Driving Change – How Green Chemistry and Digitalisation lead the way to a Sustainable Economy 18.-19.03.2021

Chemical processes are applied in almost all areas of value creation. Especially in North Rhine-Westphalia, the chemical industry has a long tradition and creates a high turnover. On the other hand, it is an energy-intensive industry, which requires a transformation in view of the European climate goals and the structural change that takes place in Germany. As a result of the fossil fuel phase-out, North Rhine-Westphalia has the opportunity to become a model region for green chemistry and a more sustainable economy throughout Europe. In order to realise the green transformation, innovations are required to enable sustainable and circular value creation. In addition, the acceptance of all involved stakeholders, including consumers, is essential to support and help driving the change.

The webinar will look at key innovations and disruptive technologies that will contribute to the transformation towards sustainable value creation in the chemical industry. Innovative processes that enable sustainable production will be highlighted. In this context, the possibilities of synthetic biology and biotechnology for more sustainable processes are considered on the one hand and the potential of digitalisation and artificial intelligence for process optimisation on the other. In addition, it will be discussed how digitalisation supports the circular economy by improving material flows, for example. Furthermore, the possible applications for sustainable chemicals and ingredients in consumer products will be presented. In the discussion part, the audience can contribute their views on sustainability in the chemical industry.