International Week

The University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld has organized the International Week for the third time, this year in digital form due to the pandemic. On 04 May, together with ITES, we invited to three international guest lectures within the International Week.

Our guests were Dr. Aboubakr Benazzouz from the Research Institute for Solar and New Energies (IRESEN) from Morocco, Prof. Dr. Stanislaw Babitch from the University of Ecocomics (UNECON) from Russia and Norman Andres Reyes Susano from La Salle University of Technology (ULSA) from Nicaragua. The topics of the events were the potentials and integration of renewable energies and electric mobility. Between 15 and 25 interested students and employees from the different countries attended the presentations and discussed the potentials and challenges of renewable energies and electric mobility in the respective countries.

The presentations started at 10 a.m. German time with the presentation of Dr. Benazzouz, who presented various projects for the integration of electric mobility in Morocco. For example, a tool for the integration of charging infrastructure is developed at the institute, which will present suitable locations, costs accruing and possible threats to grid security, and will assist in the selection at suitable locations and the dimensioning of charging columns. In this context, one of the participants asked, "Do any research institutions exist to address the vehicle-to-grid issue?" According to Benazzouz, this application is researched in a model region with many photovoltaic systems.

At 1 p.m., Prof. Dr. Stanislaw Babitch from Russia gave the next lecture. He presented the development of energy production and the associated risks ("Black Swans") in relation to renewable energies from a global perspective. In addition, two of his collaborators presented an overview of energy production and use as well as the EV and hydrogen market in China and the hydrogen sector, FCEV and transport and infrastructure for Liquified Hydrogen in Japan. Afterwards, the most favorable and future-oriented technology to produce hydrogen was discussed. According to Prof. Dr. Babitch, this is "black hydrogen" from an economic point of view, which is produced with coal. The next alternative is "blue hydrogen" produced from LNG (Liquified Natural Gas), which has the advantage that the gas network can be used for transport. In combination with CSS technology, production is even possible without CO2 emissions, added Prof. Dr. Haubrock.

The lecture series ended at 4 p.m. with Mr. Reyes, who presented a project in which a technical solution was developed to cool milk in farms with biogas. This is a cost-effective way for farmers to improve the quality of milk due to the low penetration of the electrical grid in Nicaragua. In addition, he presented the enormous potential for using geothermal energy in Nicaragua, in complement to the potential for renewable energy, such as solar and wind. Thereupon the idea came up to use it to produce green hydrogen. There are currently no projects for this, but it would be a "good possibility", Reyes said.

The lectures during the International Week were not only an ambience for professional discussions, but also for establishing international contacts. All lecturers offered students the opportunity to spend time abroad at their university, and the University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld invited international students to study in Bielefeld.