Dr.-Ing. Andy Gradel, senior engineer at the Institute for Water and Energy Management (iwe) at Hof University of Applied Sciences, has now been awarded the Rainer Markgraf Prize 2021, following the “Young Academics Award for Bioenergy 2020,” the foundation of the same name has now announced. From more than 30 recommendations for this year’s Rainer Markgraf Prize, the decision was finally made in favor of Dr. Andy Gradel, who worked on the development of the AutAllo wood gasification process in his doctoral thesis submitted to the University of Bayreuth and has since created a wide network on this topic. He co-founded the company BtX energy at the digital start-up center Einstein1 in Hof. As a young, dynamic and practice-oriented scientist and researcher, Andy Gradel takes on challenges and knows how to build networks.
The Rainer Markgraf Foundation received numerous recommendations from a wide variety of projects, initiatives and individuals for the prize. In the past weeks, foundation board member Florian Prosch and board assistant Katharina Hammon reviewed the submitted recommendations from the two regions of Upper Franconia and Upper Palatinate. In the end, the foundation’s board of directors and board of trustees made a clear decision: The 20,000 euro Rainer Markgraf Prize 2021 will be awarded to Mr. Andy Gradel.
Recommendation from “Einstein1
The award winner was visibly surprised when Foundation Director Florian Prosch informed him of the award at the end of September. Officially, Andy Gradel had been invited to an appointment with Florian Prosch and Dr. Jens Löbus, the new managing director of the digital startup center Einstein1 in Hof. When asked what it was all about, he was told the happy news by Florian Prosch: “You will receive the Rainer Markgraf Award 2021!” Even though Andy Gradel could not believe it at first that he was nominated for the prize, his joy at this news was exceedingly great. Dr. Jens Löbus, who submitted the recommendation, confirmed the foundation’s decision and emphasized that Andy Gradel more than deserves this award.
Scientist and founder
Dr.-Ing. Andy Gradel, senior engineer at the Institute for Water and Energy Management at Hof University of Applied Sciences, dealt with the development of the AutAllo wood gasification process in his doctorate submitted to the University of Bayreuth and has created a wide network on this topic. He co-founded the company BtX energy at the digital start-up center Einstein1 in Hof. As a young, dynamic and practice-oriented scientist and researcher, Andy Gradel faces challenges and knows how to build networks.
The company BtX energy stands for clean and sustainable solutions in the course of the energy transition. As a spin-off from WS Wärmeprozesstechnik GmbH (winner of the German Environmental Award) in the course of the project with the Institute for Water and Energy Management at Hof University of Applied Sciences, BtX energy GmbH is defined by innovative thinking and a responsible approach to resources. As an innovative start-up for a green future, the company is a member of the BMWi’s Hydrogen Research Network, the Hydrogen Alliance of Bavaria and the Biogas Association.
The board of the Rainer Markgraf Foundation as well as the foundation board see Mr. Gradel as a worthy bearer of the Rainer Markgraf Prize 2021. He knows how to motivate young people to get enthusiastic about research and stands for the young generation of entrepreneurs in our home region.
Further information on the award ceremony, which is still to be announced, will be provided.
(Press release Rainer Markgraf Foundation)
