The Deutsche Biomasseforschungszentrum, from the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), as well as the University of Rostock have cultivated intensive contacts to China since 2009, in particular to scientific partners of the China University of Petroleum Beijing (CUPB), the China Agricultural University (CAU), the Hefei University, the Tongji University Shanghai and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering (CAAE) among others. The new launched cooperation centers in Leipzig, Beijing and Hefei will foster the cooperation, e.g. by consolidating the joint activities and by initiating joint research projects.
A first project "Energetic use of agricultural residues in Germany and China" which integrates the partner organisations of both countries was only recently approved by the Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (Agency for Renewable Resources, FNR). It is envisaged to propose suggestions for improvements for the energetic use of faeces like dung or manure in combination with effective solutions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from those residues. Joint workshops on the State-of-the-Art and on knowledge transfer are an essential part of this project. In addition, best case solutions in both countries will be shown to stakeholders in expert guided field tours.
Previously to the inauguration ceremony at DBFZ, there had been two similar launches in China. The Sino-German Center for Biomass Research (C-DBFZ) was inaugurated on the 18th of August 2017 at CAAE in Beijing. The main objective of this center is it to find solutions for the various challenges of the Chinese agriculture and to investigate its relations to climate protection and nature conservation. The new center may initiate joint research projects and find viable solutions for the many-sided challenges regarding the utilization of agricultural residues. CAAE has 600 employees and is subordinated to the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture.
The Sino-German cooperation centers will not only work on the national level but also on the provincial level. On the 11th of August 2017, the "Sino-German Regional Center for Biomass Research" (C-DBFZ Anhui) was inaugurated at Hefei University. This center will also focus on the material and energetic use of agricultural residues but will limit its activities to the province of Anhui (65 million inhabitants). The inauguration of the new center is another milestone in the long lasting history of the joint cooperation between Hefei University and various German institutions.
