in the Finnish chemical industry - Kemia-lehti
in the Finnish chemical industry - Kemia-lehti
in the Finnish chemical industry - Kemia-lehti
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Greensolutionsfor water and wasteGreen Solutions for Water and Waste is aVTT programme promot<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> developmentand commercialisation of new <strong>in</strong>novationswith<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> field of environmental technology.Ample demand for susta<strong>in</strong>able solutionscont<strong>in</strong>ues to exist worldwide.Petri Tuom<strong>in</strong>enThe availability of clean water and susta<strong>in</strong>able use of materialsare significant global challenges. Technical Research Centreof F<strong>in</strong>land VTT has launched a spearhead programme titledGreen Solutions for Water and Waste (GWW) facilitat<strong>in</strong>g<strong>the</strong> creation of new technology and bus<strong>in</strong>ess for susta<strong>in</strong>abletreatment of water and waste globally by <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g differenttechnologies.The four-year programme started <strong>in</strong> January 2011 covers,among o<strong>the</strong>r th<strong>in</strong>gs, energy-efficient membrane solutions for<strong>the</strong> recycl<strong>in</strong>g and purification of <strong>in</strong>dustrial waters as well as<strong>the</strong> recovery of valuable substances such as metals from <strong>the</strong>waste.“We create better prerequisites for <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry to develop<strong>in</strong>novations <strong>in</strong> waste and water management and <strong>the</strong> expertiserequired for <strong>the</strong>ir commercialisation. We provide <strong>the</strong> companieswith research services and expertise, which will <strong>in</strong>tegratedifferent technologies and discipl<strong>in</strong>es. We help <strong>the</strong>m to develop<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly competitive products for <strong>the</strong> global market”, saysMona Arnold, programme manager and pr<strong>in</strong>cipal scientist atVTT.“We will also develop <strong>the</strong> processes and <strong>the</strong> patent portfolioresult<strong>in</strong>g from <strong>the</strong> research.”VTT researchers are collaborat<strong>in</strong>g closely with <strong>the</strong> companiesand o<strong>the</strong>r research organisations. The programme <strong>in</strong>volvesapproximately one hundred research workers at VTT.“The aim is to create bus<strong>in</strong>ess-promot<strong>in</strong>g solutions for <strong>the</strong>companies. In addition, we aspire after new scientific results,sp<strong>in</strong>-off companies and patents”, says Arnold.“We want to be among <strong>the</strong> world’s best research organisationswith<strong>in</strong> our own areas of specialisation.”Clean water and materialefficiency as megatrendsAccord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> US National Intelligence Council, scarcity ofclean water is becom<strong>in</strong>g a central global megatrend by 2030.The demand for water is estimated to grow by 40 per cent over<strong>the</strong> next 15 to 20 years.32 KEMIA 5/2013
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