News Release

Wind energy from a 3D printer

Pilot project for energy self-sufficient schools

Grant and Award Announcement

Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH

Research funding for Constructor University in Bremen

image: Professor Uygun's research group at Constructor University is developing vertical wind turbines and will produce them in its own 3D printer on campus in Bremen. view more 

Credit: Constructor University

A pilot project for energy self-sufficient schools is now starting in the County of Friesland, Northern Germany, in which school buildings will be equipped with vertical-axis wind turbines. This will be facilitated by a research group led by Professor Uygun from Constructor University. This group is studying and developing vertical wind turbines, which will be produced in its own 3D printer on the campus in Bremen and will be tested in practice within this project. This creates a fully functional test field that provides important data and experience for technology transfer.

In the current energy crisis and the accompanying energy-saving measures, it is becoming increasingly difficult for schools to cover their high energy consumption with renewable energy. This is also due to the fact that they have to meet high requirements - for example, no horizontal wind turbines may be used - and solar panels are often not efficient enough for the high energy demand.

"With this project, we are breaking new ground in urban energy generation on this scale for the first time, with the aim of making public properties energy self-sufficient. After successful testing at the Hohenkirchen Secondary School, the project is to be scaled up easily and quickly so as to contribute to the energy transition," said Prof. Uygun.

The funding of the Metropolitan Region Northwest exclusively considers project ideas around the topics of resource efficiency, resource protection and energy transformation. In addition to Professor Uygun's project, two other campaigns have been awarded funding from the support fund of the states of Bremen and Lower Saxony. One identifies potential for saving drinking water, whereas the other one explores ways to recycle residual and commercial waste.

Further information:
www.metropolregion-nordwest.de


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