News
Here are the newest updates on weTHINK. and our cooperation partners. We post everything from press releases to short status updates for you to stay in the loop of the world of weTHINK.
weTHINK. Waste Circularity RDF/SRF online conference
06 NOV 2024
Our last weTHINK. Waste Circularity online conference, 06 NOV 2024 has been successfully done by collaborating with experts in the Waste Circularity field in Europe. We had speakers from “EC DG EVIRONMENT – European Commission” and “Hydroisotope” who gave excellent Keynote speeches. A lively panel discussion took place with contributions from: EC DG Environment, Hydroisotope, Geocycle CE Holcim Cement, CRH, Montan University of Leoben, Amiblu, Surovina, and Antea Cement.
You can find contents of this conference posted in the link below: (Video recordings will become available in the coming 10 days)
Content of weTHINK. Waste Circularity RDF/SRF online conference 06 NOV 2024
You can also find the contents of our previous events on the following link: Previous Events Content or on our weTHINK. Waste Circularity Group (registration needed), and on our YouTube channel.
weTHINK. TEAM
Krumpendorf 08 NOV 2024
Orcan Energy's new collaboration with Schwenk Zement: Converting waste heat into clean energy
We are glad to share one of our partner’s successful collaborations recently:
Orcan Energy is now thrilled to announce their new collaboration with SCHWENK Zement, one of Germany’s leading cement manufacturers!
Orcan Energy: “We will capture and convert previously unused waste heat at their Allmendingen site. Through the use of our innovative heat-to-power technology, five of our ORC modules will harness waste heat from the clinker cooler.”
By making use of previously wasted heat, SCHWENK is optimizing energy efficiency while significantly reducing its carbon footprint. This marks our fourth cement sector partnership in recent months, highlighting the potential of our technology for a greener cement industry.
Through the cooperation with Orcan and other companies over 8.5 million kWh of energy and over 13,200 tons of CO2 will be saved at the Allmendingen site annually!”
Using its own waste heat to generate electricity: This is what the Schwenk company wants to do at its site in Allmendingen in the future. After the local council approved the construction project at its last meeting, nothing now stands in the way of this.
“With an innovative conceptual approach, previously unused waste heat is to be used threefold,” says a press release from the company. The company had already made significant investments in 2009 to use the waste heat generated in the rotary kiln during cement production.
However, a third of the heat energy remained unused and is currently being released into the environment via warm air. With the implementation of the project, the last third of the heat energy will now be returned to the cycle and thus used sustainably.
Project costs 11.47 million euros. This is made possible by the interaction of several plant components, which consists of an ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) plant for generating electricity, a drying plant for fuel from commercial and municipal waste, and a belt dryer for generating hot water. This enables the company to save over 8.5 million kilowatt hours of energy and more than 13,200 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Construction work is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks and the project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
Please contact us for more information:
Samir Ranjbar, weTHINK. Business Development Manager
Samir.Ranjbar@wethink.eu
hashtag#WasteHeatRecovery hashtag#EnergyEfficiency hashtag#ORC hashtag#CementIndustry hashtag#Decarbonization
weTHINK. TEAM
Krumpendorf 07 NOV 2024
weTHINK. Energy Transition online conference
16 OCT 2024
Our last weTHINK. Energy Transition online conference, 16 OCT 2024 has been successfully done by collaborating with experts in the Energy field in Europe. We had speakers from “EC DG ENER – European Comission“, “Kelag/Interenergo” “Siemens Energy”, “Orcan Energy”, and “Framatome”.
You can find all contents of this conference posted here: (Video recordings & presentations)
Content of weTHINK. Energy Transition online conference, 16 OCT 2024
or on our weTHINK Energy Transition Group (registration needed), and on our YouTube channel.
weTHINK. TEAM
Krumpendorf 25 OCT 2024
weTHINK. Team is excited to announce that our platform is now more "user-friendly"
We are working hard to make sure we improve our platform and enhance the user experience.
We have now added a feature where you could access content from previous events by:
- Going to the Events Section
- Click “Join Now” on a previous event that you want to access its content
- Go to the Blue box (just below the title of the event). You will find: “Check the content of this event”
- Click on the Blue box (It is a hyperlink) where you will have access to all event presentations and video recordings. (You will be asked to register on our platform to access the info)
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to let us know!
weTHINK. TEAM
Krumpendorf 18 Sept 24
weTHINK. Upcoming Online Conferences and Dates
Our weTHINK. team is excited to announce the upcoming 2024 online conferences.
You can register by clicking on the following links below:
“Energy Transition Conference – 16 OCTOBER 2024”
discussion on strategic, legal, political, administrative, and economic challenges and solutions to improve energy transition.
