Holistic change: Hereon meets ministry
Thursday, August 29, 2024, Commercial Director Elisabeth Gerndt, leading researchers and representatives of the transfer department welcomed the Schleswig-Holstein Minis-ter of Economics, Transport, Employment, Technology and Tourism, Claus Ruhe Madsen, to the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon in Geesthacht. The core of the exchange was the im-portance of the transfer of knowledge and technology at the research center as well as the importance of cooperation between science, politics, economy and society for a holistic change - so that transformation becomes reality.
Claus Ruhe Madsen with Dr. Torsten Brinkmann at the Institute of Membrane Research. Copyright: Steffen Niemann/Hereon
With reference to the regional innovation strategy of the state of Schleswig-Holstein, the Hereon team presented the Minister of Economic Affairs a range of innovations as well as transfer and transformation projects that put scientific findings into practice on the basis of Hereon's own research.
Hereon Transfer thus supports and drives innovation made in Schleswig-Holstein. Among others, two start-ups that emerge from the research center as spin-off projects presented themselves:
• SENSIMPLY – Occluders (heart implants), which could significantly reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation
• Patent Pen – a software that uses artificial intelligence to generate a patent description from patent claims
Economics Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen on the transfer at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon: "I wanted to take a look [at Hereon] at the transfer policy and the projects that are being created here, the innovations. I certainly had high expectations and they were exceeded. It was a great presentation to find out how the transfer sector is really implemented in practice. We are in the midst of change - climate change, energy change, coastal protection. In other words, many topics that are highly relevant to us as a country, which are already being researched and put into practice here."
Transformative science
In order to promote holistic social change and involve research even more closely in shaping future issues, Hereon launched the "Hereon Transformation Cases" project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research at the beginning of 2024. The aim of this project is to strengthen transformative research at the center and thus actively shape change processes in business, society and politics. To this end, two potential transformation cases have already been set up at the center, which will support transformative research in the fields of sustainable hydrogen and membrane technologies over the next two years. The two responsible institutes gave Economics Minister Madsen an insight into their current research and discussed challenges and funding opportunities with him.
Metal hydride hydrogen storage
Claus Ruhe Madsen and Dr Julian Jepsen at the Institute of Hydrogen Technology. Copyright: Hereon/Steffen Niemann
At the Institute for Hydrogen Technologies, Prof. Dr. Julian Jepsen presented the latest research findings on the use of metal hydride tanks in hydrogen storage and their applications, for example in the energy supply, shipping and mobility sectors. The advantages of metal hydride storage tanks are a significantly higher storage capacity of hydrogen compared to conventional pressurized tanks with a more compact size as well as higher safety due to lower pressure inside the storage tanks.
The Hereon research vessel Coriolis, which is being built at the Hitzler shipyard in Lauenburg and will be christened in 2024, combines a globally unique interdisciplinary spectrum of coastal, materials, hydrogen and membrane research.
CO2 separation by membrane
Dr. Torsten Brinkmann gave a guided tour of the Institute of Membrane Research with information about the current membrane technology for the separation of carbon dioxide. The innovative Helmholtz research has been funded by the Joint Initiative for Research and Innovation since 2023.
In collaboration with an international start-up, Brinkmann is developing systems for effective and cost-efficient CO2 capture. The Hereon Transformation Cases team is working alongside this and intends to use participatory formats and methods from futurology to strengthen the discourse on carbon capture and storage together with stakeholders from politics, science, economy and society.
Minister of Economic Affairs Madsen and the Hereon Transfer team also discussed the center's transfer strategy as well as Hereon's opportunities to make the country's innovative and transformational power even more sustainable with the help of Helmholtz research.
Contact
Communication Manager for Transformation
Department Innovation & Transfer
Phone: +49 (0)4152 87-1038