Blue Synergy’s participation in the IEEE Nano Conferences 2024

Last week, Blue Synergy participated in NANO-EH‘s workshop during the IEEE NANO Conferences‘s workshop day,  in Gijon, Spain, presenting the company’s work on key topics for the NANO-EH project.

Showcasing the forefront of nano-electronics and sustainable technologies, the sessions covered innovative topics such as nano antennas for sunlight harvesting, modelling and characterization of geometric diodes using patterned graphene, non-linear modelling for tunable RF devices with ferroelectric materials, sustainable nano-electronics approaches, and piezoelectric energy harvesters on sustainable materials.

Blue Synergy SL presented the sustainable approaches within the NANO-EH project, highlighting key results on eco-design and showcasing strategies for integrating sustainability into the design process. The presentation pointed out advanced technologies for recycling, underscoring their role in reducing environmental impact. The importance of effective supply chain management and local sourcing was also discussed, illustrating how these practices can enhance sustainability and efficiency in nano-electronics production.

This insightful session underscored the critical role of sustainable practices in the future of nano-electronics.

Embracing Eco-Design for a sustainable future: the role of Blue Synergy

As our society grapples with environmental challenges, eco-design emerges as a crucial strategy for mitigating the impact of human activities on the planet. At its core, eco-design integrates environmental considerations into product development, aiming to minimize negative impacts across the entire product lifecycle. This approach not only addresses environmental concerns but also enhances business viability and consumer satisfaction by promoting sustainability and innovation.

According to the European Environment Agency, Eco-design is the integration of environmental aspects into the product development process, by balancing ecological and economic requirements. Eco-design considers environmental aspects at all stages of the product development process, striving for products which make the lowest possible environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle. This means considering the environmental impact from the extraction of raw materials, through production, distribution, use, and finally disposal or recycling. The goal is to minimize pollution, reduce waste, and promote the efficient use of resources. By designing products with these principles in mind, companies can significantly reduce their ecological footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.

The importance of eco-design extends beyond environmental benefits; it also presents substantial economic and social advantages. For instance, the Eco-design Sprint program illustrates the practical application of eco-design principles in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This program helps companies develop sustainable products and services through hands-on training and innovation, fostering a circular economy where resources are reused, and waste is minimized.

“At Blue Synergy, we integrate Eco-design analysis into our sustainability assessments, early on, to address any improvements at systems’ design stage. This activity allows us to propose recommendations and changes on time in the integrated systems that will support the achievement of positive environmental impacts” – Germán Cavero, Managing Director at Blue Synergy SL.

On the other hand, the European Commission’s new Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), proposed in March 2022 but in force from 2024 on, represents a significant advancement in promoting sustainable products within the EU. This regulation expands the scope of the existing Eco-design Directive (2009), which primarily focused on energy-related products, to include nearly all physical goods on the EU market. The ESPR introduces stricter requirements for product durability, reusability, upgradability, and reparability. Additionally, it mandates the reduction of substances that hinder circularity, enhances energy and resource efficiency, and promotes the use of recycled content.

A notable innovation of the ESPR is the introduction of the Digital Product Passport. This digital tool will provide comprehensive information about a product’s environmental sustainability, accessible via a simple scan. It will include details on durability, reparability, recycled content, and the availability of spare parts. This transparency will help consumers make informed purchasing decisions and facilitate better lifecycle management of products. By 2030, the ESPR aims to achieve primary energy savings equivalent to the EU’s annual import of Russian gas, underscoring its potential to significantly reduce the EU’s environmental footprint and enhance energy security.

In conclusion, Eco-design is more than an environmental necessity; it is a strategic approach that offers economic and social benefits. The ESPR is a key component of the European Commission’s broader strategy to foster a circular economy and sustainable product lifecycle management, contributing to the European Green Deal and the New Circular Economy Action Plan.

As businesses and consumers increasingly embrace these principles, the shift towards a more sustainable and circular economy becomes not only feasible but imperative. And that is why Blue Synergy prioritizes the adaptation to this new reality and the adoption of new regulations such as the ESPR, to get involved in this revolutionary movement to save our planet, make sustainability profitable and create a better tomorrow for all.

 

To learn more about how Blue Synergy is committed to making sustainability profitable through innovation, please visit www.bluesynergy.eu

To learn more about the European Commission new Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), please visit https://commission.europa.eu/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/sustainable-products/ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation_en

Blue Synergy’s commitment to environmental sustainability and the preservation of the world’s oceans

During the first days of this month of June, the world celebrated two important international days: Environment Day and Ocean Day. Both celebrations seek to empower individual actors, communities, institutions, corporations and international organizations to act on humanity’s most pressing matters: the climate crisis and the ways in which we can make the transit to a sustainable society.

