HERE. Impulse Magazine / Sustainability 2021
HERE we set our course. As a result of climate change, extreme weather events are happening more and more often. We need to create a climate-neutral economy in order to counteract global warming in the long term. Saxony-Anhalt is aiming to make the most of the resulting opportunities for growth and the state is starting from a very strong position. Many companies from the industries of the future, such as renewable energy, green chemicals, the bioeconomy and electric mobility, are already investing in the development of a more sustainable economy and creating new, mainly high-quality jobs.
HERE we set our course.
As a result of climate change, extreme weather events are happening more and more often. We need to create a climate-neutral economy in order to counteract global warming in the long term. Saxony-Anhalt is aiming to make the most of the resulting opportunities for growth and the state is starting from a very strong position. Many companies from the industries of the future, such as renewable energy, green chemicals, the bioeconomy and electric mobility, are already investing in the development of a more sustainable economy and creating new, mainly high-quality jobs.
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HERE
The
IMPULSE
MAGAZINE
location for business and science
Saxony-Anhalt
www.invest-in-saxony-anhalt.com
sustainable
SAXONY-ANHALT –
THE STATE FOR FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
EDITORIAL
Big plans?
WE MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
HERE
we chart our
course.
INVESTMENT AND
MARKETING CORPORATION
SAXONY-ANHALT.
YOUR SPECIALISTS ON SITE Contemporary, collaborative and connected –
in the German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt
we are your partner for success. As a promoter for economic development and a location
marketer, our interdisciplinary teams support you in all aspects regarding location,
expansion and future sustainability, clearing any obstacles out of the way. Outstanding
customer focus and cooperation are our credo. We passionately support the transition and
positive perception of Saxony-Anhalt as a business, science and tourism destination. We
use all our skills and strength to build bridges for you!
Barbara Weinert-Nachbagauer, Head of Marketing, Thomas Einsfelder, Managing Director of IMG and
Marc Pappert, authorized signatory and Head of Investor Services, are three of our location specialists here
in Leuna Chemical Park: a center of excellence, where big plans are part of our day-to-day business.
As a result of climate change, extreme
weather events are happening more and more
often. We need to create a climate-neutral economy
in order to counteract global warming in the
long term. Saxony-Anhalt is aiming to make the
most of the resulting opportunities for growth
and the state is starting from a very strong position.
Many companies from the industries of the
future, such as renewable energy, green chemicals,
the bioeconomy and electric mobility, are
already investing in the development of a more
sustainable economy and creating new, mainly
high-quality jobs.
We are seeing a boom in the solar industry
in particular, as demonstrated by recent investments
by Hanwha Q Cells and Meyer Burger in
Saxony-Anhalt.
The demand for renewable electricity will
grow rapidly in the future, which is why Saxony-Anhalt
is focusing on green hydrogen, particularly
for energy-intensive industries.
Major companies from the chemical
industry have already come together to turn Saxony-Anhalt
into a leading location for the production
and use of affordable green hydrogen.
A sustainable economy also implies the
responsible use of precious resources. This is the
goal of the bioeconomy in Saxony-Anhalt, which
is undergoing a period of dynamic growth.
The Finnish company UPM is investing 550
million euros in a biorefinery that is the first of
its kind in the world, where biochemicals will be
produced from wood from 2022 onward. Alongside
the development of sustainable products
and materials, it is also important to focus on
recycling valuable raw materials.
You can find out more about these and
other developments on the following pages.
Saxony-Anhalt is transforming itself into a
state for future technologies that is a rewarding
place to live, to work and, of course, to
invest in.
saxony-anhalt-tourism.eu
invest-in-saxony-anhalt.com
www.invest-in-saxony-anhalt.com
3
CONTENTS
Contents
16
THE BIOECONOMY
IN SAXONY-ANHALT
NOVO-TECH:
“No trees are felled to make our products”
18
High-tech solution for green biochemicals:
Siemens Energy
19
20
The separation experts:
The start-up saperatec
Objective: Drinking water for all –
the start-up Inflotec
36
COMBATING THE CORONAVIRUS
Vials from Saxony-Anhalt:
BioPharmaPark Dessau
22
Phosphorus from sludge:
Seraplant
39
An established partnership:
Dermapharm
6
8
11
12
Interview with Thomas Einsfelder,
Managing Director IMG Saxony-Anhalt
"Saxony-Anhalt is playing
a central role in the transition to
the hydrogen economy“
SOLAR ENERGY
IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Meyer Burger Technology AG:
The cells of the future
Meyer Burger Technology AG:
„Here we have everything we need“
The batteries of the future:
Tesvolt
23
24
26
28
Load-bearing lightweight:
C3 Technologies
HYDROGEN
IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Hy2Chem scaling platform:
Setting new standards
Green gas on a large scale:
Linde GmbH
100 percent ahead:
Zerbst Energy Park
30
32
33
35
NEW MOBILITY
IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park:
“As a chemical site with 130 years’
experience, we have good prospects”
Methods for the mobility of the future:
Center for Method Development
Otto von Guericke
University of Magdeburg:
“Our goal is to become a
leading research location”
Top-class forming technology:
Porsche and Schuler
40
42
43
The freezing experts:
MECOTEC
Award-winning sustainability
Contacts and editorial information
14
AI meets PV:
Fraunhofer CSP and
GETEC green energy
15
Sunshine in Thalheim:
Q CELLS
4
5
INTERVIEW
“Saxony-Anhalt is
playing a central role
in the transition to the
hydrogen economy”
Thomas Einsfelder, managing director of the Investment and
Marketing Corporation Saxony-Anhalt, discusses the advantages
of Saxony-Anhalt as a business location and the outstanding
opportunities provided by the hydrogen economy in the region.
What benefits does Saxony-Anhalt
offer future investors?
THOMAS EINSFELDER: Many major industrial sectors
have become established in Saxony-Anhalt, including the
mechanical engineering, automotive and chemical industries.
Highly motivated and skilled staff are helping to
ensure their success. The future is happening now in 29
business-oriented research facilities. Engineers and scientists
are coming together in clusters to overcome the
challenges of the future. A state-of-the-art transport and
logistics infrastructure enables the fast turnaround of
goods and the state’s central location in Europe provides
easy access to the East European economic region. And
last but not least, Saxony-Anhalt is a rich center of German
cultural history, as its many historical monuments
demonstrate. The wide variety of beautiful landscapes
and the bustling towns which offer a good quality of life
make Saxony-Anhalt the perfect location to move to.
How does IMG support foreign investors and help
them to network here?
THOMAS EINSFELDER: The IMG investor service team
provides support during all the phases of companies’
relocation and expansion projects in Saxony-Anhalt.
IMG acts as the partner of investors in a range of areas,
including finding suitable sites, handling financial issues,
liaising with local authorities and managing approvals,
plus helping with the recruitment of skilled staff and
young talents. The clusters I have already referred to and
the close links between companies and research facilities
enable investors to make contact easily with potential
business partners.
Saxony-Anhalt markets itself as a center for
innovation, in particular in relation to the energy
transition. What makes the state different in this
respect from other European locations?
THOMAS EINSFELDER: The phase-out of coal is affecting
the south of Saxony-Anhalt in particular. The structural
transformation that is needed offers new opportunities
for shaping future changes and doing business profitably.
The availability of large industrial sites and a good
workforce, the possibility of cooperating with research
facilities and extensive state funding create an attractive
package for investors. But the unique selling point
of Saxony-Anhalt is its many years of experience as a
location for companies from the chemical, hydrogen,
renewable energy and bioeconomy sectors. The region
has significant potential for sustainable added value
and resource-efficient products, extensive experience of
renewable energies and close links between the worlds of
business and science.
Thomas Einsfelder, Managing Director of the Investment and
Marketing Corporation Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is part of a hydrogen master plan.
Which initiatives are already underway and how
are you supporting the development of a local
hydrogen industry?
THOMAS EINSFELDER: Saxony-Anhalt has the ideal
conditions for playing a central role in the transition to a
hydrogen economy. Many companies in the central German
chemical triangle have long experience of working
with hydrogen and no other region of Germany has such
a well-developed hydrogen infrastructure. In addition, the
companies in the industry are closely involved with national
and international research projects. Several flagship
H2 projects are already taking place. The Hypos network
of businesses and research institutions is running a pilot
project for a hydrogen network in the Bitterfeld-Wolfen
Chemical Park. A hydrogen storage facility is being created
in Bad Lauchstädt which is more than 700 meters
below ground level and surrounded by a stratum of salt.
