Clean Circles wins TU Darmstadt ideas competition
Research idea Metal-to-H2 and Heat awarded in two areas
2024/10/04
The research idea MetalH2eat (short for Metal-to-H2 and Heat) has won two prizes in the TU Ideenwettberb (TU Darmstadt Idea Contest): first place in the Scientists category and the Merck Sustainability Prize. The award ceremony took place on 26 September at the TU Darmstadt's InnoDay 2024.
MetalH2eat directly addresses the research from Clean Circles: Metals can serve as storage for renewable energy and provide two ingredients for the energy transition on demand: Heat at high temperatures and hydrogen. This is made possible by the oxidation of, for example, iron or aluminium with water (vapour). As with other applications of metal fuels, the metal is not consumed and can be recharged like a battery. This is how sustainable energy cycles are possible.
Dr.-Ing. Marius Schmidt, Prof. Dr. Christian Hasse and Prof. Dr. Andreas Dreizler pitched the concept in several rounds on behalf of the Clean Circles researchers. The jury for the Scientists category and the Merck Special Prize for Sustainability were convinced and emphasised the high relevance for industry and the energy sector.
The competition
The TU Ideenwettbewerb (TU Darmstadt Idea Competition) offers scientists, students, alumni and all TU members the opportunity to present and advance their own innovative product or business ideas or research results with commercialisation potential.
A jury of experts made up of representatives from start-ups, business, science and politics will test the ideas for their marketing and innovation potential. After a multi-stage selection process involving pitches, the best ideas were presented and awarded prizes at the darmstadtium on 26 September 2024.
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