And even though these challenges are great; we now, more than ever, have the tools and the information to come up with the best solutions to overcome them. Not only we have the technology to stop and reverse the adverse effects of human activity on the environment, including or bodies of water, but we also have the means to spread the word faster and better.

Blue Synergy SL is committed to the efforts of finding sustainable innovations that make the economy grow without having a significant negative impact on our environment. In this sense, the Company is involved in several “Bio” projects, such as BIOSYSMO Project and New Wave project, that aim at finding novel ways to reverse the damage on the environment, while creating new, cleaner products for industries like construction and biochemical; and, also, projects such as SECRETed Project H2020 and our newcomer, VALORISH, that are taking building blocks from marine sources and making them sustainable alternatives with the objective of revolutionizing the fishing, agricultural and related industries, shaping a circular, zero-waste future for us all and preserving our oceans and marine wildlife.

This is how Blue Synergy SL is participating in the efforts of reversing the effects of the climate crisis through coordinated and collective action, as well as rethinking industrial processes with the objective of transitioning to a greener, bluer and, overall, more sustainable industry. Our goal is not only to contribute to leaving a healthy blue planet for future generations, but also a more just, equitable and sustainable society for everybody.

Visit the ‘Projects’ section on our website to learn more about Blue Synergy’s projects and services, and its commitment towards sustainability: https://bluesynergy.eu/projects/

VALORISH, the project that will revolutionize the fishing industry, has officially started

VALORISH, an European project that aims at revolutionizing the fishing industry by making it circular and sustainable, and integrating new technologies that will allow a smoother transition, has officially begun its activities. Blue Synergy is a proud partner in this project and will be carrying out several key tasks and leading one of its Work Packages.

This week, Blue Synergy participated in the Kick-off meeting of VALORISH, a four-year, European Commission funded project that seeks to develop a computationally assisted methodology for the design and implementation of a biorefinery using a cascade approach to valorize waste and by-products from the fishing industry.

Blue Synergy SL is proud to be part of this exciting and promising project, in which the company will both lead one of the Work Packages and contribute to tasks related to Social Impact, Social Acceptance and Perception, Environmental Impact Assessment, Clustering and Networking, and Stakeholder Engagement and Awareness.

Blue Synergy’s managing director, Germán Cavero Lopez, expressed the expectations and commitment of the company towards this project

 

Blue Synergy’s contribution to VALORISH will start by developing a clustering and networking plan that will allow to create synergies with other similar European projects in the same topic, and other projects closely related to the valorization of bio-waste, and the promotion of circular economy and zero-waste strategies”.

 

We expect VALORISH to have a great impact in the reshaping of the fishing industry, according to the European sustainability goals, in the medium and long term. To achieve this goal, the project relies on an excellent group of partners, a consortium of industry leaders and experts in different areas. In this sense, we would like to recognize and highlight the presence of Idener.ai, Anfaco-Cecopesca, Kneia SL, Nofima, Biotrend SA, Rina, Sintef and Grupo Nueva Pescanova, our partners in VALORISH.

Blue Synergy will be posting updates about its participation and the project’s progress on its website, as well as reposting relevant information from the consortium that the reader can find in social media or in VALORISH’s future communication channels.

To learn more about VALORISH, please visit: https://lnkd.in/dmBUZH7s

To learn more about Blue Synergy and how we deliver sustainable profitability through efficient innovation, please visit: https://bluesynergy.eu/our-solutions/

Fast growing biosurfactant industry, key to Blue Synergy and the SECRETed Project collaboration

The rapidly growing industry of biosurfactants is reshaping the way several industries source their materials, transitioning from unsustainable to sustainable resources, improving circularity and driving down costs while at it. Blue Synergy supports the research and development of these processes by collaborating with the SECRETed project to achieve its objectives in the field.

As a part of the role of Blue Synergy in the European funded SECRETed project, we have written and published an article on the rapid changes of biosurfactant production and how they are reshaping the immediate future of the chemical industry. The article showcased the trends and prospects for environmentally decisive innovations, such as the developments on biosurfactants, as well as the landscape of key actors and how they are helping to develop not only the technology required, but also to raise awareness around the need of such bioproducts.

As stated in the article, surfactants are among the most widespread and commercially important chemicals, present in vast number of products in our daily lives: from shampoos to toothpastes, foaming agents, cosmetics, paints, agrochemicals, detergents and even construction materials. According to industry analysts, approximately 20 million tonnes of surfactants are produced every year, from which the majority is based on unsustainable fossil- and/or palm oil feedstocks, produced using harsh traditional chemical manufacturing processes.

