Press releases, interviews and news

The potential of light- and plasma-induced catalysis for sustainability, energy efficiency, competitiveness, and economic sovereignty is enormous: The technology promises breakthroughs for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries as well as the recycling and energy sector. This is the conclusion reached by Fraunhofer researchers from the "Light & Surfaces," "Materials," and "Resource Technologies and Bioeconomy" networks, including UMSICHT research scientist Dr. Tim Nitsche. Their findings can be read in the position paper "Light- and Plasma-Induced Catalysis."

For 25 years, the Interdisciplinary Distance Studies in Environmental Sciences (infernum) – offered by the FernUniversität in Hagen in scientific cooperation with Fraunhofer UMSICHT – has stood for successful education for sustainable development. Anja Gerstenmeier, head of the UMSICHT Academy department and the infernum office at Fraunhofer UMSICHT, takes this anniversary as an opportunity to take a trip down memory lane in interview form: from the beginnings with 43 students and traditional study letters to the needs-oriented blended learning concept, which currently enables over 500 students to obtain a qualification in environmental sciences and sustainability.

Every year, each person in Germany produces around 600 kilograms of waste. Can this amount be reduced by sharing and reusing tools, appliances, or leisure equipment? This question is the focus of the research project "Investigation, development, and evaluation of structures and centers for sharing at the municipal level." The partners – the city of Essen, Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and the Fraunhofer institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT – met in Oberhausen for the kick-off.

Fraunhofer UMSICHT investigated for Interzero how sustainable the use of used IT equipment is. The results show that giving smartphones, tablets and other devices a second life can reduce greenhouse gases by up to 37 percent.

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).