Structural change in the 'Rheinisches Braunkohlerevier'
For the successful transition of the ‘Rheinisches Braunkohlerevier’ (lignite mining region) to a future region for sustainable business, the regional energy-intensive industries need low-emission and sustainable solutions. The accelerated phase-out of coal-fired power generation offers the Rheinisches Braunkohlerevier the opportunity to become a European model region for sustainable and CO2-neutral business. With the transformation of the power generation landscape to a post-mining landscape based on renewable methods of power generation, existing industrial production processes must be made more flexible and new types of value chains based on sustainable resources and a circular economy must be developed. The research topics in IEK-9 focus on the research, development and implementation of one of the most promising approaches: Power-to-X (P2X) technologies. The generation of material energy sources, such as fuels, chemical raw materials and process gases, or heat, opens the way to new types of sustainable value creation paths. In this way, existing jobs in the Rheinisches Braunkohlerevier can be secured and sustainable employment created.
If successful, P2X value chains will act as innovation drivers, making an essential contribution to the structural transformation of the Rheinisches Zukunftsrevier. Our research and development is also linked to the goal of establishing P2X as a core element of a demonstrator region and thus for the regional development of the Rheinisches Zukunftsrevier. The Rheinisches Braunkohlerevier is to be developed into a modern and internationally pioneering region in the field of sustainable industrial production processes, thus laying the foundation for the creation of sustainable jobs. P2X thus has the potential to make significant contributions in the target triangle of ecology (sustainability) - economy (value creation) - social affairs (jobs).
