Positive interim report for ROMEO

In the framework of the ROMEO project, Performance Intermediates is cooperating with partners from science and industry to develop a new reactor concept which can bring about energy savings of up to 80 percent and emissions savings of up to 90 percent. The EU Commission is providing funding of €6 million for the project. Representing Evonik is Prof. Robert Franke, who is the global coordinator for the project. 

To assess the progress after 18 of the scheduled 48 months, the first review meeting of all project members was held in February in Brussels. As external appraisers, Carmine Marzano from the European Commission and Prof. Annette Juhr from the Beuth University of Applied Sciences (Berlin) were present. 

The progress of the project so far has been outstanding. “We are fully on schedule and all the individual projects are coming along nicely. The excellent interaction between the project partners came in for special praise,” according to Prof. Franke. “For me as a researcher, it is a huge honor to be asked to coordinate such an important project,” he added. Dr. Frank Stenger from Evonik Technology & Infrastructure GmbH is the scientific coordinator of the ROMEO project and manages its progress. He was also delighted with the positive assessment: “The positive interim report shows that our approach to combine the competency of industry with the innovative strength of the universities has been a complete success and it enables access to new technologies.” 

Public research funding is an important element in the explorative technology development at Performance Intermediates. “The intensive collaboration with partners from science and industry is an important pillar on our path toward intelligently shaping our chemicals business,” explained Prof. Franke. “Through our participation in ROMEO, we have an opportunity to expand our network further and to measure our competitiveness,” he said.