Platform Zero is dedicated to promoting green practices in the maritime and energy sector. Through informative articles based on research and expert interviews, we aim to educate readers on sector trends. If you’re an expert interested in contributing, contact us at info@platformzero.co!

Industry is  responsible for around 30% of global CO2 emissions, according to the World Economic Forum, with a rising trend in the last twenty years. Industrial clusters provide opportunities for scale, sharing of risk/resources, aggregation, and optimization of demand. These clusters manifest in various forms, such as Silicon Valley’s technology ecosystem, Germany’s Ruhr Valley in heavy industry, or the cluster in Rotterdam-Moerdijk. They are not just centres of commerce and industry; increasingly, they play a pivotal role in fostering innovation for the energy transition and tackling broader climate change challenges.

Understanding Industrial Clusters

An industrial cluster is characterised by the co-location of businesses and industries that benefit from shared infrastructure, market access, supply chains, and labour pools. The proximity of these companies and institutions facilitates the efficient sharing of information, resources, and innovation, often leading to more competitive businesses and more resilient industries. This can help partnerships blossom within these clusters, coming from those similar characteristics.

However, one of the primary challenges faced by industrial clusters is environmental degradation. Even though industrial clusters are more resource- and greenhouse gas-efficient than stand-alone industrial plants, they still generate high levels of pollution for their surroundings and require lots of natural resources such as water, energy, and raw materials.

Case: Rotterdam-Moerdijk

These issues are also faced by the cluster Rotterdam-Moerdijk, whose electricity demand is approximately 10-20% of the entire Dutch electricity consumption, according to the Dutch Government.

Realising these challenges, the Rotterdam-Moerdijk industrial cluster has set ambitious goals for sustainability. These include achieving a significant CO2 reduction of 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Ultimately, the cluster aims to become completely climate-neutral and operate in a circular economy by 2050.

One of the main stakeholders within this cluster, has similar ambitious goals, the Port of Rotterdam. The overlying goal is to be climate-neutral by 2050 and achieve significant reductions by 2030. To achieve these targets, the port aims to use the following strategies :

1. By preventing or limiting energy and material use
2. By using cleaner and/or renewable energy sources and
3. By offsetting emissions.

Start-ups Play a Crucial Role

While large organisations are crucial for this transition, startups are just as important, acting as the engines of innovation and change. They are often at the forefront of developing and testing new technologies that could revolutionise industries. In the context of clusters like Rotterdam-Moerdijk, startups can be instrumental in pioneering technologies related to renewable energy, efficiency improvements, and circular economy models. Thriving startup ecosystems offer a wealth of opportunities, but navigating them isn’t without its challenges. Startups must integrate into established industries, compete with larger players, and comply with strict regulations, especially in foreign markets. That’s where Platform Zero comes in to help.

Overall, the benefits of being in a cluster—such as enhanced collaboration, proximity to key players, and access to specialised resources—often outweigh these challenges. Strategic partnerships are here pivotal for start-ups to accelerate and achieve the desired growth within the clusters, and help tackle the transition. These partnerships can be accelerated through our ecosystem, helping big corporations and startups alike.
“Making the energy transition or being climate-friendly on your own little property won’t work. Your neighbours need to collaborate” – Nico van Dooren

To illustrate the relevance of start-ups within industrial clusters, consider the case of Aquabattery, who specialises in long-term battery storage solutions. As clusters are becoming climate neutral, increasingly shifting to renewables, their need for energy storage solutions increases. While established technologies like Lithium Batteries offer solutions, they also face increasing geopolitical concerns, according to International Renewable Energy Agency. By partnering with existing companies within the cluster, there are opportunities to scale the technology and contribute to the cluster’s net zero ambitions. 

Industrial clusters like Rotterdam-Moerdijk are at a critical juncture, where they must balance their economic contributions with environmental responsibilities. Platform Zero, with its commitment to fostering an ecosystem in climate, maritime, and energy, can play a vital role in this transformation. By integrating startups into these clusters, we not only inject innovation but also accelerate the transition towards sustainability. As these clusters evolve, they will likely exemplify how concentrated economic activity can harmonise with ambitious environmental goals, paving the way for a sustainable industrial future.

Enthusiastic about this topic? Contact us at info@platformzero.co and we can tell you more about it!