2022 should have provided a period of recovery after the recent lockdowns, global supply issues and pandemic. But instead, we suddenly found ourselves in an energy crisis that hit hard, in Europe in particular. The huge impact this had on our families, businesses and governments led to unprecedented measures. We must make sure this doesn't happen again in the future. To secure long-term energy security and self-sufficiency, Europe has to invest in renewable energy like offshore wind and solar power now.
International cooperation is crucial if we are to face the current energy and climate crisis the best way possible. Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) has 'Science & Technology Counselors for Climate Tech' in Palo Alto, Copenhagen and Singapore, connecting regions and exchanging technological expertise.
Flemish expertise in offshore wind
The North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC) aims to increase offshore wind capacity in the North Sea tenfold - to 260 GW by 2050. There is a vital role here for several Flemish companies, due to their wealth of expertise in this field. Their know-how was recently acknowledged during the trade mission to the Baltic States in October 2022 and the Belgian Economic Missions to the USA in June 2022 and Japan in December 2022. Over the course of these missions, local organisations came face to face with the skill these Flemish companies hold in offshore wind, energy storage and solar energy. This international exchange of expertise is essential if we are to be able to rely entirely on renewable energy in the future.
Digital technologies for a more efficient process
While the rollout of renewable energy will have a major impact on energy supply and our carbon footprint, we must also reduce our energy consumption in the short term. More and more sectors have been deploying digital technology over the past year in order to manage energy consumption and increase process efficiency.
Both in Flanders and beyond, the progress in this sector is gaining momentum thanks to 'deep tech' and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. Water purification (Inopsys, Ekopak), wind farm (24Sea) and energy grid monitoring, virtual power plants, the reduction of methane gas emissions in water treatment (AM team), the digital twinning of buildings for improved energy efficiency (HySopt), waste heat recovery (QPinch), the reduction of factory CO2 emissions (D-CRBN), ... the list of applications is endless and growing every day. Digital technologies facilitate both preventive and predictive maintenance, aiding reduction of dangerous incidents, weeding out existing process inefficiencies and accelerating new application design. Each of these constitutes cost-saving measures.
The growing role of deep tech and AI in tackling the climate crisis
AI naturally offers more far-reaching possibilities. Using this technology, we can analyse flood risks in an entirely way, reducing the loss of human life and resources. AI applications are helpful in materials management due to their ability to identify and sort waste streams for optimal recycling. Several companies in the Flanders region are already making use of these and other AI applications to reduce their impact on climate change. It shows that the new digital tools offered by AI and deep tech are gaining popularity around the globe. Investor interest in the sector is growing and there are new funds available for climate technology in Flanders and additional capital to support growth in this sector.
Fostering international collaborations
In 2022, the international FIT offices welcomed Flanders-based scale-ups with a focus on smart and sustainable resources. During the Slush side-event, Nordic companies expressed great interest in Flemish expertise in Smart Ports, IoT and Digital Twins - all technologies that help businesses become more energy-efficient and to respond to the ongoing energy crisis.
Throughout 2023, FIT is organising several initiatives to help companies explore opportunities abroad and to attract international expertise from which the region stands to benefit. These initiatives will be open to cleantech companies and start-ups in Flanders. After all, to succeed in the fight for our planet, we must join forces around the globe.
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Ralph Moreau |
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Maarten Lambert |
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Kim Demeyer |