Environmental Engineering and Technology
Nature and the environment are an important asset for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and its citizens. Hence the development and the application of technologies that contribute to the preservation of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources are actively supported by the state.
When it comes to the use of regenerative energy and renewable primary products, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is already among the top runners in Germany today. Approximately one third of the electric energy needed in our state is created in an environmentally-friendly way on a basis of wind, bio-mass, water and solar energy. In addition, the first geo-thermal power plant in Germany started operating in 2004 in Neustadt-Glewe. Biomass, biogas and biodiesel plants play an increasingly important role for the generation of energy. In addition ORC technology (Organic Rankine Cycle) is becoming increasingly important. With the appropriate facilities electrical current can be produced at temperatures and with pressure far below the values of traditional power plants. The first plants in Germany were erected at the Friedland biomass cogeneration power plant and at the Neustadt-Glewe geothermal power plant. A company in Bargeshagen (administrative district of Bad Doberan) is leading in the development and production of such facilities. A recent overview of the biomass thermal power stations, biomass heating plants, biodiesel plants as well as biogas facilities in operation can be found on the website of the Ministry of Economic Affairs under “Fachinformationen Immissionsschutz” (special information about immission protection).
The offshore wind energy branch is growing. Also on land there are now already more than 1,200 wind turbines with a total capacity of approximately 1,300 megawatts.
Worldwide fossil energy supplies are limited. Hydrogen might be an important alternative in the future. In the framework of its major technology offensive the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern intensively supports the development of hydrogen technology. In the year 2004 a competence centre for hydrogen technology for smaller and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) opened its gates in the state capital of Schwerin. Already in 2002 the Wasserstofftechnologie-Initiative für Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (WTI e.V. - Hydrogen Technology Initiative) was founded. The target of this association is, among others, to bundle the resources of science and the economy and to support technology transfer.
The environmental engineering companies in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern demonstrate their productive efficiency also in the areas of water supply and waste water treatment, waste handling, recycling and waste salvage.