10 Years Automotive
10 Years Automotive tinyurl.com/2010-kaeb ago Dr. Harald Kaeb, Secretary General of European Bioplastics Oh! What a year! From ‘Apocalypse Now!’ to ‘Business As Usual’? Actually there is no business as usual any more! Wherever you look there are enormous pressures that will lead to far-reaching changes. The last decade was the one in which we finally noticed this. Yes, it‘s true, raw materials can become very expansive - because they are not used in a sustainable way. And emissions caused by humans will lead to environmental changes that can destroy our quality of life. We have been regularly warned since the 1960‘s, but now we know it‘s true! In this coming decade the shape of the new century will be set. It will be - and must be - a green one. 2020 is a deadline, and not only for the maximum 2°C increase commitment. Cars must go ‘electric‘, energy supplies and fuels from renewable resources will grow, but total consumption will also heavily decrease, food and feedstocks must be sourced from sustainable agriculture and forestry. Not everything will be perfect by then, but those who do not seriously start will see their businesses effectively annihilated in the long run. The frontrunners and risk-takers of today will be the real business leaders. And be aware that sustainability claims must be substantiated. Standards, indicators, measurements and labels will be most important tools for providing proof. Some of them are already in place, others need updating or are still to be developed. Each and every product category will be impacted by measurement tools such as LCA or carbon footprint, and the derived policies. If you want to shape these standards and tools then do ensure that you are represented in branch associations. I hope you enjoy this first issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE in the new decade. In addition to my own ‘wise’ comments it features editorial highlights such as foamed bioplastics and bioplastics in automotive applications. It explains the basics of cellulosics, and the article of Professor Narayan offers a good closing word in this issue for the oxoepisode. A Happy New Year, and a Great Decade! Harald Kaeb Published in bioplastics MAGAZINE Guest Editorial Building a Green Century bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/10] Vol. 5 3 In January 2020, Harald Kaeb, now Narocon Innovation Consulting, shares his updated ‘wise’ comments with us: Puuuhhh... I remember well my mixed emotions when 2009 ended - the first and worst year of the global financial crisis, after Dow had fallen by 50% within one year and everything was put into question: Growth, wealth and wellbeing. We found our economical system as is at stake, had looked into the abyss. We could not yet imagine what it meant for the bioplastics industry which was strongly on the rise in the first decade of the new millenial. Just think about the breaking news of biobased PE and PET commodities which first production facilities just went on-stream after years of preparations. And, in December 2009, the industrial world adopted the goal to keep the global warming temperature rise below 2 degrees in Copenhagen, promoting measures which should increase the use of renewable energies, electric vehicles and other CO 2 saving technologies, thus bioplastics should benefit - but will they? I was shaken between doom and boom. 10 years later the Dow almost has tripled again, and growth was seen in many sectors: The digital world took the lead, and renewable energies soared: Photovoltaics and wind turbines were increasing their share in the electric grid by factors to significant levels in many countries. However, the promotion did not comprise renewable materials, biobased monomers and polymers. The political and legal framework which had pushed biofuels for quite a while did not spread to biomaterials, for more or less bad reasons. And despite their initial efforts most Governments missed their Copenhagen commitments to limit CO 2 emissions leaving us to a dramatic future threat and triggering massive children protest today. My key learning of getting wiser is: Yes, you may be right in principle with your future predictions, but you will never know WHEN it will happen. “Cars must go electric” was right but it happened only recently that car makers switch production lines. And for plastics circularity and recycled content come first, again policies are neglecting bioplastics at large. But finally we will see sustainably sourced biobased and biodegradable materials take over - it is just a matter of time: The plastic world is more than ever groundshaking today, it cannot sustain the way it is. 44 bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/20] Vol. 15
www.co2-chemistry.eu Leading Event on Carbon Capture and Utilisation 24 – 25 March 2020, Maternushaus Cologne (Germany) Innovation Award Sponsor Bronze Sponsor Conference Highlights & Main Topics • Policy & Innovation • Renewable Carbon & Renewable Energy • Carbon Capture & Electrolysis • Hydrogen Production & Mineralisation • CO 2 for Chemicals & Materials • CO 2 for Chemicals & Fuels • Special Pitch Session: National and International Research Projects • VOTE FOR the Innovation Award “Best CO 2 Utilisation 2020”! Don’t miss this new expert highlight one day prior to the conference 1 st European Summit on CO 2 -based Aviation Fuels COLOGNE · GERMANY · 23 MARCH 2020 Newsticker on Carbon Capture and Utilisation! Free access: www.co2-chemistry.eu/news Venue Maternushaus Kardinal-Frings-Str. 1 50668 Cologne www.maternushaus.de Contact Dominik Vogt Conference Manager +49 (0)2233 4814-49 dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de Organiser nova-Institut GmbH Chemiepark Knapsack Industriestraße 300 50354 Hürth, Germany HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORLDWIDE BIOECONOMY Sponsor Innovation Award: yncoris.com Gold Sponsor: neste.de Organiser: VOTE FOR the Innovation Award “Bio-based Material of the Year 2020”! Institute for Ecology and Innovation nova-institute.eu • Success stories and upcoming technological breakthroughs in the bioeconomy • Policy and markets • Fine chemicals in body care, cosmetics, food ingredients and pharmaceuticals • Circular bioeconomy, biorefineries, pyrolysis and especially lignin utilisation • New opportunities for bio-based building blocks and polymers • Innovation award „Bio-based Material of the Year 2020“ Gold Sponsor: upm.com Contact Dominik Vogt Conference Manager +49 (0)2233 4814-49 dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de Find more information at: www.bio-based-conference.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/19] Vol. 14 45
