Circular Economy: A meaningful second life - Nuremberg Metropolitan Region drives circular economy forward
The European Union wants to establish a circular and climate-neutral economy by 2050 - for a sustainable Europe in which our children and grandchildren can still live well. One idea is at the forefront of this: in a well-functioning circular economy, products are made fit enough to be reused several times. Many companies in the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region are already setting a good example.
Washing, brushing teeth, drinking - everyone needs clean water and the more people there are on the planet, the greater the demand. At the same time, protecting the number one resource is becoming increasingly urgent. Nuremberg's urban drainage system is also aware of this: the two large sewage treatment plants are the central locations for water treatment. They are not only major consumers, but also important power generators. To document energy consumption, the city uses the SIMATIC Energy Manager Pro from Siemens. The system collects data points from around 500 energy meters as well as from the process and building management systems. The data collected so far shows that the sewage treatment plant can already be supplied with 100 percent self-generated energy in many phases.
We have known for many decades that water can be treated and then reused. However, what has long been a reality for water is also becoming increasingly true for technologies, industrial products, hardware and the like: many companies in the metropolitan region are already driving forward the so-called circular economy.
Sustainable management
The concept aims to minimize resource consumption and use existing products for as long as possible. “The circular economy stands for a sustainable, resource-conserving way of doing business that remains competitive through innovation,” explains Dr. Lydia Bühler from the Supply Chain Services department at Fraunhofer IIS. The institute is working on this topic in a number of projects, including resource-saving artificial intelligence and X-ray-based screening of electric car batteries for secondary use.
Universities in the region are also aware of the issue: as part of the Bavarian research network “Intelligent Manufacturing Processes & Closed-Loop Production”, the University of Technology Nuremberg is working on the FORinFPRO project to develop AI-based and self-adapting manufacturing systems that allow the use of recycled materials, among other things. At the 'Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm', Prof. Dr. Stephanie Stute and her team from the Chair of Bioprocess Engineering have developed a more efficient production process for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) - a polyester made from renewable raw materials - in collaboration with the SKZ Plastics Center in Würzburg. Unlike many bioplastics, PHB can be biodegraded in nature within a few months. It is used, among other things, in medicine, where it is used for bone augmentation, as an implant or even as an artificial oesophagus. The companies involved in the project can transfer the results directly into industrial practice and evaluate them there. At Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, scientists are working on the EU-funded “REEPRODUCE” project under the direction of Prof. Dr. Jörg Franke. The aim of the project is to work with other research and technology institutions to develop a sustainable system for the complete and sustainable use of permanent magnets made from rare earths in Europe - on an industrial scale.
Regional companies lead the way
A look at the industry also shows the great innovative strength that exists in the metropolitan region when it comes to the circular economy. Drive manufacturer Baumüller, for example, equips recycling machines worldwide with high-torque motors. The electric motors are installed in shredders, among other things, which make it possible to recycle a wide variety of materials in the first place. IT service provider Datev eG relies on green IT and uses innovative water-cooled server cabinets in its data center, among other things, to significantly reduce its footprint and therefore its energy consumption.
At Siemens Healthineers, which has sites in Erlangen and Forchheim, Patricia Gehrlein oversees a circular economy program: "By refurbishing systems and spare parts, we are making ourselves less dependent on dwindling resources. We also effectively reduce the systems' carbon footprint, which in turn has a positive impact on our customers' environmental footprint," she explains. The company has been refurbishing its products for over 20 years, making them fit for a new life - exactly what a comprehensive circular economy requires. The Siemens site in Fürth also focuses on repairing and refurbishing products. Instead of simply disposing of old products, they are turned into the resources of tomorrow. The Fürth Repair Center thus offers an extended service that goes far beyond the normal product service life.
Development is still in its infancy. However, industry, research and society in the metropolitan region are already actively working towards a more sustainable Europe.
