The 57th Essen Conference has set new impulses with the thematic focus "Ways to sustainable water management and society". In the opening speech, Prof. Dr. Thomas Wintgens, ISA of RWTH Aachen University, Dr. Bettina Hoffmann, Parliamentary State Secretary at BMUV, and Ms. Gunda Röstel, Deputy Chairwoman of the German Federal Government's Council for Sustainable Development, made it clear that the water sector has three key roles to play in the sustainability transformation: climate protection, biodiversity protection and resource conservation. At acwa exhibition, in presentations and in personal discussions, we were able to present current FiW research results and new project ideas under the motto "Research. Transfer. Sustainability."
Ms. Röstel compared the sustainability transformation to a summit hike, which requires a clear objective. As in a mountain hiking group, it also requires social cohesion and good leadership. This is especially true when you have to leave well-trodden paths, change personally cherished behaviors and the summit is quite high and the safe path in the exposed terrain is only really recognizable on the hike.
The hike requires a good professional compass and the rapid transfer of new research findings into application.
In two FiW presentations, we were able to present pioneering innovations in pilot projects with the synthesis of green methanol at wastewater treatment plants and adapted water reuse in emerging and developing countries, in which we always have the transferability and scale-up in water management in mind. Our technical papers are published in the digital conference proceedings, the presentation slides are also available for download on the Essen conference homepage.
If you would like to work together with us on solutions, please don´t hesitate to contact us.
- Sektorenkopplung – elektrolysebasierte Methanolkraftstoffe und wasserwirtschaftliche Sauerstoffnutzung auf Kläranlagen: Dr. Frank-Andreas Weber, FiW an der RWTH Aachen e.V.; Dr. F. Obenaus, Emschergenossenschaft / Lippeverband
- WaterRETUNe – Wasserwiederverwendung in Tunesien: Dr. Henry Riße, FiW an der RWTH Aachen e.V.