German-Cuban project started

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At the start of the project, the following met at the THM (from left): Prof. Wolf-Rainer Novender, the initiator of the university partnership, Dominik Denfeld, Prof. Tania Carbonell Morales, Michaela Zalucki, Prof. Yosvany Díaz Domínguez, Prof. Rubén Borrajo Pérez, Prof. Ramón Piloto Rodríguez, Prof. Gerald Kunz, THM President Prof. Matthias Willems, Prof. Sven Pohl, Julian Höhl, Marcel Pfeil and Prof. Thomas Stetz. The Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen and the Technical University of Havana (CUJAE) have been working together for more than 20 years. It is now being strengthened by funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The ministry is supporting the partnership project "BioReSCu - Potentials of biogenic resources for sustainable and environmentally friendly use in Cuba" with around 100,000 euros.

This project, which Prof. Dr. Sven Pohl from the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering at TH Mittelhessen is intended to initiate long-term international cooperation in the field of biomass research. The partners involved are the Center for Energy Technology and Energy Management (etem. THM ) and the research center CETER of the Cuban University.  

At a meeting at the start of the project in Gießen , to which a CUJAE delegation had traveled, the THM team and the Cuban partners agreed on the organizational structure and a series of work packages. First, the diversity of the biomass in Cuba is to be systematically examined and recorded. The focus of interest is on biogenic resources that are not used for the production of food. Particular attention will be paid to the invasive plant Dichrostachys cinerea (catkin bush), which has become widespread in Cuba.    

Subsequent steps include the development of an electronic database and experimental analyzes in the laboratories of the THM and CETER, which are intended to provide information about the thermo-chemical properties and the potential of the biomasses examined. As a preliminary conclusion, a joint study should show technological solutions for a sustainable energetic use of the analyzed biomass. The project, which also enables the scientists and students involved to gain experience in international research cooperation, will initially run for two years. However, those responsible see BioReSCu as an initiative with a long-term effect. It is intended to provide the impetus for subsequent projects in the field of bioeconomy, which are funded by third-party funds.        

The initial meeting at the THM was also linked to a workshop on the energetic use of biomass. In addition, joint excursions to several biomass utilization plants were undertaken.