Miljøprojekt Nr. 1203 – Kan man tjene penge på ren luft?

Kan man tjene penge på ren luft?

English Abstract:

This report is a follow-up to the study conducted by FORA in 2006 titled “Environmental Technology Strongholds – A business analysis of cluster formation”.

The aim of the report is twofold:

To map the Danish companies and knowledge institutions working with technologies and solutions for reducing air pollution, thus identifying strongholds and providing an assessment of the size and characteristics of the cluster.
To consider whether new policy measures are needed to ensure optimal development of such strongholds and the air pollution abatement cluster in general.

The main conclusions of the report:

Denmark has a subcluster of the environmental technology cluster, which focuses on products and technologies for reducing air pollution. This cluster consists of 37 companies, which employ 11,700 staff in total. The turnover of the cluster is DKK 6.5 billion.

The cluster is quite oriented towards international markets. Exports total DKK 3.5 billion and a large share of the companies report that they compete and cooperate internationally.

The companies also report that their level of knowledge is level to the best in the world. They spend a comparatively high proportion of their budgets on R&D.

80 per cent of companies indicate that they work with new environmental technology or environmental solutions and 80 per cent of the companies would consider it useful to cooperate regarding new projects. Thirty-eight per cent of the companies see an important role for the public sector in coordinating such cooperation projects.

A particularly interesting stronghold is reduction of air pollution from cars, where Denmark has some significant competencies. This stronghold should be further developed through collaboration between companies, knowledge institutions and the authorities.

Outside the environmental technology cluster a number of companies exist, which could potentially join the environmental technology cluster. Of particular interest are the production of wood-burning stoves, ship engines and coal-based power plants. In these areas Denmark potentially has an advantage in producing environmentally friendly products. An assessment of these areas and an assessment of the barriers to optimal business and environmental development are presented in chapter three.

In the final chapter recommendations are made regarding the framework conditions of the air pollution abatement cluster.

The main conclusion is that the most important driver of innovation in the sector is public regulation. And a majority of the companies which were interviewed emphasised the need for stricter environmental regulation. To facilitate this process three recommendations are made:

A manuscript for consultation should be developed. This manuscript will inspire the dialogue between government and environmental technology companies and facilitate cooperation on environmental standards and regulation.
A special effort should be made to improve facilitation of cooperation between companies and knowledge institutions in the air pollution abatement area via the existing programmes that aim to facilitate innovation and knowledge transfer.
In some areas, it could be useful to start the process of dialogue and communication by using an external expert – a cluster facilitator with competencies related to facilitating cooperation and strategic orientation amongst companies, knowledge institutions and regulating agencies.

For further information about the Danish Environmental Protection Agency please consult www.mst.dk.

For further information about FORA please consult www.foranet.dk.

For further information regarding this report please contact Head of Section at FORA Torsten Andersen: toa@ebst.dk.