“Legal perspectives and trends on national and European level for recycling and RDF/SRF” & “Technical challenges and innovation/ best practices for recycling and RDF /SRF”
“Railway Infrastructure: Asset Management – 27 NOVEMBER 2024”
Practical Experience with Railway Asset Management Software and Experiences with Lifecycle Management in Switzerland
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to let us know!
weTHINK. TEAM
Krumpendorf 22 JUL 24
weTHINK. 02 JUL 2024 Railway Infrastructure Conference
Our last weTHINK. Railway Infrastructure Conference, 02 JUL 24, 10:00 – 13:00 CET has been successfully done by collaborating with experts in the railway infrastructure field. We had speakers from “DB InfraGO AG“, “HS2“, and “voestalpine Signaling UK Ltd“.
The two main topics of the event were the following:
“Cause-Effect Relationship Between The Use of Resources and The Network Status Rating”
“HS2 – The UK Highspeed Railway Track – Lifecycle Management Strategy”
You can find all contents of this conference posted on our Railway Infrastructure Group (registration needed), and on our YouTube channel.
We’re now also excited to announce our upcoming weTHINK. Railway Infrastructure online conference, 27 NOV 2024, 10:00 – 13:00 CEST.
The agenda is posted on our “Events” section (where you can also register). Looking forward to see you there.
weTHINK. TEAM
Krumpendorf 22 JUL 24
weTHINK. 22 MAY 2024 Waste Circularity Conference
weTHINK. has dedicated its efforts to collaborate with experts in the waste circularity field and conduct an online conference with excellent keynote speakers from the “Federal Ministry for Climate Action”, “vdz”, “Geocycle Holcim”, and “Norske Skog”. Moreover, Greenpeace joined the panel discussion.
This 22 MAY 24 waste circularity online conference was successful by which we had more than 180 registrations. Contents of this conference are posted on our waste circularity group (registration needed), and on our YouTube channel.
We’re now also excited to announce our upcoming weTHINK. Waste Circularity RDF/SRF online conference, 06 NOV 2024, 10:00 – 13:00 CEST.
The agenda is posted on our “Events” section(where you can also register). Looking forward to see you there.
weTHINK. Waste Circularity TEAM
Krumpendorf 10 MAY 24
Slovenian Translation of the weThink. RDF/SRF WASTE CIRCULARITY POSITION PAPER on Manufacturing, Quality, Quality Assurance, and Co-processing of SRF in the Cement Industry
Kindly find the Slovenian Translation of the weThink. RDF/SRF Waste Circularity Position Paper on Manufacturing, Quality, Quality Assurance, and Co-processing of SRF in the Cement Industry.
Elaborated by: Univ.-Prof. DI Dr.mont. Roland Pomberger & Ass.Prof. DI Dr.mont. Renato Sarc Montanuniversitaet Leoben
Copyright 2024 weTHINK. WBE THINK Initiative GmbH. Translation into other languages than Slovenian and publication (digital, online print etc) outside Slovenia in part or in full is subject to written authorization by weTHINK. Please direct requests to wissam.wehbe@wethink.eu.
weTHINK. Waste Circularity TEAM
Krumpendorf 10 MAY 24
weTHINK. Newsletter and Upcoming Events 2024
weTHINK. has dedicated its efforts for the past year to collaborate with the University of Leoben, and come up with a position paper about the Manufacturing, Quality, Quality Assurance, and Co-processing of SRF in the Cement Industry. This paper is elaborated by Univ.-Prof. DI Dr.mont. Roland Pomberger & Ass.Prof. DI Dr.mont. Renato Sarc, Montanuniversitaet Leoben.
This position paper was presented on 17 APR 2024 during the weTHINK. – ISR Ljubljana, Slovenia – Roundtable Waste Circularity Conference. This event had professors give some very interesting presentations (found on our weTHINK. waste circularity group). Topics of presentations are:
- Solutions and Importance of a Well-Designed Waste Management System For Slovenia; Elaborated by: Ass.Prof. Dr. Renato Sarc
- Key Principles Crucial to Waste Management; Elaborated by: Prof. Dr. Mont. Roland Pomberger
- Consultation on Sustainable Waste Management: Towards a Green and Progressive Society Through Effective Waste Management (In Slovenian and English Languages) (Inštitut Za Strateške Rešitve) (Ljubljana)
- EU Expectations Towards a Circular Economy (In Slovenian Language) (by Prof. Dr. Filip Kokalj) (Univerza v Mariboru)
We’re now also excited to announce our upcoming weTHINK. Waste Circularity RDF/SRF online conference, 22 MAY 2024, 10:00 – 13:30 CEST. We are expecting again 150+ registrations for this event. The topics to be discussed are:
- “Legal perspectives and trends on national and European level for RDF/SRF”
- “Technical challenges and innovation/ best practices for RDF /SRF”
The agenda is posted on our “Events” section(where you can also register). Looking forward to see you there.
weTHINK. Waste Circularity TEAM
Krumpendorf 10 MAY 24
weTHINK.- IWWG new podcast series
weTHINK. and The International Waste Working Group (IWWG) have organized their first podcast together, focused on Thermal Treatments for Municipal Solid Waste.
IWWG is a wide, active, scientific and professional forum, created in 2022 with the view to promote and disseminate new developments in the waste management industry worldwide. The cooperation between weTHINK. and IWWG aims to facilitate knowledge exchange between the industry and academic sectors regarding waste circularity.
