Green Energy and Circular Economy. 3.7 Million Euros for Research Projects | Gdańsk University of Technology

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Date added: 2024-11-25

Green Energy and Circular Economy. 3.7 Million Euros for Research Projects

Photo by Krzysztof Mystkowski / Gdańsk Tech
Photo by Krzysztof Mystkowski / Gdańsk Tech
Scientists from Gdańsk University of Technology will lead three international projects that have been granted funding for a total of 3.7 million euros from the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027. The contracts for funding were signed on October 21 by Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, Rector of Gdańsk University of Technology, and Konrad Wojnarowski, Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy. On behalf of the ministry, Jacek Karnowski, Deputy Minister, also attended the ceremony at Gdańsk Tech. The research will be conducted in an international partnership with entities from Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Lithuania.

Scientists from Gdańsk University of Technology will lead three international projects that have been granted funding for a total of 3.7 million euros from the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2014-2020. The contracts for funding were signed on October 21 by Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, Rector of Gdańsk University of Technology, and Konrad Wojnarowski, Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy. On behalf of the ministry, Jacek Karnowski, Deputy Minister, also attended the ceremony at Gdańsk Tech. The research will be conducted in an international partnership with entities from Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Lithuania.

At the meeting in Gdańsk University of Technology's Senate Hall, the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy emphasised the role of transborder cooperation in the South Baltic area and congratulated the beneficiaries of innovative projects.

‘The Interreg South Baltic is a programme that overcomes boundaries for cooperation across borders and brings local governments, as well as local and university communities and residents of the South Baltic area, closer together. Funding for these projects will allow for the implementation and delivery of innovative concepts and solutions, which will help to keep the Baltic Sea clean, for instance,’ said Konrad Wojnarowski, the Deputy Minister.

‘I am pleased that Pomeranian entrepreneurs, local governments and NGOs are reaching out more boldly for funding their projects from EU programmes. Transborder cooperation within the South Baltic Programme is about protecting the environment, dealing with the problem of fuel and ammunition left in wreckages, and is a prerequisite for further development of the Pomeranian region. Therefore, I encourage further participation in such competitions as e.g. the Interreg South Baltic Programme,’ said Jacek Karnowski, the Deputy Minister.

Gdańsk University of Technology, as the ‘leading partner’, received funding for projects that apply low calorific gas for green power production, introduce better paper packaging waste management and implement circular economy solutions, all of which increase resources efficiency in municipal services.

‘Conclusion of these contracts places Gdańsk University of Technology at the leading position among Polish institutions that support sustainable development,’ said Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, Rector of Gdańsk Tech. ‘It is a step towards a cleaner and safer environment and a future that is both innovative and human-friendly. The projects we will be implementing address crucial challenges of our time: from green energy production and packaging recycling to efficient waste management. They are tremendously important for our environment and the economy, and Gdańsk University of Technology is proud to play a key role in their implementation’.

Description of the projects

The objective of this project is twofold: the production of green electricity and heat, which in itself contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases, provided that the corresponding use of fossil fuels is offset, and the reduction of greenhouse gases by decreasing spontaneous methane emissions from landfills. Additionally, the conversion of indigenous low quality gas streams into electricity and heat contributes to security of supply and diversification of energy systems. Under the LoCaGas project, three technologies will be developed and tested for the application of low calorific gas to produce energy and heat: oxygen-enriched spark ignition (SI) engine, landfill gas enrichment, and dual-fuel engine technology. The second of these technologies will be developed based on a Spinning Fluids Reactor (SFR) invented at Gdańsk University of Technology. Project Manager: PhD Eng. Robert Aranowski, Faculty of Chemistry Project Value: 1 786 200 EUR Funding: 1 428 960 EUR Project Duration: 1.07.2024-30.06.2027 Partners: Baltic Energy Innovation Centre (Sweden), Lithuanian Energy Institute (Lithuania), University of Rostock (Germany), NSR (Sweden), Eco-Construction (Poland), Klaipeda University (Lithuania), Addeco Ltd. (Lithuania)
The main objective of the project is to develop solutions that will contribute to the transformation of business models in the paper packaging market (with the focus on cardboard packaging) from the linear to circular type. It also aims to support entrepreneurs in this process and increase public and business awareness regarding carbon footprint reduction by extending the lifecycle of paper packaging. The project has a strong strategic background in the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan, with an emphasis on increasing material reuse. BePackMan can make a significant contribution to efficient use of resources by offering new solutions, approaches, and business models, as well as promoting and supporting businesses in reusing and reducing the waste stream of paper packaging. The implementation of the proposed solutions is expected to favour minimising the negative impact of packaging materials on the environment. Project Manager: PhD Eng. Iwona Cichowska-Kopczyńska, Faculty of Chemistry Project Value: 1 452 835,00 EUR Funding: 1 162 268,00 EUR Project Duration: 01.07.2024 – 30.06.2027 Partners: Gdańska Fundacja Przedsiębiorczości (Poland), enviMV e. V. environmental technologies network from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany), Klaipėda Science and Technology Park (Lithuania), Hochschule Wismar - University of Applied Sciences: Technology, Business and Design Wismar (Germany), City disposal Rostock LLC (Germany), CLEAN – Environmental Cluster (Denmark).
The project aims to increase resource efficiency in municipal services in the South Baltic region. The project will contribute to the development of technical solutions and strategies for the reduction of raw material consumption and reduction of waste through reusing materials in supply chains. Circular MuSe will focus spatially on waste that is generated seasonally in municipal services and is therefore more difficult to handle. Through its implementation, it is assumed that awareness and knowledge will increase and the efficiency of implementing a circular economy (CE) in the municipal sector will improve. Within the project, best practices will also be collected and shared, and educational and support tools will be developed for municipal businesses. The project is an innovative response to the challenges associated with environmental protection and efficient resource management, considering the specific needs of medium and small towns and rural areas in the South Baltic region. Project Manager: Prof. PhD, DSc Eng. Magdalena Gajewska, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering Project Value: 1 419 656, 00 EUR Funding: 1 135 724,80 EUR Project Duration: 2024-07-01 do 2027-06-30 Partners: Ekofabryka Wejherowo (Poland), Kalmar Municipality (Sweden), Via University Collage (Denmark), Stowarzyszenie Gmin RP Euroregion Bałtyk (Poland), Klaipeda University (Lithuania)

 

About the program

The Interreg South Baltic is a transborder programme with a budget of 93.8 million euros that involves Poland, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania and Sweden. There have already been 4 calls for proposals in the program and 40 projects have been launched. Thereby, most of the funds of more than 55 million euros from the EU support (ERDF) have been allocated to these projects. More competitions are planned for fall, one dedicated to ‘small-scale’ projects and others for regular projects.

In addition, on the same day in Gdańsk, two more contracts were signed for the funding of projects under the Interreg Programme, which will be undertaken by the Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN).

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