Research & development in the environmental and circular economy

Research & Development

As s public private partnership company, the institute has a strong network with companies in the circular economy and the City university of Applied Sciences. We are constantly investigating current topics and problem areas, also in cooperation with students who are empoyed in internships or doing theses at the IEKrW, and are trying to find sustainable and future-oriented solutions. Amongst others our research topics include investigations and studies to increase energy and resource efficiency or optimize waste treatment and recycling. We also develop concepts and technologies, which are being tested on a laboratory, pilot plant or technical scale.

All tasks are related to environmental protection, circular economy and renewable energies. Further research topics can also be found here.

Selected references

2023 – 2027	LIFE SRF 4.0 – Demonstration of a new circular waste treatment process with higher recycling rates and a smart customised production of alternative fuel from unrecyclable fractions
2023 – 2026	RE_SORT – Pyrolysis of thick-walled fiber composites as a key innovation in the recycling process for wind turbine rotor blades
2023 – 2024	Mehrweg-Roadmap – R&D project to develop measures and a strategy plan for establishing a uniform reusable solution for Bremen events, company canteens and weekly markets, etc. (AUF program for the promotion of applied environmental research)
2023 – 2024	Recycling of organic and mineral components in residual and commercial waste in the Northwest Metropolitan Region
2022 – 2024	R&D project to develop concepts for the automatic sorting of large pieces of waste and thus to improve the recycling rate in this sector. For this, state-of-the-art technologies from robotics, sensors and AI are used. AI lighthouses for the environment, climate, nature and resources: AI and robotics for a sustainable circular economy (SmartRecycling-UP), BMUV
2022 – 2024	R&D project for implementation of an H2 shunting locomotive to reduce climate-relevant emissions in the port area
2022	R&D project for the methanation of H2 from synthesis gas from wood gasifier in a 10 m3 reactor
2021 – 2024	R&D project for the development and testing of an indicator-based online decision-making system for the selection of sustainable dishes for large events (zoCat), DBU
2021 – 2023	TH2OR – R&D project to develop an IT-based tool to assess and improve the resource efficiency of plants for production of green hydrogen (FEI program to fund research, development and innovation in Bremen)
2021 – 2022	KoReNaRo – R&D project to develop a comprehensive concept for recycling and reuse of rotor blades made of plastic composite materials, BMBF
2020 – 2022	R&D project to develop a resilient and self-learning recovery network for the recycling of wind turbines. Applied environmental research (AUF program to fund applied environmental research): RecycleWind 2.0
2020 – 2021	R&D projects to develop concepts for the automatic sorting of large pieces of waste and thus to improve the recycling rate in this sector. For this, state-of-the-art technologies from robotics, sensors and AI are used. AI lighthouses for the environment, climate, nature and resources: AI and robotics for a sustainable circular economy (SmartRecycling), BMU
2019 – 2021	7th Energy Research Programme of the Federal Government “Research for an environmentally-friendly, reliable and affordable energy supply”: EnEff:Bremerhaven – Smart Harbor Application Renewable Integration Concept (SHARC)
2018	Investigations on the separation of plastic-wood-mixtures of a production company in North Rhine-Westphalia
2017 – 2019	KuWert – Vessel-based treatment of plastics for the implementation of value chains in less developed countries and to avoid plastic input in the environment, particularly marine ecosystems
2015	Investigations on utilization of biogas as fuel or gas substituent
2012	Analysis of possible savings by the use of more efficient hybrid waste collection vehicles