Securing our future
Environmental technology plays a key role in shaping a sustainable development of the business community and our society. It is the intelligent response to a spiraling consumption of limited natural resources. Environmental technology is aimed at increasing economic efficiency while simultaneously conserving natural resources and protecting the environment. This highly dynamic technology field helps disengage economic growth from the consumption of natural resources and enhance our quality of life in a sustainable manner.
Bavaria is strong in environmental technology
Accounting for about one sixth of the world trade volume in environmental technology Germany occupies an international frontline position in this field. In the German product spectrum there is a particular focus on high quality technological solutions. In Bavaria there are over 2000 mostly mid-sized enterprises offering their products and services on the global environmental market, which range from design, development and engineering up to plant construction.
Environmental technology in Bavaria
There are some 11,000 companies registered in the national Database of German Environmental Companies of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Close-on 25 percent of these firms are based in Bavaria. The Bavarian companies primarily provide restoration-oriented environmental protection. For businesses operating in the “classic“ goods manufacturing and service sector the importance of preventive environmental protection is gathering momentum. To face up to international competition these companies are having to take the entire life cycle of their products into account already during the product development, as defined by a preventive, integrated product policy.
Market and partners in the field of environmental technology
The EU is expecting an annual global market volume of 550 billion euro in the environmental technology sector.
80 percent of the environmental goods potential are focused on research and knowledge-intensive branches of industry. Almost half of the production in environmental technology is in mechanical engineering, a fifth is in control and instrumentation and approximately seven percent relates to metal manufacturing and electrical engineering respectively. Bavaria is home to competent partners in science and industry, the services of which range from energy technology to waste management up to soil remediation and from water treatment to air pollution control up to environmental medicine. The main pillar is the Environmental Pact of Bavaria.
Companies and research institutions operating in the environmental sector cooperate in a host of regional, sometimes specialized networks, which in many cases are organized through the Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the associations of the industry – for instance in KUMAS e.V (Competence Center for the Environment Augsburg-Swabia). It is the set goal of Enviromental Technology Network BAIKUM to strengthen innovative capacity, competitiveness as well as export viability of Bavarian environmental technology.
Trade fairs for waste disposal and the environment such as the IFAT Munich, the Analytica and many Congresses and Symposiums present the latest achievements from the fields of environmental technology and environmental protection.
Attractive research environment for environmental technology
In the research sector Bavaria excels with outstanding competence throughout the entire environmental technology spectrum.
Experts at cross-faculty centers work on innovative solutions to new problems: - In traditional fields like renewable energy sources, combined heat and power, fuel cell technology and methods for air, water and soil pollution control as well as
- In specialized sectors such as
Universities which carry out research in the environment sector
Non-university research centers
For joint projects companies can draw on a broad sphere of environmental proficiency offered by institutions and facilities throughout Bavaria: The Bavarian Research Cooperations
Bavaria supports a host of Research Cooperations which foster an active exchange between companies, institutes, universities and other environmentally oriented institutions.
These cooperations include among others: - BayFORREST – Bavarian Research Cooperation for Waste Management and Recycling Research
- KW 21 – Power plants of the 21st century
- FORTVER – Bavarian Research Cooperation for Turbulent Combustion
Well-qualified workforce for environmental technology
Universities offering courses of study relevant to the environment: Bavaria is also pro-active in the field of advanced training, for example at the Educational Training Center for Environmental Occupations in Lauingen.
Access to funding
In Bavaria the venture capital company Bayern Kapital Risikokapitalbeteiligungs GmbH supports national and international venture capital and private equity funds. The investment of private (lead) investors can then be tripled by Bayern Kapital and the tbg Technologie-Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft investing the same amount.
The Bavarian Development Bank (LfA Förderbank Bayern) has developed special offers to promote regenerative measures and projects protecting the environment. Investments by small and medium-sized companies are eligible for support in fields such as sewage purification, air pollution control, noise and vibration abatement, waste management and energy saving.
The bank group KfW Bankengruppe gives a fresh impetus to the economy, society and ecology all over the world. With its long-term credits at reduced rates of interest the KfW promotes small and medium-sized businesses and start-ups, for example. Beyond this, the group provides stimuli for innovation and the venture capital market, drives environmental protection and supports infrastructure development at a local level. The KfW is not only responsible for investment financing in Germany, but also for export and project financing, schemes promoting developing countries as well as consultation and other services.
Tailor-made support for investments
Under its regional support and energy-saving Programs the State of Bavaria supports companies that are setting up new or expanding their existing production facilities. Innovative companies investing in future technologies are also eligible for targeted support through the technology support schemes.
Environmental technology – locations in Bavaria
The regions of Bavaria boast bundled competence and expertise in the fields of industry and science.
Augsburg/Swabia
This region offers a high concentration of expertise with some 300 companies operating in the field of environmental technology and is a high-flyer in Bavaria for environmental technology. The Environment Competence Center KUMAS, the Bavarian Institute for Applied Environmental Research and Technology , the Bavarian Environment Agency and the Environment Technology Business Incubation Center round off the program.
(Munich)/Upper Bavaria
With some 560 companies and a high level of research competence Munich and Upper Bavaria form another active nucleus for the environmental technology network in Bavaria. Project networking and activities such as ECOPROFIT (Ecological Project for Integrated Environmental Technology) support the introduction of ecologically fit technologies in companies of the region, promoting cooperation between providers and users of environmental technologies.
Nuremberg/Middle Franconia
With almost 700 companies Middle Franconia is one of Germany’s leading regions for providers of environmental technology. Middle Franconian businesses and research institutions cooperate in a host of networks and institutions such as the Technology and Innovation Network of Middle Franconia (tim), the User Club for the Environment (COUP 21) the Nuremberg Networks, the Biomass Development Center EBA-Zentrum, the Solar Energy Information Center (Solid). the Energy Technology Center (etz Nuremberg) and the Interest Group of Universities in the Nuremberg Region (igh).
Information material
In the company database “Key Technologies in Bavaria“ you will find information on environmental technology companies operating in Bavaria.
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