Press releases, interviews and news

No barriers, no parking tickets and digital payment options - camera-based free-flow parking systems are said to be more efficient, cause less congestion and protect the climate. In a recently published climate impact study commissioned by fair parken, Fraunhofer UMSICHT investigated the climate impact of digital, camera-based parking systems compared to conventional barrier systems.

In its annual study for the circular economy service provider Interzero, Fraunhofer UMSICHT examined the climate effects and resource savings achieved through recycling and circular economy solutions. In 2024, Interzero was able to save around 1.04 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and 8.09 million tons of primary resources. The biggest driver of savings at Interzero: the recycling of plastics.

Wood is the primary source of raw material for paper production – whether as fresh fiber or recycled material. The silphium plant, a perennial energy crop, is now also being used as an alternative fiber source. Fraunhofer UMSICHT conducted a life cycle assessment study for OutNature, a supplier of fiber and paper products, comparing the environmental impact of silphium plant paper with that of conventional paper made from pulp and recycled paper fibers.

The “System Integration” subproject plays a central role in Carbon2Chem^®. All the results are brought together, and technological transformation paths for recycling CO₂ from industrial process gases are developed and evaluated. In this interview, Dr. Thorsten Wack explains how this process works in practice and describes the tools used.

On September 17, 2025, the Kuwaiti gas company Gulf Cryo and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Energy and Safety Technology UMSICHT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a strategic partnership for carbon management technologies.

Carbon2Chem® is in its final phase. In the third and final phase of the project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, the goal is to prepare the CO2 cycling concepts and technologies developed for industrial use in the steel industry and to transfer them to other sectors. We asked Dr. Torsten Müller what this means for the “Coordination and Communication” subproject. In this interview, he discusses current tasks, presents key results, and talks about the economic significance of carbon capture and utilization (CCU).

The energy transition in Germany continues to gain momentum. However, there are still conflicts of use in various areas. For example, the resource water has not been sufficiently taken into account in the planning of hydrogen hubs. This is despite the growing importance of Greens hydrogen and increasing water scarcity in individual regions. An interdisciplinary consortium led by Fraunhofer UMSICHT is bringing together the various stakeholders in the "EnAqua Dialogue". The goal is to develop solutions that simultaneously meet the needs of the energy transition, local environmental conditions, and societal expectations. We spoke with Dr. Ilka Gehrke, head of the project.

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.