Press releases, interviews and news

CO₂ emitters and CO₂ users are located close to each other in Germany. Dr. Christoph Glasner and Dr. Sebastian Stießel are convinced that this provides favorable conditions for sustainable carbon management and Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU). In this interview, the Fraunhofer UMSICHT scientists shed light on the opportunities and challenges of carbon management. They present innovative technical approaches that contribute both to the defossilization of industries and to the establishment of new markets, also showing how Fraunhofer UMSICHT supports companies on their way to shaping a climate-friendly future.

In the Carbon2Chem^® joint project, CO₂ from industrial exhaust gases is converted into sustainable methanol with the help of hydrogen. This methanol is now being used in the "Power2Polymers" project: It is first processed into paraformaldehyde and then into novel polyols, which in turn form the basis for adhesives, coating materials, lubricants and sealants.

The Air2Chem project is developing an integrated process that combines direct air capture with electrolytic conversion of the carbonate-containing absorber solution into platform raw materials for the chemical industry. The aim is to provide a sustainable source of carbon dioxide for chemical industry processes that is location-independent and economically viable. One year after the project was launched, the researchers are reporting positive interim results.

Fraunhofer UMSICHT has been developing composite bipolar plates for over ten years. At the heart of the technology is a patented powder-to-roll process that enables the plates to be manufactured in a material- and resource-efficient manner and with low material thicknesses. In this interview, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anna Grevé and Dr.-Ing. Michael Joemann from our Electrochemical Energy Storage department talk about the advantages over other technologies, possible applications and potential, ongoing research projects, and options for collaboration.

Whether it's films made from apple pomace, environmentally friendly flame retardants or electrically conductive polymers: Fraunhofer UMSICHT is presenting its wide-ranging expertise in the fields of plastics and the circular economy at this year's K trade fair in Düsseldorf. The researchers can be found from October 8 to 15 at the joint stand of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Hall 7, Level 0, Stand C05.

Another important milestone has been reached in the “enerPort II” research project: The energy system for the sustainable supply of the Duisburg Gateway Terminal has been installed. Tests for commissioning hydrogen combined heat and power plants and fuel cells are now underway.

What are the most promising CO₂ point sources? How can the maturity of different reactor designs be determined? And which target product has the highest drop-in market potential? There are still some unanswered questions on the way to the industrialization of CO₂ electrolysis. Answers are provided by a roadmap for linking sources and sinks of CO₂ – drawn up by researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Forschungszentrum Jülich, RWTH Aachen University and Ruhr University Bochum.

Our diversity statement was developed with the involvement of all employees. It expresses our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion and serves as a guiding framework – both for day-to-day interaction at the institute and for all measures in our diversity management strategy. On Diversity Day, we spoke to the colleague who held many of the strings in her hand during the creation process: Dr. Miriam Gerlach from HR Development. Her personal goal: to create the basis for ensuring that all employees are given the same conditions and have the opportunity to develop their expertise and expand their potential across management and specialist levels.

The carbon cycle can be closed with the help of electrochemical CO₂ reduction: Unavoidable emissions from concrete production or waste incineration become CO – and thus the starting point for chemicals or fuels. However, there is a hurdle lurking in the industrial application of this technology: It is not (yet) compatible with the existing infrastructure. Researchers at Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Ruhr University Bochum have developed a possible solution: a new reactor that efficiently converts CO₂ using pressurized CO₂ and pure water.

The new STARS research project started with a kick-off in March with the aim of making steel mill slag usable as a raw material for the production of high-quality end products for solar thermal processes over the next three years. The project partners German Aerospace Center (DLR) (lead), thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems GmbH and LWK-PlasmaCeramic GmbH are researching sustainable solutions for a green circular economy. Fraunhofer UMSICHT is evaluating the new products and processes to be developed from an ecological perspective. The project is funded by the EU and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.