Ministry of the Environment,
Forests and Consumer Protection
Ministry for the Economy,
Commerce, Agriculture and Viticulture
he Circular Economy State
T
of Rhineland-Palatinate
The Circular Economy State of
Rhineland-Palatinate
2
Foreword
“The markets of the future are green”
Rising raw material energy prices due to growing
global demand is just as reponsible for fundamental rethinking within our industrial society as the
European climate control aims for the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions. Access to research and
new product and service developments are connected to this. As once stated by the President of
the Club of Rome, His Royal Highness Prince
Hassan of Jordan: “The markets of the future are
green”. German companies have developed “green
markets”, which have experienced a double figure
growth rate in the meantime, into an economic
sector of great importance. Germany is particularly
viewed as a global market leader in the market of
environmentally friendly power generation and
Rhineland-Palatinate plays a significant role in this
context.
Economy and ecology are no longer seen as opposites. While any cooperation between the two fields
would have been an exception only a few years ago,
integration of environmental protection into corporate behaviour is now seen as the best solution
against progressive environmental pollution and
the enormous resulting costs.
Margit Conrad
Minister for the Environ­
ment, Forests and
Consumer Protection
With its circular economy strategy which is applied
throughout the state, Rhineland-Palatinate goes beyond the requirements of German recycling and
waste laws including the optimisation of waste
flows which benefits the treatment of material and
energy flows. One important instrument is “material flow management”. This brings transparency
to the integration of material flows from the production of raw materials and manufacturing
through to consumption and disposal while highlighting the regional net product associated with it.
By putting the corresponding parameters in place,
the “Circular Economic State of Rhineland-Palatinate” also sees itself as an engine for private investment. The cooperation between the environmental
and economic ministries corresponds with scientific consultation through the “Institute for Applied
Material Flow Management” at the Environmental
Campus Birkenfeld at Trier University.
We have produced this brochure in order to give
interested domestic and overseas parties an overview of selected products, innovative technologies
and services related to environmental protection in
Rhineland-Palatinate.
Hendrik Hering
Minister for the Economy,
Commerce, Agriculture
and Viticulture
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
3
4
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Contents
Foreword
3
Contents
5
Circular Economy and material
flow management 6
1Sustainable municipal planning
10
2 An opportunity for conversion:
The “Zero Emission University”
at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld
12
3Hinkel Netzwerk International:
From waste disposal mangement
to circular economy
16
4 Sustainable strategies in industry 18
5 The paper industry –
a modern recycling industry 20
6 Recycling of used glass
22
7 Recycling of plastics
24
8 Recycling of scrap metal and electrical waste 26
9 Sorting and conditioning waste
28
10 Biomass machinery and waste conditioning 30
11Efficient power generation from
residual waste and secondary raw materials 32
12 Efficient wastewater treatment
34
13Thermal and agricultural recycling
of sewage sludge
36
14 Biogas technology in Rhineland-Palatinate 38
15 Material and energetic recycling of biomass 40
16 Heat of the future for Rhineland-Palatinate
44
17 Wind power 46
18 Solar power 48
19 Sustainable building design and renovation 50
20 Conservation of the cultural landscape
52
21 Teaching, informing, researching
and motivating
54
Project locations 56
Photo credits 58
Publication notes 59
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
5
Circular Economy and Material Flow Management
A
t the start of the 21st century, the growth of
prosperity and the global economy remains
closely connected to the increasing consumption of
energy and raw materials. The pollution of air, water and soil, extreme weather, the loss of biodiversity and social unrest caused by the increasing scarcity of (fossil) resources are the results. These developments represent a strong challenge to our
modern society. High oil and gas prices on one
hand, and the changing climate situation on the
other, are just the tip of the iceberg. Due to the
rapid boom in countries with high population levels, access to sources (resources) and decline (environmental mediums such as soil, water and air)
will become more intense. Continually rising demands are now facing continually diminishing supplies!
6
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
After the scientists were certain that they had established the causes and economic, ecological and
social effects of climate change and the increasing
scarcity of resources, they were able to deliver a
theoretical basis on how the earth can protected
from these negative changes. It is now time to create innovative concepts for the implementation of
sustainable economic models with efficient supply
and disposal systems.
Various approaches have already been developed
around the world to bring about more efficient use
of existing resources which should protect sources
of natural materials and minimise the strain on
natural sinks and therefore be oriented towards the
principles of sustainability. Models show that this
is possible without major cutbacks and show that
“twice the value for half of the resources” could
work quite well.
In the 1970s technologies were developed which
were solely aimed at the conclusive reduction or
elimination of the pollution created during the production process. Unfortunately this did little to address the causes of the negative effects that were
being created. After this phase of reactionary environmental protection, also known as the ‘end of
pipe’ approach, the 1980s saw the development of
the precautionary approach to environmental protection, with technical and organisational measures used to avoid harmful emissions at an earlier
stage, namely during the production process. This
in-house optimisation of material and energy flows
is also described as “Cleaner Production” and is
frequently accompanied by instruments such as
environmental management systems (ISO 14001,
EMAS), ecological balance and life cycle assessments. Based on the Rio Conference, the 1990s
were shaped by the concept of a sustainable and
stable environmentally compatible society as an
improvement and alternative to society concentrated on growth.
The United Nations University (UNU) in Tokyo described the “zero emissions” concept as “the next
step on the road to the integration of sustainable
approaches in industrial processes and the control
and reduction of damaging emissions and waste”.
This approach, which is being requested by the
UNU, is directed towards the sustainable cycles in
nature. The aim is the almost entire utilisation of
natural resources while simultaneously employing
maximum use of renewable materials in order to
bring the natural resources which are still present
in our ecosystem, back to a sustainable level. The
waste from production processes is then consistently employed as input for other production processes, even if it is unrealistic to expect comprehen-
Circular Economy
Ecosystem
Subsystem Economy
Eco-sufficiency
Efficiency
Environmentally friendly
design
Energy efficiency and
energy savings
Raw materials and energy
Ecological
product development
Product-integrated
environmental protection
Product liability
Renewable
resources
Regional material
flow management
Raw materials and energy
Modification of
consumer behaviour
Material
recycling
Inerting
Fossil
raw materials
Energy extraction
Landfill
Environmental
management systems
Industrial material
flow management
Energetic
recycling
Reutilisation and recycling
Energetic utilisation of waste
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
7
sive cover between input and output. The term
“zero emissions” must nevertheless be viewed as
an integrated treatment and a continuing improvement process.
In the United States the term “industrial ecology”
is gaining in poularity. “Industrial ecology” emulates the field of industrial production processes
based on ecological cycles. Around the globe, socalled “ecological indsutrial parks” are being created in an attempt to maximise the synergy between material energy cycles and therefore save
resources and stop decline.
In practice, new circular economy models and efficiency approaches with different focal themes are
being developed throughout the world at present.
They intend to aim at nothing less than renunciation of the linear economy which has been dominant up until now. Growth built on consumption
can only be successful in a period with cheap raw
materials and functioning sinks. However, in the
21st century, it will be those nations who can apply
the techniques and management processes of circular economy at the right time, who will enjoy
lasting success. Alongside China, Japan has made
particular efforts to improve its economic and ecological performance. The concept of the “3 R’s Society” has been enforced here. This refers to the
trading hierarchy based on “reduce”, “reuse” and
“recycle” while in Germany, the first directive according to recycling and waste laws is to avoid
waste. The secondary goal is the recycling of materials or energetic recycling in order to prevent the
removal of waste. In Japan, for example, “3R” is
pursued in the context of an overall economic reduction strategy which is significantly more compulsory than in other countries.
8
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
The state of Rhineland-Palatinate goes a step further with its circular economy applied throughout
the state. The term “circular economy” is not limited to the usual definition in the sense of German
recyling and waste laws and therefore not only concentrates on the optimisation of waste flows but
focuses on the optimisation of material flows (raw
materials, biomass, water, waste, energy, etc)
within a system. The Rhineland-Palatinate closed
circular economy strategy promotes business patterns that achieve the greatest possible completion
of material cycles based on the model of natural
ecosystem cycles.
The goals of the circular economy approach can be
described as follows:
l•Protection
of the environment through the conservation of sources and sinks
l•Reduction of dependence on resource suppliers
l•Cost reductions in raw materials and energy
provision
l•Minimisation of outflow of purchasing power
l•Creation and retention of local jobs
l•Formation of networks
l•Increased competitiveness
l•Establishment of regional net product
l•Conservation and stabilisation of areas of unspoiled nature with particular consideration for
the maintenance of cultural areas.
Material flow management is particularly suited to
the practical implementation of the circular economy approach which is described here. This instrument contains the necessary steps and measures
for the conversion from a linear economic system
(“flow-through society”) into a durable recycling
society (“circular economy”). Material flow man-
agement is oriented towards economic, ecological
and social principles. These are:
l•Integrated
consideration of the entire social system (consumption, supply and waste disposal,
infrastructure, commerce and agriculture etc.)
and its industrial activities
l•Linking of material and energy flows intrinsic
to the system and networking of the corresponding players
l•Utilisation of potentials intrinsic to the system
(raw materials, waste materials, processes)
l•Increased implementation of renewable energies and secondary fuels
l•Increase of energy efficiency in the private and
industrial area
l•Decentralisation of the energy supply
Material management links intelligent technologies with efficient, interdisciplinary planning approaches and systematic thinking. This enables the
activation and realisation of substantial potential at
a microeconomic and macroeconomic level. In a
world with dwindling resources and exhausted
sinks, this represents a series of new business options.
Germany can exhibit significant successes and
promising approaches in this area. As a Federal
state shaped by medium-sized enterprises, Rhineland-Palatinate stands at the forefront of the national efforts to optimise resources, save energy
and utilise renewable energies. A multitude of innovative universities, institutes and companies
join with modern municipal governments to demonstrate a working model of practical future viabilities. State government, universities and enterprises work hand-in-hand to establish a genuine
circular economy.
Technical, economic and administrative problems
are regarded as challenges which lead to even more
innovation and strengths.
This brochure takes sample projects to illustrate
how the first “integrated” circular economy approaches have been implemented in RhinelandPalatinate and how they have led to improvements
at economic, ecological and social levels. Citizens
and enterprises from Rhineland-Palatinate along
with any interested members of public and industry experts from throughout Germany and the
world are invited to visit, to join in a discussion
and to help implement a mutual circular economy.
Large new markets for optimising technologies
and management approaches are arising. The demand in water, energy, waste and resource areas is
turning towards intelligent concepts instead of the
old reactive “end-of-pipe” technologies. “Clean
technologies” and material flow management will
be major exports in the near future, or already are
today, in areas such as the energy industry.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
9
1Sustainable municipal planning
M
odern local governments are an important
partner in the effort to reduce dependence
on imported resources. They have the power to
stipulate efficient usage of renewable regional resources, therefore preventing purchasing power
leaving the region. Integrated, long-term optimisation of regional material flows not only contributes
to global climate protection, but also achieves an increase in the regional net product and increases the
attractiveness of the region for citizens and business.
Solar
drinking water
conditioning
Education/
research
Commercial
i
Biomass
Leisure
time
Extension area
Photovoltaic 2
Wind power
unit
a
aic
olt n are 1
v
o
c
ot
sio ai
Ph ten volt
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o
E hot
P
Energiesparlampe Ut lobore er ipsummo diatem quat alisi.
“Morbach Energy Landscape” development concept
Numerous Rhineland-Palatinate communities are
already successfully pursuing the basic idea of sustainable development; “Think globally, act locally”.
With its “Zero Emission Village” project, the West
Palatinate community of Weilerbach is seeking to
achieve an extremely broad based, CO2 neutral,
100% renewable energy supply for its 14,700 inhabitants.
Supported by a project study by the Institute for
Applied Material Flow Management, as well as intensive public relations work and the networking of
regional players (community, energy providers, agriculture and private persons etc.), five wind power
units (5 ∑ 2 MW) and roughly 90 photovoltaic units
with a generative rating of roughly 700 kWp have
been installed since the project’s launch in 2001.
These measures mean that approx. 50 percent of
the community’s overall electric needs are now already being met through regenerative sources, with
roughly 13,000 tonnes of CO2 being avoided in the
process. Local heating systems based on biomass
have been set up to provide heat to more than 450
residential units, as well as numerous small furnaces (pellets or firewood) and 140 solar thermal
modules across a collector surface of more than
1,200 m2. Energy-related renovations to all of the
primary school buildings have also managed to
make savings of 50% for heating costs.
Based on the successes to date, Weilerbach is planning the construction of a biogas plant, the expansion of local heating systems as well as more photovoltaic units. The community’s efforts have also
been accompanied by numerous individual initiatives, such as the founding of a bioenergy farm.
The Hunsrück community of Morbach has enjoyed
equal success with its “Morbach Energy Landscape”
10
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
The biogas facility with a nominal rating of 500 KW
of electricity and 700 KW of thermal energy was
brought into operation in September 2006. The renewable raw materials required for the facility are
supplied by agricultural operations in the region.
A photovoltaic unit on a private house, the Rodenbach Community Centre and the Rodenbach Primary School which are all located in the Weilerbach district.
concept. Wind power, bio gas and photovol­taic
equipment have been collected on the grounds of a
former ammunition dump and are networked with
the regional agricultural and forestry economies as
well as producing industries.
Following the formulation of a material flow concept, the first units were installed in 2001. 14 wind
power turbines now produce some 45,000 MWh of
electric energy per year. This is enough to supply
13,000 households with energy and save approx.
27,000 tonnes of CO2 every year.
A photvoltaic unit containing 3,072 modules with a
surface area of 3,460 m2 also contributes to renewable energy resources. This corresponds to a capacity of 455 MWh.
A wood pellet factory launched operations in the
immediate vicinity of the biogas plant in August
2007. The supply of raw materials is based on saw
and mill chippings produced by the Hunsrück sawmill. Additional wood chippings come from a log
cabin maker who has also set up business on the
site. The waste heat from the biogas plant is used to
dry the wood chips. The material and energy flow
between the Morbach energy landscape and the
neighbouring region is thereby formed into an exemplary circuit. In order to expand the economic
cycle even further, the products are marketed in the
region.
