The Alpine Macro Region is one of European Innovation Hotspots, especially in the field of Eco Innovation. However, cross-regional cooperation is still an exception

1. Eco-Innovation Hot Spots in the
Alpine Region
Dr. Gerd Meier zu Köcker
Executive Director
ClusterAgentur Baden-Württemberg

2. Definition
Eco-innovation is any innovation that
reduces the use of natural resources and
decreases the release of harmful
substances across the whole life-cycle*
* according to ECO Innovation Observatory

3. ECO Innovation Scoreboard
according to ECO Innovation Observatory

4. There is NO Real Cooperation
Community in Alpine Region on
ECO Innovation
Source: Meier zu Köcker et al, 2015

5. Alpine Region is one of the Major
European Hot-Spots on Advanced
Packaging

6. Austrian Example
• Polymer made of sunflower hulls , starch
and lactic acid
• Usable for injection molding and extrusion
Application: Production of injection-molded
parts, e.g. containers
• Material can be processed with the same
technologies and machines as for
conventional materials
Source of information: naku website

7. Alpine Region is one of Several
European Hot-Spots on Eco Innovation

8. Italian Example
Automotive Bioenergy

9. Pellenc has significantly contributed to efforts
to increase recovery rates through efficient
waste management techniques. Veolia
recently purchased four machines for one of its
commercial and industrial waste treatment
centres. The machines have contributed to
obtaining a 50% of recovery rate, allowing the
centre to become one of the most efficient in
France.
French Example
Optical Technologies Recycling
Source of information: pellence website

10. German Example
Celitement has led to the development of
alternative products to Ordinary Portland
Cement (OPC), that are based on SiO2 and CaO
containing standard raw material.
While it has many of the attributes of OPC,
Celitement also has the benefits of lower
energy demands and reduced CO2 emissions.
Construction New Materials
Source of information: Celitement website

11. Slovenian Example
Domel d.o.o. has constructed a new EC electric
motor for HUSQUARNA that uses less energy
than existing ones
The new EC electric motor was developed for
Husquarna, a known world manufacturer of
professional machinery and home garden
equipment
Source of information: Domel website

12. The Challenge
ECO Innovation have to outperform
existing solutions !!

13. … Towards High-Tech Applications
raising
industrial
demand
Source of information: fischer

14. Alpine Region is NOT a Hot Spot for
ECO Innovation Services
Source of information: European Cluster Observatory

15. Towards a Macro-regional Approach
 Systematic Macro-regional approach to be implemented
 Mutual knowledge about Smart Specialisation Strategies
of Alpine Regions
– Where the regions focus at?
– Potential for synergies
 Synchronisation of regional support schemes among
regions
– Money is available through ERDF
 Missing critical mass due to lack of transregional
cooperation possibilities
– Cross-boarder cooperation is NOT really facilitated