In 2020, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft began building a
test plant for green hydrogen to investigate the economic
use of the fuel with the support of several global players.
6
7
SOLAR ENERGY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Solar
energy in
Saxony-
Anhalt
The cells
of the future
Meyer Burger is manufacturing
highly efficient solar cells at its
site in Bitterfeld-Wolfen.
In Thalheim,
Meyer Burger is
producing a new
generation of
solar cells.
Efficient solar energy is a
key building block for a climate-neutral
future. There is
huge potential for expanding
the generation of solar energy
and, at the same time, it can
also play an important role in
reducing costs. At the Solar
Valley site in the district of Bitterfeld-Wolfen
in the south of
Saxony-Anhalt, leading companies
from the industry are
developing and producing the
technologies of the future.
In large parts of the world, photovoltaics
is by far the most affordable and
climate-friendly technology for generating
electricity. The Swiss solar module manufacturer
Meyer Burger believes that this marks
the start of an era of solar energy and plans
to help shape the solar future. In Solar Valley
in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, the company has been
producing its solar cells with highly efficient
heterojunction technology since June 2021.
“Our work at the historical Solar Valley site represents
a milestone on Europe’s road to greater
strategic independence in the crucial technology
of photovoltaics. This is just one example of
how European industry can successfully move
to doing business sustainably,” says Gunter
Erfurt, CEO of Meyer Burger. “We have a unique
opportunity to become an innovative global
pacesetter in the field of renewable energies,
to create high-caliber jobs in the region and
to supply attractive products for generating
competitive, climate-friendly electricity.”
The company’s newly designed solar cells are
being produced at the Thalheim site. Because
of their structure and their specific temperature
behavior, they have an outstanding energy
output. Meyer Burger developed and industrialized
the necessary production processes
8
9
SOLAR ENERGY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
“Here we have
everything we need”
The machines
needed for
production
are developed
in-house by the
Swiss company.
and machines in-house at its technology and
product centers in Hauterive (Switzerland) and
Hohenstein-Ernstthal in Saxony. The solar cells
produced in Saxony-Anhalt are destined for the
company’s own solar module manufacturing
facility in Freiberg. Meyer Burger has already
created hundreds of high-quality jobs as part
of the first 400-megawatt stage of development.
The solar module producer also relies
on local supply chains. For example, the most
important raw material in the production process,
polysilicon, comes from Europe.
At Meyer Burger’s plant in Thalheim
up to 200,000 solar cells leave the
production line every day. In the medium-term,
the solar cell capacity of the site in Solar Valley
will be expanded to 1.4 gigawatts. In addition,
other administrative departments are being
set up in Thalheim.
The Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of Economy is
providing support for the plant in the form of
aid for environmental protection of up to
15 million euros and an investment grant of
up to 7.5 million euros.
meyerburger.com
Gunter Erfurt, CEO of Meyer Burger Technology AG, on the company’s
commitment to central Germany
Why did Meyer Burger choose Thalheim as the
location for its plant?
GUNTER ERFURT: We were looking for the perfect site
for our solar cell production facility because the option
of cell manufacturing was not available at our other
sites in Freiberg and Hohenstein-Ernstthal in Saxony. We
searched all over Germany and soon found exactly what
we wanted in Solar Valley. Here we have everything we
need. In particular, there are highly skilled employees in
the region who are enthusiastic about solar technology
and can operate our machines. The building in Thalheim,
which was previously a solar cell factory, saved us a lot of
time. We were able to start production after only eight
months of conversion work.
The trend for producing solar modules in Asia
seems to be coming to an end. Is that correct?
GUNTER ERFURT: It’s true that we are seeing a renaissance
of the solar industry in Europe. At Meyer Burger
we are supporting this change. We are a Swiss company
and our roots are in Europe. We cannot see any reason
for moving to Asia. Over the last twelve years, we have
developed our proprietary heterojunction smartwire
technology and we are no longer selling the machines
and equipment to third parties. Instead we are producing
highly efficient solar cells and modules ourselves. Germany
provides the ideal conditions, including skilled staff
and the opportunity to work with research institutions.
In addition, production and wage costs in Asia are rising.
Future developments will show that it makes sense to produce
modules where the market is, rather than shipping
them around the world.
Solar energy is the most environmentally friendly
and cost-effective form of energy generation.
What role does sustainability play at Meyer Burger?
GUNTER ERFURT: We provide a 30-year warranty for our
solar modules and we aim to fully recycle them when they
reach the end of their life. We are currently in discussions
with potential partners in this area. We want to achieve
a closed cycle with all the materials that we use being
reprocessed. In addition, we run our manufacturing plants
using green electricity. In the solar industry, we have to set
very high standards of sustainability.
We also aim to be technology leaders. Our modules have
an output that is 20 percent higher over the same surface
area than conventional panels. After the initial investment,
customers can generate more solar electricity on
their roofs over the service life of our solar modules than
with panels from other manufacturers. A Meyer Burger
system is sustainable in every respect.
10
11
SOLAR ENERGY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Tesvolt batteries
from Lutherstadt
Wittenberg are in
use at a salmon farm
off the Norwegian
coast.
The batteries
of the future
Tesvolt from Lutherstadt
Wittenberg is one of the world’s
leading suppliers of innovative
batteries.
To ensure the success of the global
energy transition, we urgently need to
generate clean electricity. However, it is equally
important to be able to store this energy on a
large scale. The young company Tesvolt, which
is based in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, recognized
this at an early stage and began developing
sustainable energy storage solutions.
The market for energy storage in industry is
growing rapidly. Demand is expected to increase
by almost 30 percent per year until 2030.
The innovative storage solutions developed by
Tesvolt not only benefit industrial and commercial
customers, but also the environment. With
capacities ranging from 10 kWh to 100 MWh,
the batteries can be combined with solar and
wind energy generation, hydropower, combined
heat and power plants and fuel cells. The storage
solutions are being produced in Europe’s first gigafactory
for commercial batteries in Lutherstadt
Wittenberg.
„What drives us is not the desire
to be innovative, but the
vision of bringing affordable,
clean energy into every corner
of the world by means of efficient
storage technologies. The
basis for this is innovation,“
explains Daniel Hannemann, managing director
of Tesvolt. He founded the company as a
start-up in 2014 together with Simon Schandert.
Today Tesvolt employs almost 100 people at its
site in Wittenberg.
Founders with
vision: the two
managing directors
of Tesvolt, Daniel
Hannemann and
Simon Schandert.
Tesvolt receives inquiries from all over the
world. For example, in the national park in
the Chacabuco valley in Patagonia, a battery
storage system from Wittenberg has replaced
the existing dirty diesel generators. It now
supplies facilities in the park, such as hostels,
campsites, the museum and the information
center, with electricity. The park now makes use
of energy from renewable sources. In winter and
spring when the rivers are full of water from the
Andes, two micro-hydro turbines meet the electricity
requirements. In summer a photovoltaic
system is used to charge the Tesvolt batteries.
It was important for the remote park to choose
high-quality systems that require little maintenance.
The family-owned business Kvarøy, which runs
five salmon farms off the coast of Norway, has
also opted for Tesvolt batteries. Until recently,
diesel generators were used to supply electricity
to the platforms in the sea. As they had to operate
around the clock in order to make efficient
use of the fuel, every kilowatt hour of electricity
involved significant costs. In addition, the fuel
had to be transported to the salmon farms by
boat, which consumed additional energy and
incurred further costs. The energy storage systems
from Saxony-Anhalt have enabled Kvarøy
to make much more efficient use of the energy
produced by the generators and to reduce the
number of hours that the generators are in operation
on the platforms from 24 to three. This
not only cuts emissions and fuel consumption,
but also improves working conditions, because
less diesel means less noise, exhaust gases and
vibration on the fish farm.
Tesvolt batteries are also in operation at the
Oktoberfest in Munich. At peak times, the kitchens
in the Tradition festival tent supply food
and drink for up to 8,000 hungry and thirsty
customers. The tent uses a lot of electricity,
which amounts to an average of around 200,000
kWh per season. The large kitchen is responsible
for about 70 percent of the consumption.
When the barbecues, dishwashers and heaters
are in operation, peak loads of 700 kilowatts are
normal. Using a Tesvolt battery, these expensive
peak loads can be reduced.
