Research projects

Under the leadership of the HFR (Prof. Dr. Stefan Pelz and Prof. Dr. Steffen Abele), an innovative and renewable energy park will be created in cooperation with the University of Energy and Natural Re-sources in Sunyani, Ghana (UENR), led by Ing. Prof. Dr. Nana Sarfo Agyemang Derkyi, and several Ger-man and Ghanaian consortium partners. Technical components such as a solar drying plant, biomass gasification, a biomass fermenter and an absorption chiller are to be realised and optimised at the UENR campus. Through the energetic utilisation of agricultural and forestry residues, electricity, cool-ing and cooking gas will be made available to supply the campus and the surrounding areas with sus-tainable energy and a clean alternative to cooking on open fires, which is hazardous to health. In addi-tion, the biomass suppliers are provided with valuable fertiliser as well as biochar from the process for upgrading their cultivated areas, all within the context of a sustainable circular economy.
Equipping the plant with appropriate sensor technology, optimising the processes to adapt to local conditions, fuels and the associated fluctuations in performance, as well as a comprehensive training programme for all local participants complete the extensive package of tasks that the consortium will face over the next three years.
"Together with our Ghanaian partners, we are very pleased about the funding approval for this major project and are already working with all those involved to set the course as quickly as possible for the successful implementation of this ambitious project!" says project manager Stefan Pelz in anticipation of the start of the project. In addition to the participating universities, Novis GmbH from Tübingen, AHT Syngas Technology from Ratingen and NeyerBrainworks GmbH from Bludenz, Austria are also involved in the project on the European side. On the Ghanaian side, the UENR makes the project possible in the first place, due to a significant contribution of its own. In addition, companies and institutions such as Abellon CleanEnergy Ghana Ltd, Oti Yeboah Complex Ltd, Zoomlion Co Ltd, GRATIS Foundation, Green Water Hut (NGO), the national Energy and Forestry Commissions and the Sunyani Municipal Assembly are supporting the project.
In the coming years, "LevelUp" will offer numerous doctoral students and students from both universi-ties increased opportunities to work on a sustainable solution to the country's unstable energy infra-structure, especially in the numerous off-grid regions, and to develop innovative concepts for the inte-gration of energy, agriculture, forestry and timber management according to the principle of the circu-lar economy.
With regular updates on the HFR homepage, the project team will provide the opportunity to follow the project and its progress and to get to know those involved.

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Wissenschaftlicher Ansprechpartner:
Prof. Dr. Stefan Pelz (pelz@hs-rottenburg.de) and Prof. Dr. Steffen Abele (abele@hs-rottenburg.de)