About
About Window to Europe
Window to Europe (W2E) is an independent, non-commercial website tracking scientific, technological and industrial developments on Europe’s path towards a sustainable future.
The site is edited by Rolf Schmid, a German chemist and biotechnology researcher who has spent much of his professional life at the interface of science, industry and international technology observation. After many years of reporting on technological developments in Asia, Window to Europe reflects a personal conviction: Europe’s progress towards a sustainable economy deserves to be followed with the same curiosity, critical attention and international perspective.
W2E focuses on what is actually happening: new technologies moving from research into demonstration and industrial application, investments and infrastructure becoming operational, and measurable progress towards Europe’s climate and sustainability goals. The aim is to identify well-documented examples that show where Europe’s transition is becoming tangible – and, where appropriate, to place them in an international context.
The European Green Deal provides the overall perspective. Once a year, W2E will use data from the EU’s EDGAR emissions database as a reality check: How are Europe’s greenhouse-gas emissions actually developing, in which sectors is progress being made, and where does the gap to the 2030, 2040 and 2050 climate objectives remain? Individual W2E reports are linked to the relevant EDGAR sector where this can be done meaningfully. This connects individual technological developments with the larger, measurable picture of Europe’s transition.
Green Carbon & Hydrogen
A dedicated Green C/H section takes a closer, more technical look at the defossilisation of the chemical industry. Its focus is the gradual replacement of fossil carbon and fossil energy through recycling and circular carbon, biomass and other renewable feedstocks, C1/CO₂ technologies, and renewable hydrogen.
Here, W2E goes beyond general news reporting. Selected projects are examined from a chemist’s perspective: What is the underlying chemistry or process? What has actually been demonstrated? At what scale? Which carbon and energy flows are changed? And what technical or economic hurdles remain before industrial deployment? Where reliable information is available, European developments are also compared with approaches elsewhere in the world.
W2E is developed in close collaboration with ChatGPT (OpenAI). Artificial intelligence assists with the systematic screening of European sources, fact-checking, technical background research, comparison with international developments, editing and the development of original illustrations. Editorial selection, scientific judgement and responsibility for the published content remain with the author.
The aim is not to cover everything. W2E follows a simple principle: quality rather than quantity – selecting developments that are technically interesting, verifiable and potentially important for Europe’s sustainable transition.
Editorial Policy and Disclaimer
Window to Europe (W2E) is an independent, non-commercial technology observation website. It monitors scientific, technological and industrial developments relevant to Europe’s transition towards a sustainable future, with particular attention to developments that have progressed beyond announcements to research results, demonstrators, pilot plants, industrial implementation and scale-up.
Sources and selection
W2E uses publicly available information from scientific publications, research institutions, public authorities, European and national programmes, companies, industry organisations and other publicly accessible sources.
Information is selected, compared and condensed editorially. Priority is given to original sources wherever available. W2E does not aim to provide comprehensive news coverage; it presents selected examples considered useful for observing technological and industrial progress in Europe.
Company statements, projections and performance claims are treated as information provided by the respective source and, where appropriate, checked against additional sources. Inclusion on W2E does not constitute an endorsement of a company, technology, product or policy.
Use of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence tools are used to assist with information retrieval, comparison of sources, summarisation, language editing and the preparation of original schematic illustrations. Editorial selection, assessment of relevance and responsibility for the published content remain with the editor.
AI-generated or AI-assisted illustrations are intended to explain technological concepts or provide visual context. They are not intended to reproduce protected photographs, technical drawings or proprietary designs and should not be interpreted as exact representations of actual plants, equipment or processes unless explicitly stated.
Copyright and sources
W2E respects the intellectual property rights of authors, publishers, companies and institutions.
Texts published on W2E are independently written and normally summarise or paraphrase information from the sources cited. Short quotations or third-party figures may be reproduced where their use is justified for purposes of explanation, discussion or scientific reference and where permitted by applicable copyright law. Sources and, where identifiable and required, authors or rights holders are acknowledged.
Photographs, figures, logos and other third-party material are used only where an appropriate licence, permission or other legal basis for their use is considered to exist. Otherwise, W2E preferentially uses original or AI-assisted schematic illustrations.
Links to external websites are provided to enable readers to consult the original information. Responsibility for the content and subsequent changes of external websites lies with their respective operators.
Accuracy and corrections
W2E aims to reproduce technical information accurately and to distinguish demonstrated results from targets, projections and announced future developments. Nevertheless, information may be incomplete, subsequently revised or become outdated.
W2E therefore provides information for scientific and technological observation and discussion only and makes no guarantee as to its completeness, accuracy or continuing validity.
If a reader or rights holder identifies an error, incorrect attribution or potential rights issue, W2E welcomes notification. The material concerned will be reviewed and, where appropriate, corrected, supplemented or removed.