In 2020, Tesvolt was named top innovator of the
year in the Top 100 innovation competition for
medium-sized German businesses because of its
innovative ability. The jury was particularly impressed
by the intelligent battery management
system developed by the company’s engineers. It
ensures that the batteries operate at a very high
efficiency level of over 92 percent and have a service
life of 30 years, which is a technological USP.
In addition, Tesvolt received the German Entrepreneur
Award in 2018. The state of Saxony-Anhalt
has been supporting Tesvolt with venture
capital funding from its own investment company,
IBG Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt
mbH, since 2017. IBG has invested four million
euros in the company.
tesvolt.com
Tesvolt supplies
energy storage
solutions from
10 kWh to 100 MWh.
12
13
SOLAR ENERGY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Artificial intelligence can play an
important role in monitoring and
maintaining photovoltaic systems
Sunshine
in Thalheim
Q CELLS invests
in Solar Valley.
AI meets
PV
The Fraunhofer CSP and GETEC
green energy are collaborating
on a system that monitors
photovoltaic systems.
Alongside wind power, photovoltaics (PV) is the
most important source of renewable energy.
Around 20 percent of renewable energy is generated
by photovoltaic systems. This means that solar energy
makes a key contribution to the supply of sustainable
electricity in Germany.
The Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP and
GETEC green energy GmbH are collaborating on a project
known as Mon-KI that will allow weak points and defects
in PV systems to be identified as early as possible. The
German abbreviation stands for “innovative status
analysis and forecasting for PV systems using artificial intelligence
methods.” Energy generators can be simulated
more effectively by means of artificial intelligence methods
from the field of data mining, plus maintenance
work on PV modules can be scheduled more accurately.
“The project resolves fundamental problems in current
photovoltaic monitoring and reduces the amount of very
time-consuming manual data analyses of defects,” says
Dr. Matthias Ebert, Group Manager Module and System
Reliability at the Fraunhofer CSP in Halle (Saale). “By
using AI, we can ensure that PV systems function reliably
and that maintenance is kept to a minimum. The results
will allow new business models to be developed”
The Fraunhofer CSP is using actual and target data
validation for monitoring purposes. Field inspections,
historic data and laboratory tests allow defect patterns
in the data to be used to train machine learning models.
This makes it possible to automatically record defects
that lead to a reduction in the output of the PV systems.
In the event of anomalies, the data structure changes
systematically and this enables the defect to be diagnosed.
PV panels on roofs in Magdeburg and Zerbst and in solar
farms in Amsdorf belonging to GETEC green energy
GmbH are being used in the Mon-KI project. The joint
project is being funded by the Saxony-Anhalt Ministry
of Economy via the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF).
csp.fraunhofer.de
getec-greenenergy.de
Q CELLS, Europe’s largest supplier of photovoltaic
systems, will be investing 140 million euros in its global
research and development center in Saxony-Anhalt over
the next few years. This includes 35 million euros for purchasing
the machinery and equipment that Q CELLS will
use to develop the next generation of leading photovoltaic
solutions.
It is investing in particular in special equipment for developing
n-type cells and modules. The company has identified
this technology as being the most effective driver
for reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in
photovoltaics over the years to come. The LCOE is the cost
of converting energy of another form into electric current.
The new technology uses n-type cells with passivating
contacts that improve the efficiency and the performance
of the solar modules even further.
“The core values of Q CELLS have always
been technological excellence
and leadership. That is why I am so
pleased that we will once again be
bringing a ground-breaking PV technology
onto the market this year,”
says Dr. Daniel Jeong, CTO of Q CELLS. “We have planned
our investment roadmap carefully to ensure that we can
continue to play a leading role in designing the next generations
of solar energy technologies in the coming years.”
The research facility in Thalheim is in Solar Valley, which
was set up 20 years ago in the former chemical triangle
and is one of the largest centers of the solar industry in
Europe. The company employs roughly 475 people at its
Thalheim site. Q CELLS has a total of around 630 employees
in Europe. It supplies clean energy solutions throughout
the world in the form of solar panels, solar power
plants, batteries and electricity contracts. Its headquarters
are in Seoul in South Korea and in Thalheim near Bitterfeld-Wolfen
(center for technology, innovation and quality).
The company also has production facilities in South
Korea, Malaysia, China and the USA. Q CELLS is a flagship
company of the Hanwha Group, which is on the Fortune
Global 500 list and is one of the seven largest companies
in South Korea.
In 2020, 184,000 new solar power systems with a power
output of almost five gigawatts were installed in Germany.
Around 18 percent of this power output comes from
Q CELLS modules.
q-cells.de
The research and
development center
of Q CELLS is based in
Saxony-Anhalt.
14
15
THE BIOECONOMY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
The bioeconomy
in
Saxony-
Anhalt
“No trees are felled
to make our products”
NOVO-TECH in Aschersleben produces sustainable,
long-lasting products from an innovative wood-based
material.
nature and our objective is to make sustainable use of natural
resources. The driving force behind the development of
our material has always been to protect the rainforests by
replacing tropical timber with local natural fibers.”
NOVO-TECH manufactures
its products from sustainable,
environmentally friendly
wood-based material.
The responsible use of resources
is one of the key issues of our era.
Saxony-Anhalt takes its responsibility
in this area very seriously. More
than half of the electricity generated
in the state already comes from
renewable sources. Saxony-Anhalt
is a traditional location for the
food, chemical, timber and agriculture
industries and the companies
here, which are familiar with natural
cycles, are setting new standards
for the bioeconomy.
The future is the consequence of the decisions we
make today. At NOVO-TECH, Europe’s largest manufacturer
of wood materials for outdoor use, a fundamental
decision was taken in as early as 2005. The company from
Aschersleben manufactures the environmentally friendly
GCC (German Compact Composite) wood-based material,
which has a natural fiber content of up to 75 percent. Using
this innovative material, NOVO-TECH extrudes sustainable,
long-lasting products for use in the home and in the
garden, including decking, fencing and facade components.
The patented manufacturing process is unique to
NOVO-TECH.
“The responsible use of resources is a key part of our
philosophy. The raw material consists of woodchip from
the regional sawmill industry and a minimal quantity of additives.
The wood comes from sustainably managed forests
and no trees are felled to make our products. In contrast
to a business world based on a rapid turnover and high
levels of consumption, we have always aimed to develop
long-lasting products that can be recycled and have made
use of the opportunities offered by the circular economy
right from the start,” says Holger Sasse, founder and CEO
of NOVO-TECH. “Our vision is to live with rather than from
The company, which has 170 employees, takes its products
back at the end of their useful life and returns them to the
production process. The old materials are used to create
new products without the need to use new raw materials.
In addition, by improving the design of the products it has
been possible to reduce the amount of materials required.
NOVO-TECH also takes a sustainable approach to heat
recovery. The waste heat from the production machinery
is used to heat the factory and office building and, in addition,
the plant runs on green electricity.
As a result of the company’s commitment to sustainability,
in the summer of 2020 it was awarded “Cradle to Cradle
Certified Gold” certification for its forward-looking woodbased
material.
novo-tech.de
“The responsible
use of
resources is a
key part of our
philosophy.”
HOLGER SASSE
16 17
High-tech solution
for green biochemicals
THE BIOECONOMY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Siemens Energy electrifies UPM’s
first-of-its-kind biorefinery.
Ground-breaking ceremony in Leuna: Dr. Michael
Duetsch (UPM Biochemicals), Dr. Reiner Haseloff
(Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt), Jyrki Ovaska
(Executive Vice President Technology UPM) and
Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister for Economy, Professor
Armin Willingmann.
At the Chemical Park Leuna, the Finnish company
UPM Biochemicals is building the first biorefinery
of its kind in the world. The biochemicals that will be
produced from wood will allow for the move from fossil to
sustainable raw materials in a number of areas of industry.
The refinery will create a new generation of sustainable
basic chemicals from hardwood. This will allow UPM to
provide alternative substances that will significantly reduce
the carbon footprint of end products such as PET bottles,
packaging materials, textiles and rubber products.
UPM chose Siemens Energy to provide the electrification,
automation and digitalization solutions for its innovative
biorefinery. Siemens Energy will supply the plant-wide medium-
and low-voltage power distribution system and drive
system (including the motor control center, variable speed
drives and motors). In addition, it will install a distributed
control system for multiple process areas and control cabi-
nets with a total of 9,000 process objects, including safety
and ATEX functions for potentially explosive atmospheres.
Siemens will also program a digital twin of the whole
biorefinery, which will cover its entire life cycle.
