Research
Major global changes ranging from population growth, shifts in economic growth, decarbonization efforts to technological breakthroughs have led to a rapid increase in global demand for natural resources and raw materials. Confronted with framework conditions such as climate change, increasing scarcity of water and natural resources, and the globalization of production and trade, political and industrial decision-makers face the challenging task of promoting technological innovations that will pave the path for a low-carbon and circular economy while ensuring that raw material supplies to their nation’s industry remain competitive yet secure. To further complicate matters, in particular in democratic societies where public actors expects transparency and participatory decision-making, a lack of the social acceptance for decisions relating to technologies or natural resources are often associated with significant direct (e.g., increased costs resulting from delays, disruptions and/or changes) and indirect costs (e.g., public outrage, loss of trust). Hence, for many economies around the world, investment in innovative technologies, ensuring raw materials supply chain security and engaging social support for proposed developments/policies represent central topics for its industry and policymakers.
Both the energy and raw material systems are large-scale socio-technical systems made up of interrelated components and stakeholders connected in complex networks and infrastructures. The complexity of the decision-making environment thus makes it highly challenging for decision-makers to obtain a systemic and well-grounded overview i.e., a “big picture” of the socio-technological-economic-environmental-political (STEEP) components in their value chains, nor is it easy for them to evaluate how their decisions may lead to wide-ranging and unanticipated impacts. Research at the Chair of Decarbonization and Transformation of Industry (DTI) thus utilizes an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and intersectoral STEEP approach to assess transformation pathways and sustainability developments including:
- Transition from a linear to circular carbon economy;
- Recycling of strategic minerals and metals for a circular economy;
- Transition towards carbon-neutral and green industrial production;
- ….
Additionally, another focus of the Chair is to promote awareness and systemic understanding of energy and raw materials systems as well as to facilitate effective and successful knowledge transfer between science, industry, society and politics via science & technical communication.
Examples of science & technical communication videos previously developed in cooperation with partners:
DeKaTrin (Establishing a new Chair for Decarbonization and Transformation of the Industry at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg)
The German Federal Ministry of Environment (since 2023 the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action) is supporting the BTU Cottbus with a funding of about 1.6 Mio. EUR to establish a new Chair on “Decarbonization and Transformation of Industry” to provide important impulses for research and teaching in the fields of decarbonization and sustainability.
More information under: https://www.b-tu.de/news/artikel/18998-die-btu-cottbus-senftenberg-erhaelt-lehrstuhl-fuer-dekarbonisierung-und-transformation-der-industrie
CRC3-Economy (Chemical Recycling for China’s Transition towards a Circular Carbon Economy)
China is at the beginning of its transformation from a linear to a circular economy. The growing global interest in chemical recycling (CR) is driven by its potential contribution to this transformation as well as to resolving other current challenges such as the global (plastic) waste crisis, primary resource conservation, supply security and CO2 reduction. However, while many publications have focused on the technical implementation of CR, there is currently a lack of information about the societal, social, economic and innovation-political aspects for its implementation in China.
To address this gap, the CRC3-Economy project focuses on (1) identifying the status quo in China's waste management and chemical industries in the transition to a circular carbon economy as well as the effects of CR on the climate, environment and society, (2) Analysis of CR in the context of Chinese innovation policy along the institutional and human dimensions, (3) comparison of various innovation policy instruments in China and Germany based on the example of CR, and (4) developing recommendations for increasing public, market and political support based on the example of CR.
CRC3 Economy therefore addresses current issues that are not only relevant for China, but also for Germany and global society. In addition to key players in the circular carbon economy, the general public in China will also be integrated in the project in order to provide well-founded insights that go beyond the scientific perspective and have practical relevance. To ensure that research results can be used sustainablafter the project, the German NK2 network for a Circular Carbon Economy is integrated as dialogue partners/multipliers to promote the transfer of new knowledge gained in science, economy and politics in Germany/the EU.
STEEP-CarbonTrans (“STEEP” Evaluation of Technological and Resource Alternatives for Carbon Feedstock to support a Raw Materials Transition in the German Industry)
This project was awarded to Prof. Roh Pin Lee in 2017 under the BMBF Nachwuchsgruppen Globaler Wandel 4+1 Program while she was head of the Technology Assessment division at the Institute of Energy Process Engineering & Chemical Engineering (IEC) at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Since joining the BTU Cottbus in October 2023, Prof. Lee contains to collaborate closely with IEC on this project and remains the contact person for any enquiries.
Political and industrial decision-makers face the challenging task of promoting technological innovations that will pave the path for a low-carbon economy while ensuring that raw material supplies to their nation’s industry remain competitive yet secure. The complexity of the decision-making environment makes it highly challenging to obtain a holistic and well-grounded overview of the social-technological-economic-environmental-political (STEEP) components in their value chains. To support efforts to break down and quantify the complex decision environment, this interdisciplinary research project utilizes a systemic approach to develop STEEP methodologies/tools for evaluating technological and resource chains representing viable carbon feedstock alternatives for the industry to produce value-added products.
The project draws on concepts/methods from social sciences and technical disciplines ranging from engineering, decision sciences to resource management to carry out the following activities:
1) comparative technology evaluation of existing/promising technologies for the production of carbon-based products/fuels,
2) resource-chain assessments for alternative carbon feedstock with a life cycle approach integrating political and social aspects to complement validated techno-economic-ecological models,
3) investigate societal knowledge, perception and acceptance of alternative carbon feedstock and associated technologies/infrastructures,
4) develop practical recommendations for education/engagement measures and a STEEP decision-support toolbox.
Through its activities, in addition to qualification of young scientists, the project aims to facilitate a better understanding of the raw materials system as a social-technical system. It also provides specific recommendations to support sound, grounded decision-making and measures development for a transition to a competitive, low-carbon, secure and sustainable raw materials management in the German industry.