BGR Sync
BGR Sync strengthens the sector coupling of water and energy in urban districts. The goal is a functional digital twin that integrates hydrological, thermo-hydraulic, and geotechnical processes, thereby supporting the planning, operation, and control of decentralized BGR systems. This is demonstrated, among other things, through concepts such as underground heat/cold storage (e.g. in groundwater) and a predictive operational strategy that takes weather conditions, usage patterns, and energy market dynamics into account. At the same time, potential impacts on water quality and subsurface microbiology are investigated in order to identify and minimize risks at an early stage.
Profiles
Uwe Hampel
Prof. Dr. Uwe Hampel heads the Department of Experimental Thermofluid Dynamics at HZDR. He develops high-resolution measurement and imaging techniques and, together with his team, utilizes technologies such as TOPFLOW, high-speed cameras, ultrasound imaging, and ultrafast X-ray computed tomography. His work aims to enable efficient, sustainable, and safe processes in industry, energy systems, and process engineering.
Olaf Kolditz
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Olaf Kolditz heads the Department of Environmental Informatics at UFZ and is Professor of Applied Environmental Systems Analysis at TU Dresden. Since 2007, he has been combining modeling, environmental informatics, and geoscientific systems analysis at UFZ. In the context of geothermal energy, his work particularly focuses on digitalization processes, virtual research environments, and geothermal system analysis.
Hannes Hofmann
Prof. Dr. Hannes Hofmann is Head of a Research Group in the Geoenergy Section at GFZ and leads the Helmholtz Young Investigator Group ARES. At the same time, he is Junior Professor of Reservoir Engineering at TU Berlin. His research focuses on Enhanced Geothermal Systems, geothermal reservoir engineering and simulation, as well as the safe utilization of deep geothermal energy in urban environments, including risk mitigation and induced seismicity.
Maximilian Dörnbrack
Maximilian Dörnbrack is a doctoral researcher in the UFZ Department of Environmental Informatics. Since 2022, funded through the SpeicherCity project, he has been working on the simulation of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) in contaminated groundwater and its integration with remediation technologies. His academic background is in geology. He completed his Master's degree at TU Freiberg in 2022, specializing in hydrogeology and engineering geology.
Sebastian Reinecke
Dr. Sebastian Reinecke works at HZDR's Institute of Fluid Dynamics and heads the Innovation Lab CLEWATEC. As a lead scientist in the URBAN LE project, he develops integrated approaches that combine water infrastructure, urban ecosystems, and energy and heat supply systems. Within CLEWATEC, he links water and energy systems research with the application-oriented development of environmentally friendly water treatment technologies.
Alejandro Parra
M.Sc. Alejandro Parra is a Business Development Manager at the CLEWATEC Innovation Lab of HZDR. He works at the interface between research and industry, identifying market needs and initiating collaborative projects in the fields of water and wastewater technologies. Within the HyKaPro project, he supports technology transfer activities. The project focuses on hydrodynamic cavitation and the removal of persistent micropollutants from process water and wastewater.
Ivonne Nijenhuis
Dr. Ivonne Nijenhuis is a Senior Scientist in the UFZ Department of Environmental Biotechnology. Her research focuses on the anaerobic biotransformation of halogenated organic contaminants and the application of stable isotope approaches. In the context of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) technologies, she contributes expertise in microbial transformation processes and isotope-analytical methods to assess changes in contaminated groundwater associated with the use of thermal aquifer storage systems.
Carsten Vogt
Dr. Carsten Vogt is a Senior Scientist in the UFZ Department of Environmental Biotechnology and heads the Geomicrobiology research group. His research focuses on the aerobic and anaerobic microbial degradation of hydrocarbons as well as biogeochemical processes in subsurface habitats, particularly carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen cycling. In the context of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) technologies, he contributes expertise on subsurface microbial processes and their relevance for the safe operation and long-term sustainability of thermal aquifer storage systems.