The Green Energy project fosters innovation, research and technological development by stimulating knowledge transfer and cooperation between the University of Zielona Góra and the Brandenburg University of Technology. This should widen access to scientific knowledge and support integration between both sides of the German-Polish border, leading to economic development.
- 14 September 2015
Renewable energy is a source of power that can replenish itself over and over again… [and] also considered clean energy because it does not produce toxins or pollutants that are harmful to the environment in the same manner that non-renewable energy does. Much of the world today is converting to renewable energy sources as a means of providing power to homes, businesses and transport in order to function more environmentally friendly.
The project comprises two sub-projects. The first, on effectiveness of heat energy in residential buildings, entails construction of two experimental buildings to the same specifications, except that one is wooden with low heat capacity, while the other is made of concrete blocks with higher heat capacity. Additionally, the buildings are equipped with heat air exchangers and ground-coupled heat exchangers. This allows the partners to propose the best building solutions with regard to life cycle assessment and life cycle cost criteria.
The other sub-project covers development of cross-border infrastructure to improve the environment and comprises actions to intensify use of renewable energy sources in households and vehicles. Two installations supplied by renewable sources were constructed for demonstrations, and a mobile laboratory emitting minimal noise and harmful substances was built to travel between the two universities and facilitate exchange between students.
Good use of energy surpluses
Two charging terminals for the mobile laboratory were set up, supplied with energy from the installations and made available for public use. Surpluses are used to power laboratories at both universities, which have been fitted with clean energy equipment.
A public access multimedia platform allows online monitoring of the installations and hosts up-to-date project information. This enables local inhabitants to learn about solar and wind resources in the area and estimate the benefits of fitting household installations using renewable energy.
Meetings and press conferences have been held and promotional material produced. The project has also given rise to four MSc theses.
Further research
Using the installations, the partners will continue joint research on unconventional energy production, use of electric energy and gauging of solar and wind resources. This should lead to permanent cooperation between the universities.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Green Energy” is EUR 1 076 561, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 915 077 from the Cross-border cooperation programme “Poland – Germany (Lubuskie-Brandenburg)” for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.