These KETs are expected to become increasingly important in the allocation of funding.
Shared Research Center Biorizon is put firmly on the European map through the Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) of the European Union. These KETs are expected to become increasingly important in the allocation of funding. Moreover, Biorizon has recently made an important contribution to the ’bio-based aromatics’ report of the European Union’s KETS Observatory. These developments highlight and confirm the region’s choice to facilitate Biorizon.
What is a KET?
KET stands for Key Enabling Technology, or freely translated as ‘important technologies for the future. Technologies that make it possible to create (among other things) jobs and competitiveness. In these KETs Europe sees a way to advance the collaboration between the European industry and applied research centers.
Why is this relevant?
In the playing field of the Biobased economy, the head office of research centre Biorizon is located at the Green Chemistry Campus in Bergen Op Zoom, with partners VITO, TNO and ECN. Together with the industry, Biorizon is developing technologies to make bio-aromatics (important chemical building blocks).
The ‘recognition’ of bio-aromatics as KET is an important step for both the region and Biorizon. It shows that Europe sees bio-aromatics as an important development, it could lay the foundation for a strong development of Biorizon as thé research center in the field of bio-aromatics and it shows that the region has strong knowledge players at its disposal.
The role of the region
The West-Brabant region recently played an important role in realising the ‘Biorizon Investment Plan’ and obtaining € 10 million in funding: € 5 million via the province and in total € 5 million via the research centers involved (TNO, VITO and ECN). The ‘recognition’ of bio-aromatics such as KET can therefore also be seen as highlighting the right chocice for the region to invest in the development of the ‘Biorizon Investment Plan’.
Future: KET as an important condition
Towards the future, the ‘recognition’ as KET is also important. Europe seems to find initiatives such as KET increasingly important and also seems to be inclined to consider the appointment of KET as a precondition for the financing from certain (future) programmes. Already in the current framework programme (Horizon2020), the link to the KETs is already being made, the expectation is that the link will only become stronger in the next framework programme.
