From September 4th to 6th the international conference TBMCE 2024 (Technologies & Business Models for Circular Economy) took place in Portorož for the seventh time. It was attended by our partners from University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The conference focused on emerging technologies and innovative approaches – from development environments to practical implementation.
The Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology at the University of Maribor organized this science-oriented conference in collaboration with SRIP – Circular Economy – Štajerska gospodarska zbornica – ŠGZ, under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Economy, Tourism, and Sport.
The conference addressed the challenges of technological development and social responsibility in the transition from fossil to renewable energy sources and from linear to circular business models. It brought together a diverse group of participants, including representatives from businesses, research and educational institutions, trade associations, governmental and non-governmental organizations, along with numerous Slovenian and international speakers. Six panel discussions were held:
- The transition to carbon neutrality in energy-intensive industries
- Valorisation of used and contaminated wood
- Circular construction and mineral carbonation
- Critical raw materials and circular economy transition
- Industrial symbiosis and its opportunities for the industry
- Artificial intelligence and circular economy: a match made in heaven?
A workshop on “Why we need LCA training: challenges and opportunities” and a roundtable on “Circular Economy Transition in the South-East Europe” were also organised.
The conference provided an excellent opportunity to meet potential partners, researchers, innovators, developers, and decision makers, as well as to discuss the experiences and best practices acquired through our 3DIVERSE project. The panel discussion “The transition to carbon neutrality in the energy-intensive industry” was moderated by our project partner from the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. This topic is directly relevant to the 3DIVERSE project, where we are tackling the challenges of a fair green transition in the Šaleška Valley and the diversification of production sources. Special attention was given to maintaining and improving the district heating system.
