VoltaChem: Electrification of the Chemical Industry

Voltachem is a business-driven Shared Innovation Program that connects the electricity sector to the chemical industry. New technologies are developed and implemented that focus on the conversion of renewable energy to heat, hydrogen and chemicals.

Mission

VoltaChem aims to initiate and facilitate collaborative development of technology and business models with relevant stakeholders to help move innovation in the field of electrification and decarbonization faster towards commercial implementation. The program addresses both the indirect and direct use of electricity within the chemical industry, and works from a systemic point of view.

With more solar and wind energy being produced, sustainable electricity supply in North West Europe is constantly increasing. This can offer great opportunities for the chemical industry. The supply of sustainable energy can bring reductions in energy costs, but it can also offer numerous opportunities to develop new, high value products and it lowers their carbon footprint.

VoltaChem was initiated by applied knowledge institutes ECN and TNO with support of the industry and academia to focus research and development efforts in the field of chemicals and energy on electrification and decarbonisation of the industry. This collaboration started at the end of 2014 at the request of The Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Topsector Chemicals with an initial grant of 2 million euros.

Approach

VoltaChem adopts a multidisciplinary approach that brings together the entire value chain: in R&D (institutions, universities), in the users (chemical, electricity) and in the suppliers (sub-components, equipment and engineering).
Participants can cooperate with dedicated researchers, starting with researchers from TNO and ECN who have knowledge and network within the fields of electrochemistry, heat technology, chemistry and process technology. From the program, we aim to collaborate with top-universities worldwide.

Companies that join VoltaChem get to participate in the VoltaChem roadmap, network and RD&I activities in a one-stop-shop manner. Being part of the community, you can choose to join a certain program line or project and get access to a specific network, business-cases, knowledge, IP and specific hardware and technologies.