Hanover Fair 2011: the AUTARK network presents modular hybrid power station

TERRASYS concept uses biomass and secondary fuels – virtual power station control system enables networked applications

Aachen. – The AUTARK network, a cooperation among currently nine companies and nine research institutes from all over Germany, will be participating jointly with the HolzStrom network in this year’s Hanover Fair and will be presenting a modular hybrid power station. By means of a virtual power station control system this can be networked with other energy sources such as solar, wind and water. The aim is to provide less developed countries with electricity, heating, air-conditioning and drinking water 24 hours a day. If necessary, for example if no public electricity grid is available, the power station can also be operated in isolation.

The network is supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) as part of its ZIM-NEMO programme. AGIT, the organising body, has its HQ in Aachen and office in Bad Münstereifel. It began its activities at the start of the year and develops marketable energy programmes on the basis of regionally available fuel sources.

„Providing the world’s growing population with heating and electricity is one of the global challenges of our time“, says Julien Uhlig, senior network manager at AGIT mbH (‚Aachener Gesellschaft für Innovation und Technologietransfer‘). He adds: „Interdisciplinary energy research can provide solutions to such challenges. These solutions are currently being developed in concept form at numerous research institutes and companies throughout Germany, and have now been brought together within the AUTARK network.“

Interdisciplinary energy research unites science and industry

The TERRASYS concept is based on small incineration units for biomass and selected waste materials, a subject in which the University of Rostock for years has played a leading role, creating the scientific basis for emissions studies and experience of long-term operations. Within the next two years the modular system is to be ready for use worldwide as a turnkey container solution, with the industrial components which are applied ensuring that the price will make the system an attractive export.

An electricity generating unit is currently being developed by Siemens, one of the industrial partners in the network, while at the same time the Technical University of Aachen is carrying out research into alternative approaches using micro-turbines. As the turbines have an extremely high thermal efficiency level the focus here will be on the effective use of the exhaust heat.

The system which has been jointly developed by the partners in the network is to be marketed initially by Entrade Energiesysteme AG, Schmidtheim (near Euskirchen). The individual components will be contributed by project partners from all corners of Germany, including Siemens Turbomachinery Equipment GmbH (Frankenthal), SMA Solar Technology AG (Niestetal/Kassel), ALV Prozess- und Anlagentechnik GmbH (Hemsbach/Rhein-Neckar), UTM GmbH Ingenieurbüro für Umwelttechnik und Umweltmanagement (Münster), NOVAgreen Projektmanagement GmbH (Vechta), NaturalGreen GmbH (Solingen), Simon Process Engineering GmbH (Neu-Bamberg) and dezentec ingenieurgesellschaft mbH (Essen).

In addition the scientific partners in the project are the RWTH Aachen, the Techical University of Aachen, the IUTA Institute for Energy and Environemental Technology e.V. in Duisburg, the Transferstelle Bingen (TSB), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the University of Zittau/Görlitz, the University of Siegen and the two Fraunhofer Institutes for Solar Energy System (ISE) in Freiburg and for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) in Oberhausen.

At this year’s Hanover Fair the network will be represented at the AGIT stand in Hall 27 (Stand E 60) from 4 to 8 April 2011. For more information please see,.

Das Netzwerk AUTARK, ein Zusammenschluss von derzeit neun Firmen und neun Forschungseinrichtungen aus dem gesamten Bundesgebiet, wird gemeinsam mit dem Netzwerk HolzStrom auf der diesjährigen Hannover Messe vertreten sein und dort ein modulares Hybrid-Kraftwerk präsentieren. Dieses kann über eine virtuelle Kraftwerkssteuerung mit anderen Energiequellen wie Sonne, Wind und Wasser vernetzt werden. Ziel ist es, Schwellen- und Entwicklungsländer 24 Stunden am Tag mit Elektrizität sowie Wärme, Kälte und Trinkwasser zu versorgen, was bei Bedarf – beispielsweise, wenn kein öffentliches Stromnetz zur Verfügung steht – auch im Inselbetrieb möglich ist.

AGIT mbH ? Aachener Gesellschaft für Innovation und Technologietransfer
Julien Uhlig
Dennewartstr. 25-27
52068 Aachen
j.uhlig@agit.de
+49(0)163-2593080
http://www.netzwerk-autark.de