HAW Hamburg works actively on a wide range of renewable energy topics and in various areas of expertise. It is committed to delivering sustainable solutions to society’s energy-related problems.
With its decision to make the shift to renewable energy sources and away from nuclear power, Germany set out to tackle one of today’s greatest technical and societal challenges. The expansion of renewable energies – especially wind energy – their storage, and the integration of the various energy systems are only some of the areas that HAW Hamburg addresses within the Energy and Sustainability research programme.
The research programme also carries out numerous projects on sustainability-related topics, in particular resource conservation and the impacts of climate change.
With its Competence Center for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency (CC4E), HAW Hamburg brings together numerous projects and provides important input for teaching. The Energy Campus has also succeeded in significantly strengthening the university's research-specific infrastructure.
Research groups
Biomass
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The research in the area of bioenergy includes the production of biogas or biomethane, the use of plasma and synthesis gases, and the production and use of liquid fuels from biomass materials or organic waste. The aim is a sustainable materials and energy economy with closed systems modelled on nature.
Fuel Cells and Rational Energy Consumption
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The research focuses on improved efficiency in the conversion and rational consumption of energy, integrating this element into the development of new energy systems in the innovation areas of aviation, shipping, automotive technology and nanotechnology. In addition to further developing classic energy converters such as gas turbines and combustion engines, the research group also investigates fuel cells, solar energy converters and geothermal energy converters. Models and process simulations are key instruments in these processes.
Environmental Analysis and Ecotoxicology
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The research group aims to develop new, automated analytical measurement methods for determining the biologically available share of environmental pollutants and to combine these methods with ecotoxicological testing systems. Through the linking of the chemical measurements with the biological testing methods and the examination of the organisms living in the ecosystem, the biological impacts can be assessed holistically.
Process Engineering
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The Process Engineering research group studies the production of crude oils from various materials and their processing and refinement via catalytic hydration. The crude oils are produced through pyrolysis and the direct liquefaction of various biomass and organic residues. The emphasis is on the conversion of fats and oils, as well as solid biomass (e.g. wood and straw), into liquid energy sources. The group also investigates the conversion of plastics into fuels.