“We are confident that the renewable functional fillers
made in Leuna will meet the high level of demand from
customers and end-users who are looking to move toward
a truly sustainable portfolio. By implementing Siemens Energy’s
digitalization solutions and digital twin, we can help
ensure that our operations are safe and efficient,” says
Juuso Konttinen, Vice President UPM Biochemicals.
“We look forward to helping UPM reduce the world’s reliance
on chemicals produced from fossil fuels as we move
toward creating a more sustainable world,” says Jennifer
Hooper, Senior Vice President, Industrial Applications Solutions
for Siemens Energy.
Leuna is a European center of the chemical industry and
it is the ideal location for the biorefinery because of its
proximity to important customers in Germany. The start of
production at the refinery is planned for the end of 2022.
The total annual capacity will be 220,000 metric tons. UPM
is investing around 550 million euros in the construction
of the biorefinery and plans to create about 200 new jobs.
The Ministry of Economy of Saxony-Anhalt is providing
around 20 million euros of investment funding and aid for
environmental protection.
upmbiochemicals.com/biorefinery
siemensenergy.com
The separation experts
The start-up saperatec from Dessau-Roßlau has developed a technology
that allows complex composite materials to be separated.
Drink cartons are made from aluminum,
plastic and cardboard. Until now, separating these
materials has proved to be problematic. It is not only drink
cartons that are made of composite materials such as glass,
metal, plastic and paper, but also a wide variety of other
types of packaging and technical products. They generally
end up in landfill sites or in waste incinerators, despite the
fact they are made of valuable raw materials. In Germany
alone, raw materials worth more than one billion euros are
discarded every year.
The start-up saperatec has come up with a solution to this
problem. The company has developed a technology that
allows many of these composite materials to be separated
to produce clean secondary raw materials. This closes the
raw material cycle and, at the same time, creates significant
added value.
The method developed by saperatec is both simple and
sophisticated. A separation liquid penetrates between the
layers of the composite materials and separates them from
one another. This enables the materials to be processed to
produce pure material fractions that can be recycled. The
company’s core competence is the formulation of the separation
liquids that are designed for individual applications
and also meet high environmental standards.
saperatec’s industrial pilot plant is in Bielefeld and it is
here that the separation process has undergone intensive
testing. The special separation liquids are first developed
in the laboratory and are subsequently used in larger
quantities in the pilot plant. The materials are shredded
to give the separation liquid a contact surface that is as
large as possible. The shredded material is then immersed
in the liquid, while being stirred and heated. Later the
individual substances are cleaned, sorted and dried. The
method has made the company into a technology leader
in the separation of bonded and coated structures.
The next step for the company is to build an industrial-scale
plant for recycling composite packaging made
from aluminum, plastic and paper. The planned site for the
plant is Dessau-Roßlau and the approval process is already
underway. From 2023, the company intends to provide
a commercial solution for returning composite packaging,
which is currently difficult to recycle, to the material
cycle. The start-up’s plans have received support in the
form of venture capital from IBG Beteiligungsgesellschaft
Sachsen-Anhalt mbH, the investment company of the state
of Saxony-Anhalt.
saperatec.de
18
19
THE BIOECONOMY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
The drinking water treatment
solutions function independently
and can be used in a variety of
locations.
According to an old saying, clean water is the first
and most important medicine in the world. At the
same time, many conflicts all over the globe are caused by
the lack of clean water. This essential raw material is something
that many people cannot take for granted. Around
ten percent of the world’s population has no access to clean
drinking water..
The growing global population and the massive increase in
the consumption of fresh water will exacerbate this problem
even further in the future. “During my foreign deployments
with the German Army, I experienced for myself how
difficult the access to an adequate supply of clean drinking
water can be,” recalls Martin Drewes, development director
at Inflotec.
Martin Drewes and Martina Findling are the
founders of the Magdeburg-based start-up
Inflotec.
Objective:
Drinking water
for all
Inflotec, a Magdeburg-based start-up,
has developed treatment systems that
produce clean water.
The treatment systems developed by the start-up can turn
contaminated surface water into drinking water completely
independently. These treatment systems are particularly
ideal for developing countries and crisis zones where the
infrastructure has been destroyed, because they do not
need an electricity supply and can be transported relatively
easily. However, the systems can also be used in remote
settlements and research stations and in boats and other
outdoor settings.
The “Waver” system, for example, can produce around
2,000 liters of drinking water per day using ultrafiltration,
simply by being placed in a current of water. The current
drives a water wheel that starts the water treatment
process. The structure of the Waver is similar to that of a
catamaran. A paddle wheel between two floats drives a piston
pump via belts, which sucks in the contaminated water
and pushes it through the filters. Suspended particles and
contaminants are removed by the filters, which also add
minerals to the water. When the purified water is transferred
to the bank of the river, it can be put into tanks and
used as drinking water.
Another model is known as the “Mobile Purification
System.” This is a small, portable drinking water treatment
system for ten people that is independent and flexible. It
produces 150 liters of drinking water per hour from contaminated
surface water.
The “Green Fields” model uses the pumping power of the
floating system to pump river water to nearby fields without
the need for an external energy supply. This makes the
lives of farmers much easier in areas where they have to
carry water to their fields in heavy containers.
“The drinking water market is highly
competitive, but there are plenty of
applications for our systems. Our aim
is to provide a wide variety of products
so that we can sell them in different
market segments,”
explains Martina Findling, marketing director at Inflotec.
The name Inflotec stands for innovative flow technologies.
The starting point was a university project. The
company was a spin-off from this and was established
to bring the systems onto the market. The products
are not only innovative but also visually appealing. The
young company was presented with the Saxony-Anhalt
Bestform Design Award for the design of its products in
2017. In addition, the company has also received a startup
grant from the Ministry of Economy of Saxony-Anhalt
as part of the ego.-START program.
inflotec.com
20
21
Phosphorus from sludge
Seraplant in Haldensleben has developed a process for recycling
phosphorus from sewage sludge ash.
THE BIOECONOMY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Natural fiber
composites
open up new
opportunities
for
lightweight
design.
The plant in the port of Haldensleben is the only
one of its kind in Germany.
The element phosphorus, a name which means
“light bearer,” is an important mineral that forms an
essential component of fertilizer. It is also a critical resource
because almost 90 percent of the extractable deposits
are found in only six countries. Germany relies entirely on
imports of phosphate fertilizer.
However, phosphorus can be recycled as well as being
mined. It is found in large quantities in wastewater and
sewage sludge. Despite this, around two thirds of municipal
sewage sludge is currently combusted without the
phosphorus it contains being recovered. The huge potential
offered by the 1.8 or so million metric tons of sewage sludge
produced by wastewater treatment plants every year is
currently unexploited.
If Seraplant, a company based in Haldensleben, has its way,
this situation will soon change. The firm has developed a
highly innovative process for recycling phosphorus from
sewage sludge ash. The process not only helps to protect
the environment and reduce resource use, but also increases
the efficiency of phosphorus in agriculture. Another
benefit of Seraplant’s process is that other nutrients can
be added as required. The multi-nutrient fertilizers can be
adjusted to meet the needs of different plants. This results
in optimum growth, helps to protect the environment and
keeps run-off losses and salt damage to a minimum.
The production plant at the port in Haldensleben, which
is the first of its kind in Germany, officially came into
operation on May 31, 2021. The Ministry of Economy of
Saxony-Anhalt has invested more than 4.95 million euros
in the plant from the Joint Task for the Improvement of Regional
Economic Structures (GRW) and another 3.5 million
euros from the Environmental Innovation Program of the
German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation
and Nuclear Safety. In addition, IBG Beteiligungsgesellschaft
Sachsen-Anhalt mbH, the state’s investment
company, has also invested in the facility.
The recycling process produces 60,000 metric tons of
phosphate fertilizer every year and the recovery process
is completely waste-free. No hazardous interim products,
residues or exhaust gases are produced. In the future, the
company aims to manufacture a fertilizer for organic farms
and to play an active role in shaping the market for phosphorus
fertilizers.
seraplant.com
Load-bearing lightweight
C3 Technologies from Halle (Saale) is developing composites from
renewable raw materials.
Renewable composites are the materials of
the future. The greentech company C3 Technologies
has been committed to this trend since 2010 and is developing
composites from renewable agricultural raw materials,
preferably from the local region, and from recycled materials
available at its production site.
