Clausthal Institute of Environmental Technologies (CUTEC)

With over 20 years of experience, the Clausthal Insitute of Environmental Technologies (CUTEC) is educating future talents in sustainable research, while simultaneously trying to link the sciences with industry.

The Clausthal Institute of Environmental Technologies (CUTEC) was founded by the German government in 1990 as an interdisciplinary institute. The institute aims to provide research of the highest level on energy and environmental studies while, simultaneously, acting as an intermediary between the sciences and industry. One of its defining goals is that all research conducted by CUTEC is meant for real world, practical, usage - also known as “applied research”. Sustainability, the environment, and environmental problems in developing countries are its key topics and research areas.

For over 20 years CUTEC has been at the forefront of sustainability and sustainable technologies. Their defining applied research topics include wastewater treatment, waste management, air pollution, recycling, and power generation. Thanks to their extensive portfolio and accompanying expertise, CUTEC has already carried out more than 2000 national and international environmental projects.

As a non-university affiliated research institute, CUTEC receives funding from many different funding bodies: from the European Commission, to the German Federal, and State Governments (including the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF).

Short summary of the visit at the CUTEC on 31. October 2013

The Harz region has a long history in mining of silver, plumb, copper and zinc. This tradition is closely related to innovations in mining technologies and was also the origin of the Clausthal Technical University (CUT, which the Green Talents visited in 2010). The high application relevance of research is still present and is perfectly embodied by the Clausthal Insitute of Environmental Technologies (CUTEC). CUTEC is a spin-off from the CUT and one of the leading non-university research facilities in the field of environmental technology in Germany. With its goal to quickly translate basic research results into practicable technologies the institute is an ideal place for the Green Talents to learn more about green innovations in the country.

The visit started with a warm welcome address and short presentation of the institute by the director of CUTEC and Green Talents jury member Prof. Dr. Martin Faulstich. Following the introduction the group was shown what the institute has a worldwide record for: laboratories, experimental set-ups and pilot plants. Guided by experts of the different sites the Green Talents visited the ArtFuel-Plant (thermochemical conversion of biomass to syngas), the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (creation of fuel and chemistry raw materials from syngas), the Fuel Cells Lab (where fuel cells are used as highly-efficient power generators), the Biogas Plant (systems engineering for a more efficient biogas production), the Dezincification Plant (award-winning process for the dezincification of steel sheets) and Bioreactors (laboratory fermenters for test series for the generation of biogas from biomass). The fuel cells research as well as the metal recycling were further explained in two presentations before the visit ended with a get-together during lunch. This offered an opportunity to deepen the discussion and to exchange ideas and of course business cards.