New environmental research company offers funding

A new research centre in Austria is offering funding to companies for environmental research and development, specifically concerning water and sludge treatment.


The Centre of Competence for Applied Electrochemistry (KplusECHEM), in Wiener Neustadt, has received government funding for its interdisciplinary environmental research programme, part of which is available to industrial companies who wish to work in partnership with the centre.

As well as having a new research centre with forty employees, KplusECHEM is formed from a network of several Austrian universities and associated research institutions in Germany and Great Britain, as well as thirty industrial companies.

The centre is divided into three departments: Surface Technology; Batteries and Fuel Cells; and Environment and Health. The funding is being offered by the Department of Environment and Health, and the programme is planning to focus on the following subjects:

  • recycling of process media;
  • recovery of metals;
  • degradation of toxic substances;
  • drinking water treatment;
  • sewage sludge conditioning;
  • in-situ soil remediation.

The research budget for the next four years is 189 million Shillings (nearly £9 million), 35% of which is being provided by the Austrian Federal Government, and 25% by the State Government of Lower Austria. The remaining 40% is being contributed by the participating companies, half of which is to be paid in cash, and half in-kind, for example, by the use of personnel or equipment.

The new centre is seeking ‘mid-term’ partnerships with industrial companies, increasing the European scientific human resources, and initiating a new industrially oriented research culture.

“Since the research programme receives 60% of government funding, it should fulfil a public interest,” Dr Herbert Haubold, Head of the Department for Environment and Health at KplusECHEM, told edie. “Likewise, companies who contribute 40% must receive an economic advantage from this research.”

An emphasis will be placed on combining these aims by conserving resources and lowering production costs, as well as helping companies to utilise environmental improvements for image-building.

“Obviously, designing new environmental and health-related technology is a means to both improve the quality of life of the public and to provide economical advantages to the participating companies which will later have the opportunity to sell it to their customers,” said Dr Haubold.

Interested companies are urged to apply quickly as funding is limited. Contact Dr Herbert Haubold,

Head of the Department for Environment and Health,

Centre of Competence for Applied Electrochemistry,

Arsenal Research,

Faradaygasse 3, Obj. 214,

A-1030 Wien,

Austria;

Telephone: +43 1 79747 384;

Fax: +43 1 79747 592

email: haubold.h@arsenal.ac.at

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