Chair of Soil Protection and Recultivation
The Chair of Soil Protection and Recultivation at the Brandenburg University of Technology belongs to the Centre of Energy Research (CEBra) and coordinates the research field “Energy Resources”. The scope of the research work comprises the development of sustainable land use concepts designed for the establishment of the integrated multifunctional production systems for the provision of biomass to be used in energy transformation and matter processing. Research activities encompass an ecological, social and economic assessment of alternative land use options in this context.
Research and Development activities focus on the innovative integrated land use systems for the production and supply of biomass to be used in energy transformation, bio-refinery technologies and bio-fuel production. Special emphasis will be placed on the re-validation of agricultural set-aside areas and marginal lands including reclamation sites with particular consideration of the adaptation of such systems to extreme climatic and edaphic conditions, in particular droughts. In this context soil-plant interactions and micro-climate effects are assessed and related to the growth performance of crops and trees, soil quality enhancement, biodiversity patterns, water use efficiency and water and element budgets of the sites. Current approaches aim at a comprehensive assessment of above- and below-ground carbon fluxes in order to extend the scientific basis for a realistic calculation of CO2 sequestration for different land use systems at regional levels. Experimental results will be put into practice through a network of farmers, foresters, small and medium enterprises (CGO) and other stakeholders
Current research projects cover the following aspects:
- Cultivation of fast growing tree species in short rotation plantations on marginal and reclaimed lands,
- Production of biomass to be used in energy, bio-refinery and bio-fuels in alternative land use systems,
- Development and optimization of the concepts for the decentralized supply of renewable raw materials from rural areas,
- Integrated consulting with regard to cultivation, harvest, storage and distribution of renewable raw materials,
- Research on the site specific adaptation of the plant species and systems suitable for the production of renewable raw materials,
- Evaluation of environmental effects (soil, water budgets, biodiversity) related to the production of renewable raw materials in different land use systems,
- Advisory services in environmental policy and private consultancy.
Taking into account an increasing demand for renewables a secure supply with biomass will form a major challenge in future. Highly developed technology for the production of heat, electricity and fuel from biomass can only be implemented when the raw material can be provided at the right time, required amount and quality, and with an economically adequate price. In cooperation with the Central Analytical Laboratory of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Process Engineering the Chair of Soil Protection and Recultivation provides a quality assessment and assurance for biomass applying state-of-the-art laboratory equipment.
For the first time agro-forestry systems and energy plantations (“energy forest”) with fast growing tree species have been cultivated on an area of 170 ha in order to assess economic, ecological and social effects under realistic conditions at an enterprise level. This long-term research program designed for this approach is based on the collaboration between relevant stakeholders from research (Chair of Soil Protection and Recultivation), mining industry (Vattenfall Europe Mining and Generation, Lausitzer und Mitteldeutsche Bergbauverwaltungs mbH) and small and medium enterprises (Terpe-Proschim Farm Association). This network was created in order to integrate relevant interest groups and to create a regional expertise with intention to present the outcomes and experience of this RTD approach to the public.
