"Innovation is both the use of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil, as well as the inexhaustible sources of energy absolutely necessary if we are to achieve our climate change objectives. They bring dynamic growth along the entire value chain from extraction to conversion until use. In the energy created sustainable jobs, "said Minister Dr. Axel Horstmann journalists during today's journey. The focus of the day trip focused on the geothermal heat pump technology with high-efficiency power plant components and innovative drive systems for wind turbines and mining equipment. Stages of the journey is a heat pump in settlement Hamminkeln, Balcke-Dürr GmbH in Oberhausen and the group Eickhoff Bochum.
Heat pumps settlement "to the old school" in Hamminkeln-Mehrhoog
In Hamminkeln formed under the auspices of the German Federal settlers on a 12,000 sqm plot a settlement with three detached houses and twelve semi-detached houses. The energy needed for heating rooms and hot water supply is provided exclusively with geothermal energy using heat pump technology.
Heat pump system compared to conventional heat production is significantly higher initial investment. But the running costs during the operation are much lower because the heat energy from the free world is available. Although the the most common heat pumps are powered by electricity, the environmental performance of such heating systems is positive. The increasing share of renewable energies in electricity generation will improve the balance even further in the future. The economy in the heat pump's true - to a 15-year operation period expected - the heat supply to the town in Hamminkeln without public support economically.
Despite these positive conditions, heat pumps in Germany are only 2 - 3 percent of new buildings installed. This is partly due to insufficient information on the economic and environmental benefits of this heating system. With the "heat pump marketplace NRW State Initiative on Future Energies NRW of these deficits should be eliminated. In addition, the Geological Survey of NRW on behalf of the state government has prepared a study on the near-surface heat resources of the earth in North Rhine-Westphalia. Then more than 70 percent of the land is usable geothermal. The concrete results of the study are available on CD-ROM for every enthusiast.
High-efficiency power plant components and services of Balcke-Dürr GmbH, Oberhausen
Balcke-Dürr GmbH offers packaged solutions for all areas from engineering to manufacturing until the supply and installation of innovative systems, components and spare parts with the goal of reducing CO 2 emissions by increasing the plant efficiency, increase plant availability and to reduce dust emissions. The focus is on power generation, in the program but are also components for waste incinerators and chemical plants.
The necessary renewal of power stations by the year 2020 with a power capacity of 40,000 megawatts (MW) in Germany and more than 200,000 MW in Europe provides a unique opportunity to work with innovative and highly efficient plant technology, the power plant efficiency to increase significantly. This is also an important contribution to the conservation of finite fossil energy resources and climate protection will be provided. Also significant that about 60,000 MW available power plant capacity is not replaced, but the medium term is to be operated. With an average efficiency of 38 percent is also in these "old systems" significant potential to increase efficiency.
In the necessary development of power plant components with the goal of energy savings through innovation is the strength of Balcke-Dürr GmbH Currently the company is about to develop an energy-efficient "Bi-Corona electric filter. This project will target two main directions to be pursued. First, the removal of the most difficult to be separated small "respirable" dust particles and adverse health improved and secondly to the power consumption of the electric filter can be reduced significantly.
The state government supports this innovative project with about 330,000 €. Minister Dr. Axel Horstmann is passed in the framework of the visit of the company in Oberhausen, the decision support to management.
In addition, Balcke-Dürr is also active in fuel cell technology and component development for geothermal energy for electricity generation. The company has the heat exchanger (reformer) of the high-temperature fuel cell with the support of the country and the European Union are so advanced that is processed in a new, more compact design of the fuel necessary for operation of the hydrogen very efficiently. With the development of capacitors for the use of geothermal energy from great depths to generate electricity (geothermal) Balcke-Dürr also provides techniques with the use of renewable energies are an important contribution.
High-tech from Bochum - Transmission technology for wind turbines and mining equipment of the group Eickhoff
Eickhoff group as a medium-sized company in the family-owned and produced in Bochum innovative specialized machinery and components and also provides similar services for the world market, in particular transmission and drive systems for wind turbines and mining equipment, to. The company is now the leading supplier of low-noise wind turbine gearboxes in Germany.
Efficient techniques for wind energy use, but also for the mining equipment industry have a huge potential worldwide. The wind turbine technology has developed rapidly in recent years on. Increasingly effective systems with higher capacities make a public promotion of electricity from wind energy in Germany unnecessary for years. The currently on the market price feed-in tariffs under the Renewable Energy Law has been reduced with the amendment to the Act on 08.01.2004 and will be designed for the future clearly declining balance method. Plant output from 1.5 MW to 5 MW and plant heights of more than 150 meters, but also make greater demands on the system technology. A centerpiece of the wind turbine gearbox form, which are among the high-tech components of a wind turbine. Eickhoff provides technically leading products in the world.
The transmission manufacturing for wind turbines has in the meantime the company further developed into a strong pillar that has reached its sales strength in the level of production of certain mining equipment ", the original core business.
The rapidly rising energy demand in Asia, especially China, where it leads to constantly increasing coal production, which in turn requires effective and efficient mining equipment. In this area also provides Eickhoff, "High-tech made in NRW".
