Diminishing natural resources reserves - Engineers are ready to meet the challenge! Why ist this such an important issue for our future?

Fossil resources are dwindling, even as oil prices increase.

There is great demand for renewable raw materials and alternative sources, for which new technologies need to be developed. Qualified specialists are required to address the issue of skyrocketing oil prices. The BTU programme Technologies of Biogenic Raw Materials examines future industrial needs in terms of the use and acquisition of raw materials.

After the oil price shock

Price increases on international commodity markets over the past few months have also been felt by consumers. Rising fuel prices not only annoy consumers, but also cause them to reflect on the broader context.

Are these developments perhaps related to dwindling resources and what will happen once they are completely depleted? We often forget that these raw materials are not only used to make fuel, but that they are also used to manufacture a number of common consumer products. There are very few products today that do not contain chemicals or petrochemical intermediates. Against this backdrop it would seem advisable to elaborate and implement certain basic principles that would ensure prosperity for us all.

The finite nature of fossil energy carriers and raw materials - in addition impacts their use causes to the climate and environment - requires us to identify mid and long-term alternatives, which will in turn drive enduring sustainable development efforts in order to satisfy the economic, ecological, and sicial needs of humanity. One of the most promising alternatives is to process and exploit renewable raw materials issuing from agriculture and forestry, which can then be used to manufacture products (materials utilisation) or in the form of solid, liquid, or gas energy carriers (energy utilisation). In this context we also recognise the significance of biogenic residue and waste materials.

High demand for a new generation of engineers

The BTU's Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Process Engineering understands the importance of dwindling natural resources. It has thus initiated a degree programme entitled Technologies of Biogenic Raw Materials. We believe that the scientific-technical challenges associated with these new sources of raw materials can be surmounted by highly qualified specialists. Since the winter semester 2005/2006, courses in the field of renewable raw materials have proven to be an invaluable addition to faculty's curriculum.

Studies finished, what then?

This broad-based study programme offers graduates a number of job and research opportunities in the fields of producing, processing, utilising and marking of renewable raw materials and their after-products. The programme seeks to meet future R&D needs of industry in this field and to engender qualified and regionally deployable junior staff. For this reason, academic courses leading to a Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) in Technologies of Biogenic Raw Materials are not based on traditional didactic, but have purposely integrated both traditional and application-specific learning techniques. During their studies, future engineers are already confronting problems and challenges that they will face later in the context of working in industry or research. In addition to theoretical training, great value is placed on augmenting acquiredknowledge with practical experience. The Chair particulary stresses training in ecologically sound, sustainable use of biogenic raw materials and renewable energy resources. To this end, cooperation is maintained between our own Chairs and Institutes, across university faculties andwith international institutions.

Study and Examination Regulations for the Bachelor programme "Technologies of Biogenis Raw Materials"