Team
With the creation of the Electrification Institute, UAntwerp scientists are joining forces with one clear goal: to make industrial processes sustainable, eliminating the need for fossil fuels in the industry.

Climate neutrality

By 2050, Europe aims to be climate neutral. While the industry has already made progress, today’s (petro)chemical sector still relies on fossil fuels for 90% of its operations. Electrification offers a way forward.


“The industry needs to find ways to run processes on electricity,” says Quinten Van Avondt, business director of UAntwerp’s Electrification Institute. “Only then can we achieve net zero, or climate neutrality. We must develop cost-effective electrification pathways to make this happen.”

Three Key Technologies

Electrification techniques are already being tested in labs around the world. In the coming years, these need to be scaled up for industrial use. Van Avondt explains: “The scientific community agrees that electrochemistry, plasma chemistry, and resistive/inductive heating are the technologies that will make chemical processes more sustainable. UAntwerp has unique expertise in each of these electrification pathways.”

Professor Annemie Bogaerts is a world leader in plasma technology. Electrochemical engineering is the specialty of professors Tom Breugelmans and Patrice Perreault, with Perreault also being an expert in reducing and reusing CO2 emissions in industrial processes. Bogaerts adds: “These three technologies are crucial in helping the chemical industry meet its climate goals. With spin-offs D-CRBN and Oxylum, we’ve already taken important steps in recent years to scale up these technologies and put them into practice.”

First and only in Belgium

“We’re now combining our strengths in the new Electrification Institute, which will have over 100 researchers,” says Breugelmans. “The challenges we’re addressing are complex, but we excel at developing concrete solutions. Our technologies complement each other perfectly.”

“The Electrification Institute will ensure that more innovations reach the market faster and more effectively,” notes Perreault. “We will work closely with international research partners, the industry, and organizations like Catalisti, Flanders’ spearhead cluster for Chemistry and Plastics.”

Wim Michiels, ex-chairman of essenscia Flanders and CEO of Proviron, points out that the chemical sector has already made notable efforts to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency. “Companies are fully engaged in the transition to climate neutrality and circularity. To meet the goals of the Green Deal, we need a wide range of technologies and energy innovations. Electrifying production processes will likely be one of the key solutions. This collective initiative can make a valuable contribution to a successful industrial transition.”

The Electrification Institute aims to play a big role in the ‘Future Pact for Flemish Industry,’ launched by the Flemish government and four industry federations. BlueApp, UAntwerp’s building on Petroleum Zuid, will be the home of the institute. Startups, entrepreneurs, industry, and researchers will collaborate there to develop, scale, and demonstrate new technologies, with financial support from the Flemish government (EFRO) and the European Union (RRF). The largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe and the presence of top talent are key advantages for the institute, which is the first and only of its kind in Belgium.