Science - creating new knowledge
Innovations and their implementations are significant for economic and social development, they are indispensable in solving existential problems encountered, and they can be a response to social and environmental demands. Hence, research activities are often an inspiring challenge and a scientific initiative can be supported -
as within the EU community or locally. An innovation can be a new or improved: product, service, technology, process, innovative organizational or marketing method, etc.
Example field of application of innovation for environmental improvement and climate change
Innovations for greener growth applied in areas including manufacturing, energy (e.g. smart electricity distribution networks), transport and construction (e.g. smart heating and lighting systems in buildings, administration of local waste management processes), improving processes for sustainable consumption and green lifestyles (through information and communication management), etc.
Innovations that support industries in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing dependence on fossil fuels (e.g., bio-based plastics, cellulosic biofuels, or algae-based biofuels) and implement heavy metal and chemical cleanup, pretreatment of chemicals or fuels to reduce the presence of harmful compounds, wastewater and water treatment for waste management and biomonitoring, carbon sequestration, et al.
Innovative research activities in three steps
- Research activity leading to new knowledge - product, technology, method, etc., responding to real/contemporary economic and social demand
- Legal protection of the invention - patent, license, know how, etc.
- Commercialization of research results - implementation of the invention, e.g. in the R&D model, i.e. through cooperation between the researcher and the business sector