EUROPEAN COMPOSITES INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
EuCIA
Headquartered in Brussels, the European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) represents European national composites associations and industry-specific sector groups at EU level.
ID: 244941896103-90
Lobbying Activity
Response to Delegated act on primarily used components under the Net-Zero Industry Act
20 Feb 2025
EuCIA , the European Composites Industry association, is pleased to provide further input to the consultation to complement the submission of two of its members, Epoxy Europe and the UPVE group, two Cefic sector groups. Composite materials are composed by a matrix ( Epoxy, Vinyl Ester or Unsaturated Polyester resin) and technical fiber fabrics (Glass or Carbon) (tech-fab-europe.eu). The final products and components used for net zero technologies do not exist in isolation. They are the final output of complex upstream value chains, often involving composite materials. Therefore, the focus on net zero technologies should also holistically include the value chains which produced them, including the resins and technical fibers fabrics used in these composite materials. Consequently, manufacturing materials such as composites should be added to the draft Annex. Furthermore, if Europe should content itself with the simple assembly of components for NZ technologies whilst chemicals, intermediates, and components are imported from non-EU territories, the issue of strategic dependencies will not be resolved. In particular, composites are key materials for: (i) For Onshore Wind and Offshore Renewable technologies, they are crucial for nacelles, direct drive generators drivetrains, and gearbox drivetrains. Dry type transformers should be added in Onshore technologies. Wind turbine blades, Wind blade root spears, Wind blade spare caps, and Chemical anchoring should be added in both Onshore and Offshore categories. Spar caps help to increase blade length at lower weight; Combination of resins and technical fiber fabrics made allow faster pultrusion speed for making spar caps, improving cost efficiency and productivity. In Offshore category should be added: cable joints for inter array cables (deliver power to offshore centralized substation) and composite gratings and platforms, as well as composite steel pipe joints (significantly extending steel structure service life under tough marine conditions). (ii) In Battery technologies, we endorse battery packs, and BMS, as composite materials contribute to lowering weight and enhancing fire resistance properties, and for BMS provide durability and resistance to vandalism. In the Compressed/ liquefied gas energy storage category, Composite pressure vessels for storage of H2 or CNG should be considered. Composite pressure vessels Type IV made by wet winding technology outperform existing technologies by providing lower material cost, lower vessel weight, more cost efficiency, and lower CO2eq emissions. (v) In Hydrogen technologies, we endorse Onboard hydrogen storage and Stationary (high-pressure) storage tanks and wish to add composite pressure vessels for hydrogen storage for the same reasons as previously stated. (vi) In Carbon capture technologies (CCS), Composite inner liners for CCS steel pipes are important as they prevent impurities in to-be-stored CO2 from causing corrosion of inside walls of steep piping and formation of deposits, reducing and hampering flow and depositing efficiency, Tanks and stacks should also be considered as components as they guarantee continuity of operation of CCS equipment. (vii) In Electricity grid technologies, we endorse most components and would add Composite insulators for powerlines in Substations products, Composite cable cores for power lines and insulating, pressure molding, and casting materials for switchgear and transformers in Cables products, which should also be added in Power transformers. (viii) In Nuclear fission power plants, the following components should be considered: Cooling water piping systems, and Firewater piping systems. (ix) In Transformative industrial technologies for decarbonization, we wish to add a Construction materials category, with stiffening or strengthening materials such as Composite rebar, Composite repair lamella, and Concrete protection and lifetime extension material, as composite materials offer superio
Read full response