The Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP) will further intensify its research work in the globally important application fields of agriculture and energy in the coming years, thereby further expanding its international position as a centre of excellence. The German government's funding commitment for two major projects within the "WIR! - Change through Innovation in the Region" programme will also provide new economic impetus.
Together with alliance partners from across the region, the INP has successfully applied for the practical phase of "WIR! - Change through Innovation in the Region" and will be able to implement the innovation concepts "CAMPFIRE - Wind and Water to Ammonia" (led by the INP) and "Physics for Food - A Region Rethinks!" (led by the Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences) in cooperation with renowned companies and other research facilities, universities and institutions over the next five years. The projects are funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The alliances mentioned above prevailed in a two-stage process against 32 finalists and initially more than 100 applications from eastern Germany.
The Chairman of the Executive Board and Scientific Director of the institute, Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Weltmann, emphasises the importance of both projects: "At INP, we focus on future-oriented topics of relevance to society as a whole, with international significance and high scientific standards. And we are guided by the requirements of the market. The WIR! projects now offer us the opportunity to help shape change in our region by developing innovative, technological solutions for important future fields in a " " with our alliance partners. What makes this special is that science, industry and society are working together in an interdisciplinary manner on ideas that are significant for the entire region and beyond.
The CAMPFIRE alliance, led by INP, is researching the decentralised production of green ammonia from air, water and renewable energies. This valuable material, which has mainly been processed into fertiliser up to now, is also to be used as an emission-free marine fuel in future. An important component of the planned new production process are ceramic thin-film membranes, which offer high efficiency and a long service life. The aim of the more than 30 alliance partners in the North-East model region, which stretches from Rostock to Szczecin in Poland, is also to integrate the energy sector with the maritime and chemical industries, thereby creating a new, promising branch of the economy.
The aim of the "Physics for Food" project, led by the Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, is to bring about sustainable structural change in the north-east coastal hinterland project region through the use of innovative physical high technologies in agriculture and the food industry. To achieve this, the alliance of 60 partners is also pursuing clear innovation potential. One of the aims is to replace chemical agents in plant protection, which will help protect the environment. The alliance partners also want to develop methods for improving plant growth and strengthening plant health – the aim is to make agricultural crops more resilient. Another focus is on optimising the refinement of plant-based raw materials using completely new processes. Ultimately, the aim is to achieve a holistic transfer of technology that will benefit regional and sustainable agriculture.
