Industry

Professor Jari Kinaret (Chalmers University, SE) is coordinating the EU Graphene Flagship. Supercapacitors are one reason why the EU has set up the Graphene Flagship. The European Union has plans for investing hundreds of millions of euros over the next ten years in research on graphene, due to its high potential impact in many industrial sectors, and is working with other funders to join forces. © Graphene-flagship.eu

industry | frontier research | innovation union

08 July 2013

High-power capacitors to replace batteries

They charge in seconds and could run your laptop for a month – supercapacitors are coming, and it’s thanks to graphene, one atom-thick sheets of carbon that are revolutionising industry.

Biofuel can be produced from algae. At the Farnborough Airshow 2010, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space company (EADS) showcased flights of an aircraft powered by pure biofuel made from this resource. © EADS

environment | industry | bioeconomy

20 June 2013

Shifting gear on biofuels

Car fuel made from agricultural waste could help cut down carbon usage without taking up land that is used to grow food. It is one innovation that could help the biofuels industry shift up a gear.

Biomaterials in granular form are today used to make items such as mulching film or disposable tableware as well as different kinds of packaging. © Novamont

environment | industry | bioeconomy

15 May 2013

From plastic litter to high-quality compost

Early shoots for the bioeconomy have sprung up through innovative ideas in completely different businesses. And, at the same time, they raise some legislative initiatives.

Test of the quality of a laser beam produced by the Amplitude start-up company in France. The technology proposed by this company has been co-patented by the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique, France. © CNRS Phototèque – Kaksonenl

industry | policy

03 May 2013

EU patents predict green recovery

If the type of patents being filed by Europe’s companies is anything to go by, the economy that will emerge from the financial crisis in Europe may be decidedly green.

In the French region of Champagne, local farmers and industrial partners have developed a fully integrated industrial biorefinery. It takes advantage of the biomass, based on traditional agro-industries, for new applications of agro-resources to be used in the local area. © Getty

energy | bioeconomy | agriculture | industry

18 March 2013

Biorefinery sorts the chaff from the wheat

Among the vineyards and wheat fields of north-eastern France, a revolution in chemical manufacturing is quietly gathering momentum. Here, biomass is turned into valuable components and energy.

bioeconomy | environment | industry | agriculture

18 March 2013

Bioeconomy: the new revolution

The industrial revolution made the world wealthy through a simple idea: to replace the physical labour of humans and animals with energy from fossil fuels. Two-and-a-half centuries after the revolution started, however, it is in trouble. The oil that powers much of the world’s economy is running out, and the greenhouse gases given off by the fuels are harming the planet.

Industry