The results and processes of university research are also measured by their impact on the economy and society.
TUHH is aware of its responsibility about its societal impact: as a major research driver in Northern Germany and an educational institution for thousands of students annually, these activities should be carried out in accordance with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations
Current contributions to the social impact of the research fields
Advanced Materials & (Bio) Processes
Climate-friendly and vegan: plant-based milk powder alternatives
Photo: Unsplash/Mathilde Langevin
Plant-based milk powder is increasingly finding its way into food production. The problem so far: the powder tends to form lumps when it is liquefied again.
(April 2025)
Algae: A sustainable alternative for food production
Researchers at the Hamburg University of Technology are investigating new processes that use enzymes to gently extract complex carbohydrates and high-quality proteins from aquatic plants in order to produce new products for the feed and food market.
(January 2025)
On the road to a biorefinery
During the production of bioethanol, valuable proteins for nutrition can be obtained from residual materials.
(November 2024)
Inexpensive drugs thanks to innovative biocatalysis
With the help of special enzymes and a biocatalytic method developed at the TU Hamburg, drugs could be produced in a more environmentally friendly and cheaper way in the future.
(August 2024)
Drinking cup reactor for green chemistry
Chemical production processes often require a lot of energy and involve the use of environmentally harmful substances. A team at TU Hamburg is working on an alternative that essentially gets by with water, electricity and enzymes.
(March 2024)
With plant residues into a fossil-free future
Researchers at TU Hamburg are producing climate-neutral energy sources from renewable raw materials such as wood residues and straw. The molecule lignin plays the main role here.
Less phosphorus for better animal feed
Phosphorus can be removed from fodder plants with the aid of biocatalysis. This avoids nutrient-rich excretions from livestock that pollute soils and groundwater. And the scarce resource can be reused.
Generating energy from wastewater
Scientists at the Institute of Technical Microbiology are examining the wastewater of breweries and municipalities for substances that can be used to produce electricity or hydrogen.
Aviation & Maritime Systems
Mission: More space on the plane
Photo: Lufthansa Cargo
At the Institute for Aircraft Production Technology (IFPT) an AI algorithm is being developed that optimally configures the packing density of air cargo.
(February 2025)
Knowing the sea: Designing ships effectively and safely
Lighter ships that adapt to the conditions at sea can ensure more sustainable shipping. This is made possible by the rapid data processing of machine learning.
(May 2024)
Flying without a CO2 footprint
Aircraft powered by hydrogen and fuel cells could help to meet climate targets. This is because they do not produce any greenhouse gases, only water is emitted.
(February 2024)
Making container shipping safer
Container ships that lose some of their cargo not only suffer an economic loss, every accident leads to major ecological damage.
Climate-neutral shipping
Alternative fuels such as green methanol are CO2-neutral and can ensure that climate targets are met in shipping. A TU joint project is researching their practicality in detail.
Environmental & Energy Systems
Recycling concrete – how building rubble becomes a building material
The “Hamburg Mix” shows that construction waste can provide high-quality raw materials for concrete production, thereby making the industry more sustainable.
(January 2025)
Valuable kitchen waste
The production of biomethane from kitchen waste offers an as yet untapped potential for the energy transition. So far, only a small portion has been used for this purpose.
The Tidal Elbe in a changing climate
How can the consequences of storms and rising water levels in the tidal river Elbe, resulting from climate change, be minimized? This is what the TU Institute of River and Coastal Engineering is investigating for several time frames up to 2200.
(May 2023)
Energy storage in the basement
Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier, but explosive and difficult to store. But with a new method, households can even produce and store the gas without it becoming dangerous.
(February 2023)
Coupling energy networks - concept for tomorrow
Global climate targets call for rapid decarbonization of energy generation and increasing integration of renewable energies. But the wind doesn't always blow or the sun doesn't always shine. To ensure a secure supply, electricity, gas and heat grids must be coupled.
Cyber Physical & Medical Systems
Mathematics that can save lives
New approaches to tumor imaging: Using 4D ultrasound images and mathematical models, researchers at TU Hamburg are developing a method based on the liver that enables rapid quantitative analysis of tumor vessels – directly at the patient's bedside.
(June 2025)
Secure internet - economical flying
New types of antennas are able to establish a connection to a satellite from an airplane and maintain it during the flight. Thanks to their extremely flat design, installation in the outer skin of the aircraft can save a significant amount of fuel compared to conventional solutions.
(December 2023)
Contactless detection of epilepsy
Epilepsy is a regulatory disorder of the brain. If it is not treated, it manifests itself in adults, for example, in the form of seizures or even unconsciousness. In newborns and young children, however, epilepsy is often overlooked because they do not exhibit seizures, and can therefore be fatal.
Logistics, Mobility & Infrastructure
There is no more waste here
Photo: iStock
How do you increase the economic strength of a structurally weak region without using more resources? A joint project has selected two districts in Lower Saxony and installed a sustainable recycling system there.
(June 2024)
Green Hydrogen for Air Transport
Flying is harmful to the climate because a lot of CO2 is released when kerosene is burned. One environmentally compatible solution could be to run aircraft on sustainably produced hydrogen in the future. To do this, suitable supply chains must be established. A joint project in which Hamburg University of Technology is involved is investigating what this might look like.
(June 2023)
The turbine from the printer
A TU Hamburg project shows that metal aircraft parts created in a 3D printer are much lighter and can be manufactured faster than conventionally produced ones. They help save kerosene and reduce the CO2 footprint of aircraft.
(March 2023)
Buildings become adaptive
Smart buildings can already measure and analyze their condition with sensors. In the future, they will learn to behave sustainably and future-proof with the help of this data and the Internet of Things.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
"The 2030 Agenda, with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is a global plan to promote sustainable peace and prosperity and protect our planet. Since 2016, all countries have been working to translate this shared vision to fight poverty and reduce inequalities into national development plans. In doing so, it is particularly important to address the needs and priorities of the most vulnerable populations and countries - because only if no one is left behind can the 17 goals be achieved by 2030."
TUHH INSIDE
Applied research at TUHH often leads to the specific implementation of research results in processes, facilities, demonstration objects and public buildings.
We invite you on a journey of discovery where TUHH is "INSIDE" Hamburg, Germany and the world!
TUHH Startups
TU Hamburg is a startup university. Since the beginning, technology transfer in the form of spinning off our own startups has been part of the culture of our university.
Here you will find a selection of some companies that have emerged from the TUHH.
Collaboration with industry
As a scientific partner, TUHH conducts numerous collaborations with industry in regional, national and international projects.
The TUHH convinces in the global university comparison "U-Multirank" and positions itself overall at the top in the areas of research, teaching, knowledge transfer, international orientation and regional commitment.
Part of the societal impact is driven by technology transfer. The emergence of new technologies enables major societal, economic and environmental challenges to be addressed. Thus, TUHH studies how new technologies emerge and what impact external influences such as digitalization, sustainability orientation and other developments have on the technologies that emerge, as well as on the strategies, processes and structures in society and the economy.
Learn more: School of Studies Management Sciences and Technology
Educational Impact
TUHH not only trains excellent engineers and scientists, but also establishes a link between technological research and the education and employment system.
The identification of the required professional competencies that arise in connection with technological developments and innovations, as well as the further development of professional and academic job profiles, are driven forward. This results in the development and implementation of vocational training and qualification measures, so that the transfer of technology and innovation into professional activity can be ensured.
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