One of the important cornerstones of the industrial production
of natural fiber composites has been the company’s
targeted cooperation over a period several years with the
Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and
Systems IMWS in Halle (Saale). In addition, specialists from
the relevant industries, such as architects, civil engineers
and furniture designers and makers, have been involved in
the process of developing the materials and the resulting
construction components right from the start. The natural
fiber composites have a variety of potential applications in
the field of lightweight design and also contain no substances
that are hazardous to health, such as formaldehyde or
bisphenol. This means that they meet high construction and
environmental standards.
The lightweight panels made of natural fiber composites
developed and produced by C3 Technologies are ideal for
applications in the furniture industry and for exhibition
stands and shopfitting. However, the special sandwich
design means that the benefits of the material are increasingly
being exploited in housebuilding and for adding floors
to existing structures. The C3 composite system is characterized
by simple installation, high levels of stability and
flexible use in all areas of life and work.
For example, the A-2 module was used to construct a complete
building with a monocoque structure from natural
fiber composite components (sandwich panels). The panels
were bonded together to create a high-strength building
and this dispensed with the need for a supporting structure.
As a result, buildings can be constructed very cost-effectively
and efficiently. These structures are also extremely
stable, in particular in the case of external influences such
as major storms, earthquakes or floods.
c3technologies.de
22
23
HYDROGEN IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Hydrogen in
Saxony-
Setting new standards
The Hy2Chem scaling platform in the chemical triangle
of Saxony-Anhalt allows technologies for producing
renewable hydrogen to be tested.
Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is one of the most
attractive locations for the global
chemical industry. Companies from
the sector have been working on new
developments in the state for more
than 100 years. A good infrastructure
and well-functioning networks create
profitable synergies. The companies
and research institutions that
are based here are leading players
in the field of hydrogen. The investments
in this technology have turned
Saxony-Anhalt into the center of the
German hydrogen industry.
In 1874, in his novel ‘The Mysterious Island’,
Jules Verne wrote: “The energy of tomorrow is water
broken down into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.
These elements will secure the earth’s power supply for
an indefinite period.” Almost 150 years later, it is clear how
far-sighted Verne was, because hydrogen is now seen as
the fuel of the future.
If it is produced using green electricity, hydrogen is
climate-neutral and has a wide range of potential applications.
A unique research institute, the Fraunhofer
Hydrogen Lab Leuna HLL, will bring together innovative
technologies for producing renewable hydrogen on an
industrial scale using the excellent infrastructure of gas
pipelines and gas storage facilities at the Chemical Park
Leuna. The Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological
Processes CBP in Leuna and the Fraunhofer Institute
for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS in
Halle (Saale) will work together on developing and scaling
up new electrolysis systems and on the chemical use
of green hydrogen produced using renewable energy.
The researchers will focus primarily on reproducing real
operating conditions that can provide application-based
engineering data concerning the design and cost of the
systems.
“The Hydrogen Lab Leuna is Germany’s first electrolysis
test facility that is fully integrated into the material flow
networks of the chemical industry. For example, we
can carry out systemic tests of electrolyzers and obtain
valuable experience of feeding hydrogen into the pipeline
systems,” says Dr. Sylvia Schattauer, deputy director of the
institute, who is responsible for the hydrogen and carbon
activities at the Fraunhofer IMWS.
The first project at the Hy2Chem scaling platform, which
is funded by the state of Saxony-Anhalt, has just started
and involves the mineral oil company TotalEnergies and
a number of other partners. This project, which is known
as e-CO2Met, aims to produce methanol from low-carbon
hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide. TotalEnergies
manufactures around 700,000 metric tons of methanol
from fossil fuels every year at its refinery in Leuna. The
company now intends to produce climate-neutral methanol
at the site. With this aim in mind, it intends to run
a demonstration project that will test the interaction of
three processes: the use of CO 2
from the refinery and of
green hydrogen produced using high-temperature electrolysis,
plus the subsequent synthesis of methanol
in the Hy2Chem scaling platform.
“The innovative process for manufacturing synthetic
methanol will allow crude oil and natural gas to be
replaced in the chemical industry and the necessary
raw materials to be produced using a climate-neutral
method,” says Thomas Behrends, managing director of
the TotalEnergies refinery in Leuna. “This allows us to
contribute to decarbonizing the production of basic
chemicals.”
24
25
HYDROGEN IN SAXONY-ANHALT
Linde has been
producing
hydrogen at the
Chemical Park
Leuna for several
years.
Green gas
on a large scale
In Leuna, Linde GmbH is building the world’s
largest hydrogen electrolyzer as an investment
in the fuel of the future.
In the field of hydrogen, Linde is working
closely with the Fraunhofer institute in Halle
(Saale).
CHEMICAL
PARK LEUNA
IN FIGURES:
Hydrogen is one of the most promisingsolutions
for meeting the world’s growing
energy needs and, at the same time, alleviating
the consequences of climate change. The Linde
Group is now taking a major step forward in
hydrogen technology and building the largest
hydrogen electrolyzer in the world at the Chemical
Park Leuna. The 24-megawatt plant will come
into operation in 2022 and will operate using
certified green electricity and later wind and
solar energy generated in the region.
Linde’s long-term aim in opening the
electrolyzer is to quadruple its revenue from
hydrogen. The group is already one of the world’s
largest hydrogen producers. Using technology
for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen,
up to 4,200 metric tons of green hydrogen is
produced every year at the Linde facility in the
south of Saxony-Anhalt.
The site in Leuna is the perfect location for this
project. “A huge amount of expertise in the field
hydrogen has been built up here in the chemical
park over the years, so new skills are not needed
in this area. The safety systems and the pipelines
are of very high quality. The liquid nitrogen
needed for the preliminary cooling process is
produced cost-effectively on the site. In addition,
there are several well-established cooperative
projects underway. In the field of hydrogen we
are working closely with ITM Power and the
Fraunhofer institute in Halle (Saale),” says
Andreas Dietrich, head of the Linde site in Leuna.
The construction of the new facility, including
a new hydrogen liquefier, will cost the gas
company around 60 million euros. The Ministry
of Economy of Saxony-Anhalt is providing
funding of 15 million euros as part of the Joint
Task for the Improvement of Regional Economic
Structures (GRW). Green hydrogen is one aspect
of the National Hydrogen Strategy, which has
identified hydrogen as a key element in the
energy transition. In addition, the commitment
by Linde GmbH to the production of hydrogen
fits perfectly with the hydrogen strategy of the
state of Saxony-Anhalt.
The state’s existing energy
infrastructure puts it in an
excellent position to become a
forward-looking, zero-carbon
model region for hydrogen.
There is considerable potential for renewable
energy generation in Saxony-Anhalt, together
with a well-developed hydrogen infrastructure
that can be used for green hydrogen. Central
Germany also has the second largest hydrogen
pipeline network in the country and salt caverns
in Bad Lauchstädt that are suitable for use
as large-volume hydrogen storage facilities. In
addition, many of the companies based in the
area have extensive experience of producing
hydrogen and using it for industrial purposes.
There is also an established research infrastructure
with institutes and firms that have
joined together to create the HYPOS network
with the aim of identifying innovative uses for
hydrogen.
linde.de
infraleuna.de
TOTAL AREA
(HECTARES):
1,300
COMPANIES
ON SITE:
100
JOBS:
10,000
26
27
HYDROGEN IN SAXONY-ANHALT
100 percent
ahead
Green hydrogen will
be produced in Zerbst
and sold via a regional
trading platform.
At a former airbase in Zerbst, the future is just
around the corner. If everything goes to plan, hydrogen
will soon be produced at the site. GETEC green energy
GmbH is currently working with a number of partners to
develop a plant that will manufacture 100 percent green
hydrogen. The site is already home to an energy park
that produces electricity from solar and wind energy and
biomass. Now an electrolysis plant and the accompanying
logistics infrastructure for producing and distributing
green hydrogen for regional use are being built.
Chris Döhring, CEO of GETEC green energy
GmbH, points towards the area where an
electrolysis plant for green hydrogen production
will be built over the next year.
Zerbst Energy Park is located on
the site of a former airbase. On the
horizon, aircraft hangars built by
the German Luftwaffe can be seen.
The construction of the plant is also being underpinned
by research and development activities. “During the process
of implementing and, in particular, supporting new
applications, it is essential to have prominent research
and development facilities on board,” says Chris Döhring,
CEO of GETEC green energy GmbH, emphasizing the
importance of the cooperation between the partners.
