Research and development for successful energy transformation Nominations for the German Renewables Award 2020 have been confirmed

Modular hydrogen generation and distribution networks, tidal power plants and artificial neural networks for monitoring offshore farms – there were virtually no limits to the imagination of the candidates for this year’s ninth German Renewables Award. Applicants submitted ideas and work from all areas of renewable energy for the “Product innovation of the year”, “Project of the year” and “Student thesis of the year” categories. Experts proposed candidates in the “Lifetime achievement” section. An independent jury of eight, with a wealth of energy expertise, has now decided on the nominees. The winners will be chosen by the Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster on 22 September 2020 at Opernloft Altona.

“Even during the pandemic, energy supply innovations are being developed. In line with the current situation in the energy system, we’ve seen a range of entries, especially in digitalisation and modelling, the optimisation of plant operation, as well as sector coupling. It’s important to harness this innovative power within the industry so that the necessary further restructuring of the energy supply will provide major stimulus to financially overcome the Covid-19 crisis,” says Director, Jan Rispens, Managing Director of Renewable Energy Hamburg.

Product innovation of the year

reconcept entered “Force 1”, a novel floating platform – a free-flowing underwater turbine in the Bay of Fundy (Canada) – in the “Product innovation of the year” category. Global Tech I developed an application for digital, automated corrosion management, together with Semco Maritme. While the Berlin start-up, SOLYTIC, submitted software for analysing PV data for potential, weaknesses and optimisation as its contribution. A total of six companies entered the “Product innovation of the year” section.

Project of the year

Hamburg Wasser entered a “gas hood” to prevent and utilise greenhouse gas emissions in a large sewage-treatment plant in the “Project of the year” section. eFarming GmbH & Co. KG, an affiliated company launched by GP Jouler, submitted a concept for a modularly expandable hydrogen generation and distribution network in North Friesland. While Stadtwerke Ludwigburg-Kornwestheim GmbH entered the race with its “SolarHeatGrid” model project that uses Germany’s largest ground-mounted solar power plant to reduce CO₂ emissions, in combination with a thermal storage system and an integrated municipal heating network. Five companies entered submissions in the “Project of the year” category.

Student thesis of the year

Graduate Niels Jessen, HAW Hamburg, dealt with the issue of artificial “neural networks to monitor the condition of the principal storage units of offshore wind farms” in his master’s thesis, which he entered in the “Student thesis of the year” category of the German Renewables Award. Nina Kicherer, also HAW Hamburg, developed a strategy for the “long-term transformation of the Hamburg heating network” by 2050 in her master’s thesis, examining the available energy sources and regional infrastructure requirements. “Detecting and quantifying damage to offshore wind farms by linking an FE model with real data” was the topic of Shardul Lendve’s, TU Hamburg, master’s thesis. A total of five bachelor’s and master’s theses were also submitted.

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