Since the start of the project in 2001, the “educational-touristic use” of the area has been part of the
overall concept, alongside the construction of the
energy units. Guided tours conducted through the
energy landscape are on offer now. An information
centre and energy education trail are planned.
All private households can now be supplied with renewable energy through the innovative energy concept. Within the next five years, local businesses
should also be integrated into the circular economy
of regional supply. This is the reason why planning
permission is currently waiting to be approved for
the construction of a wind power unit in the Morbach Energy Landscape which will reach a height of
210 m. This will make it the tallest in the world.
Photos: Left: A multi-fuel furnace in a private home.
Right: Wood pellet heating with a solarthermic unit in a private
house in the Weilerbach district.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
11
2An opportunity for conversion: The “Zero Emission University”
at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld
L
iving, learning and working in a special place:
The Environmental Campus Birkenfeld (UCB),
which is part of Trier’s University for Applied Sciences, is one of Germany’s most unusual higher
educational facilities. It offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum on Europe’s only “Zero Emissions Campus”, which is not only designed according to ecological construction concepts and cuttingedge structural and systems engineering, but is also
supplied with energy and heat free of CO2.
The Environmental Campus started operations on
1 October 1996 on the grounds of a former US reserve military hospital in the Birkenfeld district. It
was part of conversion measures by the State of
Rhineland-Palatinate.
The main focus is the “environment” and more
than 2,400 students, who are currently enrolled,
enjoy a education directed towards the future in the
specialist subjects of environmental planning/engineering and environmental economy/law. Environmental concerns create the link between the eight
Bachelor courses and nine Master courses of study
which require intensive interdisciplinary cooperation between the individual subjects. The networking of ecological, economic, technical and social re-
12
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
quirements serves the purpose of training students
in the analysis and optimisation of complex systems. These are highly valuable skills for their future careers. The practice-oriented education provides students with the opportunity to put their
theoretical knowledge to the test in numerous research organisations and centres of excellence located at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld.
The Institute for Applied Material Flow Management (IfaS), which houses the centre of excellence
for material flow management and the competence
network for environmental technology in Rhineland-Palatinate, is located on campus along with
the centre of excellence for fuel cells and further research institutions in various disciplines. The results of this research work make a significant contribution to ensuring the quality of the education
available here.
The environmentally oriented education is supported by the campus’ innovative design which also
becomes an integral part of the education.
The concept of “ecological construction” is applied
in various areas: A space saving construction style
contributes to the protection of soil and vegetation
as does the layout of biotopes and green spaces.
This allows the opportunity to avoid the soil sealing
over and supports the collection and infiltration of
precipitation throughout the grounds.
Strains on the water supply are reduced through
the use of rain water. Rain water from approx.
2,000 m2 of roof surface area is collected in two
rain water tanks and, after a mechanical purification process, is used for flushing toilets, watering
plants, for cleaning duties and as a coolant for an
adsorption refridgeration system.
Rain water which is not caught by the storage units
is directed onto a retention surface between the two
buildings where it can then soak into the groundwater supply. The roof surfaces are partially planted
to help maintain biodiversity.
Criteria relevant to the environment came into play
in the selection of construction and other materials,
such as the primary energy efficiency, the overall
energy balance of the products during manufactur-
The New Main Building at the UCB with rooftop garden
ing, the pollution emissions and the availability and
recyclability of the materials.
The energy and heating supply which neutralises
CO2 is provided to the Universtiy of Applied Sciences through a local heating network fed by the
biomass cogeneration plant in Neubrück, which is
located in the immediate vicinity of the campus, in
the “Ökompark” industrial and commercial area.
The woodchip burning facility uses renewable materials such as used and scrap wood as fuel, as well
as forestry waste, production waste from the woodworking industry and cuttings from the agricultural
sector. The two cogeneration plants use biogas from
the nearby fermentation facility for communal biowaste from households in the administrative dis-
Birkenfeld Campus at the University of Applied Sciences in Trier: The ecological concept
Fachhochschule Trier,
Standort Birkenfeld
Das ökologische Konzept
Rain
Wind
Rooftop gardening
Solar power
Solar collector
Heat recovery
Evaporation cooling tower
Photovoltaic
Energy
production
Transparent roof surfaces
Structural element
tempering
Overlay
heat insulation
through solid
structural elements
Trombe wall
Rainwater utilisation
Toilet flushing
U-value min.
Daylight steering system
Sun shading
Thick cladding
Rainwater tank
Heat reservoir
Heat pump
Overlay
heat insulation
Rainwater soakaway
Damp climate
plant facility
Adsorption
Cold
reservoir cooling machine
Exterior air without Ground collector
Exterior air via Ground collector
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
13
fering an overall generative power of 19 kWp were
installed on a total surface area of 370 m2. The modules are primarily integrated into the facade of the
glass building and help guard the adjoining connecting corridors from excessive glare and overheating in the summer months.
The campus’s electricity consumption is reduced
through the use of rooftop light shafts, known as
sky lights, since these reduce the amount of time
during which artifical lighting is required.
New Main Building at the UCB with three fresh air intake pipes
tricts of Birkenfeld and Bad Kreuznach to produce
electricity and heat. The fermentation remains are
processed into high-quality compost. Due to the remuneration available through Germany’s Renewable Energy Act, the electricity that is produced in
this manner is not fed directly to the campus, but is
fed into the public grid. Due to the fact that the volume of electricity generated greatly exceeds the annual consumption by the University of Applied Sciences, and the fact that the site can theoretically
cover its entire heating and power demands with
renewable energy, the campus has been classified
as a “Zero Emission University”.
This sustainable provision of heat and electricity is
supported through the location’s building and systems engineering.
Several photovoltaic units provide additional contributions towards energy production. Both multiand polycrystalline as well as amorphous cells of-
14
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Various efficient technologies are combined to air
condition the buildings.
The ventilation system for the new main building
comes through three intake pipes with fresh ambient air. First of all, the supply of air streams through
earth collectors which are 55 m long and buried
3.75 m into the ground. Given the practically constant 12°C temperature of the earth at this depth,
the temperature of the air flow can be raised or lowered by up to 6°C throughout the year. A heat exchanger and solid absorber for heat retrieval from
the used exhaust air also contribute to pre-warming
the fresh air. Through this pre-cooling or pre-warming of the supply air, the individually adjustable
room temperatures can be achieved with a substantially low expenditure of energy. Transparent heat
insulating elements were installed in front of various solid walls to act as a solar wall heater, reducing
heat loss and contributing to the conversion of radiation energy into heat energy.
On average, roughly 30 MWh of thermal energy is
drawn from the solar thermal units (260 m2/120 kW
power) which are applied to support the building
heating during the cold months as well as being
used for cooling in the summer months with the
help of adsorption refrigeration. The adsorption refrigeration machine uses heat from the solar thermal unit and district heating as the driving temper-
ature. A silica gel adsorption agent flows through a
tower cooled with rain water in order to produce
cool air.
This environmentally friendly building engineering
system is controlled and optimised using a computer-controlled building automation system. The system controls both natural and artificial lighting,
heating and cooling of the building as well as the
opening and closing of windows. The fresh air supply in the reading room is managed using CO2 sensors.
In the future, the intention is that the campus’ zero
emissions concept will be extended to include water. Preparations for an innovative and sustainable
water management system for the site are currently
being designed under the leadership of the IfaS as
part of the teaching curriculum and scientific work.
Alongside the usage of rain water which has already
been implemented, seperation of the water into
grey, brown or yellow water will take place, in order
to regain the nutrients contained. The remaining
waste water will be channeled into an extensive energy constructed wetland.
Ökompark Projektentwicklungs- und Marketing
GmbH (ÖPEM), a service enterprise located on the
Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, promotes the
principles behind the entwinement of research,
teaching and the economy. Business ideas developed at the UCB find their place in the sustainable
industry and commercial parks which are devel-
New Main Building at the UCB with solar thermal equipment
(integrated into roof and façade)
oped and implemented by the ÖPEM. Companies
located on the campus benefit from logistical and
supply-related advantages. The Ökomparks, as they
are known, are characterised by decentralised integration systems directed towards a circular economy, in which the synergy effects between companies are consistently used. Alongside the value
gained from waste recycling, the focus includes the
energetic use of waste and the increased application of renewable energy sources.
The Ökompark in the Birkenfeld district not only
houses the OIE AG biomass cogeneration plant
and the SULO Group biowaste fermentation plant
but also seven other companies from the fields of
software development, geo­thermal technology, telecontrol and monitoring systems, biometry, water
conditioning, waste disposal and building and systems engineering.
The Baumholder location is home to companies
who dismantle and recycle used electronic equipment as well as a lab for environmental analytics.
Together, the UCB and the Ökompark in Birkenfeld
establish a valuable partnership with potential for
economic and scientific growth.
Glass ceiling in foyer of the UCB (background),
Rain water infiltration area (foreground)
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
15
3Hinkel Netzwerk International: From waste disposal mangement
to circular economy
Modern societies are being encouraged to leave
their old concepts of waste behind and to recognise
waste as a regionally available material flow in the
sense of a circular economy, with potential for value
increases which can lead to optimisation of material and energetic usage. This in turn leads to optimised material and power consumption. Sustainable material flow management strategies and concepts ensure climate protection, waste disposal
safety, promote lasting relief of the environment
and the minimisation of national economic risks
such as maintenance costs for landfills.
M
any countries around the world are looking
to move from unregulated waste disposal industries to an efficient circular economy through
the use of regional material and energy resources.
Know-how and technology for the planning and
implementation of individual cycle-oriented muncipal waste management concepts are provided
through Rhineland-Palatinate’s Hinkel Netzwerk
International. The network develops municipal
waste management solutions for regions and communities in developing nations and emerging markets. The company is a single source for an entire
range of services which varies from the collection,
transport and treatment of muncipal waste and materials through to energetic and material recycling
of groups of waste and the storage of inert materials.
Photos: Above; Residual waste collection
Right; Demolition work/additional continuing processing of concrete on site
16
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
While tested and customised methods for the solution of technical aspects are available, it continues
to become clearer that the so-called “soft” factors in
the sense of social, national, economic and structural parameters must also be given an equally high
priority level. Therefore the prerequisite for the establishment of circular economy strategies not only
involves the adaptation of suitable technologies but
also changes to the respective social, cultural, financial, legal, institutional and political parameters. In
emerging and developing countries in particular,
special locally adapted concepts and tailored solutions are required. The Hinkel Netzwerk International offers contemporary and economic solutions
which place great importance on these “soft factors” due to the fact that local administrative structures are drawn into the planning process at an
early stage and the relevant civil authorities are offered long-term cooperations of between 15 and 20
years.
Six companies which are active in domestic and international markets and an institute of higher education belong to the Müll Hinkel GmbH network,
which is a medium-sized company located in
Rhineland-Palatinate. The waste disposal specialists are known for their vast experience in the field,
as are the other private sector partners from plant
engineering, logistics and vehicle construction
fields, who have come together as “Hinkel Netzwerk
International” to provide their services together on
international markets from one source. Starting
with the early development phase, the Institute for
Applied Material Flow Management (IfaS) works
with the companies on projects ranging from scientific designs of regional material flow management
strategies to complementary measures for product
implementation, such as tailor-made training and
further education programs.
Concrete product as a material for recycling
Hinkel Netzwerk International is able to create solutions attuned to local conditions which allows
them to compete successfully with larger corporations. The group’s first success came with the award
of an international tender for the collection, transport, treatment, recycling and storage of municipal
waste in the Moroccan port city of Larache. Since
August 2007, Hinkel Netzwerk International has
organised the management of municipal waste
from 120,000 inhabitants. The introduction of separate collections for groups of organic muncipal
waste which can be processed into a high-quality
compost to be marketed regionally, is a first in Morocco.
Reduced landfill volume with separated collection:
Biogenous waste
Paper & cardboard
Glass
Packaging (DSD)
Residual waste
Source: Fritz Schäfer GmbH
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
17
4 Sustainable strategies in industry
I
n order to maintain long-term competitiveness
on international markets, modern industrial enterprises are facing challenges about how to reduce
costs while acting sustainably. Numerous management instruments are available to companies for
the implementation of sustainable strategies. These
include environmental protection measures integrated into production, environmental management systems, industrial material flow management concepts and ecological product designs to
achieve optimum material and energy flows inside
the factory and beyond. All of these instruments
contribute to the conservation of resources and the
reduction of emissions.
18
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
When sustainability is anchored into the thought
processes in the organisational and management
systems of a company, it forms the basis for circular economics. BASF AG in Ludwigshafen/Rhine
has created structures to implement sustainable
corporate behaviour in its production processes as
well as in its supply and marketing units.
The “Responsible Care” centre of excellence brings
specialists from around the world together to develop sustainable management and guide the
company’s joint activities in the areas of environmental protection, safety and health. BASF has set
ambitious environmental goals and presents the
BASF has developed a method of analysing the ecoclogical efficiency of the life cycle of a product or
manufacturing process from “the cradle to the
grave” in terms of ecological and economical aspects. BASF is one of the first companies in the
chemical industry to implement this methodology
for deciding which products and processes are worthy of investment from an ecological efficiency
standpoint.
This has allowed the company to successfully balance production quantities and the fossil fuel energy required used to create them: Since the mid
70s, the fossil fuels requirements for the production of steam at the main factory in Ludwigshafen
has sunk by 44%, while production has increased
by approximately 59% during the same period. The
key to this success was the construction of an energy consortium that worked to convert waste heat
energy from production operations during exothermic chemical processes, turning it into steam directly on site and feeding it into the company’s
steam network. Roughly 55 percent of the steam
consumption at BASF today is covered through
waste heat utilisation and burning of waste materials from production.
