Eggersmann Group represented on the delegation led by Federal Environment Minister Schneider
Reconstruction of the waste management infrastructure in the Ukraine
On his delegation visit from 17 to 21 August focused on the sustainable, climate-friendly and environmentally sound reconstruction of Ukraine, Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider was accompanied by 15 green-tech companies from Germany – the Eggersmann Group GmbH & Co. KG from Halle Westfalen was represented by Managing Director Andre Berlage (BRT HARTNER GmbH). He highlighted how Ukraine can strengthen its economy in the short term through modern waste treatment.
Source: AHK
Decentralised and sustainable energy supply as a security factor
“The way the Ukrainians are dealing with the devastation caused by the war is impressive,” explains Berlage. “Essential projects such as hospitals are being completed in a very short space of time, whilst at the destroyed infrastructure is already being replaced – wherever possible – with more modern alternatives.” This is often driven by strategic considerations as well. For example, decentralised photovoltaic systems are more difficult to take out and can be rebuilt more quickly than a single large power station. The high energy demand of the Ukraine is also one of the reasons for the participation of the Eggersmann Group in the delegation: “We have decades of experience in generating energy from waste. Our expertise encompasses not only the sustainable production of biogas from organic waste, but also the production of refuse derived fuels from municipal solid waste or single-material waste streams such as light packaging or waste wood on any scale.” Thanks in particular to its strong agricultural focus, Ukraine has great potential for biogas production from bio-waste. Eggersmann not only builds such plants all over the world but also operates them itself in East Westphalia. The biogas can then be upgraded to biomethane, thereby replacing fossil natural gas on a 1:1 basis in the public grid – as is the case at the Eggersmann site in Nieheim. The processing of waste into substitute fuel also offers a wide range of opportunities to reduce the use of costly fossil fuels in industry. For example, Eggersmann built such a plant to supply cement production following the defeat of the terrorist organisation IS in Iraq.
Solutions of this kind not only reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports but also lead to a decentralisation of the energy supply. Both are key security factors for this particularly critical infrastructure. “Eastern Europe has been one of our most important markets for 30 years – but in recent years we have also seen a growing awareness, particularly of the political value of alternative energy generation from waste,” emphasises Berlage.
Between immediate measures and long-term planning
The fact that expanding the circular economy is not necessarily just an issue for the post-war period is also evident in other areas. During his trip, Berlage was looking at solutions for the mobile processing of building rubble as well. “In wartime, there is a shortage economy. So, if here in Germany, we already use mobile crushers in peacetime to turn construction waste into substitute building materials for road construction or to produce substitute fuel from waste wood, then such solutions are naturally even more important for Ukraine. Buildings lie in ruins; roads are destroyed – we could already be making a real contribution here every day with our machinery. Even if it’s just by separating out the metals that are valuable for the war effort.” For such solutions to become a reality, however, the right contacts and appropriate funding are required. The Federal Environment Minister’s visit has created the necessary framework for this. “We are planning, in any case, to make an active contribution to the reconstruction of Ukraine with our solutions. The government has now provided us with targeted support in establishing the relevant contacts. This will simplify our work considerably.” At the same time, Berlage highlighted the group’s experience in the field of reconstruction: “We are familiar with crisis and post-war zones. In addition to projects in Iraq, we were also involved, for example, in rebuilding waste management infrastructure following the break-up of Yugoslavia and the ensuing wars in the region.”
Source: BMUK
Source: AHK
Three days full of insights and in-depth discussions
The stated aim of the trip was to explore explore opportunities for climate-friendly and resilient infrastructure reconstruction and further recovery early on.1 To this end, Federal Environment Minister Schneider met with leading representatives from politics and business in Ukraine, such as First Deputy Prime Minister Denys Schymal – who is also the country’s Minister for Energy – and Mykola Kalashnyk, the Minister for Reconstruction, Infrastructure and Transport of the Ukraine. In addition to waste management infrastructure and renewable energy generation, the discussions also covered issues relating to water treatment, the disposal of hazardous materials and many other topics.
The main agenda of the trip spanned three days and, in addition to in-depth discussions between German and Ukrainian representatives from the green-tech sector, included external visits during which the delegates were able to gain first-hand impressions of the situation in the country. The agenda ranged from a presentation on municipal waste management in Kyiv to a visit of the Lviv North UNBROKEN urban development initiative.
The comprehensive service portfolio of Eggersmann was a key factor in its participation in the delegation trip. The companies united under the umbrella of the Eggersmann Recycling Technology offer the full spectrum of recycling solutions, from the planning, construction and operation of largest recycling plants as a general contractor to turnkey processing lines as predefined system solutions and even the manufacturing of single stationery and mobile machines. In addition to the construction sector, the Eggersmann Group also possesses extensive expertise in integrated planning involving precast concrete elements, as well as public-private partnerships (PPPs) for specialised municipal buildings. “I would like to thank once again everyone who has made this journey possible for us,” said Berlage, who also wished Ukrainians the necessary strength to persevere: “All of us at Eggersmann sincerely hope that the war of aggression against Ukraine will soon come to an end. Far too many people have already died and lives have been destroyed.”
Further Information
Re 1: Read the official press release from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) on the delegation’s visit here:
To the release of the BMUKN