MCI | can look forward to further success on the international research scene The Entrepreneurial University® is pleased: The research project “Smart wastewater treatment with powder activated carbon” from the Josef Ressel Center at the MCI was able to win the award ceremony for the renowned environmental prize “Energy Globe Austria Award”.
The research project, carried out in collaboration with the research partner SYNCRAFT as well as the Innsbruck municipal companies, the Schwaz municipal utilities and the Telfs municipal utilities, is one of the three best of over 300 submissions in the “Water” category and was even able to win in the public voting. Attended the award ceremony broadcast worldwide in the ORF regional studio in Linz Jan BackSenior Researcher & Lecturer am MCI, und Benedikt Bodneroperations manager & authorized representative of SYNCRAFT, accepted the award on behalf of the entire research team.
Angela HofmannMCI professor and head of the MCI Josef Ressel Center for the production of powder activated carbon, is pleased about the prestigious award: “This award is a great recognition for our Josef Ressel Center – not only is the great work of our team made visible in the media, but above all it also proves our large network of supporters of our idea.”
Benedikt Bodner, Operations manager and authorized representative of SYNCRAFT also expressed his enthusiasm: “The result of excellent collaboration often exceeds expectations. We are proud to be able to make a sustainable and award-winning contribution to wastewater treatment together with the Josef Ressel Center. And we are very pleased that we were chosen as the public winner of the Energy Globe Austria Awards 2024 with this project.”
Andreas Altmann, MCI Rector, adds: “Research, development, know-how transfer and company creation are part of the genetic program of the Entrepreneurial University®. Our spin-off company SYNCRAFT builds innovative ‘reverse power plants’ across Europe, and our Josef Ressel Center utilizes their high-quality residue, powder activated carbon, in highly efficient solutions for demanding wastewater treatment requirements.”
Sustainable wastewater treatment
The “Josef Ressel Center for the Production of Powder Activated Carbon from Municipal Residues” at MCI was set up in autumn 2020 for a period of five years at the MCI Department of Environmental, Process and Energy Technology and is conducting research into the use of powder activated carbon with regional corporate partners wastewater treatment.
The raw material used for the powdered activated carbon comes from the reverse power plants of the Tyrolean company partner SYNCRAFT GmbH, where bioenergy in the form of electricity and heat is generated from forest residues. The energy production process in turn produces biochar or charcoal, which serves as the basis for the production of powder activated carbon. The high-quality activated carbon will then be returned to the municipal cycle and will be used primarily in the area of wastewater treatment to remove trace substances such as drug residues from the wastewater – for this reason, the participation of future users from municipal companies is extremely valuable.
The Josef Ressel Center is supported by the Christian Doppler Research Society as well as the corporate partners SYNCRAFT GmbH, Innsbrucker Kommunalbetriebe AG, Stadtwerke Schwaz and Telfs municipal works.
About the Energy Globe Award
Since 1999, the Energy Globe Award has annually honored outstanding projects with a focus on resource conservation, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies and is now one of the world’s most renowned environmental awards. The regional winning projects are recognized in the federal states and nationally in Austria in the five award categories earth, fire, water, air, youth and a special category and are then honored at an international level in a TV gala broadcast worldwide. Every year, innovative and sustainable projects from over 180 countries apply for the award.