Prof. Dr. Umberto Arena (The University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Italy) and Prof. Dr. Lidia Lombardi (Niccolo Cusano University, Italy) coordinate the Task Group on thermal treatment.
The guests for the first podcast were:
- Prof. Dr. Marco Castaldi (The City College of New York, USA);
- Prof. Dr. Massimiliano Materazzi (University College London, UK);
- Christophe Cord`Homme (Waste TT / International Solid Waste Association, France).
weTHINK. Waste Circularity TEAM
Krumpendorf 20.12.2022
weTHINK. statement regarding the European Commission`s upcoming Guidance for supporting sustainable public infrastructure projects
As part of our commitment to connect the international strategy makers with the most important experts from the construction industry, weTHINK.`s network of partners has actively engaged in supporting the European Commission`s upcoming Guidance to support the preparation and implementation of sustainable public infrastructure projects through public procurement.
The Guidance will consist of good practices, lessons learned, and new ideas to support stakeholders that are involved in public procurement of sustainable infrastructure.
As such, we are happy to share with you the contributions from The German Cement Works Association (VDZ), The Austrian Cement and Concrete Association (VÖZ), The European Concrete Paving Association (EUPAVE), Amiblu Holding GmbH and Sixense Romania & Southeastern Europe.
weTHINK. Construction TEAM
Krumpendorf 10.06.2022
UPGRADE of Photovoltaic Installation at SALONIT to 3,7 MWp
The Slovenian Cement Plant SALONIT Anhovo has decided to install an additional capacity of solar power plants with a rated power of 1.5 MW, which are expected to be put into service in autumn 2022.
Here are more details about this green electricity project from SALONIT’s own public information: “This will provide an additional source of renewable energy on our path to energy self-sufficiency, in line with our development plans.
We plan to achieve a total rated power of solar power over 3.7 MW by autumn 2022, generating 3,520 MWh of green electricity per year. By 2024, we want to put over 5 Mw of installed solar power, which will be provided with additional solar power plants on all suitable roofs in the industrial complex and on the ground in the quarry and in the area of the old cement plant.
Solar power plants and the first hydrogen bottling plant in Slovenia represent the first concrete steps towards our strategic goal – carbon neutral cement production with minimal environmental impact by 2035.”
For more information send an email to Samir.Ranjbar@wethink.eu
Krumpendorf 14.1.2022
SALONIT and INTERENERGO are partners in the weTHINK.eu Initiatives. For more information on Photovaltaic Turnkey projects, qualification steps and financial proposals please contact Samir.Ranjbar@wethink.eu
Salonit Anhovo and Interenergo sign an agreement on the construction of one of the largest rooftop solar power plants in Slovenia.
Read the full press release hereWhat is new?
Today, on the 31st of August 2021, Salonit strengthened its ambition to become a carbon-free cement production plant by signing an agreement with Interenergo for the construction of one of the largest rooftop solar power plants in Slovenia. The solar power plant will produce 2,120 MWh of electricity annually and has a peak power of 2,2 MWp. With the new solar power plant, Salonit will indirectly contribute to the reduction of up to 995 tonnes of CO2 per year.
SALONIT and INTERENERGO are partners in the weTHINK.eu Initiatives. For more information on Photovaltaic Turnkey projects, qualification steps and financial proposals please contact Samir.Ranjbar@wethink.eu
Salonit Anhovo and Interenergo sign an agreement on the construction of one of the largest rooftop solar power plants in Slovenia.
Read the full press release hereResults of weTHINK. awareness campaign against the negative effects of the four Chinese state-owned construction companies on the sustainability criteria for the €1.2bn Divaca-Koper railway project
weTHINK. started an awareness campaign with a group of Slovenian and Austrian construction companies against the negative effects (employment, sustainability) of 4 Chinese state-owned construction companies.
Based on this initiative, the Slovenian government passed an intervention law in the area of public procurement, which made it more difficult for bidders from non-EU countries to participate in public tenders.
Consequently, the 4 Chinese construction companies were ruled out because China is not a signatory of the World Trade Organization agreement on government orders and does not have multilateral or bilateral agreements with either Slovenia or the European Union.
A consortium led by the Slovenian construction company and partner of weTHINK. (Kolektor) won the €1.2bn-plus project bid.
weTHINK. Construction TEAM
Krumpendorf 24.12.2020
Our Events
Water and Wastewater Group meeting - September
In this meeting we will talk about strategic challenges and solutions for water circularity in Europe, wastewater technical challenges and solutions.
weTHINK.eu Waste Circularity Group meeting - September
In this meeting we will talk about different aspects on how to improve waste circularity in Europe. We will Brainstorming on strategic, legal, political, administrative and economic challenges and solutions to improve waste circularity.
Smart city for sustainable Construction – September
A Smart City enables a more sustainable and efficient living for its citizens. Join this insightful event and discuss with experts.
Digitalization in Construction - September
This event aims to support the digitization process for the construction sector and to implement innovative e-procurement practices and more!