Wax and more

ibi – ‘Innovative Lignite Integration in Central Germany’

Lignite – much too valuable simply to burn!

Logo und slogan ibi netzwerk
The alliance forming the regional growth core ‘Innovative Lignite Integration in Central Germany’ (ibi) is based on an innovation forum of the same name, which received funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) from 2008 to 2009. Thirteen partners from the fields of science and industry have joined the ibi alliance. At present, they are based in two federal states (Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony), and pool the skills they have acquired in three sectors: lignite mining, the chemical industry and plant engineering. These core competences are the most important seed capital the partners have for meeting their ambitious target of achieving commercial success by exploiting the possibilities of domestic lignite reserves.

The first lignite chemical park by 2020

The shared business goal of the Leuna-based alliance is to develop new technologies to produce basic chemicals from lignite for the chemical industry, along the entire value-added chain (a lignite chemical park). The alliance’s strength lies in the expertise of its partners, which extends across every stage of the operation, and the greater cost-efficiency achieved, compared with specialisation in single, isolated stages such as extraction or gasification. The concept underlying the lignite chemical park means joining together to develop sustainable, economical and environmentally-friendly technologies for the material utilization of lignite and their successfully marketing. In this respect, the ibi alliance is keen to become a global leader in the new lignite chemical park segment which is to be developed. It is hoped that the first lignite chemical park will be up and running at the Leuna site by 2020. Once its success has been demonstrated to everyone’s satisfaction, the technology is to be sold on to customers throughout the world from 2020.

This shared ambition is expressed in the growth core’s logo and slogan.

ROMONTA is a founding member of the initiative, and is able to contribute valuable core competences in the fields of brown coal mining, coal upgrading and extraction to the ibi network.