In the production area, BASF has implemented
what is known as the compound design concept,
notable for its consistent and efficient networking
of individual production facilities. Lucrative net
product chains can be constructed through the connection of production facilities and the by-products
and waste products attained from production can
be applied in a new production process as raw materials.
The company also applies alternative fuels instead
of natural gas in its production facilities. The polystyrene factory in Ludwigshafen was converted accordingly in spring 2006; additional fa­ci­lities will
follow this year. The company is also pursuing the
circulation principle for its water management system. The goal is to keep water consumption low
and to use the water within the circuit as often as
possible.
Photo left: Factory grounds of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen
progress of the company in an annual report.
Among other targets, the company aims at emitting
10 percent less greenhouse gasses per tonne of
marketable product by 2012.
BASF, and its sustainability service “success”, also
provides its customers with sustainable solutions
in energy, product liability, health, safety and sustainability management areas. The services on offer
vary, depending on the region and industry, from
inventories and surveying to process and product
analysis and the corresponding development of
strategic solutions.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
19
5 The paper industry – a modern recycling industry
Paper machine from the Palm company in Wörth
R
hineland-Palatinate is an important location for
the modern production of paper, carton and
cardboard. Recycled paper and secondary fibre
sources have been a part of paper and cardboard
production since the process was first invented. In
terms of volume, recycled paper now represents the
most important raw material for the German paper
industry. The paper industry is an impressive example of how a circular economy can work through targeted material flow management with its use of
wood and recycled paper as raw materials as well as
its recycling management of water and the extraction of heat and energy.
Some Rhineland-Palatinate companies which are
heavily involved in recycled paper are Buchmann in
Anweiler, a producer of cardboard boxes, WEIG in
20
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Mayen, WEPA in Mainz, a producer of sanitary paper, and the Palm paper plant in Wörth. The paper
plant possesses one of the world’s largest paper machines for corrugated cardboard which annually
employs 700,000 tonnes of recycled paper as a raw
material.
Nevertheless, the addition of primary (wood) fibre
is still required when manufacturing new paper
from recycled paper. In Germany, these fresh plant
fibres are gained from wood produced from forest
thinning, which gives stronger roots better opportunity to grow, or from the wood chips produced by
sawmills.
The forests from which wood originates for use in
the German paper industry, are maintained sustainably. No more wood is removed than can grow
back again. This preserves the functionality of the
forest ecosystem. This applies both to the domestic
woodlands and to countries that provide raw materials to the German paper industry, such as Scandinavia, Canada or Brazil. A corresponding certification system has been established to ensure observance of environmental standards for responsible
and sustainable forest cultivation.
In addition to the increased deployment of recycled
paper and the sustainable use of wood as a raw material, the paper industry has also worked hard in
the past decades to achieve significant increases in
efficiency in the production process.
For example, the WEIG-Karton company based in
Mayen, uses fibre fragments and filler materials
from carton production to gain thermal energy.
The residual materials created in the process are
primarily used in the construction industry.
WEIG-Karton replaces the use of natural gas by
employing biogas created during waste water
purification. Waste heat from energy production
and carton manufacturing is fed into the city of
Mayen’s district heating system. This example
shows how the implementation of material flow
management concepts within and outside of the
company can even allow sectors which require a
high amount of energy, such as the paper industry, to apply efficient, sustainable business patterns and to put the immediate economic and ecological benefits to work for the company and the
environment.
Treated
water
Residual
materials
Te
rtia
ry l
oop
p
Water is an essential part of paper making, serving
as a transport medium for the fibrous material.
Through the establishment of captive industrial water circulation systems, only
ten to twelve litres of fresh
Retrieval and multi-uses: Water circulation in a paper factory
water are now required to
produce one kilogram of paper. Only a few decades ago
the number of litres required
stood at 50 to 100. Water is
now run through a paper
plant more than ten times.
Fibrous material
Additives
S econda
This circulation also allows
ry lo
Reuse
op
the heat contained in the
Fresh water
process water to be used sevPulp
Pulp
Waste water
conditioneral times.
catcher
purification
ing
During the necessary drying
P ri m a r y
loo
process for the paper, the paper industry reduces its energy requirements through
the reclamation of the heat
Paper machine
Paper
from the paper machines as
well as by in-house energy
production through cogeneration.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
21
6 Recycling of used glass
help of depot containers. The system successfully
separates the collection of glass into white, brown
and green glass. The glass collection system, installed in all corners of the nation, has not only
achieved the material reutilisation rates stipulated
in packaging laws (75% of weight is stipulated while
the current rates are over 90% of weight) but has
surpassed them.
Rhineland-Palatinate collected 26.7 kg of glass
packaging per inhabitant in 2006 and recycled over
109,000 tonnes from household waste; this represents a weight increase of 0.7% in comparison to
the previous year. That puts Rhineland-Palatinate
among the leading Federal states in terms of glass
recycling rates.
T
he return of waste glass (mainly glass containers from the food and beverage industry) into
the production process is one of the oldest examples of the consistent utilisation of resources. Germany’s glass recycling system has been in place for
more than 30 years. Glass can be melted down as
often as desired without a reduction in quality.
Melting of recycled glass shards requires significantly less energy than the use of primary raw materials.
For example, up to 90% of the shards can be used
for the production of green bottles. Waste glass is
therefore the most important basic material for the
production of new glass products. The collection of
up to 80% of glass packaging takes place with the
22
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Just like colleagues throughout Germany, manufacturers in Rhineland-Palatinate have oriented their
glass production towards an increased use of waste
glass shards and have adjusted their production facilities accordingly. The goal is the best possible
shard quality, i.e. the waste glass shards must be
free of foreign particles prior to their return to the
glass smelter and carefully sorted by colour. The
first stage of the glass treatment process involves
the removal of impurities as well as ferrous and
non-ferrous metals from the waste glass. An optoelectronic process is used to separate ceramics,
stones and porcelain from the raw shards. The next
step involves an infrared transmitting system to
sort out any remaining residual materials.
The sorting process in the conditioning facility produces granulated glass which is separated by colour
measuring between 0 and 60mm along the egde,
which is then used as a pure secondary raw material, especially in the production of new hollow and
flat glass containers as well as in the insulation industry. Upon customer request, the granulated
glass can be sieved to achieve an average size.
The G.R.I.-Glasrecycling NV company has been operating this type of facility for this type for hollow
glass treatment in Worms since 1980.
The EURA Glasrecycling GmbH & Co KG prepares
waste glass into a ready-to-melt glass powder. The
benefit of glass powder is that it is easier to handle
in comparison to glass shards and is easier to mix
with other raw materials.
It is now possible to manufacture fibre glass insulation with up to 70 percent recycled waste glass. As
part of the process, the sorted waste glass is melted
and then shredded. Glass wool created in this way
is then reutilised in individual insulation products.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, companies producing
glass wool from waste glass include Saint-Gobain
Isover G+H AG of Ludwigshafen, which produces
the material at its Speyer production site. The glass
Attic insulation using glass wool web from
Saint-Gobain Isover G+H AG
wool products have the “Blue Angel” environmental seal of approval due to the high content of recycled glass.
This production process is another good example
of a functioning circular economy; glass wool is
characterised by the fact that it produced from recycled glass and is recycable itself. Product residues
can be returned to the production process or employed as an aggregate in the manufacture of bricks
or tiles. The water required for production is also
channelled into a closed cycle, meaning that no
wastewater is produced and the supply of fresh water is reduced. Climate protection also benefits
from this process; the use of glass wool as an insulating material (in low-energy and efficient houses
for example) can significantly reduce both CO2
emissions and energy consumption.
Separated glass collection by G.R.I.-Glasrecycling
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
23
7 Recycling of plastics
P
lastics have become an indispensable part of
our daily lives. They are all around us. This
means that special emphasis must be placed on the
disposal of used plastics. Plastic recycling processes
oriented toward basic and raw materials close material cycles and are therefore a fundamental component of the recycling economy.
roughly 18,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually.
The source materials are used plastics from household waste collected in “yellow sacks” which are
pressed into bales. These are primarily taken from
regional sorting facilities. On site the materials are
then sorted again with magnets to ensure that only
a plastic mix is processed, which is comprised of
80 percent polyethylene, 18 percent polypropylene
and 2 percent foreign matter (i.e. paper and wood
fibres). Industrial production centred around intrusion, press, injection moulding and extrusion
processes allows for a variety of product designs.
The production program encompasses more than
1,000 articles, primarily in the garden and landscaping field. Alongside rubbish bins, tables,
benches, pots, palisades, composters and path
slabs, the product catalogue also includes fences
and soundproof walls. Due to their durability and
environmental friendliness, the products can be
used in a variety of applications.
Used plastics from household waste form the base material
for material recycling at Hahn Kunststoffe GmbH.
Basic material plastic recycling
Since 1993, the Hahn Kunststoffe GmbH company
has been operating under the brand name hanit®,
focused on basic material recycling from yellow
sacks (light packaging recycling). The Hahn Kunststoffe GmbH has its headquarters on site at Frankfurt’s Hahn Airport. The company conditions
24
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
RAMPF Ecosystems produces recycling polyols using PET waste
which flows into polyurethane production.
RAMPF Ecosystems from Pirmasens has developed Europe‘s
largest facility for thermal glycolysis
The company, a part of the international RAMPF
Group since 2003, also develops semi-rigid integral
foam systems based on Recypol®. A new production line for PUR moulded parts has also been constructed parallel to that. Some 45 different series of
moulds are being produced and are used in applications such as fitness equipment and transport systems for the automotive industry.
In the areas of research and development, the company is focusing on the pursuit of new polyols with
a vegetable oil basis.
Raw material plastic recycling
For more than 15 years, the company RAMPF Ecosystems has been working on the recycling of polyurethane (PUR) and polyethylene terephthalate
(PET) in Rhineland-Palatinate.
The extensive know-how at RAMPF Ecosystems
GmbH & Co. KG enables the company to provide
chemical recycling for almost all polyurethane applications, including obtaining high-quality recyclable polyols. Polyurethane is primarily used for the
creation of foams. Used plastics made of PUR are
purified into (recycling) polyol using a special
chemical process. This Recypol® or Petol® is then
redirected into the creation of polyurethane. The
company has developed a recycling plant for thermal glycolysis that is currently the largest plant of
its kind in Europe.
Products made of hanit® recycled plastic.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
25
8 Recycling of scrap metal and electrical waste
Grounds of the Steil company in Trier
T
Rhineland-Palatinate is the destination for scrap
metal from throughout Europe; used car chassis’,
machines, engines and other equipment arrive
from European companies of all sizes in the steel
and automotive industries. For example, the company Theo Steil GmbH works in the port of Trier,
running one of Germany’s most modern steel and
metal recycling operations. Scrap metal arriving at
the company is freed of foreign matter and contaminants to achieve the degree of purity required using an innovative recycling technology. Metal shredders, car compactors, scrap shears and sink/float
equipment reduce the scrap into small pieces and
he growing worldwide demand for resources is
mirrored in the constantly rising price for raw
materials and makes it clear that only limited
amounts of raw materials are available. Scrap metal
and electronic waste from households and industry
contain valuable materials that can be recycled and
conditioned into secondary raw materials. The use
of more modern and efficient recycling technologies enables an almost complete recirculation of
raw materials into the production cycle, while simultaneously channelling hazardous materials, or
other substances which could be a concern to the
environment, into proper disposal systems.
Left photo: Output belt for the shredder machine
with separated product
26
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
separate out contaminants at a precision of up to
one tenth of a percent. Theo Steil GmbH recycles
roughly 1,700,000 tonnes of scrap and non-ferrous
metals annually, which are then primarily reused in
the regional steel industry and regional smelters.
Günther Schmelzer GmbH from Ludwigshafen
uses state-of-the-art shredding and separation technology to recycle metal and scrap into a product
that can be directly deployed by steel mills and
foundries to produce steel. The equipment which is
used allows achievement of the best possible recycling quota because not only steel, but also other
metals such as aluminium, can be reclaimed. The
input material comes from both municipal recycling collection as well as the private sector.
The company RDE GmbH, based in Baumholder,
is a Rhineland-Palatinate company focused on the
recycling of electric and electronic devices. RDE
owns manual disassembly and sorting equipment,
including a hazardous waste depot for condensers,
batteries, fluorescent tubes and other products containing mercury. As part of its efforts toward preventive conservation of the environment, the company also offers consulting services in the area of
recycling-friendly product design.
ALBA R-plus GmbH also recycles electric and electronic devices. The company runs a cutting-edge
recycling facility in Lustadt that combines manual
and automated processes to enable recycling of all
kinds of electric scrap. The recycling technology
employed ensures a high degree of purity. The
groups of materials produced are marketed worldwide as secondary raw materials and are reutilised
in products in the steel and foundry industries as
well as the plastics processing industry.
Raw material separation for electronic scrap at RDE
A dry mechanical preparation facility for electronic waste at
Alba R-Plus GmbH in Lustadt
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
27
9 Sorting and conditioning of waste
TiTech Autosort system at work
T
he idea of waste as a resource – be it for material or energetic utilisation – is the core statement behind the recycling-oriented resource economy. The material recycling of glass, plastics, metal,
paper and building rubble, or the energetic utilisation of high fuel values as replacement fuels as well
as the energetic and material use of organic fractions from muncipal waste, all help conserve resources. The most important prerequisite for recycling material flows is the separate collection of the
individual fractions. This is possible through manual separation by the consumer or by using modern
sorting technology. Rhineland-Palatinate is home to
providers of both customer-specific sorting equipment with high level technology which is fit for the
future as well as disposal and recycling companies
who put the technology to work.
TiTech Visionsort GmbH started developing advanced technology for sorting material flows at its
site in Andernach which it now continues at the
new location in Mülheim-Kärlich. Its AutoSort®
MF, the most flexible optical sorting system in the
28
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
world, boasts a 98 percent purity level and an output efficiency of 95 percent, meaning that it is capable of fully automated sorting of waste based on
material types, colours and paper types. Up to 10
tonnes of material per hour can be efficiently sorted
if the purity level is secure and constant as well as if
the alignment of sorting criteria is flexible. Materials are illuminated on a conveyor belt while light is
reflected off them at a wavelength close to infrared.
