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ERAC DELEGTIONS INPUTS ON POSSIBLE PROJECTS FOR EFSI

AUSTRIA

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BELGIUM

Projects EFSI – interregionale investmentplatform Vanguard Initiative

1. CO/CO2 to sustainable chemicals and fuels

Project:

This project focuses on the valorisation of gaseous waste streams, with a special focus on gaseous

industrial emission (CO, CO2). In addition to this, technology will be developed to convert complex

municipal and industrial solid waste (MSW, ISW) matrices into gaseous feedstock for the

production of chemicals and energy carriers by gas fermentation.

Gas fermentation is a recent technological development that enables the production of valuable

chemicals from gases such as CO, H2, CO2 and CH4. The former two are abundant in so-called

syngas, but also in, amongst others, off-gas from steel mills. It can also be produced through

gasification of waste. Gas fermentation as a technology seems to fit for commercial exploitation,

since pioneering companies in this field are currently moving towards the first commercial

demonstration of processes to produce the biofuel ethanol from syngas.

Flanders is rich in industrial off gases. This technology could provide an important new economical

revenue for these companies with an industrial (production) base in the region. It is also a

technology which is perfectly in line with the climate change mitigation efforts that companies and

government are taking today. It is one of the only feasible technologies that captures carbon from

the air and transforms it into valuable compounds, thus combining direct environmental effects with

economic output. In view of its still important industrial base it is important that Flanders takes a

leading role in piloting this new and clean technology.

Specifically this project aims for

1. Europe’s first open innovation, multipurpose gas fermentation pilot plant. 2. Europe’s first pilot and demonstration plant on transforming CO-emission from a steel mill to

chemicals by gas fermentation.3. The world’s first pilot and demonstration plant on gasifying MSW and ISW and transforming the

resulting synthesis gas into chemicals.

Besides CO/H2 & CO2/H2 fermentations there is also a demand for CH4 fermentations (cheap/fossil

substrate or biobased substrate). Also in this case specific infrastructure and expertise is needed, for

instance with regard to logistics, safety and environment. For this reason fragmentation of expertise

and infrastructure needs to be avoided.

Omkadering:

Gasfermentatie is één van de drie BIG-C Flagship Projects. BIG-C is de samenwerking rond bio-innovation tussen VL (FISCH, Flandersbio, GBEV), NRW (CLIB2021, Bio-NRW,…) en NL (BE-Basic, Biobased Delta,…).

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“CO2 utilization” werd gedefinieerd als één van de drie strategische thema’s binnen FISCH, met een breed draagvlak binnen de academische wereld.

De waardeketen “conversie van (afval)-gas in chemicaliën”, werd geïdentificeerd als één van de vier kansrijke waardeketens voor Vlaanderen in de KET roadmap Industriële Biotechnologie.

Momenteel TRL5-TRL6 (?)

Succesvolle uitvoering leidt tot TRL7 (?)

De partners:

Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant: housen en runnen van de bench en pilotscale infrastructure

Arcelor Mittal: (pre)commerciële plant, kan op termijn gebruikt worden om de productie van de

meest interessante chemicaliën te implementeren.

Ghent Bio-Economy Valley: coördinator Ghent Syngas Cluster (bij uitbreiding CINBIOS in het

kader van Big-C).

2. Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM): the ‘Closing the Circle’ project

ELFM is defined as “the integrated valorization of (historic and/or future) landfilled waste streams

as both materials (Waste-to-Material) and energy (Waste-to-Energy), using innovative

transformation technologies and respecting the most stringent social and ecological criteria.”

In 2008 a consortium of people with varying expertise was established in Flanders (Belgium) in

order to explore potential pathways to develop an Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) approach and

to integrate landfilling in a more sustainable waste management practice.

European Enhanced Landfill Mining Consortium = KuLeuven, Group Machiels, CleanTechpunt,

LRM, VITO, U-Hasselt, HU Brussel, Bond Beter Leefmilieu and Ovam.

One of the partners (Group Machiels) launched the ‘Closing the Circle’ - project. This project is the

first case of the ELFM consortium to investigate the opportunities and thresholds in applying

ELFM and this on the REMO landfill in Houthalen-Helchteren (Flanders).

Concrete: the project exist of a Plasma-demonstrationplant that converts waste into low carbon

building materials and green energy.

The waste will be seperated in different compartiments. Steel, copper and certain metals will be

recycled into secundary raw materials. The high caloric combustible residue shall produce green

energy through the application of plasma technology. The residue that will be generated, plasma

stone, can be used for the production of low carbon building materials.

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If the demonstrator has proven to be succesful, the next phase is an upscaling of this technology.

This demonstrator plant will be unique in the world.

