1. What we are looking for:

We want solutions that:

• Make captured CO₂ useful in a way that offsets or reduces the cost and energy used to capture it

• Fit the waste-to-energy context — either on-site at the plant or in the surrounding region

• Are scalable and realistic, with potential for circular use of carbon

2. Possible directions - starting points:

You can take the challenge in many directions, for example:

a. Turning CO₂ into products (CCU)

• Building materials – e.g., turning CO₂ into stone-like materials (mineralization)

• Carbon-based products – such as fuels, plastics, or other materials

• Industrial applications – where CO₂ from renewables replaces fossil carbon

b. Creating services

• Carbon credits – systems that reward CO₂ reuse and storage

• Quality checks & certification – ensuring CO₂-based products meet standards

• Data & analytics – tracking and reporting CO₂ usage

c. Storage solutions (CCS)

• Safe and efficient ways to store CO₂ for future use

d. Other ideas

• On-site reuse – for plant processes like pH control, or creating heat or cooling

• Local partnerships – using CO₂ in nearby greenhouses, the food & beverage industry, or for producing synthetic fuels (e-fuels)

• Low-energy processing – making CO₂ easier to transport or use (e.g., separating it with membranes or distilling it to remove impurities)

• Small-scale testing – simulation models or modular systems to trial new CO₂ uses without needing huge investment

3. Approaches not of interest:

• Uses that require extremely pure CO₂ (waste-to-energy CO₂ isn’t ultra-pure)

• Ideas with no clear pathways for reaching the market

• Solutions that need huge amounts of energy but give very little CO₂ benefit

• Concepts where EEW would have to become the sole producer of CO₂ products — EEW should be a supplier or partner, not the only seller

4. Why this matters - sustainability impact:
EEW produces 5 million tonnes of CO₂ every year — about half of it from renewable (biogenic) sources. If we find smart ways to use that CO₂, we can:

• Replace fossil carbon with recovered CO₂

• Create “closed cycles” where CO₂ is reused again and again

• Make inroads towards net negative emissions by using the renewable CO₂ fraction and other techniques

• Open new opportunities in local economies and carbon markets

Your idea could be part of the solution — whether it’s a product, a service, a technology, or a creative collaboration. Chemists and engineers can develop CO₂ conversion and storage technologies, while environmental scientists assess impacts. Data experts can model systems, and business or policy students can shape market and regulatory pathways. Designers and communicators can make solutions clear and appealing. Together, these perspectives can turn captured CO₂ into a driver of climate action.

1. What we are looking for:

We want ideas that:

• Recover value from fly ash — metals, minerals, or functional materials

• Reduce waste and toxicity so less fly ash ends up in hazardous landfills

• Can fit into existing waste-to-energy processes without major disruptions

• Consider market demand, regulations, and safety so the idea could be applied in the real world

2. Possible directions - starting points:

You can take the challenge in many directions, for example:

a. Extracting value

• Metal recovery – getting zinc, copper, or rare earth elements out using chemical (hydrometallurgy), biological (bioleaching), or electrical (electrochemical) methods

• Sorting & concentrating – separating valuable parts of fly ash with magnets, sieves, or density-based techniques

• Scanning & analysis – using AI or spectrometry to spot batches with high-value content

b. Turning into products

• Construction materials – using fly ash in bricks, tiles, or concrete as a lower-carbon alternative to cement (geopolymerisation)

• Blended binders – mixing fly ash with other industrial waste to make new building materials

• Catalysts or filters – treating fly ash so it can be used in chemical processes or environmental cleanup

c. Making it safer

• Safe encapsulation – locking heavy metals into stable glass or ceramic so they can’t leach into the environment

• Better storage – improved landfill or containment methods to cut pollution risks

3. Approaches not of interest:

• Anything that skips incineration entirely (the focus is after waste is burned)

• Solutions that do not demonstrate economic viability

4. Why this matters - sustainability impact:
Finding new uses for fly ash could:

• Cut landfill waste and lower disposal costs

• Reduce mining by recovering metals and minerals from existing waste streams

• Lower CO₂ emissions by replacing carbon-heavy cement with fly ash-based materials

• Protect the environment by preventing toxic substances from leaching into soil and water

Your solution could help turn a pollution problem into a sustainable resource — advancing both waste-to-energy innovation and circular economy goals.

Fly ash valorisation needs diverse skills. Chemists and engineers can recover materials or create safe, new products. Environmental scientists can evaluate health and sustainability benefits. Business and policy students can explore markets and regulations, while designers and IT specialists can improve tracking and reuse systems. Interdisciplinary teams can turn a hazardous byproduct into a valuable resource.

1. What we are looking for:

We want ideas that:

·       Turn decommissioned wind blades into value — new products, materials, or services

·       Show how to move from “just storing” old blades to actually processing them profitably

·       Consider environmental, technical, and business impacts so the solution is scalable

2. Possible directions - starting points:

You can take the challenge in many directions, for example:

a. Reuse / Repurposing / Upcycling

• Transform blades into furniture, benches, playgrounds, or outdoor installations

• Cut and shape blades into modular architectural elements for buildings or bridges

• Create local reuse networks with cities or industries to give blades a second life nearby

• Build digital platforms to match retired blades with upcyclers or designers

• Explore product-as-a-service concepts — e.g., leasing upcycled structures made from GFK

b. Mechanical recycling

• Shred or grind blades into materials for cement, asphalt, or other composites

• Mix processed GFK into low-carbon binders for construction

c. Chemical Recycling

• Break down resins and recover glass fibres using chemical processes (e.g., pyrolysis, solvolysis)

• Improve incineration processes to handle GFK without the current downsides (residues, breakdowns, flue gas cleaning issues)

3. Approaches not of interest:

·       Landfilling or “just store it” approaches

·       Solutions with no clear environmental benefit

·       Purely theoretical ideas with no potential for real-world testing

5. Why this matters - sustainability impact:
Finding new uses for wind turbine blades can:

• Prevent massive volumes of non-biodegradable waste from going to landfill

• Replace virgin materials like cement, steel, or plastics with recycled GFK

• Help decarbonize construction and manufacturing by using waste as feedstock

• Create local economic opportunities in recycling and upcycling industries

The challenge is both technical and creative — whether you’re into engineering, chemistry, business, design, or sustainability, there’s a way to contribute. Chemists, engineers, and material scientists can develop mechanical or chemical recycling methods. Designers and architects can reimagine blades as functional products, while business and policy students create viable business models. Environmental experts can track sustainability gains. By combining skills, teams can give turbine blades a profitable second life.

You want to try out innovation and see what it feels like

1. You want to meet people from different backgrounds who care about impact

2. You want to gain new skills—from systems thinking to storytelling

3. You want to do something that matters, even if you’re not sure where to start

4. You’re curious about sustainability, green tech, or entrepreneurship—but haven’t had a chance to explore it yet

Bachelor’s and Master’s students from any discipline (chemistry, engineering, design, business, art, tech—you name it)

Early-stage researchers with an open mind and a collaborative spirit

No startup idea required. No specific background needed. Just your energy, your brain, and your interest in building something meaningful.

You can find the Terms and Conditions here.

All information about the IP conditions, you can find here.