Renewable Energy Worldwide
June 2010 International Media Studies
inWent/DW-Akademie - Print 1
BY ANA CRISTINA WEGELIN
Renewable energy unites countries Cooperation in research gains momentum in the German-Brazilian Year of Science, Technology and Innovation
F
versities stands for the modernisation of the curricula in the sphere of renewable energy, as well as in assisting the implementation of sustainable energy policies in both regions. A survey mapping the tendencies of new employment possibilities in the field of renewable energy is a recent example of the JELARE Project’s activities, explained Prof. Baltazar Guerra of the Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina. One year to stimulate cooperation
FOTO: FLICKR
acing climate change is easier when the efforts to combat it are joint. This is one reason why Germany found in Brazil a partner to develop climate-saving strategies during the next 12 months within the German-Brazilian Year of Science, Technology and Innovation. German researchers are especially interested in Brazil’s experience in the production of bioethanol from sugarcane and in the hydroelectric power plants, whereas Brazil can benefit from the German knowledge on utilizing wind energy, biogas and biodiesel, explained Prof. ClausDieter Wacker, of the Faculty of Life Sciences of Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW), at the conference “Renewable energy in the German-Brazilian knowledge and technology transfer”, which took place on 30 April in Hamburg as the first event of the year of the German-Brazilian scientific partnership. An important part of the already existing network between the countries consists in exchange of wind energy technologies. Northern Germany, a national leader in wind energy production, offers about 20,000 workplaces related to renewable energy and equipment production, services and research, according to the Hamburg Chamber of Com-
Wind farm in Northeastern Brazil: possibility for cooperative research and development between universities.
merce. The technological knowhow on wind energy from this part of Germany can be found in many Brazilian wind farms. More than 500 wind energy plants have been installed there in the past 13 years by the Brazilian branch of the German company Enercon, and over 200 Brazilian engineers have already been trained in this field by German experts. In its turn, Brazil attracts the interest of German universities
Renewable sources in Brazil
Renewable sources in Germany Hydropower 7,9%
Other renewables 8,0% Firewood and charcoal 21,4% Hydropower 32,3%
Other renewables 6,9%
Wind energy 15,8%
Sugarcane products 38,3% Biomass 69,3%
Sources: Ministry of Mines and Energy and Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
and research centres as the second biggest producer of ethanol worldwide. Last year, more than 27 billion litres of the biofuel were produced in the country, which placed it right after the United States. “Brazil doesn’t cut off food production in order to produce bioethanol,” highlighted Prof. Celso Silva from the Universidade Federal Paulista during the conference. Brazilian methods and findings on renewable energy sources are especially interesting for Germany, considering that almost a half of Brazilian energy comes from renewable sources, compared to Germany’s 10 percent. Skilled personnel comes from universities As renewable energies attract attention worldwide and new technologies related to it
are constantly under development, the importance of well qualified workers grows. This is why it is important to constantly update the content taught at universities, emphasizes Prof. Walter Leal, head of the Research and Transfer Centre of Applications of Life Sciences at HAW, himself a Brazilian researcher working in Germany for over 20 years. “It is a great challenge for universities to approach the subject of renewable energy so that the new generation of engineers and scientists benefits from commercial and employment opportunities” he said. This problem is tackled by the Joint European-Latin American Universities Renewable Energy (JELARE) Project, one of the beneficiaries in the German-Brazilian Year of Science, Technology and Innovation. The cooperation of European and Latin American uni-
The German-Brazilian Year of Science, Technology and Innovation. has the purpose of joining efforts from both countries to face climate change and sustainable development through fostering new bilateral projects, promoting the exchange of students and researchers and applying the findings in new technologies and innovative projects.
. www.haw-hamburg.de
Opening up cooperation The JELARE Project expands the German-Brazilian partnership to universities in Latvia, Bolivia, Chile and Guatemala. From 2011 on, 240 students per academic year are expected to benefit long-term from the curriculum modernisation and other 120 research, teaching and managing university staff will benefit either from new research, cooperation or networking opportunities kicked-off by JELARE. . www.jelare-project.eu
Brazil: Germany’s most important partner in Latin America Matthias Frattini, of the International Office of the German Ministry of Education and Research, about the year that is expected to bring climate-friendly technologies to an entirely new level.
T
The International Office Matthias Frattini, 42, is the expert contact for Brazil at the International Office of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The International Office supports the Ministry in planning and implementing international cooperation programmes. Its objective is to strengthen international connections among German and foreign universities and research centres.
FOTO: HAW HAMBURG
he cooperation between Brazil and Germany exists for more than 40 years in the fields of scientific research and technological development. To celebrate this partnership, the governments of both countries established the German-Brazilian Year of Science, Technology and Innovation 2010/11, which was officially launched on 12 April. Today, finding solutions to global ecological problems is one of its most important tasks. How did the idea of the German-Brazilian Year come up? Brazil is the most important German partner in Latin America. For the last 40 years there has been active cooperation in many fields and the idea of the bilateral year was to show its diversity and to make it more visible to a more comprehensive public: society, students, people who may not have a good idea of what is going on in the scientific world, as well as to make it visible that Germany has partners all over the world. What are the environmental goals of the programme?
Both countries intend to work together to find alternatives to global challenges such as climate change and to achieve sustainable development. One question to be answered is how can we achieve sustainability with the use of resources? Who learns from whom? This scientific and technologic cooperation is, as we say in Germany, at the eye level. This means that both sides should benefit and learn from each other. We have
the idea of developing science together and gathering efforts from both countries. What does Germany expect from this partnership? The main goal is to intensify cooperation, take it to another performance level and open it to other fields. For example, Brazil has interest in biotechnology. Until now cooperation has been concentrated in the area of sustainability and water research, use of land and natural resources
may be interesting to have indusand marine sciences, but there are try partners as well. All funding other fields that can be involved. tools from the Ministry are open How are these environmental to the participation of companies, projects funded? but they cannot obtain the same There are many funding posas a university or research instisibilities. In principle there is this tute. Nevertheless, the idea is to rule that bilateral projects shall integrate more companies in the share the funding more or less scientific cooperation. equally, but this cannot be applied What is special about cooperato all the projects. Sometimes, to tion with Brazil? establish a new bilateral cooperaBrazil is such a tion, it is imporlikeable country. I tant that one side pushes it. This cooperation feel that the way of communicating is In the Germanbrings something very interesting for Brazilian Year the German scienthere is an extra beyond science tists. The feedback funding from I often get from the German side the researchers is that this coopespecially for seminars and workeration brings something beyond shops, such as the conference on science: it includes culture as well renewable energy in Hamburg, to as the personal exchange. On the intensify cooperation and gather other hand, German and Brazil scientists from both sides. differ in the pace of organising. Will the real economy benThat is why it sometimes may be a efit from the new environmental challenge to plan and arrange an technologies? activity together. The Ministry focuses mainly on funding applied research, and this . www.dbwti.de means that, in the ideal way, there are always companies involved. It . www.internationales-buero.de
”
“