On the way to the Green Economy

With its green ports, the sustainable food industry, the offshore wind industry and its small and medium-sized enterprises, Bremerhaven’s economic structure offers an ideal framework for the settlement of companies from the green tech sector.
 
In addition, the internationally renowned research and development landscape here provides important impetus for further innovations that contribute towards reducing harmful greenhouse gases.
 
Free commercial areas, which create opportunities for green economic activity taking into account the sensitive treatment of nature and landscape, as well as regional (climate protection) networks and initiatives are further plus points of the seaport city.
 
Find out who is already part of Bremerhaven’s Green Economy today and what economic perspectives there are.

Science in the service of the Green Economy

Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI) - Exploring the climate
As the Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) operates primarily in the cold and temperate regions of the world. It is one of the few facilities that are equally active in the Arctic and Antarctic. However, its employees also research the North Sea and its German coastal regions. The objective of the AWI is to decode the complex processes in “System Earth” – from the atmosphere down to the bottom of the oceans – and to understand the climatic processes. To this end, the institute cooperates with numerous national and international partners. AWI’s expertise is in demand: among other things, it makes important contributions to the climate report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
 
Centre for Aquaculture Research at the AWI
At the Centre for Aquaculture Research (ZAF), the controlled rearing of aquatic organisms such as fish, mussels or crabs is tested in modern aquaculture systems. The aim is to gain valuable knowledge for professional fish farming in compliance with high ecological standards. In addition, the connected laboratory offers a huge number of opportunities for research on environmentally relevant scientific topics.
 
Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems (IWES)
The Fraunhofer IWES secures investments in technological advancements through validation, shortens innovation cycles, accelerates certification processes and increases planning accuracy through state-of-the-art measurement techniques in the field of wind energy. At present, 170 scientists and employees as well as 70 students are employed at five locations: Bremerhaven, Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg and Oldenburg. In 2019, the operational budget amounted to 28 million euro.

Since its foundation in 2009, the institute has been able to set up unique test rigs, e.g. for rotor blades, nacelles and supporting structures, bearings and flexible shafts, as well as a measuring infrastructure and laboratories, thanks to extensive support from funding agencies. The test portfolio was developed in close cooperation with industry leaders who were involved in the development of test methods and procedures from the design phase. The combination of a globally unique testing infrastructure with methodological competence distinguishes IWES Northwest as a research partner for companies all over the world. Through its participation in international expert committees, the institute is an active pioneer for technology development and quality assurance in the wind industry.
The development and optimisation of wind turbines requires knowledge from a wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines. The Wind Energy Research Association (FVWE), comprising the partners DLR, the ForWind Wind Energy Research Centre and the Fraunhofer IWES, brings together the expertise of 600 researchers.
 
Bremerhaven University of Applied Science - Down from the ivory tower, up the beacons
Among the 24 technical, scientific and economic bachelor’s and master’s degree courses, a number of them bear reference to the ocean and climate, including energy and marine technology, building and wind energy technology as well as environmental technology. In exchange with local businesses, all fields have a vocational orientation and practical alignment. This applies above all to the master’s programme in wind energy technology. In four terms, it not only imparts theoretical/analytical, but also practice-oriented skills on issues specific to wind energy as well as on general topics of measurement and control engineering.
 
Thünen Institute for Sea Fisheries and Institute for Fisheries Ecology
The focus of research at the Thünen Institute for Sea Fisheries are the topics marine living resouces, marine ecosystems, operational observation systems, marine spatial management ans economic analyses.
The Thünen Institute for Fisheries Ecology conducts research on the topics marine envoronment, biodiversity and migratory fish as well as aquaculture.
 
DLR Institute for the Protection of Maritime Infrastructures
The DLR in Bremerhaven was founded in 2017 as one of seven new DLR institutes.  The Institute’s scientific and technical activities focus on the resilience of maritime infrastructures.

fk-wind – Institute for Wind Energy
Located at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, the institute conducts research in the fields of rotor blades and measurement technology and optimizes wind turbines. With success: in a project with industry, for example, a system consisting of electric heating elements and an intelligent control system was developed to prevent ice build-up on rotor blades.
 
ISL Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics - Sustainable logistics concepts by the water and behind
The ISL specializes in logistics systems, maritime economics and transport as well as information logistics. Interdisciplinary teams supervise the corresponding projects all over the world and ensure that innovative ideas are turned into practical solutions or sustainable business models on behalf of industry. The basis for this is provided by analyses of influencing factors, interdependencies and the development of the maritime industry and logistics sector – decisive for Bremerhaven’s future.
 
ttz technology transfer centre - Research service provider for food and resource efficiency
Under the umbrella of the independent ttz Bremerhaven, an international team of experts operates in the fields of food and environment technology. Novel processes to ensure food quality, the extraction of bioactive substances through the value-adding use of by-products, intelligent processes for (waste) water treatment – companies will find the right contact here for all these topics in order to further optimize their products and processes. New alternatives are also being developed for organic farming on the basis of practice-oriented research projects concerning the use of ancient grain types.

Sustainable business area Lune Delta

Green business