On 30 October 2018, the award ceremony for the Austria State Prize2018 Environment and Energy Technology and the Special Prize2018 for Resource Efficiency took place in the MUMUTH (House of Music and Music Drama of the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz). The winners of the highest national accolade in the area of environment technology were ecop Technologies GmbH, Fronius International GmbH and Compuritas GmbH.
“In Austria there is an above average number of innovative companies in the areas of environment technology and renewable energy. With their efficient technologies and innovative products they contribute to growth, wealth and jobs and are very successful on both a national and international level”, Federal Minister Elisabeth Köstinger emphasised.
“Austrian energy and environment technology companies are important drivers for future energy supply, the intelligent production of the future as well as the bio‑based industry. This Austrian sector has acquired an excellent reputation on international markets and contributes significantly to increasing Austria’s competitiveness”, underlined Federal Minister Norbert Hofer.
The following projects won the Austrian State Prize 2018 Environment and Energy Technology and the Special Prize2018 Resource Efficiency:
Category “Environment, Climate and Energy”: On behalf of Federal Minister Köstinger, Secretary General Josef Plank awarded the prize to ecop Technologies GmbH for their ROTATION HEAT PUMP project. This industrial heat pump uses a different physical process to that employed by conventional heat pumps. The target customers of this project are primarily district heating companies and industrial businesses working with temperatures of up to 150°C; the pump can also be used, however, for refrigeration.
Category “Research und Innovation”: On behalf of Federal Minister Norbert Hofer, head of department Christian Weissenburger presented the prize to Fronius International GmbH for the SOLH2UB project. Solar energy is stored in a decentralised hub in the form of green hydrogen, thereby enabling the innovative integration of the electricity, mobility and heat sectors. Fronius’ project brings us an important step closer to the aim of covering all of our energy needs by way of renewable energy sources.
Special Prize2018 Resource Efficiency: On behalf of Federal Minister Köstinger, Secretary General Josef Plank awarded the prize to Compuritas GmbH for its HaaS (Hardware as a Service) project. Thanks to the unique mixture of a high‑quality reuse effect including a striking prolongation of life, creating awareness among the public, the creation of jobs for qualified professionals and a successful business model, Compuritas was unanimously designated as the winner of the Special Prize.
Other nominated projects were also given well deserved recognition on 30 October 2018. The nominees in the “Environment, Climate and Energy” category were “smart sensors for smart surfaces” by eologix sensor technology gmbh as well as “lithium ion battery recycling” by the Chair of Waste Processing Technology and Waste Management of the University of Leoben. The nominees in the “Research and Innovation” category included AEE INTEC “COMTES – Compact heat and cold storage by solid sorption” and the ARGE component activation “energy storage concrete”. “Package-free shopping in Graz” by Das Gramm / Das Dekagramm as well as Sonnenklee GmbH’s project “Straw as building material – bio, regional, certified” were nominated for the Special Prize2018 Resource Efficiency. On the occasion of the National Prize Ceremony, the “Hans Roth Environment Prize” for innovative scientific works by young academics was also awarded. The expert conference envietech2018, which took place prior to the presentation ceremony, aimed at encouraging the analysis of innovations in the area of technology and sustainability and to create thinking spaces for innovations and sustainability. Both events were supported by the Green Tech Cluster.
Published: 04-10-2020 Doerthe Kunellis
