The cooperation between BUT and the city of Brno in the field of energy will strengthen the partnership between the public and private sectors and the academic sphere

The city of Brno and its two energy companies, Teplárny Brno and SAKO Brno, have signed a memorandum of cooperation with Brno University of Technology (BUT) in the field of the energy sector and sustainable development. On Wednesday, March 5, all parties signed the agreement. Cooperation with the city of Brno in the energy sector is one of the university's long-term priorities.

“Cooperation with the city in the energy sector is one of the specific priorities that our university has been focusing on for a long time. We perceive the importance of energy not only from a technical perspective but also from the standpoint of environmental sustainability. In our research in this field, we focus not only on traditional energy but also on renewable energy sources and energy storage, hydrogen technologies, as well as the sustainable and secondary use of waste and residual energy during its processing. We have a long-standing collaboration with the city of Brno, Teplárny Brno, and SAKO Brno, the latest example of which is support for the hot water pipeline project from Dukovany to Brno, where we are working on identifying and assessing effective technical solutions and their economic potential. In various working groups of the city of Brno, we are also involved in formulating the city's energy strategy, addressing the application of hydrogen technologies for urban transportation, and collaborating on the development of infrastructure for electromobility in the city. The signed memorandum expresses the recognition of the need and usefulness of mutual support as well as the effectiveness of the existing cooperation,” added BUT Rector Ladislav Janíček.

“Energy is one of the priorities for the city of Brno. Our key goals include stable heat supply from the Teplárny Brno network at socially sustainable prices, energy self-sufficiency, and eliminating dependence on natural gas. In addition to greater energy security, this also contributes to achieving climate neutrality at the city level. Examples of this trend include two major investments: a new boiler for burning wood chips, which is expected to begin trial operation this year, and the planned hot water pipeline from the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant to Brno,” said Brno Deputy Mayor for Energy Robert Kerndl.

“Especially with the hot water pipeline, which is closely linked to the completion of the blocks in Dukovany, it is evident that, in addition to internal technical capacities, the involvement of expert external entities will be necessary. Cooperation with Brno University of Technology, where a new study program Nuclear Energy has been established, should therefore be highly beneficial. We expect this collaboration to provide technical support, participation in applied research, and personnel development through cooperation with students and the training of future talents. However, the range of topics jointly addressed by the city of Brno, its two companies, and VUT is much broader,” said Teplárny Brno Chairman Jiří Herman.

“By collaborating with Brno University of Technology, we are connecting academia with practice. We are currently working together on a project to utilize residual waste after energy recovery (so-called slag) in construction, aiming to conserve non-renewable raw material resources and reduce the company's carbon footprint. As an innovative company, we have long focused on process automation, and cooperation with Brno University of Technology intensifies our efforts and brings us closer to transitioning to a circular economy in waste utilization. This partnership also supports the development of professional skills among future specialists in energy recovery from waste and modern waste management. Cooperation with students and young professionals allows us to transfer the latest scientific knowledge into practice while helping to educate a new generation of experts focused on sustainable waste management and innovation in this field,” announced SAKO Brno Chairman Pavel Urubek.

For the city of Brno, key areas of cooperation include supporting sustainable development, particularly in decarbonization, efficient use of raw material resources, and energy security. The city aims to achieve these goals through municipal companies in collaboration with academia.

Brno University of Technology declares that the main topics of cooperation include deepening partnerships between the private and public sectors and academia. The goal is to transfer and apply scientific knowledge into practice through participation in teaching, professional internships, supervision of final theses, and support for industrial doctorates.

The full press release can be found here.