It is a mammoth undertaking: Most nations want to become climate-neutral by 2050 – and with them the companies in the chemical industry. Because on the one hand it produces energy-intensively, and on the other it cannot do without carbon, the chemical industry is having a particularly hard time decarbonizing. But this only spurs the industry's researchers and engineers on even more.

The same developments happening in the rest of the world are also reshaping laboratories: the increasing use of technology, digital tools and, of course, robots and artificial intelligence (AI). All these trends often go hand in hand with a greater awareness of environmental issues. In this trend report, we present a summary of the fruits these developments are already bearing and will bear in the future.

Cardior is a leader in the discovery and development of therapies that target RNA as a means to prevent, repair and reverse diseases of the heart. With this acquisition, Novo Nordisk aims to establish its presence in cardiovascular disease.

Industrial plants are high risk zones and have to be monitored carefully to avoid any catastrophe. Supervision technologies such as advanced robots and drones play a crucial role here to make the job of monitoring the diverse elements of the facility less stressful, more convenient and less time consuming. Read on to know more about the benefits of these hi-tech technologies in industrial settings.

The alliance is a first of its kind in Europe and will help to accelerate the production of renewable fuels in Spain. With this partnership, Repsol aims to increase its access to the feedstock needed to reach its goal of producing up to 1.7 million tons of renewable fuels by 2027.

Edwards Vacuum has introduced the powerful E2S series which pumps quickly, saves energy and with its quiet operation helps to reduce the noise level in working environments.

Emerson’s Rosemount 3490 Controller helps to optimize processes, enhance sustainability and ensure regulatory compliance.

Shorter planning and construction times, more flexible utilization options through rapid modifications, and everything as energy-efficient as possible: The Enpro initiative (Energy Efficiency and Process Acceleration for the Chemical Industry) is opening up interesting options for the process industries with its various development projects. New designs for pumps also offer undreamed-of opportunities, as the first modular concepts and the Hector project show. We explain how tomorrow’s pumps may be both modular and energy-efficient.

Using a decanter to produce biofuel from organic waste: Organic waste goes into the air - at least that is Bisviridi's vision. The subsidiary of the British biogas specialist Biotech4 wants to convert oil and fat waste into crude oil for biofuels. Process engineering plays a decisive role in this...

Given the substances used, the complexity of the processes and the potential risks to people and the environment, process reliability plays a more important role in the chemical industry than it does in perhaps any other industry. The consequences of failures, leaks and equipment damage can have far-reaching consequences. Generally speaking: The greater the impact of a fault-related failure, the more important it is to use reliable, verifiable components. This is essential, particularly in the field of pump technology.