For example, the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation
and Automation (IFF) in Magdeburg is supporting the
H 2 -Regio project.
“Sustainably produced hydrogen
will play an important role in the
energy transition. In the future, it
will be used in industry, transport
and many other areas of society.
This is why we need new tools and
methods now that will allow the accompanying
new infrastructures for
generating, distributing and using
the hydrogen to operate reliably
and cost-effectively. That is the aim
of this project, which is being driven
primarily by the industrial firms
involved,”
says Professor Julia Arlinghaus, Director of the IFF.
The goals include the provision of regionally produced
green hydrogen that can be used profitably by the
municipalities in the area via a regional trading platform,
the testing of complete needs-based solutions for the
supply of electricity and hydrogen at a site with an energy
park and the establishment of a long-term relationship
between the energy park and local industry. Alongside
the Fraunhofer IFF in Magdeburg, the other partners in
the project are Deutsche Hydrierwerke GmbH Rodleben
(DHW), Erdgas Mittelsachsen GmbH (EMS) and Technik-Energie-Wasser
Servicegesellschaft mbH (TEW).
“We in Saxony-Anhalt are very keen to play a special role
as a hydrogen state in the future. We have good existing
facilities in our chemical triangle, but we are open to activities
taking place elsewhere as well. This is what makes
the H2-Regio project in Zerbst so interesting,” says Armin
Willingmann, Minister of Economy of Saxony-Anhalt.
For the town of Zerbst, the project is an important
component of the necessary transition to a new type of
energy supply. “The National Hydrogen Strategy at state
and federal level is being put into practice here. Introducing
sustainability and intergenerational fairness into our
public services may sound like an ambitious goal, but this
is exactly what we are aiming to achieve,” says mayor
Andreas Dittmann.
28
29
NEW MOBILITY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
New
mobility in
Saxony-
Anhalt
New mobility is no longer merely an
abstract concept. With the emergence
of alternative powertrains,
autonomous driving and intelligent
connectivity, the automotive industry
is undergoing a period of fundamental
transformation. Saxony-Anhalt has
270 companies in this sector, which
employ more than 26,000 people, plus
a world-class research landscape.
This puts it in an excellent position to
help shape the changes that are taking
place. National and international
companies are investing millions in
new plants for batteries and vehicle
bodies and new research and development
centers are being built.
“As a chemical site
with 130 years’ experience,
we have good prospects”
Max Fuhr is commercial manager of the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park.
We discuss with him the potential for battery cell production in Saxony-Anhalt.
What makes the chemical park so relevant for
the production of specialty chemicals for battery
manufacturing?
MAX FUHR: Batteries are not made out of thin air. A
battery is an electrochemical storage system that stores
electrical energy in the form of chemical energy and can
subsequently convert it back into electrical energy when
this is needed. A battery cell, which is the smallest unit
inside a battery, consists essentially of three components:
two electrodes that are connected by an electrolyte.
Depending on whether the battery is being charged or
discharged, the electrons move from one electron to the
other and back again. A battery consists of several of these
cells. Specialty chemicals are needed to produce battery
components such as electrode materials and electrolytes.
This is where Bitterfeld-Wolfen, the cradle of industrial
electrochemistry, comes in. Basic materials such as alkalis
and acids are available here in large quantities. The chemical
park is an excellent location in particular for preliminary
suppliers because here they can find a supply of chemical
raw materials literally on the other side of the fence. The
battery is the most expensive component of an electric car
and can account for up to 50 percent of the manufacturing
costs. The battery costs in turn are largely determined by
the costs of the materials.
How dynamic is the market at the moment?
MAX FUHR: The manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries
and their preliminary suppliers are currently based mainly
in Asia. However, the value chain is becoming increasingly
regionalized for economic, environmental and strategic
reasons. Electric car batteries for the European market
should as far as possible be manufactured in Europe. For
this reason, battery factories are popping up all over the
place like mushrooms. However, these battery factories
need a supply of specialty chemicals, otherwise they cannot
operate effectively. In the medium term, this would result in
electric car production moving to other parts of the world.
By 2030, one in every three newly registered cars will
be powered by an electric motor. What impact will
that have over the next few years?
MAX FUHR: By then, the battery industry needs to grow
by a factor of ten and so a lot of engineering skills will be
required. Of course, the availability of battery materials is an
essential requirement. Currently around 90 percent of the
global chemical production capacity for these materials is in
China. As China will be the world’s largest market for electric
vehicles and therefore for batteries by 2030, this will lead
to competition and production bottlenecks of the kind that
the automotive industry is experiencing now in the case of
chips. If we can put in place the right regional value chains,
electric mobility and battery materials will be the growth
drivers of the decade and, as a chemical site with 130 years’
experience, we aim to play our part in this.
Will these developments also have an effect on Saxony-Anhalt
as a location for science and research?
MAX FUHR: Definitely. The impact may not be as great in
the field of basic research, but there is a huge demand for
applied research with the aim of making industrial production
more efficient. Until now the processes have been very
energy-intensive and have had relatively high reject rates.
The area of urban mining, which involves recycling end-oflife
batteries, will also become important. The potential for
universities, research institutes and start-ups in Saxony-Anhalt
is enormous. In my opinion, it would make sense to
bring all of this together in a separate research center.
chemiepark.de
30 31
Methods for the
mobility of the future
The Center for Method Development at
Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
plans to carry out research into environmentally
friendly powertrain systems.
NEW MOBILITY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
The new forms of mobility are among the key
global issues for the future. Mobility is a guarantee
of prosperity and an essential means of enabling people
to play a role in society. At the same time, the climate
crisis needs urgent answers and requires new powertrain
systems to meet high standards of environmental friendliness.
For this reason, there will be dramatic changes in the
automotive industry over the next few years. It will become
a powerful innovative force in areas such as carbon neutrality,
connectivity and autonomous driving.
The development of essential new forms of mobility can
no longer be regarded from the perspective of a single technical
discipline. Established linear development methods
are being pushed to their limits. This is where the Center
for Method Development will come in, by allowing all the
system components to be simulated and linked together to
create a virtual system.
In order to accommodate these developments, Otto von
Guericke University Magdeburg is establishing the Center
for Method Development (CMD) in the Ostfalen Technology
Park on the edge of the state capital. This will enhance
the status of the entire automotive industry location in
the north of Saxony-Anhalt. For example, a cooperation
agreement has already been reached with the Japanese
HORIBA Group, which has its global center of excellence for
fuel cells and batteries nearby. HORIBA is one of the world’s
leading suppliers of test systems for fuel cells, batteries and
electrolyzers.
“Our goal is
to become
a leading
research
location”
A conversation with
Professor Jens Strackeljan,
President of Otto von Guericke
University Magdeburg, about
the Center for Method Development
in the Ostfalen Technology Park
in Barleben.
HORIBA FuelCon is a leading manufacturer of
test facilities for batteries and fuel cells.
Also based at the site are the Institute for Competence
in AutoMobility – IKAM GmbH and the Innovations- und
Gründerzentrum Magdeburg (IGZ) (an innovation and
start-up center). The Ministry of Economy of Saxony-Anhalt
has provided the university with a total of 31 million euros
of funding for the Center for Method Development. Of this,
11 million euros come from the state budget and 20 million
euros from the European Regional Development Fund.
From 2023, the new research center will be home to several
test rigs and laboratories for electric, hydrogen and hybrid
powertrains. The aim is to investigate the operating and
aging behavior of batteries, for example. In the fuel cell lab,
the efficiency of the air supply and water management of
fuel cells for use in cars will be improved.
horiba-fuelcon.com
What sort of staff and technical facilities
will the CMD have?
PROFESSOR JENS STRACKELJAN: Initially we will be
creating around 20 jobs for highly skilled employees,
primarily engineers and graduates, but the project will
continue to grow. However, the success of the institution
will depend to a large extent on the technical
equipment. This includes test rigs for powertrains and
electric motors, which can carry out diagnostic tests,
battery test rigs for testing the aging behavior and
recyclability of materials, a fuel cell laboratory that will
allow the driving strategy to be improved, a battery
simulator that will be used to reproduce the behavior
of real battery systems, a materials testing laboratory
32
33
NEW MOBILITY IN SAXONY-ANHALT
and much more. However, we also want to attract new
companies. We are focusing on growth not only in the
CMD, but also throughout Magdeburg, Barleben and
Saxony-Anhalt.
Which cooperative projects is the university
working on in connection with the CMD?
