Fraunhofer Magazine 3/2020
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Fraunhofer magazine 3 / 20 Fraunhofer magazine Per spectives How to stay mobile: Hydrogen - a source of Sebastian energy and a Porstmann, Fraunhofer source of hope IWU Hildegard Müller: “Individual mobility must remain affordable!” –––––––––––––––––––––– Prof. Reimund Neugebauer: “Change is Research prizes no longer a vision. It is a reality.” » Prizewinners » Projects 2020 Robert Habeck: “As a society, –––––––––––––––––––––– we are outgrowing the car.” To the app! To the app! THE CORONA-WARN-APP: THE CORONA-WARN-APP: GETS MORE GETS MORE USEFUL WITH USEFUL WITH EVERY USE. EVERYDownload the Corona-Warn-App USE. now andDownload fi ght the the coronavirus Corona-Warn-App together. now and fi ght the coronavirus together. bpa_Corona_APP_Plakat_A4_210x297_QR_Code_Master_EN_CMYK_ICv2_RZ01.indd 5 07.07.20 16:20 bpa_Corona_APP_Plakat_A4_210x297_QR_Code_Master_EN_CMYK_ICv2_RZ01.indd 5 07.07.20 16:20 Fraunhofer magazine 3.20 - 3 The spirit of Fraunhofer: driving innovation in a time of change Prof. Reimund Neugebauer © Fraunhofer / Bernhard Huber The European Commission has just unveiled its new climate Hydrogen offers a key source of energy and a key source of target plan. Over the space of 23 pages, this document maps hope for the future. Fraunhofer experts from many different out how Europe intends to mark a 55 percent reduction in institutes are now busy charting the route to a workable CO2 emissions over the period from 1990 to 2030. hydrogen economy. Meanwhile, the German federal government has presented its National Hydrogen Strategy German politician Ursula von der Leyen, president of the and established a National Hydrogen Council, members of European Commission, is seeking to turn Europe into the which include two proven experts from Fraunhofer, Karsten world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The UK oil Pinkwart and Sylvia Schattauer. As the overarching orga- company BP has already taken a lead and reduced its oil and nization for applied research in Germany and Europe, the gas production by 40 percent. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is ideally placed to provide industry and administrations, both in Germany and Europe, with “In less than 30 years from now, we will no longer be flying strategic advice and comprehensive systems knowledge. with aircraft that consume less and less aviation fuel; we will be flying with aircraft that have dispensed with fossil fuels Let us combine the spirit of Fraunhofer with the current altogether,” states Peter Altmaier. When asked how we can momentum for change and launch a new push for innova- meet these increasingly ambitious targets, Germany’s Federal tion. In a technology-based society, ensuring a secure, Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy replies: “I have efficient, environmentally friendly and publicly accepted every confidence in the ingenuity of our engineers.” supply of energy remains a key – perhaps the key – task. Change is no longer a vision. It is a reality. If we wish to remain spatially mobile in the future, then we need to show Yours sincerely, mental mobility today. As a matter of fact, the German economy has already returned to growth in the third quarter of the year. Mean- while, German automakers are doubling their range of electric vehicles. As the “voice of industry” in this edition of Fraunhofer magazine, Hildegard Müller, president of the Ger- man Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), calls on industry “to make climate-friendly technologies a European Reimund Neugebauer export success.” Let us rise to meet this challenge. President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft back to page 1 4 - Fraunhofer magazine 3.20 Contents 10 How hydrogen can keep the world moving It looks like history, but represents the future: Sören Scheffler, project leader at Fraunhofer IWU in Chemnitz, sits in his Silberhummel race car. The vehicle is based on drawings for a race car that was designed by Auto Union during the 1940s but never made – and is equipped with fuel-cell drives. How the future technology of hydrogen is creating mobility: the front-page story provides an overview. 42 Working from home: Germany surprises itself The coronavirus has forced many to work from home. Current studies are offering some security for companies in the knowledge that their improvisations can work over the long run. 03 Editorial 36 The burger with a clear conscience Meat without killing animals? Fraunhofer IVV shows 06 In brief, Editorial notes how it’s done – and how it tastes 10 Title: Outlook H2 – how we are staying mobile 39 From old jeans to a new dress The coronavirus pandemic has shown how quickly Fraunhofer IAP has managed to recycle cotton for traffic patterns can change. Is this the beginning of the first time. Now the items are hitting stores the age of hydrogen? 