Qpinch wins ICIS Innovation Awards 2020

LONDON (ICIS)–Belgian technology group Qpinch has won the ICIS Innovation Awards 2020 for its breakthrough chemical heat pump that transforms waste energy into process heat, lowering energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Despite the upheaval caused by the Covid-19 pandemic the awards saw over 100 entries this year, nearly double the previous year’s count, further cementing the chemical industry’s commitment to innovation. The five winners of the ICIS Innovation Awards 2020 show that spearheading change and finding new solutions for old problems continues to be a key driver for businesses.

The Categories and winners include:

• Overall Winner and Best Innovation by a SME, Qpinch – Breakthrough Chemical Heat Pump for Petrochemicals – A game changer for decarbonization efforts
• Best Product, Clariant – From Natural Waste to High Performing Wax Solutions
• Best Process, Dow Chemical Company/Johnson Matthey- New LP Oxo INA Technology
• Best Sustainable Product, Corteva Agriscience – Loyant™ herbicide with Rinskor™ active
• Best sustainable process, Clariant/Casale – AmoMax®-Casale

ICIS Chemical Business Deputy Editor, Will Beacham, who chaired the awards judging panel which included representatives from BASF, Maroon Group and Accenture, said: “With the pandemic accelerating fundamental and permanent changes to chemical markets, innovation is more important than ever. With a record number of entries, this year’s awards show how well the industry is stepping up to the challenges it faces.”

“Qpinch uses the power of chemistry to harvest waste heat energy,” explains Erik Verdeyen, Qpinch’s Chief Evangelist. “Low temperatures are not an excuse any more to discard this huge energy reservoir. And the great thing is that energy efficiency achieves two things at once as it helps reduce emissions while saving costs as well,” added Verdeyen.

Sustainability and collaboration were two key themes represented in the awards this year, with multiple judges citing green credentials and company integration as key reasons for selecting winners.

Commenting on the overall winner Qpinch, Detlef Kratz, President of Process Research & Chemical Engineering at BASF said: “This technology can be multiplied across many applications and could be a breakthrough to help companies grasp the residual heat that all of our plants have. This could save endless amounts of energy.”

A full description of all the winning entries, and interviews with the winners and sponsors, can be found here.