This reveals a unique identification characteristic
for each type of material. Software then helps efficiently determine the material type, object size, object shape and position on the conveyor belt. The
sorting system also possesses a “Cyan, Magenta,
Yellow, Black” sensor that allows it to examine
printed paper and cartons for colour printing, sorting out materials from which the ink can be removed. The various colours for transparent and
opaque objects like PETP bottles are determined
using a ‘visual’ sensor. To improve material and colour recognition, ‘object view’ software is capable of
positively identifying the edges of the object and
therefore enable precise comparison of the objects.
TiTech sorting technology has been deployed by the
waste disposal firm “A.R.T Abfallberatungs- und
Verwertungsgesellschaft mbH” whose main reponsibility is the sorting of light packaging in the city
of Trier and the administrative district of Trier-Saarburg. In 2006, A.R.T GmbH separated some
60,000 tonnes at the port of Trier in its sorting facility for consumer goods packaging with the “green
dot” logo. One technique for separating plastics
which goes beyond the “conventional” status of
sorting technology is particularly forward-thinking;
the automated sorting of packaging using near-infrared technology for polyethylene (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene
terephthalate (PETP) forms the heart of the equipment. The plastic stream is conducted through an
air separator which then divides the remaining
plastics into flexible and dimensionally stable packaging one more time. The flexible parts are directed
into the mixed plastics section. The stable plastics
then reach a near-infrared seperator which automatically identifies the items belonging to a certain
plastic type and uses pulses of compressed air to
seperate them from the other materials. This produces fractions which are more than 92% pure.
Just like the foils, these plastics are pressed into
bales and delivered to recycling partners who can
make use of the high-grade materials.
Since 1980, Scherer + Kohl GmbH has been operating three conditioning facilities in which mineral
waste is conditioned into recycling elements. With
the third plant in Kaiserwörthhafen in Ludwigshafen, the company now possesses a mineral compound recycling centre which is unrivaled throughout Germany with an annual performance of
500,000 tonnes. The facility’s various process engineering possibilities enable the production of a
Recycling materials before screening.
high quality secondary building material. In the
goods-in area, mineral waste is separated into
diffferent varieties and temporarily stored. The materials are then conditioned into different mineral
building materials using a process in which the
contaminants are removed by multi-stage filtering,
milling, magnetic sorting and manual sorting.
These products are either utilised in road construction or foundation work, or are purified in the
cleaning station into high-grade secondary building
materials. The company’s goal is to manufacture
“secondary building materials” with the same quality as “primary building materials” thereby contributing to the conservation of existing natural resources. Even the waste products created during
the production of the recycling building materials
are channelled toward reutilisation; the “pre-filtered
materials” which are captured from building rubble
in the first screening process can be used as filling
material and is sold as such. The fine particles created during the breaking of concrete and hard rock,
known as coarse sand in the industry, can be used
in joint compounds or for the further production of
chippings. The secondary building materials created in this way are marketed regionally and along
the Rhine, as well as nationally.
In addition to mineral waste, slag from wastefuelled power plants is also conditioned into building materials. Ferrous and non-ferrous parts are
professionally recycled. Unburned slag parts are
manually sorted and thermically recycled in waste
fuelled power plants.
Demolition of a factory building – the concrete is separated from
the iron bars and will be used as a recycling material.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
29
10 Biomass machinery and waste conditioning
M
any material flows have to be mechanically
processed, conditioned, sorted or transported
prior to recycling. Innovative technical solutions
adapted to the customer’s specific requirements are
increasingly in demand on both the domestic and
international markets. Mechanical engineering has
a long tradition in Rhineland-Palatinate and is one
of the most important economic sectors for the
state. High-quality Rhineland-Palatinate machinery
underlines the demand for products from Rhineland-Palatinate on international markets. The export rates for the sector stood at over 60 percent in
2006, corresponding to a merchandise value of 4.6
billion Euros.
Since 1977, Rudnick & Enners Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH from Alpenrod, a town in Rhineland-Palatinate’s Westerwald, has been taking on
the problems of its national and international customers with its tailor-made solutions from a single
source. The engineering company projects, plans,
finishes and installs complete stationary equipment
Photos: Above; Fuel delivery incl. segregation of oversized pieces
at the biomass cogeneration plant Eberswald,
Right; Storage silos at the HAAS GmbH company
30
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Ship loading on the grounds of HAAS GmbH
for biomass conditioning for energy or material recycling as well as equipment for used wood or conditioning residual waste or for the manufacture of
wood pellets. Their speciality is the development of
applications ranging from single-stage solutions for
producing chippings directly from trunk wood to
stationary, multi-stage systems for permanent availability and maximum profitability. Even trunk diameters of up to 1,000 mm can be directly processed into chips. Alongside the milling technology,
Rudnick & Enners also delivers complete transportation, screening and storage technology for the
handling of biomass products, such as in the Ebers­
walde cogeneration plant. Rudnick & Enners also
has a refined solution ready for the production of
wood pellets, which is a perfect source material.
Particular attention is given to the quality of the
chips which help lead to significant energy savings
in subsequent processes and can be excellently reprocessed.
Dreisbach in the Westerwald district is home to
HAAS Holzzerkleinerungs- und Fördertechnik
GmbH, whose constant design improvements and
market-oriented production planning has made it
into a well-known producer and supplier of readyto-use scrap wood recycling equipment in recent
years. The company also produces further equipment and machines for grinding recycable materials. Founded in 1989, the family-owned company
started with the design and manufacture of vertical
and horizontal drum chippers, filters and transport
equipment for sawmill waste disposal. Nowadays,
HASS designs, produces and delivers complete
new and scrap wood treatment equipment for the
chipboard panel, paper pulp and paper industries,
as well as biomass equipment and mobile grinding
technology. An impressive example of scrap wood
treatment can be seen in the Van Vliet project in
the Netherlands, where HAAS constructed a scrap
wood treatment facility including treatment, sorting and loading systems. Chips with a purity level
of 99,5% are produced at the end of the process - a
level which can satisfy the highest demands for
quality. In the refuse recycling area (household,
commercial and industrial waste), the company offers an extensive product range of mobile and stationary grinders, filters and transport equipment
for effective treatment of accumulated material.
This allows the newly created products to be channelled back into the material cycle with less resource consumption.
Individual components and complete technical solutions for sustainable recycling of materials flows,
treatment of recyclable materials as well as waste
prevention, are some of the services offered by Vecoplan Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG. Founded
in 1969 in Bad Marienberg as specialists for grinding machines, Vecoplan flourished quickly, rapidly
growing into a leading national and international
mechanical engineering firm for recycling technology. The more than 15,000 customers for its tailored treatment equipment are scattered across five
continents. Alongside crushing technology, Vecoplan also offers a comprehensive, high-performance
range of transport, filtering and separation systems.
Waste treatment facility from Vecoplan
The convincingly high efficiency and availability of
the Vecoplan transport and crushing systems were
powerful arguments in Westerwald GmbH & Co.
KG’s decision to purchase mechanical treatment
equipment from Vecoplan. The company’s pregrinding machines are employed in various operations. The proven twin-shaft pre-grinder is especially well suited for household, commercial and
bulky refuse, as well as production waste. The key
factors are high reliability paired with robustness,
low operating costs and low wear and tear.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
31
11Efficient power generation
from residual waste and secondary raw materials
A waste fuelled power plant in Mainz
One of the most energy-efficient waste fuelled
power plants (MHKW) went into operation in
Mainz in 2003. In many ways, new ground was
broken with the concept for the plant; the wastefuelled power plant, erected in the industrial area of
Ingelheimer Aue, allows the generation of electric,
steam and heat energy from waste due to a link
with a state-of-the-art gas and steam turbine power
generator.
Two incineration lines in the waste fuelled power
plant energetically recycle some 230,000 tonnes of
industrial and municipal waste each year. Due to
the fact that the waste has a high calorific value, the
incineration can be conducted without the use of
additional primary energy. The construction of a
third incineration line with corresponding purification of the exhaust gas (construction period: February-autumn 2008) will increase the incineration
capacity by roughly 50 percent, to some 340,000
tonnes per year.
U
p until a few years ago, centralised energy and
heat utilities and industrial plants with high
heating needs primarily employed fossil fuels such
as petroleum, coal and gas in their production processes. Substitutions for these primary energy
sources by high thermal coefficient fractions such
as residual waste are now becoming more and more
important. In a circular economy, costly primary
energy sources are saved by the increased energetic
use of residual waste and so-called secondary fuels
which minimise the need for landfill space by inerting waste.
32
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
The steam produced in the waste-fuelled power
plant produces steam which is used to produce energy and district heating at the nearby gas and
steam turbine generation station (GuD-Kraftwerk)
of the Mainz-Wiesbaden power plant. The power
which is generated here is achieved through a gas
turbine in which the fuel is directly used for energy
production at first. The hot exhaust gases produced
by combustion are then used to produce steam in
the downstream production system for exhaustheat steam. This, together with the steam created in
the waste fuelled power plant, drives a steam turbine. The power generated in the facility corresponds to the electrical demands of over 40,000
households. A proportion of the steam is also re-
leased from the steam turbine and provides process
steam and district heating to external consumers.
The gas and steam facility achieves an electric efficiency ratio of 58 percent. The cogeneration means
that an overall utilisation ratio of 70 percent of the
implemented primary energy is achieved. Given
that the steam produced in the waste fuelled power
plant is the primary energy source and a substitute
for natural gas, CO2 emissions from the plant have
also been significantly reduced. Alongside the waste
fuelled power plant in Mainz, the State of Rhineland-Palatinate also possesses additional waste
fuelled power plants in Ludwigshafen und Pirmasens which also serve the generation of electricity and district heating.
BASF in Ludwigshafen also employs sludge for energy production. The incineration of the sludge
produces electricity and district heating, reducing
the use of fossil energy sources.
The company’s wastewater treatment system produces roughly 1.6 million tonnes of sludge annually, including a solid fraction of approx. 80,000
tonnes. The biosolids are conditioned with ash, coal
and flocking agent, then dehydrated and burned to
produce steam and electricity which can be used efficiently. Some 75,000 MWh of useful heat and
Fractions of municpal waste
60,000 MWh of electricity were generated in 2006.
The steam is also used to produce up to 12 MW
of electricity in a turbine generator station. Up to
15 MW of district heating are produced for the Technische Werke Ludwigshafen and an additional
4 MW for the BASF facility in Frankenthal-Mörsch.
Another possibility for energetic recycling is presented by the use of waste with high fuel values as a
secondary fuel in industrial operations with high
heat requirements. For example, the Dyckerhoff
Göllheim factory replaces up to 40 percent of its
fossil fuel requirements with secondary fuels for its
cement manufacturing proceses. These replacement materials include used tyres, used oil, high
thermal coefficient liquid waste as well as carpet
and plastic left-overs.
Old tyres for use as a secondary fuel
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
33
12 Efficient wastewater treatment
A treatment facility with a septic tank for the production of
digester gas
T
he securing of water supplies through efficient
water usage and the establishment of water cycles is a global challenge. Some 1.2 billion people
lack access to clean drinking water at present and
almost double as many live without regulated sewage systems. The Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate is meeting this challenge through efficient
centralised and decentralised water purification
concepts.
99 % of Rhineland-Palatinate’s population is connected to a wastewater treatment plant through
sewage systems. The expansion of wastewater facilities and a high level of connection to sewer systems have led to a decisive improvement in the water quality in Rhineland-Palatinate. Energy savings
and energy production are a main priority in the
ongoing process of constant improvement to municipal wastewater treatment systems, particularly
when considering ecological factors. This promotion of innovative technologies and strategies spurs
on the development of new processes to establish
material cycles in wastewater treatment.
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Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
“Aus Abwasser mach R(h)einwasser” (Turning
Wastewater into Pure Rhine Water) – that is the
motto of the Mainz wastewater utility, which works
to collect, treat and return contaminated water and
precipitation to the Rhine once it is ecologically safe
to do so. At the central treatment plant in the city
district of Mombach, wastewater from over 210,000
inhabitants and the associated industrial firms is
purified in several stages. The sludge created during treatment is channelled into septic tanks. Methane is obtained as a result of the organic substances
being degraded in the oxygen vacuum. The volume
of sludge is reduced even more once it is dried. Water which is filtered out during the individual drying stages is collected and returned for biological
purification and therefore completes the water cycle.
Closed cycles of this kind are also found in the area
of decentralised wastewater treatment. Decentralised wastewater treatment involves introducing
constructed wetlands (in municipal, commercial
and private areas) in locations where the creation of
a sewer network for central treatment plants is not
economical. Constructed wetlands generally consist
of sealed earth basins filled with filter substrates.
Reeds are planted to ensure lasting water permeability and to ensure that the filter substrate is enriched with oxygen. After a mechanical or partially
biological pre-treatment, the wastewater is channelled into one or more covered earth filters. While
the wastewater flows through the filter material, it
is biologically purified by bacteria and micro-organisms. Chemical/physical exchange processes and
binding reactions in the soil also make a significant
contribution to the purification process. The purified wastewater is then fed into a lake or river, the
underground water table or a water reservoir.
Rhineland-Palatinate’s areal – Gesellschaft für nach­
haltige Wasserwirtschaft mbH has been involved in
the planning and establishment of these constructed wetlands since 1990. In St. Alban in the
Donnersberg administrative district, one of the
company’s semi-centralised communal constructed
wetlands has been cleaning wastewater for the communities of St. Alban and Gerbach since 2004.
With 1,150 residents connected to the system and
three modules for rainwater, wastewater and sludge
treatment, it is considered as one of the largest and
most innovative constructed wetlands in Germany.
Alongside a pre-treatment pond with a volume of
1,100 m3, the facility also possesses over 2,750 m2
of fine filter and 1,250 m2 of coarse filter beds.
