The net zero and circular transition, in a context of a dual energy and climate crisis, poses major challenges for the chemical and wider process industry in the EU in terms of change management, energy and raw material security and competitiveness.

In the context of the Green Deal, the EU has taken an ambitious package of measures and has boosted investment in the development of innovative cleaner technologies. While elsewhere in the world they are pushing hard, including the US with its Inflation Reduction Act, the Net Zero Industry Act is also trying to enhance the further upscaling and roll-out of this cleantech in the industry.

In the next 10 years, we must take major steps towards electrification with renewable energy and the use of circular feedstock, including green hydrogen, carbon dioxide capture, biomass and chemical recycling of plastics. This transition not only requires a gradual phase-out and upgrades of existing assets, but also large-scale investments in the construction of new basic infrastructure for renewable energy and circular feedstock, and the construction of new factories.

The only answer to the enormous challenge of transition financing is cooperation. Collaboration between governments, financial institutions and industry clusters to organize the synergy between public and private investments, and to tackle issues related to upscaling, demand stimulation, permits, availability of raw materials and others. We are convinced that a targeted approach to this blended financing in combination with a well-thought-out transition strategy within companies can make significant gains.

We see the Net Zero Industry Act as an outstretched hand and lever for our industry to discuss with the European Commission, European Investment Bank and other public and private financiers, the policy on transition financing, practices on blended financing and cases on transition strategies. These topics are the focus of the conference that we are organizing on 29 and 30 November 2023 at Chemelot in Geleen (the Netherlands).

The choice for Chemelot, one of the EU's largest and highly integrated chemical clusters as a conference location, is no coincidence: we want to let the participants - policy makers, investors and companies - experience what the transition means in practice. Inspiring sessions will take place at innovation hotspot Brightlands Chemelot Campus, with Brightlands Circular Space as interesting flagship project on transition strategies.  Participants will also be able to visit the Chemelot Industrial Park in a guided tour and not only witness its size and importance but also its challenges and investment needs.

The conference is organized by the Chemelot Circular Hub, with sessions co-hosted by Cefic, A.SPIRE, Hubs4Circularity,  World Economic Forum, the Ministries of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy and of Infrastructure & Water Management of the Netherlands, the Dutch platform Green Chemistry New Economy and various other partners such as the RWE, Brightlands Chemelot Campus and Covestro.