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DENMARK

Country : Denmark

Project list

Criteria:

Key

Criterion 1: EU – added value (projects in support of EU- objectives). Sectors of special interest for boosting the productivity, competitiveness and, ultimately, sustainable growth and employment of the EU economy are mentioned in the power points (vedhæftet), however other categories can be flagged.

Criterion 2: Economic viability (or "valuability") prioritising projects with high socio-economic returns. Economic viability should be interpreted in the context of a (socio-) economic cost-benefit analysis and a projects' potential to generate positive economic return. Self-assessment by the MS in this regard would be welcome.

Criterion 3: Projects that can start at latest within the next three years (a reasonable expectation for capital expenditure in the 2015-17 period).

Additional

Criterion 4: Projects with potential for leverage of other sources of funding. Fully public projects can also be considered, especially since some of them could potentially end up being (at least partly) financed through private sector participation or foster additional investments by the private sector. However, the projects that can generate some revenues and hence call for public-private co-operation are of particular interest, as are projects inducing additional investment.

Criterion 5: Size and scalability (different per sector/ sub-sector) - can be considered flexibly, bearing also in mind the bundling of smaller investments.

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name

Imple-menting agency

Description Included in national

investment plan

(yes/no)

Status Total investment

cost(EUR bn)

Investment in 2015 –

2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

Research Infrastructure

Energy research infrastructure

Cleantech Demonstratorium

University A new Cleantech demonstratorium will support Danish companies' development and contribute to expand the science park at DTU campus at Risø by attracting international cleantech businesses. The science park will hold a large variety of technologies including wind- and bioenergy, storage of energy and energy systems. Hence it will serve as a valuable technology research infrastructure for national as well as for international scientists and companies.

No The project is currently in a start-up phase and is expected to initiate further expansion when the financial matters have been clarified.

50 MEUR 35 MEUR -


Marine Research Infrastructure

Research Vessel

University A new fisheries research vessel will ensure fulfilling the Danish obligation in conducting monitoring and assessment of fish stocks

No The Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (FVM) is per Council Regulation 199/2008

35 MEUR 25 MEUR Running costs of operations financed through Member

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name



investment plan

(yes/no)


cost(EUR bn)


2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

and other environmental parameters in the Baltic and North Sea area. The operation area of the new vessel will potentially be the entire North Atlantic, thus being able to cover fish stocks of high economic value for the EU. The vessel will thus be in support of the EU Blue Growth agenda and the EU strategy for the Arctic.

(DCF) obliged to ensure the implementation of data collection in Danish waters to support the Common Fisheries Policy. Parts of this data collection are subcontracted to the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) who owns the only ice-classed ocean-going research vessel in Denmark. This vessel is 33 years old and in urgent need of replacement. There are at present two different options for DTU to invest in a new ship. The first option is for DTU to invest in a smaller vessel built for fisheries research in the Baltic and North Atlantic waters only.

States and European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name



investment plan

(yes/no)


cost(EUR bn)


2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

Such a vessel would suffice to meet the Danish obligations under the DCF. Negotiations between DTU and FVM indicate that FVM is for the immediate future prepared to finance the ministry’s relative share of investment and running costs, but also that the ministry will not be able to issue this guaranty for the entire depreciation period of 30 years.The second option is for DTU to invest in a larger multipurpose vessel that are capable of serving also in Arctic and sub-arctic waters. Greenland Institute of Natural Resources

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name



investment plan

(yes/no)


cost(EUR bn)


2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

(GINR) is showing strong interest in collaborating in use of such a vessel, which would also meet the demand of FVM, but has not secured funds that could make an arctic going new-build possible.


Material Science

European Spallation Source (ESS)

Ministry of Higher Education and Science/Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation

Denmark is since 2009 co-hosting the establishment of ESS in the Øresundsregion together with Sweden. ESS will be a next generation neutron scattering facility and can best be described as a large microscope looking into physical, chemical geological and engineering materials as well as biological materials. ESS will be a key driver for growth and new jobs in Europe

Yes Sweden and Denmark have over the last 2 years, in close cooperation with the ESS-organization, conducted a negotiation process with the ESS partner countries to secure the necessary funding to move the project from design update to actual ground work and construction. The first phase of the

MEUR 1843

MEUR 1044

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name



investment plan

(yes/no)


cost(EUR bn)


2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

within the field of advanced material science and technology, building on a long world-leading neutron science tradition. ESS will support realization of the EU 2020 strategy and the Innovation Union agenda.

negotiations was reported to the partner countries in July 2014 showing that around 97 % of the 1843 MEUR construction costs were covered from 13 European countries including the two host states.