PROFESSOR JENS STRACKELJAN: We are currently taking
part in detailed discussions with one of the most important
service providers to the automotive industry, IAV
GmbH in Berlin. HORIBA FuelCon GmbH is based nearby
and we will definitely be involved in the field of hydrogen.
In addition, a large number of SMEs from Saxony-Anhalt
will be working closely with the CMD. We have also established
collaborations with automotive networks as part of
several European projects. Other important cooperations
include those with German universities and with the Universidad
Nacional de Rio Cuarto in Argentina.
How important is the CMD for the research profile
of the University of Magdeburg?
PROFESSOR JENS STRACKELJAN: The aim of the interdisciplinary
cooperation between the faculties of
mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and
information technology, computer science, process and
systems engineering and economics and management is
to increase the number of highly qualified graduates with
technical degrees and, in parallel, to improve the standard
of education even further. The CMD will enable the graduates
to become involved in interesting applied research
projects at an early stage and will open up future-proof
34
TOTAL AREA
(HECTARES):
275
job opportunities all over the world. At the same time, this
automotive-oriented research and development center
will strengthen the transfer of automotive expertise at
the University of Magdeburg because the involvement of
industry will increase our innovative ability and improve
the technology transfer. To further enhance the standards
of scientific excellence and to ensure a rapid transfer of
knowledge and technology, we will be raising the profile
of the center by creating a new endowed professorship
and additional research groups.
How can the CMD contribute to
Saxony-Anhalt as a technology location?
PROFESSOR JENS STRACKELJAN: On the threshold of the
new era of mobility, the state of Saxony-Anhalt has taken
on board this latest development trend in the definition
of its leading market as “mobility and logistics.” This will
be linked with the creation of the infrastructure and the
vehicles needed for intelligent, environmentally friendly,
integrated transport systems. The goal is to establish
the state as a leading research location for powertrain
technologies. On the basis of a high-profile research
infrastructure, Saxony-Anhalt can ensure that it remains
competitive and innovative over the long term. The CMD
will significantly reinforce the scientific and economic
attractiveness of the state.
OSTFALEN TECHNOLOGY PARK IN FIGURES:
TOTAL AREA
COMPANIES ON SITE
(HECTARES):
140
JOBS:
2,300
Top-class
forming technology
Porsche and Schuler AG have set up an
innovative press shop in Halle (Saale).
The sports car manufacturer Porsche and the
sheet metal forming specialist Schuler opened an
ultra-modern press shop for vehicle body parts in the Star
Park in Halle (Saale) in June 2021. The new plant is the first
to be part of the Industry 4.0 strategy of the two companies,
which have founded the joint venture Smart Press Shop
GmbH & Co. KG for the purpose. Ultimately, the plan is to
employ 135 people at the plant. Porsche and Schuler have
invested almost 100 million euros in the site and the joint
venture.
The highly innovative press shop will be able to produce
parts not only for Porsche but also for other vehicle manufacturers.
The focus is on manufacturing components for
the outer skin made from aluminum and steel. A highly
efficient logistics system will allow the CO 2
emissions from
the production process to be reduced. Until now, the engine
hood of the Porsche Macan has been made in Bratislava.
Now the hoods come from Halle and are transported
directly to the nearby Porsche factory in Leipzig. This saves
time, money and CO 2
emissions because the components
no longer have to travel long distances. Porsche’s aim is to
be CO 2
-neutral along the entire value chain by 2030. The
smart press shop is designed as a zero impact factory with
a closed cycle, where recycling and the reuse of waste play
a central role. The new facility is also paperless and the
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waste heat from the machines is used to heat the building
in the winter months. The building also has a large number
of skylights to reduce the amount of electricity needed for
lighting.
“Schuler is a highly competent and innovative partner that
is setting new standards in the digitalization of forming
technology,” explains Albrecht Reimold, Member of the
Executive Board for Production and Logistics at Porsche.
“We can link design, development, bodywork planning, tool
manufacturing and production even more closely together
and increase the efficiency of our processes.”
“We see the joint construction and
operation of the smart press shop
as a project that will enable us to
take the efficiency of our production
systems and the digitalization of
important stages in the process of car
manufacturing to a new level in terms
of forming technology,”
says Domenico Iacovelli, CEO of Schuler AG.
smartpress.shop
The modern pressing
plant operated by
Schuler and Porsche is
in the Star Park in Halle
(Saale).
SAXONY-
ANHALT’S ROLE
IN COMBATING
COVID-19
COMBATING THE CORONAVIRUS
The coronavirus pandemic continues to keep the world
in suspended animation. Vaccines, rapid testing and
refrigeration technology are currently the crucial factors
in effectively containing the virus. Several companies in
Saxony-Anhalt are playing a central part in combating the
pandemic.
Vials from
Saxony-
Anhalt
In the BioPharmaPark
Dessau, IDT Biologika
is producing COVID-19
vaccines for Astra-
Zeneca and Johnson &
Johnson.
36 37
COMBATING THE CORONAVIRUS
The company is
responsible for
manufacturing
the vaccine and
putting it into
vials.
“The new investment is a response to market
requirements. As a global contract manufacturer,
we will soon be able to provide an even faster
and more flexible service for our customers. IDT
Biologika and the BioPharmaPark Dessau with its
other partners are in the process of becoming a
biopharma center in the heart of Europe.”
An established
partnership
Dermapharm produces vaccines
for BioNTech in Brehna
In order to contain the global coronavirus
pandemic, only one solution is available
to us: as many people as possible must be vaccinated
quickly. For the vaccine manufacturers,
this represents a mammoth task. The historic
company IDT Biologika in Dessau-Roßlau is
playing a central role in this process. It is currently
responsible for filling millions of vials with
COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of Astra-Zeneca
and Johnson & Johnson. The active ingredients
are delivered to IDT Biologika in frozen form,
then thawed and mixed with other substances
to form a vaccine. This is then placed in the vials,
inspected and labeled.
In the future, the company will also produce
the active ingredients itself. IDT Biologika is
currently investing 100 million euros for this
purpose in a new multi-functional vaccine
production building which has five production
rooms with fermenters that have a capacity of
up to 2,000 liters. This will enable IDT Biologika
to manufacture active ingredients for between
two and five million vaccine doses every week
from early 2023 onward, which is ten times its
current capacity.
“Over recent months, the global
demand for vaccine manufacturing
facilities has been
increasing exponentially. This
extensive investment program
is a continuation of our current
growth strategy and will create
the capacity and the innovations
that the global market
urgently needs,”
explains CEO Dr. Jürgen Betzing.
The historic company
IDT Biologika is based
in the BioPharmaPark
Dessau.
IDT Biologika is also involved in research into
coronavirus vaccines. In close cooperation with
the German Center for Infection Research, partners
at the Universities of Munich and Marburg
and the University Medical Center Hamburg, the
company is investigating a vector vaccine. The
application for approval for the active ingredient
will be submitted in early 2022, assuming that
everything goes to plan.
IDT Biologika employs around 1,600 people
at the BioPharmaPark Dessau. The company
specializes in the development and production
of virus vaccines, gene therapies, immunotherapies
and sterile liquids. IDT Biologika supports
its customers during product development, the
clinical phases and the commercial production
of products, including the manufacture of active
ingredients, filling and finishing services, packaging
and analytics.
The historic roots of the company go back to
July 1, 1921, when the Bakteriologische Institut
der Anhaltischen Kreise (the bacteriological
institute of the Anhalt region) was founded in
Dessau. The institute was initially devoted to
identifying and diagnosing tuberculosis and then
to research, development and manufacturing
of vaccines and serums to combat and prevent
infections in humans and animals.
idt-biologika.de
Over the last year, the consortium consisting of BioNTech
and Pfizer has developed and brought to market a coronavirus
vaccine in record time. Since the fall of 2020, the vaccine
has also been produced by mibe GmbH Arzneimittel in Brehna, a
subsidiary of Dermapharm.
Dermapharm also forms part of the global production network
that manufactures the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine. The focus of the
vaccine manufacturing process at Dermapharm’s sites in Brehna
and Reinbek (Allergopharma) is on the mRNA lipid nanoparticles.
The company’s years of knowledge and expertise in the development
and production of sterile medicines enabled it to begin
production of the vaccine very quickly – in the fall of 2020 in
Brehna and in April 2021 in Reinbek. “Without our constructive
cooperation with BioNTech/Pfizer, our suppliers, our experienced
and highly dedicated employees and the relevant authorities,
none of this would have been possible,” says Dermapharm CEO
Dr. Hans-Georg Feldmeier.
