Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Climate change and associated extreme weather conditions together with growing population is leading to significant permanent or temporary water stress in many regions worldwide. Agriculture, industry and the private sector are not sufficiently supplied, and strong competition and conflicts not only between different sectors but also between different countries (most of the rivers and ground water tables are transboundary) arise. Water related research and technologies for efficient water use and reuse, water supply management and the exploitation of water sources are an extremely relevant market for research organizations. Thus, the WASTEC project aims at the establishing of a long-term cooperation with South African Stellenbosch University (SU) and their Water Institute to build a bridgehead and a scientific and technological network on water research for Sub-Sahara regions, which are predicted to be highly susceptible to the negative consequences of climate change.

The WASTEC project aims to provide strategies to overcome the serious threats related to water demand and quality under the two broad topics desalination and water reuse.

• Reduction of energy demand and replacement of conventional sources by renewable energies relevant to desalination.
• Development of new environmental friendly antifouling procedures and antimicrobial technologies relevant to food production.

Project coordination: Dr. Lothar Schäfer, Fraunhofer IST

Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST
Frank Neumann, Fraunhofer IST
www.ist.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE
Dr. Joachim Koschikowski, Fraunhofer ISE
www.ise.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB
Dr. Thomas Schiestel, Fraunhofer IGB
www.igb.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies, and Image Exploitation IOSB
Dr. Divas Karimanzira, Fraunhofer IOSB
www.iosb.fraunhofer.de

Stellenbosch University Water Institute
Prof. Dr. Gideon Wolfaardt, Stellenbosch University SU
Dr. Marelize Botes, Stellenbosch University SU
Dr. Willem de Clercq, Stellenbosch University SU
Ludwig Brocker, Stellenbosch University SU
www.sun.ac.za