Scrap-based production of Steel using Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) with possibility of 100 % scrap charges, offers a Circular Economy-based solution to reduce CO2 emissions when compared to the integrated Blast Furnace (BF) + Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) route (1.81 tCO2/tsteel for BOF vs 0.23tCO2/tsteel for EAF). However, EAF production of sheet steel is currently not a reality due to the effect of undesired residual elements in the scrap. The aim of CiSMA is to introduce scrap-based EAF steel products into mass-market sheet metal consumer goods with high-quality requirements, currently served with BOF steel (96 % of the market). First, by generating fundamental knowledge on how residual elements, and Copper in particular, interact with sheet Steel and its performance. This will be done combining state-of-the-art methodologies with specialized resources, such as Synchrotron, to design Steel grades and determine safe residual thresholds. Next, scrap as a raw material will be studied together with methodologies to improve its quality and maximize the use of low-quality scrap, through the use of techniques that separate undesired inclusions from the main stream of steel. Finally, by generating a toolbox of enabling technologies to introduce recycled sheet metal in the industry: 1) fast characterization tests for quality control, 2) online test methodologies that can be applied in the press floor, and 3) the development of Machine Learning-enhanced Finite Element Modelling and Digital Twin that allow adapting production processes to feedstock with high variability. These developments will be showcased in applying four steel compositions into two pilot trials for mass-market applications: automotive and white goods. These trials will ensure that the material and production route developed can be readily accepted by the market, demonstrate the developed toolset of enabling technologies, and quantify the environmental improvements achieved compare to the current product.

RESIST will strengthen the resilience and accelerate the transformation and increase adaptive capacity of 12 climate-vulnerable EU regions, implementing 4 large-scale demonstrators of resilient innovations for Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) with quintuple-helix partnerships (including 1 in a less developed region) and promote transfer of know-how and innovative solutions to 8 twin regions (of which 4 less developed regions) through both physical mutual-learning activities and innovative immersive digital twins. The consortium will engage EU associations, CCA research groups, scientific experts, social engagement and communication institutions, innovation agencies and 1 Venture Capital Fund to co-create and validate innovative solutions, raise awareness, leverage citizens participation and promote sustainable exploitation of results towards the markets. RESIST will contribute to the EU agenda on CCA, through intervention in 3 main areas: Promote and demonstrate an innovative, more participative approach to resilience and CC adaptation in 4 demonstrator and 8 twinning regions (including 5 less developed regions in total) demonstrating >12 new solution lines, accelerating regional resilience and helping reach the adaptation-mission objectives of ‘building resilience and upscaling solutions through 100 demonstrators and accelerating the transition in 200 pilot regions and communities by 2030’ reaching already 4% and 6% of these aims by 2027, with 4 demonstrators and involvement of 12 regions Co-design and contribute to the development of new regional measures, policy instruments and social and technological solutions in 12 regions involving 22m citizens, increasing awareness/resilience by 10% and levels of green investments by 20%, reducing economic losses due to natural hazards such as floods by 14% and climate protection gap by 50%; Reduce time-to-market/risk for >100 new CCA Solutions from providers across Europe, offering them scale-up for their products.

SESA will facilitate a structured co-development process, which starts with the co-development of energy access innovations that have a high potential for take-up and are tested, validated and later replicated. Each technology will be demonstrated in the living lab, and a corresponding information and training package is created. Each of the living lab team will consist of technology experts, local implementation partners (members of the consortium) along with local authorities (associated partners) and innovators (recruited through the seed-funding call), guided by business development, finance and policy experts. Demonstration actions will aim to test innovative technologies and services in different contexts that have a high level of replicability and a high potential for long-term sustainability. The project aims to achieve a high level of replicability of actions. As part of an effort to go beyond the state of the art and maximise the project?s impact, the project will co-develop innovations with local partners and cooperate closely with sister projects to exploit synergies. Solutions that will be tested in this project have been selected on their basis of their replication potential. Demonstration concepts aim to integrate several solutions to provide essential energy services to rural and urban communities and create easily replicable business opportunities for local entrepreneurs. The co-developed demonstration actions will be initially tested in the Kenya living lab and based on the initial learnings, various aspects of the tested innovations will be validated in living labs in different socio-economic operating environments (Ghana, South Africa, Malawi and Morocco). The learning from the validation living labs will strengthen the applicability and replicability of the technologies as well as the basic business concepts, which will be shared in the SESA toolbox and incubator programme.