r+Impulse – Impulses for industrial Resource Efficiency

Eligible are R&D activities within industrial development and innovation projects to examine risk-related technological and non-technological questions related to the scale-up, optimization and design of components and plants, the necessary testing and approval procedures, the development of new business models and cross-sectoral application possibilities. Funded are single projects of companies as well as collaborative projects between industry and science, and - where required - other partners.

The work must be carried out on the initiative of an industrial company or of the future user. A prerequisite for the funding is a successfully completed initial research or a proven pilot operation, which for example is reached within a first funding period. Eligible are risky industrial reseach and pre-competitive development projects for a significant increase in resource efficiency.

Priority topics are e.g.

Increasing the material and energy efficiency within raw material intensive production systems (e.g. metal production and working, chemical industries, building and ceramic industries)
Repatriation of high-quality recyclable material fractions from waste streams
Recycling and substitution of raw materials of strategic economic importance for key technologies and high tech applications
Material utilization of CO2 for chemical products and for energy storage
Considering the worldwide rising demand for raw materials and the huge economic- and fiscal-political challenges, that Germany faces furthermore, the for the German economy consisting resource efficiency potentials must be enhanced and new perspectives must be opened up. Efficiency technologies are thereby essential drivers for innovation and the basis for new products and processes. Through this, the German economy can create competitive advantages and uncouple economic growth from raw material consumption and environmental impacts. However, the decoupling can only succeed, if new technologies and processes can be implemented and made market efficient quickly and across all industries. The funding guideline aims to reduce implementation risks through specific R&D-impulses and helps bridging the "Death Valley" through the implementation of innovative processes. Simultaneously, a contribution for the transformation of the economy towards a "Green Economy" shall be made.

As accompanying measure, an overarching technology transfer project will be supported. Main tasks are the cross-compound support for the dissemination of the results for the implementation of innovative technologies and the transfer of findings. Moreover, the impact analysis on the level of the funding measure shall be supported through systematic determination of the intended and realized resource efficiency potentials of the funded association projects through the technology transfer project.