After an exciting week at the institutes for process engineering at TU Freiberg we went on a field trip. With the cool designed study advertising bus and another car we drove to Clausnitz to see a biogas plant up close.

We learned how to turn sewage sludge and animal waste into usable energy and that it is not as dirty as you think. In Clausnitz, a courtyard can even heat two apartment buildings.

The biogas is produced in a ripening tank, in which it is always cozy and warm (these are the green domes that you see from time to time in the country). Then it is burned in a large gas engine, the things are as big as marine diesel with 12 cylinders and more. Of course, they are not free-standing, but are housed in a container in the yard. We discoverd that it was also soundproofed when we were allowed to open the door.

Afterwards we also looked at an oil mill and tried different types of hot and cold pressed oil, of which we could also buy some in the farm shop.

After our return to Freiberg, we looked at a laboratory-scale biogas plant at the Institute for Thermodynamics and gave our feedback for the week. Thanks for the great organization and the nice week!

Our conclusion: Study in Freiberg? Sure, of course!