Last October 28th, the Automotive Cluster of Castilla y León (FACYL) organized a working day focused on Energy and Environment in the automotive sector: “Meeting of Strategic Reflection: Energy and Environment Working Groups”. The meeting was divided into two sections, so that the first turned around challenges and opportunities for the automotive sector in the area of Energy, while the second focused on the new regulations on waste transport, the Circular Economy and the challenges and opportunities in the area of Environment for automotive companies.
In addition to participating in the discussions on both sections, CIDAUT participated very actively as speaker within the Environment group where we conducted the conference about Circular Economy: “CIDAUT’s Approach and Experiences”. The conference began with a brief general explanation about the Circular Economy, as well as its bases and objectives, to later review several projects in which CIDAUT applies this philosophy.
The European Environment Agency (EEA)’s publication The European environment-State and outlook 2015 highlights‘ stimulating resource-efficient, low-carbon economic and social development is considered as essential to achieving the 2050 vision of ‘living well within the limits of the planet’ as set out in the European Union (EU)’s 7th Environment Action Programme. This requires Europe and the rest of the world to move away from the current linear economic model of take-make-consume-dispose, which relies on large quantities of easily accessible resources and energy, to a circular model in which planetary boundaries are respected through resource conservation and by maximising the use of resources already available within the economy. The concept of a circular economy has recently gained traction in European policymaking as a positive, solutions-based perspective for achieving economic development within increasing environmental constraints.
The concept of Circular Economy is widely used in CIDAUT from the definition and approach of the projects where the main objective is to give value to those materials that are considered waste and that still can enter in the circle. To achieve this goal it is necessary the development of technology, role played by CIDAUT as the main actor. During the conference, a review of several projects developed by CIDAUT was presented. These projects are related with the recovery of high performance aluminum, obtaining rare earth elements – magnesium alloys, as well as the recovery of plastics with improved properties or the obtaining of chemical or plastics from waste: waste-to-chemicals.
To conclude, a final review of the opportunities in Horizon2020 programmes was performed, as well as the different topics and calls open to develop ideas and projects encouraged by EC in this so interesting and necessary field that is Circular Economy.