On the other hand, biosurfactants are increasingly being produced in whole or in part from renewable biomass, offering the possibility of eliminating the unsustainable components to make way to novel, cleaner ones that are milder, and that have a low environmental impact, which is in line with recent consumer trends. Moreover, biosurfactants do not compete with food production nor do they directly impact natural resources either from either land or water, because mild and safe biological processes are applied for their production, making them innovative and circular.

Our Sustainability Engineer, Sebastián Ospina, a first stage researcher/PhD student, pitched in and outlined the importance of the development of biosurfactants: Switching to biosurfactants is a smart move for any business aiming for sustainability. These biodegradable, less toxic agents excel in emulsifying, foaming, and cleaning, making them perfect for agriculture, cosmetics, and bioremediation. With innovations driving down costs, now is the ideal time to embrace this eco-friendly alternative. Stay ahead of trends and regulations –biosurfactants are the future.

For all these reasons, Blue Synergy is proud to be part of the SECRETed project as sustainability consultants, pioneering new pathways for biosurfactant production through bioprospection, and helping industry leaders accomplish their business goals in an efficient, sustainable and innovative way, with the objective of contributing to a greener future by building the industry of tomorrow.

 

Written by Blue Synergy.

 

#Sustainability #GreenTech #Biotech #Biosurfactants #NewGreenIndustry #CircularEconomy #BlueSynergy #SECRETedProject #SustainableBusinesses

 

Read the article “Winds of change in biosurfactant production bring exciting prospects for the industry” on the SECRETed Project’s website, click on the following link: https://www.secreted.eu/winds-of-change-in-biosurfactant-production-bring-exciting-prospects-for-the-industry/

SECRETed is an EU-H2020 multidisciplinary project involving multiple stakeholders and with a strong participation of SMEs to fully exploit the potential of aquatic biotechnology and produce novel industrial products for the agrochemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and chemistry sectors. To learn more about SECRETed, please visit https://www.secreted.eu/.

Blue Synergy delivers sustainable profitability through efficient innovation. To Learn, please go to https://bluesynergy.eu/ or our Social Network Accounts at Linked In, Facebook and X.

General assembly meeting of the NANOMAT project

📢The past week took place in London the general assembly meeting of the NANOMAT project. It was hosted by the Imperial College London.
The project is right now at the halfway point. NANOMAT is an European project which research and innovations fall under the new domain of “Flexible power RF nanoelectronics”📡📟
Blue Synergy SL, represented by our colleague Patricio Iván Cano Santana, presented the progress made in the fields of sustainability assessments and ecodesign analysis.

General assembly meeting of NewWave project

📢The past 17th and 18th of April was held the General assembly meeting of the New Wave project. The event was superbly hosted by ETA Florence Renewable Energies.
New Wave project is a Horizon Europe-funded research project, led by BTG Biomass Technology Group BV, which will contribute to building a circular♻️economy by introducing sustainable raw materials in 4 manufacturing lines, replacing toxic chemicals, and lowering the environmental footprint of the products.
Our colleague Sebastian Ospina from Blue Synergy SL presented the progress made on the sustainability assessments🌿 as well on the exploitation and business models📊 📈.

Speech and poster Presentation at the openLCA.conf event

📢Blue Synergy SL was present at the openLCA.conf in Berlin! Our colleague Patricio Iván Cano Santana gave a speech about the NANO-EH project’s concept and main 📊 📈outcomes. The activities continued with a poster presentation titled “Sustainability assessment of different type of ☀️solar cells manufacturing in the new energy ⚡️context”

General Assembly Meeting of BIOSYSMO Project

📢The past 4 and 5 of March Blue Synergy SL was present at the General Assembly Meeting 🏫of BIOSYSMO Project. The event was hosted by CIIMAR partner in Porto, Portugal.
The event allowed us to showcase our progress in sustainability assessments🌾🌱♻️ and define the strategies to achieve upcoming milestones.

BIOSYSMO Project proposes the formulation and application of a computational model-driven framework for the design and improvement of synergetic biosystems for removal of mixed contaminants from polluted soils, sediments and (ground) water.

 

5th GA Meeting of SECRETed project in Verona

The past 25th and 26th of january took place the 5th GA Meeting of SECRETed Project H2020 in Verona. The event was hosted by Sphera Encapsulation S.r.l..
The meeting allowed a strenght collaboration between the partners and the work for the next months was planned.
Our colleagues from Blue Synergy SL presented the progress made in sustainability and social & awareness studies.

The SECRETed project will fully exploit the potential of Systems and Synthetic Biology toolboxes and their application within aquatic biotechnology to develop novel hybrid compounds for the agrochemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and chemistry sectors.