GreenEvo is the first such project conducted by the public administration, the Ministry of the Environment, which supports Polish chances to appear on foreign markets with domestic environmental technologies. So far, 13 most promising technologies, ready for international expansion, have been selected thorough a competition. Armed with expertise on international development directions, which are strategic from the Polish point of view, they move east, first to China, Russia and Thailand.
Chinese green dream
As many as nine Polish companies – ecological innovators selected by the Ministry of the Environment in the GreenEvo project, presented their green technologies during Expo in Shanghai.
Several dozen of partners from the Chinese market and Polish companies from environmental technology sector –  this was the landscape of the Polish Pavilion at the International Exhibition in Shanghai on 6 September. In China, the winners of GreenEvo – Green Technology Accelerator project, conducted by the Ministry of the Environment, promoted innovative solutions from the area of renewable energy sources usage, hazardous waste treatment technologies, sewage and water treatment technologies, technologies for coke industry and energy efficient technologies.
In cooperation with PARP (Polish Agency for Enterprise Development), PAIIZ (Polish Agency for Foreign Investment) and Polish Consulate in Shanghai, an economic mission was organized, which gathered nine of thirteen winners of GreenEvo project: Promar, Wofil, Biogradex, PP-Eko, Neon, Energoinstal, Lediko, Ecotech and Asket. The presented offer, with strongly accentuated technologies supporting solving local threats for natural environment, attracted great interest of visitors.
Visits of GreenEvo participants in Shanghai already bring results. Ecotech – one of the GreenEvo winners – owing to its first trip, has its agent for the Chinese market. On the occasion of next visit, representatives of the company participated in meetings with companies, which are potentially interested in introducing hazardous waste utilization technologies in China. “Meetings in Beijing give a chance for model performance of technologies, and then – for a contract and good cooperation”, stresses Marek Bukała, the owner of Ecotech Polska.
“Through participation in the GreenEvo project, our winners have an unique opportunity to establish direct contacts with key partners in the enormous and extremely absorbent Chinese market – said Minister of the Environment, Prof. Andrzej Kraszewski. “It may be the first step on the road to success on international scale for these companies. In this way, the Ministry implements one of the most important aims, which is the support for Polish green technologies sector”, adds Prof. Kraszewski.
Session of bilateral meetings was preceded by a conference with the participation of Janusz Zaleski, Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Environment and a representative of Chinese environment protection office and Shanghai association of environmental sciences Lu Fu Kuan. In addition to business talks held in the Pavilion, the mission also visited water management center Meng Qin Yuan in the region of Suzhou Canal and research and development center of the equipment manufacturer for renewable and wind energy sector, Shanghai Electric Group.
“Interest in the Polish offer exceeded our wildest expectations. Owing to GreenEvo, Polish technologies were presented at the governmental level and to the biggest Chinese business partners, such as Shanghai Electric Group”, underlines Janusz Zaleski, Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Environment.
Baikal and Far East opportunities
Russian market is another area where the Polish pro-environmental technologies may find their place and business success. GreenEvo was hosted, among others, in Yekaterinburg in the Uralskaya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at a meeting with the delegation headed by Marshal of the Senate Bogdan Borusewicz with participation of Mr. Bernard Błaszczyk, Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Environment. Minister Błaszczyk participated also in a series of meetings with representatives of government and business of the Republic of Buryatia, and with Yuri Szewieliew, Minister of Energy and Public Utilities Management of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Polish delegation took also part in the Baikal Economic Forum, where the project of the Ministry of the Environment was also presented.
On 14th September, another meeting began in Bangkok, Thailand, which may prove to be a strategic opportunity for the Polish green technologies. GreenEvo winners present themselves at the International Fair Pollutec Asia (companies: Wofil, Ecotech, Neon, PP-Eko and Lediko).
The aim of GreenEvo – Green Technology Accelerator project by the Ministry of the Environment is to support the international activity of companies – participants of the project and the export of Polish green technologies. The project helps to identify the preferred directions of international expansion for the technologies qualified for the project. Companies participating in the project benefit from foreign trade missions and organizational support for participation in international fairs. They can also apply for funding of costs of these activities within the available instruments to promote exports, offered by the Ministry of Economy and the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development.
After the first stages of the project, which consisted of comprehensive training for owners of technologies and after the selection of technology-winners, the stage of their foreign promotion begins. GreenEvo prepared a support tool for technologies looking for development in foreign markets: they include reports prepared at the request of the Ministry of the Environment on strategic markets for green technologies. For the first time, they will be presented during a ceremonial GreenEvo gala combined with the awards ceremony for the winners on 30th September.