TransRegINT on Gran Canaria: Hydrogen for sustainable agriculture

On 27 February 2024, Prof. Dr Irmgard Buder and Omed Abed arrived in sunny Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with students from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW) to take part in the seventh ‘Smart Green Island Makeathon’. The aim was to develop creative solutions for the challenges of tomorrow in just four days. On behalf of the TransRegINT sub-project “Hydrogen on the Lower Rhine”, the HSRW together with the organiser ITQ presented a challenge – agricultural machinery and hydrogen, a sustainable concept?

Smart Green Island Makeathon

The seventh edition of the innovative educational event known as Makeathon attracted over 1000 attendees from all over the world to the sunny island. Gran Canaria was deliberately chosen as the venue to take advantage of the inspiring environment and optimal conditions for innovative technologies such as solar energy and to establish international contacts – in line with this year’s motto of the educational event: “Make, Create & Have Fun for a Sustainable Future!”. The focus was not only on the technical aspects, but above all on project-based and interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of engineering – a practical experience for young talents to tackle real challenges and live innovation.

Kick-off and group formation

The event kicked off on Wednesday morning with inspiring words from Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Germany’s Federal Minister of Education and Research. This was followed by a quick round of introductions, during which the teams were able to gain an initial insight into the challenges that had been set. This is where the collaboration between the HSRW and the Würzburg – Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences began, who had set themselves the goal of upgrading an electric tractor with a hydrogen fuel cell as a range extender. Under the guidance of Omed Abed and Irmgard Buder, the teams united under the name “Range Extender” to show that hydrogen is a sustainable alternative to diesel in agriculture.

The HSRW Team at work. © Fidel Kazman / endlosMedia

Making & hacking – the prototype is created

During the intensive “Making & Hacking” process on Thursday and Friday, the prototype of the “Range Extender” team was created step by step. The participants worked hard to realise their vision and took part in workshops and lectures to expand their knowledge and gain new ideas. Status presentations and daily overviews allowed the teams to reflect on the progress of the projects and share mutual feedback. Despite the challenges and the tight timeframe, the team remained focussed and motivated.

Successful and back in Germany

After 96 hours of intensive work, the “Smart Green Island Makeathon” was drawing to a close. On Saturday, all the teams proudly presented their prototypes, including the “Hydrogen on the Lower Rhine” team. They emphasised the challenge of electrifying the agricultural sector, in particular the high energy requirements of tractors and the lack of infrastructure for electric vehicles in the field. The team’s prototype proved to be a success, as the e-tractor did not only travel across Gran Canarias’s soil, but also increased its average range by a factor of seven. The “Range Extender” team was clearly delighted to have successfully demonstrated this opportunity for electrified agriculture.

With the departure, not only the HSRW team returns to the Lower Rhine, but also the heart of the prototype, ready for further stress tests on the fields of the region.

Cover picture: © Fidel Kazman / endlosMedia