Liquid Energy/ Liquefied (bio-) gas as a driving force for development and use of green energy technology.

In the global network of economic structures, independent power supplies are becoming increasingly significant, even if it that means increases in energy costs. Alternative fuels also make a significant contribution to improving environmental performance, such as reducing CO2 and pollution emissions. However, a particular technical challenge associated with the energy transition is the storage and distribution of high volumes of energy, for example in the form of liquid biogas or natural gas. This is the specific technological issue that the ‘Liquid Energy’ project addresses, jointly developing solutions and creating a platform for a broader and more universal use of (bio-)LNG in a micro/nano form (e.g. in decentralised energy supply system) as an alternative fuel in the future.

The most important goal of the project is a contribution to solving technical problems and popularisation of a decentralized (regional) energy conversion with simultaneous local consumption including transport of alternative fuel. To achieve this goal, the project divided all necessary aspects of its content into: WP3, which is focused on creating a cooperation space necessary for interaction between focal actors accelerating development and use of (bio-) LNG technology, products and services in the micro and nano scale; and WP4, which is focused on presenting possible application of the (bio-)LNG-based technology to raise awareness about added value of (bio-) LNG related technical solutions and to increase knowledge about their practical contribution to strengthening environmental sustainability and economic innovation of the South Baltic region.

Furthermore, the joint cooperation of project partners from Poland, Germany and Lithuania allows for joining existing resources, knowledge and relevant actors on cross-border level and significantly contributing to the creation of critical mass and unlocking (especially) business cooperation in this technological area. All of which creates for a way for utilising the untapped potential of (bio-) LNG as an alternative energy source.

Better Paper Packaging Management

BePacMan project focuses on extending the life cycles of paper packaging through cross-sector and cross-border approaches to reuse in the South Baltic region.

The partner countries will develop sustainable concepts, solutions and business models for this purpose and for structurized support to SMEs. Collaborating with important stakeholders such as e-commerce, logistics and waste management companies as well as technology providers and political decision-makers, new economically and ecologically sustainable business models for the reuse of packaging are to be developed. The packaging should remain in its shape for as long as possible, thus avoiding the generation of paper waste by reusing the paper packaging to extend the life cycle of the packaging materials, and facilitate the shift from linear to circular resource use. At the same time, the energy and water costs for processing the paper can be further optimized through recycling and climate-damaging emissions can be reduced.

Project summary. The ICT sector is growing rapidly and constantly evolving, creating a strong need for new skills and innovation. However, according to the OECD, current VET programmes often struggle to keep up with these changes and do not always provide students with the skills and opportunities they need to succeed in ICT jobs in industry. The fourth and fifth industrial revolutions are key drivers of the changing role of VET, as they are shaping the content and form of new jobs, skills and occupational requirements. “INVESTech aims to promote the innovation potential of VET in participating countries by fostering cooperation between education, labour market and other stakeholders; facilitating skills development and the use of innovative technologies; promoting green transition and social inclusion; and providing opportunities for transnational cooperation and the exchange of best practices, thus ensuring that VET can play a key role in supporting innovation, skills development, green transformation and social inclusion.

Goals. The aim of the project is to support the creation of an international cooperation platform and the development of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in five European countries: Slovakia, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Lithuania.

About the project. A two-year project that aims to create a network of Regenerative Ocean Farming (ROF) initiatives.

Expected results: The project will assess the interest and feasibility of establishing new RAO sites through multi-stakeholder co-assessment workshops, while developing six ongoing collaboration frameworks (key deliverables ) to create favorable conditions for regenerative ocean farming, including measures to monitor regenerative ocean impacts on farms in Baltic water ecosystems. The project will consist of eight exploitation events in participating Baltic Sea region countries to initiate a public international movement to engage coastal communities in ecological restoration and regenerative ocean farming initiatives.

Application/Relevance: COOL BLUE BALTIC will provide concrete examples of ecosystem restoration, viable business models and social innovation to reorient future fishermen and/or farmers to diversify their income through regenerative aquaculture (i.e. regenerative ocean farming).

About the project. Small and medium-sized ports (SMSPs) contribute to regional development, being a regional capacity and main actor of Blue Growth with a high potential to enhance regional growth through strong and sustainable connections with the hinterland. However, SMSPs tend to suffer from lower trade volumes and freight turnovers compared to bigger seaports, but also face economic, geographic, and environmental disadvantages. Moreover, SMSPs are highly underrepresented when it comes to EU Smart Growth as well as Regional Innovation Strategies on Smart Specialisation (RIS3).

Nevertheless, the term Smart Ports is increasingly used in economic and scientific debates without a unified definition for what a smart port actually is. Whereas one stream argues a smart port needs to be fully automated, the focus on SMSPs reveals smart ports being surely digital, but also resource-efficient, environmentally friendly and innovation-driven.

Standardised solutions or technologies are not working in the majority of SMSPs of the South Baltic Area, as requirements and conditions at the port sites are highly individual and partly unique. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions for SMSPs. Thus, it is necessary to develop a Smart Port Strategy particular for SMSPs, which can be adapted to individual requirements and provides the most applicable innovations, being digital, environmental-friendly, socially beneficial and economic – or in one word: smart.

The envisaged project is in line with SO1.2. and requires the seed money funding to set up the Smart Port Strategy for SMSPs as a validated concept for further project development.