Global energy demand continues to rise, while at the same time the amount of waste from industry and households is still growing. Biogenic residues and plastic waste in particular often pose a problem when it comes to recycling: many of these materials, which are difficult to recycle, are disposed of in waste incineration plants. This not only means that valuable energy potential is lost, but also that avoidable CO₂ emissions are generated. The “EnerFuel” project at Hof University of Applied Sciences aims to remedy this situation: The goal is to develop innovative manufacturing processes for high-quality alternative fuels and combustibles from materials that have hardly been used for material or energy purposes to date.
During thermochemical conversion at high temperatures, residues are converted into energy-rich products. “Specifically, the gasification process is used for this purpose. This process converts solid, carbon-containing materials into a synthesis gas using a gasifying agent (e.g., air, oxygen, carbon dioxide),” explains Prof. Dr. Tobias Plessingk from the Institute for Hydrogen and Energy Technology at Hof University of Applied Sciences (iwe). This gas mixture, which consists mainly of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, and other light hydrocarbons, serves as a so-called platform product, i.e., a versatile starting material for the production of various fuels and combustibles. “The aim is to develop optimized fuel mixtures from plastic and biomass residues in order to ensure stable and efficient energy use and to contribute to the energy supply.”
And further:
“With EnerFuel, we are creating the basis for converting regional residues into marketable energy sources while reducing emissions at the same time.”
Prof. Dr. Tobias Plessing (iwe)
From laboratory idea to industrial application
To ensure that innovative processes do not remain in the experimental stage, the project combines experimental research with systematic modeling. Suitable fuel mixtures are developed and experimentally validated in laboratory and technical center tests. In addition, system simulations and validated process engineering models are used to realistically map and optimize processes.
A particular focus is naturally on the so-called “scale-up,” i.e., the transfer from the laboratory to the industrial scale. The aim is to develop viable concepts for economic implementation. Among other things, this requires ensuring the technical handling of heterogeneous plastic waste in gasification reactors, the development of stable fuel mixtures, and the assurance of consistently high process and product quality. The integration of regional material flows also plays a central role in minimizing transport distances and strengthening regional value creation.
The project process is divided into several consecutive steps: First, regional waste materials are comprehensively characterized. This is followed by the development and optimization of suitable fuel mixtures, their experimental validation on a laboratory and pilot plant scale, and finally modeling and simulation as a basis for industrial implementation.
Image: Hof University of Applied Sciences;
Strong partners for sustainable energy solutions
The “EnerFuel” project is being carried out jointly by the Institute for Water and Energy Management (iwe) and the Institute for Circular Economy at Bio:Polymere at Hof University of Applied Sciences (ibp). The project will run from March 1, 2026, to February 28, 2029.
Also involved are:
- blueFLUX Energy AG
- Böhme GmbH
- BtX energy GmbH
- Die-steeltech UG i.G
- ecoloop GmbH
- Green Energy Max Zintl GmbH
- GELO Holzwerke GmbH and
- SpannerRe2 GmbH
The project has a total volume of €1.34 million and is 90 percent co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