An example for a commercial implementation of
an almost natural wastewater treatment facility by
areal GmbH is the agricultural company Fehmel
near Mutterstadt. The constructed wetland purifies
the water for washing the vegetables, which is
strongly silty and contaminated with plant residues.
The constructed wetlands are designed so that a
large percentage of sludge and coarse plant waste is
restricted by the special sludge pits. The pre-treated
wastewater is then applied to two soil filters covered
with reeds which cover a total space of 800 m2. The
purified washing water is then collected in a special
storage reservoir and reused for the first washing
process. The organic and mineral remains from the
sludge pit are spread out across the company’s agricultural area. This means that water, organic and
mineral remains are 100 percent recycled.
Separation systems are planned to promote the implementation of closed cycles in the future. Separation systems prevent rain water and wastewater
mixing and contribute to a reduction in the volume
of water which needs to be purified. An on-going
approach for the continuing separation of material
Completed constructed wetland in St. Alban
flows is represented by the spearation of faeces.
The Ministry for the Environment, Forests and
Consumer Protection has started a research project
on this topic to quantify the existing potential for
the retrieval of nutrients.
In September 2005 the Ministry also started the
“Benchmarking Water Management in RhinelandPalatinate” initiative, which seeks an increase in the
energy efficiency of wastewater treatment facilities.
Energy analysis from selected treatment facilities
has shown that potential energy savings of around
30 percent can be achieved across the state. The implementation of concrete measures to increase efficiency in model facilities will make a contribution
to the strengthening of technology transfer in this
area.
Operational constructed wetland in St. Alban
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
35
13Thermal and agricultural recycling of sewage sludge
C
ooperation across the sectors for the efficient usage of material flows is a key indicator
for successful circular economy models. Therefore
an example can be taken from sewage sludge,
which is a recyclable material created at the end of
the wastewater purification process, and can be
used as a source of nutrients and as topsoil in agriculture. Contaminated sewage sludge can be utilised as fuel for the cement industry. The calorific
value and therefore the economic benefit of sewage
sludge increases with the sludge’s degree of dryness. While sewage sludge that has only been mechanically dehydrated is not ready for incineration,
dried sewage sludge possesses an energy density
which comes close to the calorific value of brown
coal. The recycling of sewage sludge is only efficient
if fossil fuels are not used in the drying process.
The State of Rhineland-Palatinate has successfully
implemented a variety of different concepts in this
area.
36
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Photo above: Interior view of hall for sludge drying in
Hochdorf-Assenheim
With an energy content of roughly 11 MJ/kg, dried
sewage sludge is becoming more and more interesting as a biogenous secondary fuel. A high level of use
is achieved through co-incineration of dried sludge in
cement plants, because the process of clinker production involves an energetic as well as a material recycling of sludge. The biogenous fraction serves as a
replacement for coal, the mineral portion is incorporated in the cement clinker. No ashes remain
from this process and there are therefore no extra
costs for disposal. This concept is successfully practiced by Dyckerhoff at its Göllheim cement plant.
The sewage sludge is dried for the cement plant in a
sludge drying facility in the Rhineland-Palatinate
town of Hochdorf-Assenheim, operated by the company WVE GmbH in Kaiserslautern since 2007.
The concept is based exclusively on the deployment
of renewable energy sources, since solar energy and
the waste heat from a biogas facility are used for
drying.
Since 2006, the biogas facility has been operating
on the premises of the agricultural farm of Friedrich Theo + Alexander GbR in Hochdorf-Assenheim. Some 5000 m3 of liquid pig manure and
8,000 tonnes of maize silage are processed each
year, with the maize coming from the surrounding
farm fields. Alongside the thermal energy which
covers the facility’s energy requirements and which
is used for the drying process, the biogas is utilised
in a cogeneration unit to produce electricity that is
fed into the public power grid and which is paid for
based on the German renewable energy law.
The EDZ drying facility, essentially an improvement on the existing solar drying facility, was
erected in the immediate proximity of the biogas facility. It consists of a hothouse and drying house
covered with plastic film, with a total drying surface
of some 1,400 m2. The facility is provided with heat
for the drying process by natural sunlight and
through a built-in low temperature underfloor heating system. This underfloor heating makes it possible for the waste heat from the cogeneration plant
to be optimally used for drying the sewage sludge.
unit. Transport to the cement plant is then handled
by silo vehicles.
The combination of biogas and drying technology
optimises the energy balances for the two components so that the sewage sludge burned actually
aims for a positive energy and CO2 balance for the
entire concept. The incineration in the cement
plant brings about material recycling which also
conserves valuable natural resources. All participants benefit from this exemplary cross-industry
cooperation: water resources management gains a
sustainable recycling path, the farmer gains an additional source of income as an energy producer,
the consumer is offered “green electricity” produced in their own region and industry also gains
an affordable, biogenous fuel that can be utilised
energetically and materially.
With its special transport and turning system, the
sewage sludge drying facility can handle approximately 5,000 tonnes of sludge each year. Solar heat,
and the supporting effects of the underfloor heating, vaporise the water contained in the sludge,
which is dried to a matter with a solid content of
over 90 percent on its way to the facility’s discharge
system. The exchange of the moist air in the facility
takes place through ventilation flaps in the roof of
the drying house. The dried material, which has a
solid, granular form and consistency, is transported
to a nearby silo using an elevator on the front of the
Sludge drying using solar heat and waste warmth from a biogas
facility in Hochdorf-Assenheim
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
37
14 Biogas technology in Rhineland-Palatinate
B
iogas is created by the fermentation of organic
waste materials from agriculture, commercial
operations and households, as well as from renewable raw materials. The production of various energy sources and forms like natural gas, electricity,
heat and cold or alternative fuels is what differentiates the technology from other renewable energy
sources. From a point of view of the materials, bio­
gas technology can be implemented for the biological stabilisation of organic waste materials and contaminated wastewater, as well as for the production
of high-quality fertiliser from fermentation remains. The benefits of biogas technology therefore
lie in its various areas of application in agriculture,
industry and at a muncipal level.
Germany’s biogas facilities supplied 5,400 GWh
of electricity in 2006. This corresponds to a share
of approximatey 7 percent through renewable energy sources supplied in 2006. This means that
38
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
4,041,000 tonnes of CO2 were saved. Some 90 bio­
gas facilities are currently at work in Rhineland-Palatinate, making their contribution to this success.
The commissioning of the 100th facility is expected
in 2008.
Nowadays, the treatment of biological waste through
fermentation in biogas facilities represents an economically and ecologically useful complement to
composting. Biogas technology not only requires
less space (space requirements are reduced by
around 30%) but odorous emissions can also be
substantially reduced as well. Significant benefits
in biogas technology lie in the positive energy balance and in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast to composting processes, the environmetal damaging methane gas which has an
influence on the environment and is 21 times
Below photo: Biogas facility in Nusbaum-Freilingen
stronger than carbon dioxide, is collected and energetically recycled.
Rhineland-Palatinate’s Recybell Umweltschutzanlagen GmbH & Co. KG, a subsidiary of the Bellers­
heim corporate group, set up a biowaste fermentation facility working on the single-stage mesophilic
BIOSTAB-wet fermentation process at its Boden
location. The biogas facility handles biowaste from
approx. 350,000 inhabitants in the districts of
Westerwald and Altenkirchen; this corresponds to
a total volume of 45,000 tonnes of bio­waste annually, with an approved capacity of 57,500 tonnes per
year. The facility feeds roughly 3 million kWh of
electricity into the public grid. The process creates
more than 12,000 tonnes of high-quality BioStab
soil from biowaste each year. This is a soil which is
recognised for its properties as a secondary raw fertiliser and soil enhancer.
An equally successful approach is pursued at the
Zentrum für Energie & Umwelt Systeme (ZEUS)
in Reinsfeld. For more than three years now, the
1MW biogas facility which was erected here, with
project management and turnkey construction handled by the general contracting firm ÖKOBiT, has
been fermenting a small proportion of regenerative
raw materials as well as a larger share of biological
waste material from industry and agriculture. The
biogas produced is converted into electricity on site
and provides more than 2,500 Rhineland-Palatinate
households with continuous electricity through the
public grid. In this context, it is particularly worth
mentioning that the concept behind the biogas facilities, where waste heat made available by the cogeneration plant, is almost completed used for the
hygienisation of the fermentation remains. By applying the fermentation remains as high-quality
fertiliser for the bordering fields, the nutrient cycle
Sanitation stage at the ZEUS biogas facility in Reinsfeld
is completed. The result is a renewable energy production cycle using biogas in a closed system which
is therefore neutral of CO2.
The use of waste heat is a decisive factor for the
economic operation of a biogas facility. NusbaumFreilingen, a town in the south part of the Eifel region, is home to a fermentation facility operated by
BOSZ-BIO-ENERGIE GmbH; the firm also runs a
plant for wood and the production of dried grass
meal pellets which serves as a concentrated feed for
dairy cows and breeding pigs. The biogas facility,
designed by the engineering firm H. Berg & Partner, annually produces some 1,800,000 m3 of bio­
gas from the mixed fermentation of liquid excrement from cattle and pigs, solid droppings, renewable raw materials, leftovers and fats. Electricity is
created through the energetic recycling of biogas in
a cogeneration plant and is then fed into the public
grid. Excess waste heat, the equivalent to roughly
400,000 litres of heating oil, is channelled into a
drying hall in the grounds of the biogas facility to
aid in the production of wood and dried grass meal
pellets. Through the combination of two technologies and the implementation of an innovative heating concept, the integrated use of biogas techno­logy
as an energy source is achieved.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
39
15 Material and energetic recycling of biomass
T
he potential for added value for biogenous
material flows has been adequately recognised; this is also reflected in the growing competition between material and energetic recycling of biomass. Waste materials from agriculture, forestry
or commercial operations as well as renewable raw
materials now represent valuable raw materials to
enterprises both in the woodworking and biomass
conditioning industries as well as for operators in
electricity and heat production. While primary raw
materials can be conserved through the material recycling of biomass, it is energetic applications that
serve as a substitute for fossil fuels and help reduce
CO2 emissions. As a state shaped by agriculture
and forestry, Rhineland-Palatinate offers high potential for energetic and material use of biomass, as
proven by the implementation of numerous pro­
jects and facilities in this field.
The company Nolte Holzwerkstoff GmbH & Co.
KG in Germersheim has been using an innovative
recycling process for material utilisation of chipboard from used furniture for more than ten years.
As a medium-sized manufacturer of furniture
based on chipboard, the company developed a proc-
40
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
ess for reclaiming material from chippings left over
from production as well as used chipboard from old
furniture. Reusing the chips to produce new raw
chipboard means an interaction with raw materials
which is more kind to the environment. The source
materials of raw chipboard and paper are optimally
utilised in multistage recycling processes. With a
capacity of 55,000 tonnes per year, the recycling facility allows savings of raw wood materials of
around 20 percent in the downstream chipboard
factory. The facility has also meant that 350,000
tonnes of used chipboard has avoided landing on
the landfill site.
Given the increasing scarcity of raw materials, annual and perennial plants are increasingly being
used as a resource by the woodworking industry.
The Ludwig Kuntz GmbH wood plant in Morbach
has been occupied with the manufacture of especially light chipboard from mixed raw materials for
a long time. Their production experiments have
augmented the traditional use of wood with alternative raw materials like rapeseed or crop straw.
Wood and hemp has already been used for the mass
production of light chipboard for the furniture in-
dustry. Additional mixes based on recycled wood
and various annual and perennial plants like maize
and miscanthus are currently being tested as part
of a European research project. The goal is to diversify the raw materials so that an especially light and
environmentally friendly chipboard can be produced, which offers similar mechanical and qualitative characteristics to conventional chipboard. At
the end of the product cycle, the mixed chipboard
can either be recycled or reused thermally, thereby
continuing to conserve more valuable wood resources.
Dried rootstock
Nowadays, agricultural waste along with waste
products from forestry and woodworking industries, can be used for the production of biofuels,
which is a form of added value in itself. RLP AgroScience GmbH in Neustadt an der Weinstraße develops concepts for thermal usage of solid production waste from fruit and vegetable plantations,
vineyards and distilleries. Germany’s wine producing regions produce significant amounts of grape
pomace and rootstock that are almost exclusively
disposed of agriculturally. As part of the “Pomace
as a solid biofuel” project, RLP AgroScience GmbH
is currently investigating whether the drying and
pelletisation of pomace and rootstock could lead to
a market-ready product which could contribute to
Pomace storage on the field
an economic strengthening of the rural area in the
medium-term and ultimately to the creation of new
jobs. The first test results have shown that it is fundamentally possible to create the fuel. The pomace
pellets not only fulfil the physical quality requirements as laid out in DIN Plus for wood pellets, but
even exceed the calorific value of wood pellets or
lignite, with an average calorific value of 21.8 GJ/t.
A pilot project is now intended to make further
tests on the use of pellets in corresponding heating
equipment together with the corresponding techniIncineration attempt with pomace pellets
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
41
The Mann company’s pellet factory
cal and economic evaluations. In the future, the
consistent implementation of this process, calculated for all of Germany’s vineyards, could lead to
some 265,000 tonnes of pomace and 318,000
tonnes of rootstock being utilised for energy with
no adverse effects to wine production. In terms of
fuel value, that would produce a theoretical energy
potential of approx. 1,400 GWh. This corresponds
to an equivalent of approx. 135 mn litres of heating
oil, or the annual energy requirements of 115,000
family homes and CO2 savings of approx. 354,000
tonnes.
Since 1994, the Rhineland-Palatinate company
Mann Naturenergie GmbH & Co. KG has been involved with the conditioning of biogenous materials and the production of energy and heat from biomass. The company processes shavings and wood
chips, by-products of the woodworking industry,
Right: Matrix for manufacture of wood pellets
42
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
into what are known as Westerwald wood pellets.