40 My smart home is my castle 28 “Cities need to be bolder Increasing use of technology is creating increasing in the face of change” levels of convenience at home – and increasing risks A look to the future with Fraunhofer IAO 42 Working from home: there is no going back now 30 Voice of industry Germany knows how to work from home. Professional Hildegard Müller, president of the German support is necessary for the path to a solid future – Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA): new numbers, new investigations, new approaches “Individual mobility must remain affordable!” 50 Energy on ice 32 “The purpose of taxes is to shape behavior” Nearly one-fifth of energy consumption goes Interview with Robert Habeck, head of the Green towards refrigeration and cooling. But there are Party, about mobility as a design task for politics more intelligent ways Cover © Roger Hagmann, Roland Horn, Andreas Chudowski zurückback to zu page Seite 1 1 Fraunhofer magazine 3.20 - 5 56 Faster, more 32 “The purpose of taxes is to shape behavior” precise, more For Robert Habeck, head of the Green Party, the future of cost-effective mobility is an important issue for politics. The interview The cognitive Internet has made its way into practice – three solutions for the factory of the future. 80 Finding Nemo? Finding the trash! Some 90 percent of plastic waste sinks to the bottom of the ocean. The European SeaClear initiative helps the clean-up effort. 40 My smart home is my castle Risky router: one in four people has already been a victim of cybercrime – the path to greater security. Traveling hundreds of 52 Sustainable acoustics, anyone? Sounds good 64 125 years of X-rays kilometers for a one-hour As healthy and tasty as mushrooms happen to be, they An overview of milestones in the history meeting – before the are good for much more than just the dinner plate of the groundbreaking discovery coronavirus pandemic, that was typical for many 54 How to avoid animal testing 66 Smart campus – smart thinking professionals. The pandemic New paths: the EU-ToxRisk project is investigating How research is being conducted at the forced a transition to digital the cascade caused by active ingredients in the body university of the future in Heilbronn meetings, and the results are in: it works! And it is 56 The factory of the future 68 2020 research prizes environmentally friendly to The cognitive Internet has reached the industrial sector: The award winners and the projects: five boot. Going forward, three solutions that help optimize production facilities pioneering developments that are deserving 90 percent of companies of the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize and the plan to reduce business trips, 58 Fraunhofer worldwide Stifterverband Science Prize instead relying on conferen- ces via telephone or video, 60 Portrait: Extreme research 78 Deadly fragments as determined by a study EUV lithography as a milestone for more powerful New analytical software is helping the police of Fraunhofer Institute for microchips – the life’s work of Dr. Sergiy Yulin and putting terrorist bombers behind bars Industrial Engineering IAO. 62 When cars need an X-ray 80 Tidying up the ocean floor Röntgen discovered X-rays 125 years ago. Today, this The European SeaClear initiative helps clean technology is being used in the automotive industry up plastic waste at the bottom of the ocean © Roger Hagmann, dpa, Volkswagen AG, zurückback to zu page Seite 1 1 Andreas Chudowski, Grant Thomas, unsplash 6 - Fraunhofer magazine 3.20 Coffee grounds: too good to throw away Despite containing valuable Although not suitable for consumption, coffee oil substances, coffee grounds can be converted into a valuable chemical inter- mediate. Researchers are investigating whether generally end up in the such biobased building blocks might be used to garbage can. synthesize polymer additives such as plasticizers. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Work is also underway to examine the use of Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology deoiled coffee grounds as an alternative raw UMSICHT are seeking to turn coffee grounds material for the paper and cardboard industry. into valuable intermediates. These include After comminution, the coffee grounds are bioplastics and additives for different types of mixed with pulp for further processing. These paper. steps are now being tested with partners from the paper industry. The recycling process can A popular beverage worldwide, coffee is consumed The InKa project comprises a number of stages: also be used to recoup and reuse glycerol, fatty in enormous quantities. Germany alone accounts for some 400,000 metric tons of roasted coffee a year. separation of the coffee grounds into rational acids, polysaccharides and flavorings. In addi- © istockphoto component groups, purification of these com- tion, a material flow analysis is being conducted ponents, and, in particular, the investigation of in order to identify any potential impact on the high-grade uses for the resulting intermediates. market supply of raw materials. A mobile cleaning robot for industry Hygiene is vital in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, where production facilities and other workspaces are still cleaned largely by hand.