, zero breakdowns and zero waste.

Digital technologies, like big data, advanced computing, and networking (including quantum), AI, robotics, photonics and the industrial virtual worlds will transform the practices of research, design and engineering, with better performing net-zero solutions and increased productivity in all sectors. Quick-response services can support hyperflexible production using, e.g. trustworthy AI and digital twins, with digitally enabled certification and qualification of processes and products.

In addition to decarbonisation, energy-intensive industries need to embrace the circular economy as a key pillar in the design of their value chains. This will be fundamental to their resource efficiency (in terms of materials, energy and water). Particularly important in this context is the innovative upcycling of secondary raw materials and waste and the development of sustainable and resource-efficient industrial processes.

The EU has set an ambitious goal for Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. In some areas the key solutions for achieving significant reductions in emissions are already in the market. In crucial parts of the economy, as is the case for energy-intensive industries, many of the tools needed for such a significant reduction are still at an earlier stage of industrial or commercial development.

Further development and deployment of technologies identified in the ERA (European Research Area) industrial technology roadmaps for circular technologies and for low-carbon technologies will be essential to achieve this goal. Manufacturing processes, supply chains, cyber-physical systems or cities will become more climate neutral and less polluting, and circular solutions will include AI and digital twins, and the deployment of common European data spaces like those under the Digital Europe Programme.

Across industries, the human dimension (including gender differences) will be stressed via the Industry 5.0 paradigm.

To successfully move from innovation to deployment, a more effective transfer from small-scale industrial demonstrators to first-of-a-kind climate-neutral demonstrators is needed.

Business cases and exploitation strategies for industrialisation:

This section applies only to those topics in this Destination, for which proposals should demonstrate the expected outcomes by including a business case and exploitation strategy for industrialisation.

A business case and a credible initial exploitation strategy are essential components in the ultimate success of an industry-based project, as well as its prospects to attract further investments for deployment. They will both be decisive factors under the impact criterion, and proposers are encouraged to use the extended page limit to present a carefully considered business case and exploitation strategy, backed by the management of the companies involved.

The business case should demonstrate the expected impact of the proposal in terms of enhanced market opportunities for the participants and deployment in the EU, in the short to medium term. It should describe the targeted market(s); estimated market size in the EU and globally; user and customer needs; and demonstrate that the solutions will match the market and user needs in a cost-effective manner; and describe the expected market position and competitive advantage.

The exploitation strategy should identify obstacles, requirements and necessary actions involved in reaching higher TRLs (Technology Readiness Levels), for example: securing the required investments, including through possible synergies with other programmes; accessing the required skills; matching value chains; enhancing product robustness; securing industrial integrators; and user acceptance.

For TRLs 6 and 7, a credible strategy to achieve future full-scale deployment in the EU is expected, indicating the intentions of the industrial partners after the end of the project.

Where relevant, in the context of skills, it is recommended to develop training material to endow workers with the right skillset in order to support the uptake and deployment of new innovative products, services, and processes developed in the different projects. This material should be tested and be scalable, and can potentially be up-scaled through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). This will help the European labour force to close the skill gaps in the relevant sectors and occupational groups and improve employment and social levels across the EU and associated countries.

For topics in this destination, consortia (if selected for funding) could consider voluntary contributions in terms of data, indicators and knowledge to relevant Joint Research Centre (JRC) platforms for capitalising the knowledge developed in their projects and become more policy relevant:

• INnovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions (INCITE) (https://innovation-centre-for-industrial-transformation.ec.europa.eu/).
• The Energy and Industry Geography Lab: EIGL (https://energy-industry-geolab.jrc.ec.europa.eu/).

Innovation Actions — Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Innovation Actions in any capacity. Please refer to the Annex B of the General Annexes of this Work Programme for further details.

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