The heat required by the production process is provided through the company’s own biomass cogenerator. This is operated on the basis of agricultural
prunings. The waste heat from the biomass cogenerator is not just used to dry the wood chips, but
also to power a small district heating system which
provides the company premises and a hothouse
with heat. The generated electricity is fed into the
public grid. The installation of a flue gas condenser
in May 2007 increased the energy efficiency of the
facility and reduced emissions even though fuel
consumption has remained constant. Alongside
the planning, construction oversight and commissioning of large projects in the wood pellet industry,
the company also possesses experience in the operation of vegetable oil motors. As part of a pilot
project at the Langenbach site, used vegetable oil
(deep fryer fat) was successfully used in a motor
with 770 kw of thermal and electrical power. The
knowledge gained from the experience has been
used in several facilities across Europe with a capacity of up to 18 MWel.
The Mutterstadt company Zeller Naturenergie
GmbH & Co.KG conditions trimmings, wood and
used wood from the region into chips which are delivered to both smaller biomass heating units as
well as cogeneration plants in the region with several MW of generative power.
Rhineland-Palatinate possesses more than eleven
used wood power plants at present, whose capacity
high proportion of greenery trimmings as fuel as
well. The design of the wood furnace and its high
temperature aeration chamber makes it especially
well suited for the incineration of trimmings which
are moist. This allows a large proportion of the
trimmings accumulating in the Donnersberg district to be usefully recycled without the need for
prior drying.
Mann Naturenergie GmbH & Co. KG / Delivery and comminution of biomass
covers all of the state’s requirement. These are
joined by more than 160 large wood chip and wood
pellet units with installed performance of more
than 210 MW as well as several thousand smallscale units.
Kraft-Wärme-Wörth GmbH in Wörth am Rhein operates what is currently the largest wood chip heating plant in Rhineland-Palatinate, with 1.5 MW of
capacity. The unit provides numerous building
complexes in the vicinity with environmentally
friendly heat through wood chips from the region.
The buildings include several larger social institutions such as the Bienwald Residence, a retirement
centre with flats for the aged and infirm, a kindergarten and two high-rises, each with 100 flats. A
cogeneration plant is also part of the energy headquarters, providing the entire small district heating
system with electricity.
A 300 kW woodchip facility operated by Pfalzwerke
AG covers the entire base heating needs of the Eisenberg Realschule using CO2 neutralising technology. The woodchip heating system is not only capable of using normal wood refuse but also a very
The forestry department of Cochem makes a special contribution to added regional value through
the production of woodchips from the region’s
state, municipal and private forests. These are supplied to woodchip heaters which provide the Cochem secondary schools and the Moselbad swimming pool with warmth. The woodchip heating
plant is operated by a contractor. After the first two
heating periods, it was established that between the
A woodchip furnace including a heat exchanger for exhaust gas
Realschule and the Gymnasium woodchip heating
systems which require 650 kW and the additional
50kW from the retrieval of exhaust gas, more than
90 percent of the annual thermal energy requirements for the school buildings were covered. This
makes an important contribution to the supply of
CO2 neutralising energy for community institutions.
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
43
16 Heat of the future for Rhineland-Palatinate
Deep geothermal power
Test operations on a geothermal energy plant were
commenced in 2007 in the city of Landau. The geothermal energy is harnessed here using what is
known as a hydrothermal system which uses an
“Organic Rankine Cycle” (ORC) to convert the thermal water supply at a depth of around 3,000 metres
in the Upper Rhine trench into electrical energy:
For this purpose, the water, which has a temperature of over 150°C, is pumped from the bowels of
the earth to the surface using a production well. A
water/steam circuit is then used to create steam.
This drives a turbine. A generator thereby converts
the rotational energy created into electrical energy.
The waste warmth from the process is tapped using
a heating system that heats nearby houses while
providing them with warm water. The water cooled
down in the process is forced back underground
using an injection probe.
A drilling rig at the geothermal plant in Landau
G
eothermal power is based on exploitation of
the natural rise in temperature at increasing
depths of the earth’s crust. The Upper Rhine trench
areas exhibit temperatures of up to 200°C at only
three to five kilometres below the earth’s surface.
This thermal anomaly, as it is known, ideally fulfils
the prerequisites for efficient and economical use
of geothermal energy in Rhineland-Palatinate.
One major advantage in the application of geothermal energy is its basic load threshold, which means
that it is unaffected by the time of day or season
and can be produced used a very broad variety of
technical processes.
44
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
In the initial construction stages, the installed electrical power of a geothermal energy plant will total
2.9 MW. This could lead to the generation of some
20 GWh of electricity per year which would provide
around 6,000 households with their electricity
needs. Roughly 300 households will also be provided with heat during the initial phase using a
small district heating system. Additional communities will also be connected in the future and the
plant’s thermal capacity will be raised to 6 MW.
The project will not only make use of regional energy potentials and therefore help avoid the need to
import energy, but it will also make an active contribution to protection of the climate. Calculations
have shown that the geothermal energy plant in
Landau could save roughly 5,800 tonnes of CO2
each year.
The commitment by Rhineland-Palatinate’s power
suppliers “Pfalzwerke” and “EnergieSüdwest” has
played no insignificant role in the implementation
of the ambitious project. Beside the founding of the
geox GmbH, which unites both company’s competencies in the geothermal energy field, the power
suppliers also assumed responsibility for a significant part of the investment themselves. The Landesbank Rheinland-Pfalz, the Sparkasse Südliche Wein­
­straße and the Investitionsstrukturbank Mainz provided the project company with the necessary loans.
Additional geothermal projects are already planned
in additional locations in Rhineland-Palatinate,
such as Speyer, Worms, Offenbach (Palatinate) and
Bellheim.
Surface Proximity of Geothermal Power
State-of-the-art environmental and pumping technology now allows self-sustaining geothermal energy to be provided to private households. The energy volumes that can be achieved through geothermal power which is close to the surface can enable
the efficient operation of private thermal pumps for
heating and hot water supply in Rhineland-Palatinate.
For example, as part of the “Energiehaus der Zu­
kunft – Innovative Projekte für mehr Energieeffizienz” project, which is a project initiated by RWE
Rhein-Ruhr AG, the first “CO2-free heat pumping
community” was developed. To date, 18 buildings
Power
plant
Thermal
extraction
Decentralised
(replacement)
power plant
Production well
Injection well
Pump
Diagram of geothermal utilisation
have been constructed in the new “Mühlenflur”
building area in the Kröv-Bausendorf community
using the latest equipment technology. The innovating heat pump system uses environmental
warmth to heat buildings and to warm process water. Only some 25 percent of the electrical drive
power for the heat pump is required to make the
heat ready for use. This energy flows into the “Energy house of the future” from renewable energy
sources, so that the heating and process water heating in the building can be achieved completely free
of CO2.
Drill head switch during creation of the injection well
for Landau geothermal power plant
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
45
17 Wind power
Morbach Energy Landscape: Clean electricity is being created in
Hunsrück using a varied mix of regenerative energies.
In Morbach’s energy landscape, two experienced
Rhineland-Palatinate companies will be setting a
new world benchmark in the international wind
power sector. The region’s energy landscape already
possesses equipment to exploit solar and bioenergy
as well as an existing wind park; the Mainz-based
juwi Group is now planning construction of the
world’s largest wind power turbine. The wind
power technology to be used here originated in the
Westerwald district: The Fuhrländer FL 2500 has a
hub height of 210 meters. Thanks to new technologies winds at great heights can be used economically, which is of great interest to locations in Germany’s south-western region. The FL 2500 will be
positioned some 50 to 60 meters below the highest
point of the Morbach energy landscape. Given its
large tower height, enormous rotors and nominal
performance of 2.5 MW, the FL 2500 is expected to
produce roughly 6.5 mn kWh of electricity per year.
This corresponds to the energy consumption for
roughly 2000 households. Construction of the
equipment is expected to be complete in late
2008 / early 2009. The project required an investment of some 3.5 million euros.
A
t approximately 2 billion kWh of electricity ge­
nerated annually, wind power represents a significant contributor to renewable power generation
which is kind to the environment and is an important economic driver in the region.Numerous wind
parks and companies in this innovative growth industry make a solid impact on the creation of regional value.
46
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
The juwi Group and Fuhrländer AG have already
successfully implemented numerous wind power
projects in Rhineland-Palatinate. Several of these
projects are operated by pfalzwind GmbH, a joint
subsidiary of the juwi Group and Pfalzwerke AG.
This includes the wind parks in Dickesbach in the
Birkenfeld administrative district, in Haserich in
the Cochem-Zell administrative district, in Herx­
heimweyher on the southern wine route and in
Rülzheim in the Germersheim administrative district.
Rhineland-Palatinate also houses the largest wind
park in southern Germany on the “Windfeld Rheinhessen/Pfalz”. Twenty-eight wind power units with
a total installed generative power of 32.9 MW produce some 57 mn kWh of clean electricity per year
which is enough to power around 16,000 households.
Alongside new locations, further wind power potential in Rhineland-Palatinate lies particularly in
what is known as repowering, the replacement of
existing units through newer, more effective ones.
One of the first repowering projects in Germany
was launched in September 2003 on the Schneebergerhof near Gerbach in the Donnersberg administrative district. Two of the five existing wind
Lettweil heights: Eleven wind power units all rotate on the hills to
the southwest of Bad Kreuznach.
power units were equipped with more powerful
machinery, meaning that the five units now achieve
a total performance of 8.9 MW and generate 50
percent more total power than the older wind turbines.
These examples highlight the State of RhinelandPalatinate’s extensive know-how in the field of wind
power. Fuhrländer AG is the pioneer in the domestic use of wind power. The juwi Group is counted as
one of leading German companies in the field of
renewable energies by building and operating photovoltaic, biomass and wind power facilities. The
company now has 220 wind power units with a total performance level of around 350 MW in Rhineland-Palatinate alone and is also globally active.
Wind power unit 5 FL 2500 – 160 m tower
from the Fuhrländer company
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
47
18 Solar power
T
he economic use of environmentally friendly
primary energy is one of the central elements
of Rhineland-Palatinate’s circular economy strategy.
Suitable environmental technology can be used to
convert solar primary energy directly into various
target energy forms. The number of photovoltaic
and solar thermal units on municipal and private
roofs and surfaces is climbing constantly in Rhineland-Palatinate. The innovative power of RhinelandPalatinate industry also pays testament to solar engineering’s role as a growth industry in the state.
Since 2004, the City of Kaiserslautern has been
working on a constant improvement of its solar city
concept developed as part of the “Green Goal” environmental concept for the FIFA World Cup 2006.
A photovoltaic unit was installed in time for the
FIFA World Cup 2006 on the roofs of three of the
four grandstands of the Fritz Walter Stadium, with
work conducted by Solar Energie Dach GmbH.
Once finished, some 800 kWp in photovoltaics are
planned over a surface of 6,000 m2. The Fritz Wal-
48
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Photo above: Photovoltaic usage on the buildings of Lebenshilfe
Kaiserslautern (child care centre on the Nussbaum)
ter Stadium was therefore the most environmentally friendly football stadium at the FIFA World
Cup 2006. Additional photovoltaic equipment providing 3.5 MWp in total has been installed within
the city limits, as have solar heating units with a
collection surface of 2,105 m2 (as of 30/09/2007),
which is part of a joint project between the Landesbetrieb Liegenschafts- und Baubetreuung (LBB),
BauAG and Westpfälzische Ver- und EntsorgungsGmbH (WVE).
The multi-faceted potential for integration of alternative energy sources in urban construction is also
at work in a concept for a small district heating system supported by solar power for a new development. in the Rhineland-Palatinate town of Speyer.
The heating energy and hot water for the 9,300 m2
of residential space in the “Alter Schlachthof” residential district, constructed in 2001 using low-en-
ergy construction methods, comes through a 600
kW gas condensing boiler in connection with a solar thermal unit. The solar thermal unit is installed
on the roofs and carports of the residential village
and is planned with an overall size of approximately
550 m2 of collection area and 100 m3 of buffer storage. Once construction is completed, the solar energy will contribute up to 22% of the heating supply
for the entire community.
SCHOTT Solar GmbH has installed environmentally friendly photovoltaic modules for power generation in Neustadt an der Weinstraße, on the site of
the former Sembach US air force base, and in Bad
Kreuznach.
SCHOTT Solarthermie GmbH is a worldwide leader
in technology for receivers for second generation
solar thermal parabolic trough power plants. The
company has provided receivers for projects ranging from the “Nevada Solar One” power plant which
went onstream in June 2007 near the US city of Las
Vegas to “Andasol”, scheduled to go onstream at
Andalusia in Spain, in summer 2008.
alwitra Flachdach-Systeme GmbH in Trier developed a new type of technology to protect structures
against climactic influences even while directly converting solar radiation into electricity. It enables
double the amount of use of the existing roof surfaces through the integration of EVALON® Solar
plastic roof and liner sheets with integrated amorphous photovoltaic modules. The webs are very
light, flexible and can be laid like traditional plastic
liner sheets, because they adapt to any roof form
and at roughly 4 kg/m2 of dead weight, only make a
minor contribution to the load on the roof construction.
The Hunsrücker glass refinement company Wagener GmbH & Co. KG in Kirchberg has developed
transparent façade elements for the harmonised integration of solar technology in buildings. These
can be installed like conventional insulated or panelled glass surfaces in all standard building designs.
A thin film technology with amorphous silicon enabled the company to structure its VOLTARLUX®
solar power modules so finely that they appear
transparent to the human eye, although they allow
annual energy production volumes of up to 45
kWh/m2.
The companies juwi solar GmbH in Bolanden and
City Solar Kraftwerke AG in Bad Kreuznach have
enjoyed equal success both domestically and
abroad. Both companies operate solar parks producing energy volumes of over 20 MW.
Above photo: EVALON® Solar web, photovoltaic unit in the form
of a walk-on roof foil
Left: Photovoltaic unit on the Hovet ice skating rink
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
49
19 Sustainable building design and renovation
Bio-Solar House in St. Alban
Renovations to old buildings can also achieve significant energy savings. Innovative construction
standards in new construction as well as modernisation concepts for old buildings not only allow energy saving potential of between 50 and 80 percent
nowadays, but when combined with the use of renewable energy can also achieve positive energy
balances. Rhineland-Palatinate is coming up with
various trendsetting projects for the implementation of the circular economy principles in the building field.
