Novel sustainable industrial processes: from idea to commercial scale implementation

This article summarizes the consensus on sustainable development, shows industrial cases and provides key guidelines to transfer ideas into commercial scale processes. The triple P sustainable development concept has reached global industrial consensus and has gained importance in the making of business policies and practical implementations. Obtaining a sustainable process means then that it provides a need, is socially accepted, does no environmental harm and makes a profit. Industrial cases show that this is possible. An innovative way of obtaining sustainable solutions is by industrial symbiosis, in which very different partners such as a local government, a technology provider, a water board and a chemical company co-operate with regards to a new solution; turning a waste stream into a feed stream. Open innovation is generally a good way to obtain radical novel solutions cost-effectively. Guidelines for entering open innovation projects are provided. A technology readiness level (TRL) assessment method for process innovation with academic groups is also provided. Guidelines for effective and efficient innovation from research to commercial scale implementation, based on stage-gate innovation pathway funnel, are provided. Finally, a novel method for process concept design based on essential functions and essential inputs and outputs only, is provided