The Brehna site with its 650 employees is central to the development,
production and supply of medicines and health products at
Dermapharm. Around 90 percent of all Dermapharm’s products
are made in its own plants and, in particular, at its main manufacturing
site in Brehna. The special feature of the site, which is what
makes it unique, is its versatility. Sterile medicines such as vials
and freeze-dried products, tablets, sugar-coated pills, capsules,
ointments, solutions, drops and sprays can all be produced under
one roof.
ir.dermapharm.de
38
39
NEW COMBATING MOBILITY THE IN CORONAVIRUS
SACHSEN-ANHALT
The high-tech
containers can reliably
cool coronavirus
vaccines to between
-20°C and -80°C.
The
freezing experts
MECOTEC provides solutions
for the cryogenic storage of
coronavirus vaccines.
No one questions the fact that the
coronavirus pandemic can only be successfully
brought to an end if suitable vaccines
are available all over the world. As the vaccines
have to be refrigerated, a highly sophisticated
logistics system is needed.
The MECOTEC Group from Bitterfeld-Wolfen
has stepped up to the plate and, alongside its
existing stationary cold store solutions, in recent
months has developed containers for cryogenic
storage that are specifically designed for transporting
vaccines. The high-tech containers can
reliably cool coronavirus vaccines to between
-20°C and -80°C and no dry ice or refrigeration
batteries are needed. In addition, a GPS-based
system is used to reliably monitor the containers.
“We are proud to be able to
offer flexible solutions on the
basis of our 20 years’ experience
in the field. These cover
the entire logistics chain from
the freezing of the vaccine
immediately after production
through to its removal in the
distribution center,”
explains Enrico Klauer, CEO of MECOTEC GmbH.
MECOTEC has become a world leader in the
field of cryotechnology.
MECOTEC has already supplied the first containers
to the Philippines, a country with a population
of around 100 million people spread across
almost 900 islands. “For a large archipelago
like the Philippines, refrigeration and transport
have always been crucial parts of the logistics
chain. The requirements in this area have been
taken to a completely new level with the need
to keep the potentially life-saving coronavirus
vaccines frozen. We are pleased that a German
company like MECOTEC can help to meet this
need,” explains Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega,
the Philippine ambassador to Germany.
Since it was founded in 2000, MECOTEC GmbH,
which is based in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, has grown
from being a pioneer in the field of cryotechnology
to a leading global player supplying hightech
refrigeration solutions to the pharmaceutical
and industrial sector and ultra-modern
cooling products in areas such as medicine and
lifestyle and sports equipment. With two sites
for development, production and logistics in
Germany and a network of subsidiaries in Italy,
France, the Middle East, the USA and south-east
Asia, MECOTEC supplies customers all over the
world.
Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega
at MECOTEC in Bitterfeld-Wolfen.
mecotec.net
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41
PRIZE WINNERS
AWARD-WINNING SUSTAINABILITY
Selected projects in the field of sustainability from
the winners of the Bestform Award and the Hugo Junkers Prize.
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
SAXONY-ANHALT
THE
INSPIRING
SIX
INSPIRES
OUR
FUTURE.
BESTFORM
ADDED III VALUE III AWARD
FOR CREATIVE IDEAS.
FOR RESEARCH AND
INNOVATION FROM
SAXONY-ANHALT
The Magdeburg start-up MOOSAIK has developed modular
panels that moss can be grown on. The smart idea behind
the product is that the layer of moss not only absorbs and
transforms carbon dioxide, but also filters particulate matter
out of the air. The individual panels are put together like a
mosaic on the wall of a building to create a green facade. The
start-up, which is a spin-off from Otto von Guericke University
Magdeburg, aims to “make a sustainable contribution to
urban development and improve the appearance of cities in a
natural way.”
The company Vireo.de – recable.it from Merseburg also
impressed the jury with a sustainable USB cable manufactured
under fair-trade conditions that is long-lasting and can
be repaired and recycled. The team from Merseburg explains:
“It is high time that we had new sustainable standards for
technical products that do not harm our health or the environment.”
CATEGORY: “MOST INNOVATIVE
APPLIED RESEARCH PROJECTS”
Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems
IMWS in Halle (Saale), Fraunhofer Institute for Applied
Polymer Research IAP, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular
Biology and Applied Ecology IME
Natural rubber from rubber trees has unique properties
when used to make tires, in particular high-performance
truck tires. However, natural rubber is in limited supply. The
research team first identified the important functionalities
and biocomponents for abrasion resistance with the help of
dandelion rubber. Then the extensional crystallization of the
BISYKA rubber was gradually improved. This newly developed
synthetic rubber is the first product to have the same abrasion
resistance properties as tires made from natural rubber. The
rolling resistance of the synthetic product is even better than
the original and this results in fuel savings.
Ready to experience an unparalleled density of World Heritage Sites?
Take a spectacular journey of discovery in Naumburg, Halle (Saale), Quedlinburg, Dessau-Roßlau,
Oranienbaum-Wörlitz and Luther’s hometowns of Eisleben and Wittenberg.
Max Greiner received the “Vision of the Year” award for his
“madeLocal – Chitosan – Potentiale für regionale Strukturen”
project. The student from Burg Giebichenstein University of
Art and Design in Halle had the idea of obtaining chitosan
from an insect farm and using it as locally produced bio-plastic.
Among many other possibilities, Max Greiner described
a leasing scheme for spectacles that keeps the frames made
from chitosan in the bio-plastic cycle. They can be recycled
and made into new designs very quickly.
bestform-sachsen-anhalt.de
CATEGORY: “MOST INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS,
SERVICES AND BUSINESS MODELS”
Exipnos GmbH, Merseburg
Crockery made from porcelain is easily broken. This is why
plates and dishes made from plastics that are harmful to
the environment and to human health are often used when
camping, at large events and for general outdoor activities.
BioCelain is an innovative material that combines the advantages
of modern plastic with those of porcelain. In addition, it
is not only compostable, but also improves the compost. It is
as solid as porcelain and as unbreakable as plastic. At the end
of its life, BioCelain can be composted or recycled and made
into new BioCelain products.
hugo-junkers-preis.de
Publisher
Ministry of Economy, Science and Digitalization
of the State of Saxony-Anhalt
Hasselbachstraße 4, 39104 Magdeburg, Germany
www.mw.sachsen-anhalt.de
www.land-der-zukunftstechnologien.de
In cooperation with the
Investment and Marketing Corporation
Saxony-Anhalt
Am Alten Theater 6, 39104 Magdeburg, Germany
Tel. +49 391 56899 - 0, welcome@img-sachsen-anhalt.de
www.invest-in-saxony-anhalt.com
world-heritage-saxony-anhalt.com
Concept, text: Textbüro Wortschatz, Genthin /// Design, graphics: genese werbeagentur GmbH,
Magdeburg /// Editorial deadline: July 23, 2021 /// First edition; Subject to revision /// Print and further processing:
Möller Druck und Verlag GmbH, Ahrensfelde /// Picture credits: Archive of the Ministry of Economy,
Science and Digitalization of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Dirk Bruniecki/Tesvolt, Meyer Burger Technology
AG, Tesvolt GmbH, Fraunhofer IMWS, Fraunhofer CSP, TotalEnergies Raffinerie Leuna GmbH, Seraplant
GmbH, NOVO-TECH Trading GmbH & Co. KG, C3 Technologies GmbH, saperatec GmbH, Porsche AG, Hartmut
Bösener/IDT Biologika GmbH, Linde GmbH, Jana Dünnhaupt/University of Magdeburg, H. Krieg,
K. Graubaum, Smart Press Shop GmbH & Co. KG , Jens Schlüter/MECOTEC GmbH, André Forner/Hanwha
Q CELLS GmbH, Inflotec GmbH, HORIBA Fuelcon GmbH, Heinz Fräßdorf/Dessau-Wörlitz Cultural Foundation,
Ostfalen Technology Park Barleben, www.adobestock.com: baiajaku, kinwun, ATKWORK88, ahmet, Andrey,
Ekaterina_1525 /// The use of this publication for the purposes of commercial sale, particularly the sale of
addresses to third parties, or for reprinting – whether in whole or part – is prohibited.
Male pronouns are used in this magazine. In the interests of equality, all of these terms refer to all genders.
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