C
losed energy and materials cycles are the distinguishing marks of high efficiency building
concepts. With a 41 percent share of end energy
consumption, households and small consumers
still represent a major factor in Rhineland-Palatinate while 90% of this energy is used for the supply of heat. The Rhineland-Palatinate state government is aware of the significant potential for savings and has therefore launched the “Unser Ener”
energy saving initiative. It aims at informing house
owners about competent consultation and promotion programs covering the topics of energy and
cost saving construction and renovation: The best
type of energy is saved energy. Saving energy is the
most reliable, affordable and environmentally
friendly way to ensure future supplies of electricity
and heat. This is the reason why the state government is sponsoring the construction of passive and
energy producing houses with 2 million Euros in
subsidies.
The new administrative building of the juwi GmbH company in
Bolanden; a passive construction with complete energy supply
through renewable energies
50
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
One such forward thinking project is the “House in
House” construction system, developed by Bio-Solar-Haus Becher GmbH of St. Alban. The house
has two structural shells, preventing rain from penetrating inside but allowing water vapour to escape.
Sun and wood deliver the energy, which is consumed over the course of the year. Due to the fact
that construction materials are comprised primarily
of renewable raw materials, the energy expenditure
for production of the construction materials is significantly lower than traditional construction methods. The construction system, which guarantees a
healthy living environment, has been implemented
hundreds of times across Europe. At its location in
the Sonnenpark St. Alban, the company allows potential buyers to experience the special living environment by trying it out before they buy.
The juwi Group’s headquarters in Bolanden is powered exclusively through renewable energy sources.
The renovation of an older building into a ‘Zero Litre House’ in
Ludwigs­hafen, Pfingstweide district
A 30 kWp photovoltaic unit feeds 27,000 kWh of
electricity into the public grid each year. The twostorey house, built using passive technologies, is
characterised by the active and passive usage of solar energy, the clear north/south orientation, consistent utilisation of rainwater and its wood pellet
heating system.
In 2001, the Lugwigshafen-based LUWOGE, a residential company of the BASF group, managed to
modernise a building from the 1950s into Europe’s
first 3-litre house. That means it has a heating energy consumption of less than 3 litres of heating oil
per square meter of residential space per year. Stateof-the-art Neopor® insulation material was used in
the process, as well as triple glazed window panes
and a controlled ventilation and exhaust to allow for
the extraction of thermal energy from the ambient
air. A fuel cell in the cellar of the building produces
both electricity and heat.
The next developments of the 3-litre house have led
to the “zero litre” or “zero heating cost houses” by
LUWOGE in Ludwighafen’s Pfingstweide district
through the integration of additional technological
steps. The pilot project demonstrates how energyrelated measures can be implemented affordably
for both tenant and landlord. Energy consumption
is reduced to a technical/economic optimum level
through energetic modernisation steps. During the
renovation of an inhabited structure from the
1970s, tried-and-tested building insulation and heat
reclamation technologies were supplemented with
additional innovative measures such as triple glazed
warmth-radiating window panes. The required re-
sidual energy is gained through the use of regenerative energy sources via solar collectors on the south
façade and a photovoltaic unit on the roof. The
saved energy costs are applied for refinancing. This
means that building and water heating expenditures are completely eliminated from the operating
costs.
Tenants do not have to worry about rising heating
oil prices as their rent payment includes the heating bill. In 2002, the city government of Wittlich
and the finance minister for Rhineland-Palatinate
decided to propose a test project based on the topic
of energy efficiency in new private residential construction. Regional architects and craftsman
planned and constructed twelve environmentally
friendly single family homes with 30 residential
units; 15 of these residential units achieve the consumption level of a passive house in their energy
needs, which means that they consume no more
than 15 kWh per square meter of living space per
year. The mere energetic optimisation of the construction plans can account for energy savings of
20 to 30 percent, as heating losses are minimised
and solar gains increased. Additional increases in
efficiency can be achieved through the deployment
of ground heat exchangers, a gas condensing boiler
or solar thermal units. A material cycle is achieved
in this model project through precipitation management: Rain water is collected separately and is
channelled into “retention surfaces” and “troughs” where it is infiltrated into the natural water cycle.
Photo right:
Thermal image of an office building
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
51
20 Conservation of the cultural landscape
N
ature parks are examples of a circular economy and represent a fair balance of interests
between commercial and tourist development on
one hand and nature conservation on the other. Nature parks integrate nature and resource conservation, recreation and tourism, environmental education, environmentally sound land utilisation and
regional development. They are the proof that the
integrated, sustainable development of rural areas,
as called for on a national and European level, can
work.
The Pfälzerwald Nature Park was founded in 1958
as one of Germany’s first nature parks. Today, at a
size of 179,000 hectares, it is one of the largest nature parks in the nation. In 1992, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named the Pfälzerwald Nature Park
as the twelfth German biosphere reserve in the
worldwide network of biosphere reserves, praising
its exemplary characteristics. The German section
of the Vosges du Nord/Pfälzerwald Transboundary
Biosphere Reserve was recognised by UNESCO in
1998.
The biosphere reserve has developed an integrated
concept to increase added value in the region. The
52
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
primary goal of the nature park was to maintain
and develop an large, extensively unspoilt landscape
as a recreational area which is close to nature,
where people from nearby metropolitan areas can
encounter nature.
In order for the biosphere reserve to contribute to
the quality of life and the economic basis of the
population and to strengthen the rural culture and
provide jobs, environmentally friendly cultivation
of land, the marketing of regional natural products
and socially and environmentally friendly tourism
is strived towards.
The marketing of regional products from the agricultural and forestry fields and from handcraft
trades ensure the continuing cultivation of land and
therefore the preservation of the cultural landscape.
The idea for the “Partnerbetriebe” project was born
by a core group of four organic producers with support from the biosphere reserve administration in
Lambrecht.Companies from the sanctuary work together as “partner companies in the biosphere reserve Vosges du Nord/Pfälzerwald” and develop
channels for marketing regional and sustainably
produced products. Particular priority is placed on
short transport distances. The concept has been ex-
panded to restaurateurs, forestry and woodworking
companies and now encompasses some 39 partner
companies.
The project “German-French Farmer’s Markets”
was also originated as an initiative against the decline of agricultural trades. This initiative supports
agriculture in the border region and the promotion
of direct marketing of high-quality regional products. Since 1999, a farmer’s market has been held
four times a year alternating between German and
French communities. This provides active, sustainable support for commercial operations and simultaneously communicates the exemplary concept
behind the nature park.
The contribution of various communities to the
Pfälzerwald Nature Park such as Leinbachtal bei
Waldleiningen has also been exemplary. The majority of plots in Leinbachtal have lain fallow for many
years. Agriculture in the valley is declining and the
region is clearly threatened by an overgrowth of
bushes and forests. To retain the traditional cultural
landscape and valuable habitat for grassland plants
and animals, fifteen Galloway cows now graze here.
For correct treatment of the species, they are kept
outside throughout the year for the management of
the pasture. These landscape maintenance measures not only secure sustainable natural conservation areas, but also provide new earning potential.
Nature and landscape guides support eco-tourism
in the Pfälzerwald biosphere reserve. Through nature and geography tours as well as sporting and
adventure programmes, tourists gain new insights
into the nature park while they learn about responsible interaction with nature in the Pfälzer­wald.
The Biosphere House in Fischbach bei Dahn supports the environmental awareness of tourists. As a
visitor information centre for the Vosges du Nord/
Pfälzerwald Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, it
provides a vivid education about nature, landscapes
and habitats. The unique features of the biosphere
house are not only found in the “treetop path” or
the “biosphere experience path” which are on offer,
but also in the architecture and power supply for
the house. The house is heated free of emissions
and is almost exclusively through the use of renewable energy.
Together with the forestry offices in the biosphere
reserve and regional partners, the “Sustainability
House” in Johanniskreuz offers a variety of consulting services. It focuses on the use of regional raw
materials and energy sources as well as questions
related to education and communication, leisure
time planning and forest regeneration as well as biotope and species protection. Sustainability House
sees itself as an institute which is an important element in a network of regional partners pursuing
the common goal of developing sustainable usage
strategies for the entire region. As a conference
centre, it offers a communications platform together with a permanent exhibition which provides
a connection between the concept of sustainability,
the people in the region and their activities within
the scope of sustainable development. The building
itself embodies sustainability through the energetically optimal layout, the direction of the house and
the use of renewable regional construction materials. The use of renewable energy sources is an important element in the structural concept as well.
Photos: Above; Museum shop with regional products in the
Sustainability House
Left; Sustainability House
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
53
21 Teaching, informing, researching and motivating
T
he concepts of the circular economy, from the
initial design through to final implementation,
require the establishment and distribution of innovative knowledge. The State of Rhineland-Palatinate
is home to a variety of institutes of higher education, initiatives and networks that offer comprehensive training and continuing education programs
as well as consulting, research and development
services in the area of circular economy.
International students at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld
In Rhineland-Palatinate, the need for information
on all specialised topics related to the circular economy is covered by the Effizienznetz RheinlandPfalz (EffNet).
Effnet uses a virtual information and consulting
platform to link the state’s various individual environment and energy-related initiatives and provides
comprehensive professional consultation services.
The EffCheck project/analysis for Product Integrated Environmental Protection (PIUS) in Rhineland-Palatinate was one of the services carried out
within the framework of EffNet. Small and medium-sized companies are provided with assistance
in examining their process workflow. With the help
54
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
of external consultants, numerous potential savings
in terms of operational Material Flow Management
are uncovered.
The State Office for Environmental Educational
Work in Rhineland-Palatinate (LZU) serves to promote and implement the leading concepts of sustainable development, from conceptualisation to
substantiation. In the past, the LZU has helped various circular economy projects to get started, such
as in the administrative district of Kaiserslautern.
They also provide financial support for these
projects. Motivated by the public’s interest in personal committment, the LZU makes a significant
social contribution to the education and involvement of citizens in the state’s recycling strategy.
Children and youths are given knowledge and motivated in handling waste as a resource through
school field trips to waste management facilities in
Kaiserslautern, Kirchberg, Ludwigshafen and Mainz.
Thanks to the experience oriented pedagogical concept, young people can learn about the idea of a circular economy at first hand. The SonderabfallManage­ment-Gesell­schaft Rheinland-Pfalz mbH
(SAM) points out possibilities for avoiding, reducing and recycling special waste flows. As the central
contact partner for all producers and waste disposers, the regional company monitors all special
waste in Rhineland-Palatinate in the sense of the
state’s circular economy strategy. SAM informs the
public through publications, further education
events, and individual consultation with companies, as well as an extensive presence on the internet.
The networking of ecological, economic, technical
and social requirements is all part of the student
education at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld
(UCB) at the University of Applied Sciences in
Trier. The experiences gained through the practical
elements of campus life teach the students analytical skills for optimising complex systems which is
important for their future careers. The practice-oriented education provides students with the opportunity to put their theoretical knowledge to the test
in numerous research organisations and centres of
excellence located at the UCB. The Institute for Applied Material Flow Management (IfaS) demonstrates how the circular economy can be applied in
regional concepts. The IfaS offers systematic concepts for optimising regional materials systems on
both national and international levels. Projects for
the efficient use of resources are developed and implemented to contribute to long-term added regional value. The IfaS also operates the Umwelttechnik Rheinland-Pfalz knowledge network. A
centre of excellence for fuel cells is also located on
the Environmental Campus.
Rhineland-Palatinate students also receive an interdisciplinary and a highly practical academic education through the Technical University (TU) Kaiserslautern, which is connected to numerous renowned
research institutions, transfer centres and cooperative networks. Efficient interaction with energy is
the elementary foundation for a circular economy.
The “Energy Efficiency Offensive Rhineland-Palatinate (EOR)” is located at the TU in the department
for Construction Physics and Technical Equipment / Structural Fire Protection. To promote rational energy production, distribution and usage,
energy saving and environmentally sound technologies and renewable energy, the EOR energy agency
provides information, helps match competent part-
ners and provides certification services for the
trades, industry, communities and private persons.
Competent advice on all questions related to sewerage is offered by the Center for Innovative WasteWater Technology, tectraa. Tectraa provides consultation services to wastewater treatment facilities,
companies and industrial plants on issues related
to wastewater treatment. It also offers advice to supply companies in the field of wastewater treatment
plant/sewage network planning and machinery and
planning offices for all issues related to process engineering and energy optimisation for municipal
water management facilities. An additional area of
expertise is the development and testing of sustainable processing technologies for the establishment
of water and materials cycles.
The curriculum at the University of Applied Sciences Bingen ranges from traditional engineering
sciences to modern IT and communication technology along with a broad selection of biology/natural science majors. Research in the area of rational
energy consumption and the use of renewable energy sources has a long tradition at the FH Bingen.
The transfer centre for “Rational and Renewable
Energy Consumption in Bingen (TSB)” has been
located at the site since 1989, working on the creation of energy concepts, the development of energy
systems, the adaptation of energy projects for companies and municipalities, the conduction of seminars and large information events along with the
operation of various experimentation and demonstration facilities. One emphasis is based on decentralised energy supplies through the development
and operation of the Virtual Power Plant RhinelandPalatinate.