Research and innovation

The North Denmark Investment Platform for Innovation

There is a need to strengthen cooperation between the universities and business partners in order to ensure sufficient financing of knowledge and technology transfer to develop new initiatives and products. Building bridges between research and development and protecting against loss in order to attract the investors and commercial market players are key issues for this proposal.This proposal will hence

No A business case is being developed for an investment platform for innovation that will build on private sector investments in cooperation with regional and national investors.

MEUR 60

(estimated)

In order for European manufactures of tomorrow’s products to stay competitive there is a vital need to ensure that the research and innovation communities have access to investment

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name



investment plan

(yes/no)


cost(EUR bn)


2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

establish a financial infrastructure based on a long-term partnership with industry and financial operators in order to establish the investment platform that will invest in specific research and development projects and facilities in order to widen the scope and realization of commercialization. The North Denmark Investment Platform for Innovation will in particular address projects within the tele, health and energy topics. The following are concrete projects to be supported by the investment platform:1) Center for Reliability - to establish a novel and world class reliability test and design center – an infrastructure able to test

facilities that will allow for the transfer of knowledge and technologies to enter the market.

The opportunities are manifold, but often new developments will strand due to lack of investment possibilities.

The first investment needed to alleviate the

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name



investment plan

(yes/no)


cost(EUR bn)


2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

from single device up to system level.Investments are needed for novel equipment and manpower to boost the facility to the next level.

2) Centre of Excellence for the next generation of Antennas

3) First of a kind demonstration site for the next generation sustainable biofuels – to establish a large scale demonstration of sustainable biofuels requires substantial financing at high risk. Furthering the conditions for investments will allow for an extensive advancement for the introduction of non-fossil based fuels in the transport sector.

European cooperation

risks need to be strengthened in Europe and in particular at regional level. The potential is there, but often the barriers for financing hinder the next steps for commercialization. The proposed platform for investment on market terms is proposed to build the bridge between research and market

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name



investment plan

(yes/no)


cost(EUR bn)


2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

and progressive investment facilities are needed to ensure the right framework conditions for operating at European scale and to enable the commercialization of products at both short and longer terms. There is a need to ensure the right conditions for industries to stay at the absolute forefront and improve knowledge sharing and utilization. The proposed investment platform will take its outset in a regional setting which builds on the regional growth plan and the smart specialization of the region. The concept of regional smart specialization is by nature based on the knowledge and strengths of the region - to build

and to set up a project for investing in effective and collaborative research and knowledge co-creation environments that contribute to a strong sustainable manufacturing basis for new products and solutions in Europe. Research based innovation and production will enable

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Sector Sub-sector

Project name



investment plan

(yes/no)


cost(EUR bn)


2017(EUR bn)

Barriers/solutions

and fund ecosystems for co-creation - as in the above mentioned cases for tomorrow’s solutions. The establishment of facilities to test and co-produce in a knowledge environment needs special attention to attract investors and to reach global scale. A regional investment platform for risk financing is needed to guarantee the transfer of knowledge to the market.

growth and jobs – green growth for new jobs in Europe and global competitiveness.

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FRANCE

The European Fund for Strategic Investment – French delegation’s illustrative proposals

In the framework of the task force on investment gathering member states / Commission / EIB, the French delegation has identified, in 2014, several projects that could potentially be funded by the EFSI. The following are illustrative examples of projects that are closely linked to research and innovation as this should be one of the priorities of the plan—especially in the context of a reduced Horizon 2020 budget. Other projects could be mentioned or arise in the short or medium runs, especially considering the construction of the plan in which projects are submitted to the relevant authorities without compulsory involvement of the Member States.

Support to investment in the Next Generation Factories

France, like the European Union, has undergone a strong deindustrialization process in the course of the last decade. Yet, industry adds up to more than 80% of European exports and 80% of the private sector investments in research and innovation. It gathers together almost one fourth of the private sector’s jobs—those are usually highly-qualified—and each job created in the manufacturing industry entails the creation of 0.5 to 2 jobs in other sectors.

To allow European industry to start investing again in its production tool on its own territory, it is suggested to unlock access to credit for the phases directly after the Pilot lines , that is to say to set up innovative production lines with Technology Readiness Levels of 8 or 9. The aim of the project is thus to facilitate the setting up, on the European territory, of Pilot factories based on the most advanced technologies (notably generic key technologies such as microelectronics, photonics, nanotechnologies, advanced materials, manufacturing processes, biotechnologies). Those Next Generation Factories could produce batteries, medication derived from biotechnology, 2nd or 3rd

generation biorefineries, next generation composite materials, etc.

