After an intensive exchange between the Rottenburg University of Applied Forest Sciences (HFR) and Mettler-Toledo GmbH, the Level-Up team received a pair of high-quality floor scales at the company’s headquarters in Giessen in November 2023. Project member Ralf Müller received a personal introduction to the operation of the scales and learned about the features of the connected control unit (weighing terminal). In addition to country-specific settings for the scales depending on their future location (keyword: gravitational force near the equator), the weighing terminal can be used to create various individual product categories in a database from a PC and read them into the terminal via a USB interface. Therefore, different types of biomass, such as market waste or residual wood, can be easily assigned at the touch of a button. This allows the weight of different input materials to be recorded quickly and efficiently.  The scales are made entirely of stainless steel and are suitable for outdoor installation, with a weighing capacity of up to 1500 kg and a weight resolution of 0.1 kg.

Thanks to this precision, the scales can e.g. be used to produce accurate mass and energy balances. Future operators of the bioenergy park and students involved in the research and development activities will use these results to assess the efficiency and medium and long-term viability of the various technology components. Eventually, these data will also help to optimise the operation of the plant. This is particularly important for the future transferability of the technology components to other sites.

In wintry conditions, the scales, measuring approximately 1.5 x 1.2 metres, were finally loaded and secured for the journey to Rottenburg, Germany. Before the return journey, Mr Müller, on behalf of the project leader Prof. Dr Stefan Pelz and the entire HFR project team, invited the company’s representatives to pay a return visit to the Rottenburg University of Applied Sciences. 

Parallel to the activities in Germany, the project partners at the partner university UENR in Sunyani (Ghana) are already making preparations for the construction of the "Waste-to-Energy" energy park. The new floor scales will then be installed as the central weighing unit in the energy park.

Further information about the Level-Up project can be found here.