Photos above and below: Students from the Environmental
Campus Birkenfeld out in the field
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
55
Project locations
24 Bad Marienberg
23 Alpenrod
48 Waigandshain
25 Dreisbach
34 Boden
21 Mülheim-Kärlich
7 Mayen
43 Cochem
47 Bausendorf
9, 26, 32, 49, 50,
69, 71, 72
Mainz
58 Wittlich
15 Hahn
36 Nusbaum-Freilingen
52 Kirchberg
65, 68 Bingen
37 Föhren
55 Bad Kreuznach
16, 22, 51
Trier
35 Reinsfeld
2, 39 Morbach
31, 59
Hengstbacherhof/St. Alban
3, 4, 63, 66
HoppstädtenWeiersbach
19 Baumholder
5 Alzey
56, 60
Bolanden
12 Worms
29 Göllheim
42 Eisenberg
41 Langenbach
6, 11, 17, 20,
27, 30, 57
Ludwigshafen
1 Weilerbach
33, 53, 64, 67, 70
Kaiserslautern
44 Mutterstadt
61, 62 Lambrecht
38 Mußbach,
Neustadt an
der Weinstraße
54 Speyer
18 Lustadt
14, 28
Pirmasens
8 Annweiler
am Trifels
46 Landau
10, 45 Wörth
56
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
13, 40
Germersheim
Sustainable municipal planning
1 “Zero-Emission-Village”
Weilerbach,
Weilerbach community
www.weilerbach.de
2 Morbacher Energielandschaft,
Morbach community
www.energielandschaft.de
An opportunity for conversion: The
“Zero Emission University” at the
Environmental Campus Birkenfeld
3 “Zero Emission University”
University of Applied Sciences
Trier – Environmental Campus
Birkenfeld,
Hoppstädten-Weiersbach
www.ifas.umwelt-campus.de
4 Ökompark Projektentwicklungsund Marketing GmbH,
Hoppstädten-Weiersbach
www.landkreis-birkenfeld.de/
oekompark
www.oepem.de
Hinkel Netzwerk International:
From waste disposal mangement to
circular economy
5 Hinkel International Network
Hinkel Group of Companies,
Alzey
www.muell-hinkel-alzey.de
Sustainable strategies in industry
6 BASF AG, Ludwigshafen
www.corporate.basf.com/de
The paper industry –
a modern recycling industry
7 Moritz J. Weig GmbH & Co. KG,
Mayen
www.weig-karton.de
8 Buchmann GmbH, Annweiler
am Trifels
www.buchmannkarton.de
9 WEPA Mainz GmbH, Mainz
www.wepa.de
10 Papierfabrik Palm
GmbH & Co. KG, Wörth
www.papierfabrik-palm.de
Recycling of used glass
11 Saint-Gobain Isover G+H AG,
Ludwigshafen
www.isover.de
12 G.R.I.-Glasrecycling NV, Worms
www.gri-glasrecycling.de
13 EURA Glasrecycling GmbH &
Co KG, Germersheim
www.eura-glas.de
Recycling of plastics
14 Rampf Ecosystems
GmbH & Co. KG, Pirmasens
www.rampf-ecosystems.de
15 Hahn Kunststoffe GmbH,
Hahn Airport
www.hahnkunststoffe.de
Recycling of scrap metal
and electric waste
16 Theo Steil GmbH, Trier
www.steil.de
17 S
chmelzer Günther GmbH,
Ludwigshafen
18 ALBA R-plus GmbH, Lustadt,
www.alba.info
19 RDE GmbH, Baumholder
www.rde-gmbh.de
Sorting and conditioning of waste
20 Scherer + Kohl GmbH,
Ludwigshafen
www.scherer-kohl.de
21 TiTech Visionsort GmbH,
Mülheim-Kärlich
www.titech.com
22 A.R.T. Körperschaft des
öffentlichen Rechts, Trier
www.art-trier.de
Biomass machinery and
waste conditioning
23 Rudnick & Enners Maschinenu. Anlagenbau GmbH, Alpenrod
www.rudnick-enners.de
24 Vecoplan AG, Bad Marienberg
www.vecoplan.de
25 HAAS Holzzerkleinerungs- und
Fördertechnik GmbH, Dreisbach
www.haas-recycling.de
Efficient power generation from
residual waste and secondary raw
materials
26 Kraftwerke
Mainz-Wiesbaden AG, Mainz
www.kmw-ag.de
27 GML Abfallwirtschaftsgesell­
schaft mbH, Ludwigshafen
www.ludwigshafen.de
28 ZAS – Zweckverband Abfall­
verwertung (Waste Recycling
Association) South West
Palatinate
www.zas-ps.de
29 Dyckerhoff AG, Göllheim
www.dyckerhoff.com
30 BASF AG, Ludwigshafen
www.corporate.basf.com/de
Efficient wastewater treatment
31 areal GmbH, Hengstbacherhof
www.areal-gmbh.de
32 Wirtschaftsbetrieb Mainz
www.wirtschaftsbetrieb.mainz.de
Thermal and agricultural recycling
of sewage sludge
33TWK Technische Werke
Kaiserslautern GmbH,
WVE GmbH, Kaiserslautern
www.twk-kl.de
Biogas technology in RhinelandPalatinate
34 Bellers­heim Group of Companies, Recybell Umweltschutz­
anlagen GmbH & Co. KG,
Boden
www.bellersheim.de
35 ZEUS Betriebs-GmbH &
Co. KG, Reinsfeld
36 BOSZ-BIO-ENERGIE GmbH,
Nusbaum-Freilingen
37 Ökobit GmbH, Föhren
www.oekobit.com
Material and energetic recycling
of biomass
38 RLP Agroscience GmbH,
Neustadt an der Weinstraße
www.agroscience.de
39 Elka Holzwerke – Lud. Kuntz
GmbH, Morbach
www.elka-holzwerke.de
40 Nolte Holzwerkstoff
GmbH & Co. KG, Germersheim
www.nolte.de
41 Mann Naturenergie
GmbH & Co. KG, Langenbach
www.mann-energie.de
42 Woodchip heating
Realschule Eisenberg,
Pfalzwerke AG, Ludwigshafen
www.pfalzwerke.de
43 Holzhackschnitzelanlage
Cochem,
Cochem Forestry Office
www.wald-rlp.de
44 Zeller Naturenergie
GmbH & Co. KG, Mutterstadt
www.zeller-naturenergie.de
45 Wörth ecological local heating
network, Kraft-Wärme-Wörth
GmbH, Pfalzwerke AG,
Ludwigshafen
www.pfalzwerke.de
Heat of the future
for Rhineland-Palatinate
46 Geothermal power plant
geox GmbH, Landau
www.geox-gmbh.de
47 CO2-free heat pump estate
Bausendorf,
RWE Rhein Ruhr AG,
Bad Kreuznach
www.rwe.com
Wind power
48 Fuhrländer AG, Waigandshain
www.fuhrlaender.de
49 juwi GmbH, Mainz
www.juwi.de
Solar power
50 Schott AG, Mainz
www.schott.com
51 alwitra GmbH & Co.
Klaus Göbel, Trier
www.alwitra.de
52 Glaswerke Arnold
GmbH & Co. KG, Kirchberg
www.glaswerke-arnold.de
www.wagner-gruppe.de
53 Solarstadt Kaiserslautern, District Authority of Kaiserslautern,
Kaiserslautern
www.kaiserslautern-kreis.de
54 Local solar heating
Speyer new-build estate,
SWS Stadtwerke Speyer GmbH,
Speyer
www.sws.speyer.de
55 City Solar Kraftwerke AG,
Bad Kreuznach
www.city-solar.com
56 juwi solar GmbH, Bolanden
www.juwi.de
Sustainable building design and
renovation
57 3-litre house & zero heating
cost house, BASF AG, Ludwigs­
hafen
www.corporate.basf.com/de
58 Model projects ”5-litre house
Wittlich”,Wittlich Town Council
www.wittlich.de
59 St. Alban Bio Solar House
www.bio-solar-haus.de
60 Passivhaus juwi GmbH, Mainz
www.juwi.de
Conservation of the cultural
landscape
61 Biosphere Reserve PfälzerwaldNordvogesen, Lambrecht
www.biosphere-vosgespfaelzerwald.org
62 Naturpark Pfälzerwald e.V.,
Lambrecht
www.pfaelzerwald.de
Universities and Polytechnics
63 Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, Birkenfeld
www.umwelt-campus.de
64 University of Kaiserslautern
www.uni-kl.de
65 University of Applied Sciences
Bingen
www.fh.bingen.de
Institutes and research institutions
66 Institute for Applied Material
Flow Management, Environmental Campus Birkenfeld
www.ifas.umwelt-campus.de
67 tectraa – Center for Innovative
Waste Water Technology,
University of Kaiserslautern,
Kaiserslautern
www.tectraa.arubi.uni-kl.de
68 Transfer Center Bingen, Bingen www.tsb-energie.de
Initiatives, networks and
associations
69 State Office for Environmental
Educational Work in RhinelandPalatinate, Mainz
www.umdenken.de
70 EffizienzOffensive Energie
Rheinland-Pfalz e.V.,
Office University of Kaisers­
lautern, Kaiserslautern
www.eor.de
71 Sonderabfall-ManagementGesellschaft Rheinland-Pfalz
mbH (SAM), Mainz
www.sam-rlp.de
72 Efficiency Network RhinelandPalatinate (EffNet), jointly managed by the State Office for the
Environment, Water Management and Commerce Inspectorate Rhineland-Palatinate
(LUWG) und EffizienzOffensive
Energie Rheinland-Pfalz e.V.,
Mainz/Kaiserslautern
www.luwg.rlp.de
www.eor.de
www.effnet.de
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
57
Photo credits
Alba R-plus GmbH (Page 27 below)
alwitra GmbH & Co. Klaus Göbel (Page 49)
areal GmbH (Page 35)
BASF AG, Ludwigshafen (Page 18 and 19)
Bio-Solar-Haus Becher GmbH (Page 50 above)
City of Mainz (Page 34)
District Authority Cochem-Zell (Page 43 right)
elka Holzwerke Ludwig Kuntz GmbH
Engineering consultancy H. Berg + Partner GmbH/
Dipl.-Ing. Frank Platzbecker (Page 38)
Fotolia.de:
Page 6 (Collage by H. Klein with inclusion of
photos from: Eisenhans, Patrick Doering, Roland
Letscher, Berca, Gerhard Bernard, Hahn Kunststoffe
GmbH (plastic waste), Pfalzwerke AG (Geothermal
plant Landau), elka Holzwerke-Ludwig Kuntz
GmbH (Tractor photo), digitalstock, photodisc)
Page 9: Eric Martinez,
Page 16 above: PDU
Page 16 below: Stefanie Maertz
Page 17 above: Franz Pfluegl
Page 33 below: Frédéric Georgel
Fritz Schäfer GmbH – Waste technology and
recycling –(Page 17 below)
Fuhrländer AG (Page 47 below)
Hahn Kunststoffe GmbH (Page 24 left, Page 25
below)
G.R.I. Glasrecycling NV (Page 22 and 23 below)
Günter Franz (Page 52)
Günther Schmelzer GmbH (Page 26 lower left and
right)
58
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
HAAS Holzzerkleinerungs- und Fördertechnik
GmbH (Page 30 upper and lower right)
Housing company LUWOGE (Page 51 above)
Institute for Applied Material Flow Management
(IfaS) and Weilerbach community (Page 10, 11, 54
and 55)
juwi GmbH (Page 46, 47 above, 50 below)
Mann Naturenergie GmbH & Co.KG (Page 42
and 43)
Papierfabrik Palm GmbH & Co. KG (Page 20
and 21)
Pfalzwerke AG (Page 44 and 45)
Power Plants Mainz-Wiesbaden AG (Page 32)
Rampf Ecosystems GmbH & Co.KG (Page 24 right,
p. 25 above)
RDE GmbH (Page 27 above)
Regional Forestry Commission Officer RhinelandPalatinate/Michael Leschnig – Head of the House
for Sustainability (Page 53)
RLP Agro Science GmbH (Page 41)
Rudnick & Enners Maschinen- und Anlagenbau
GmbH (Page 30 lower left)
Saint-Gobain Isover G+H AG (Page 23 above)
Scherer + Kohl GmbH (Page 29 below)
State Office for the Environment, Water
Management and Commerce Inspectorate
Rhineland-Palatinate (Page 29 above)
Theo Steil GmbH (Page 26 upper left)
TiTech Visionsort GmbH (Page 28)
Vecoplan Maschinenfabrik AG (Page 31)
Umwelt-Campus Birkenfeld (Page 12, 13, 14 and 15)
WVE GmbH Kaiserslautern (Page 36, 37 and 48)
ZEUS Betriebs-GmbH & Co.KG (Page 39)
Publication notes
Publisher: Ministry of the Environment, Forests
and Consumer Protection
Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße 1
55116 Mainz
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.mufv.rlp.de
Phone: +49 6131 16 - 0
Fax: +49 6131 16 - 4646
Ministry for the Economy, Commerce,
Agriculture and Viticulture
Stiftsstraße 9
55116 Mainz
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.mwvlw.rlp.de
Phone: +49 6131 16 - 0
Fax: +49 6131 16 - 2100
Institute for Applied Material Flow Management
(IfaS) on the Environmental Campus of the
University of Applied Sciences Trier in Birkenfeld:
Dr. Peter Heck, Nina Runge, Markus Blim,
Stefanie Erbach
Layout:
Harald Klein Design, Mainz
Printing:
Druckerei Lindner, Mainz
Mainz 2008
© Ministry of the Environment, Forests
and Consumer Protection Rhineland-Palatinate,
Mainz
© Ministry for the Economy, Commerce,
Agriculture and Viticulture Rhineland-Palatinate,
Mainz
Press date: January 2008
Editors:
Ministry of the Environment, Forests
and Consumer Protection
Department of Waste Management, Soil Protection,
Energy Management, International Environmental
Policy: Dr. Gottfried Jung
International Relations and Environmental Policy
Unit, EU matters:
Ilona Mende-Daum, Winfried Emmerichs
Fundamental Questions for Waste Management,
Material Flow Management and Product Responsibility Unit: Dr. Dirk Grünhoff
Permission is granted for reproduction and
cost-free dissemination, including excerpts, for noncommercial purposes under citation of the source.
Any dissemination, including excerpts, using
electronic systems/media requires prior consent.
All other rights reserved.
Ministry for the Economy, Commerce,
Agriculture and Viticulture
Foreign Trade and Trade Fairs Unit:
Jürgen Weiler
Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate
59