This project would have a strong structuring effect in Europe (interconnections, energy independence, positive externalities and jobs) and many elements are already in place to allow for fast activation. In the framework of global competition, this project would implement an approach based on circular economy (value for money and responsible resource development) which would also reinforce the attractiveness of jobs within the industrial sector.

Patent fund for IP growth support & financing

The fragmentation of intellectual property rights (IPR) in Europe generates hurdles for SMEs and startup companies to access IPR and use it as a lever for growth. In its resolution of 10 March 2009, the European Parliament highlights that SMEs need support to access IPR protection and to use their IPR to attract finance. Patent valorization through long-term technology development and commercialization highly benefits to innovation and knowledge diffusion. Gains from trade of patents and licenses consist of a more efficient division of labour and a more extensive use of patented technologies. As well, the ability of the patent holder to appropriate part of these gains also generates additional incentives to invest in R&D.

4 years ago, the French authorities created France Brevets, a public operator dedicated to developing valorization solutions of public and private R&D through constitution and management

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of patent portfolios. Building upon the first successful licensing operations, and upon the specific IP expertise gathered, the French government decided in 2014 to create a sovereign fund for industrial property, with the ambition to develop the France Brevets activities towards longer-term actions serving innovation, knowledge diffusion, and industrial competitiveness. Several business models are to be developed:

- partnerships with upstream public research organizations (PROs), start-up companies and venture capitalists to generate patent factories, reinforcing commercial positions and company value for SMEs created out of knowledge transfer;

- development of IP financing schemes through partnerships with the banking sector, enabling IP assets to serve as collaterals for loans, enhancing access to financing for intangible asset intensive business models;

- development of patent pool licensing programs fostering access to market and reducing legal risk for innovative EU companies in sectors where IP is fragmented and/or spread worldwide.

Such innovative business model would rely on the expertise gathered in France Brevets’ teams, providing efficient advice and monitoring of the patent filing activities to companies and PROs, as well as expert assessment and implementation of monetization schemes for the generated portfolios. EFSI could complement national fundig of the sovereign fund, strengthening its leverage effect on private R&D spending, VC equity and banking funding, and enabling a EU level approach on patent pooling and knowledge transfer partnerships.

European venture capital fund-of-funds

Since 2011, the European Council has regularly highlighted the need to breathe new life into European venture capital markets to make up for structurally weak equity investment in young and innovative companies. The European Commission’s investment plan provides a welcome framework to boost consolidation of European venture capital markets through the creation of one or several European venture capital fund(s)-of-funds that could be used to support young start-ups through the toughest phases of growth.

Today, it is vitally important that we support: (i) the emergence in Europe of “major funds” (ranging from €80m to several hundred millions euros); (ii) funds that put forward a cross-border, or pan-European, investment strategy. The support plan could consist of two complementary actions:

- Support the creation of some very large-scale private funds with a European investment strategy targeting innovative start-ups ;

- Encourage the best venture capital management teams to develop cross-border investment strategies with support from national development banks.

Both actions are complementary: the first option, through the creation of large venture capital funds, targets few very innovative companies with high financial needs; the second, with its bottom up approach, addresses the less significant financial needs of all companies, whether at venture or growth stage. This two-pronged approach would thus address the different demands of European firms by relying on local networks while building solid management teams, particularly for later stage venture/growth capital investments in new technology projects. This strategy could attract both management teams and capital from outside Europe.

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MALTA

Short description of the R&I project KENUP that could potentially be suitable to benefit from

funding under EFSI:

KENUP, an initiative on ‘healthy living and active ageing’ with a consortium of 67 partners from

19 European countries is to be thought of as a pubic venture that seeks to invest in innovations that

get stuck in the valley of death. In this regard, it is set out to identify and promote these industries

into global market leadership. Designed to maximise impact, sustainability and outreach, kenup will

focus on identifying the goals, defining a vision and creating influential solutions for an ageing

society, in Europe and worldwide. In short, it is a network of pioneers for demographic solutions

employing a business-driven strategy to bring about public benefit, for living longer, healthier and

better lives. The four industries within Europe’s healthcare sector which will be the basis for

development, innovation and support moving forward are immunisation for adults, predictive

health, personalised medicine, and value based healthcare.

PORTUGAL

On behalf of the Portuguese Delegation we would like to inform you about the Portuguese potential

R&I projects that have been identified suitable for finance under the European Fund for Strategic

Investment (EFSI):

- From the sector of knowledge and Digital Economy, the national roadmap for Research Infrastructures

- From the sector of social infrastructures, the national infrastructure investment for Education and Higher Education

We would like to note that this information is from a report of last December, which may have been

updated in the meantime. If we have more updated information till the next ERAC’s meeting, we

will inform you accordingly.

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ERAC Secretariat

30 June 2015

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