Review of the Long Night of Research 2024

On Friday, May 24th, the Long Night of Research took place under the motto "Participate. Marvel. Discover." NEFI was represented with two exciting stations at the Softwarepark Hagenberg and Schloss Ranshofen.

The latest developments and the societal and economic benefits of our NEFI projects "E.Factory" and "GreenBricks" for the energy transition were presented.

"Career Goal: Energy Transition: How Do I Make the Best, Most Efficient, and Sustainable Chocolate?" was the theme of the OÖ Energiesparverband's station at the Long Night of Research in the Softwarepark Hagenberg.

The Energy.Factory visualizes the processes of a virtual chocolate factory and sparked great interest, especially among young people. Over 200 teenagers visited the station and "played through" the E.Factory. They were able to optimize chocolate quality, energy consumption, and CO₂ emissions. The Energy.Factory was developed as part of the NEFI innovation network.

For more information, please visit: E.Factory Lab - NEFI.

Together with Wienerberger, a station for the NEFI project 'GreenBricks' was set up at Schloss Ranshofen. This project focuses on green brick production, featuring the world's largest industrial electric furnace in Uttendorf, which has already achieved a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions. This groundbreaking project enables Wienerberger to produce nearly climate-neutral wall bricks starting in November:

- 90% reduction in CO₂ emissions
- 30% reduction in energy consumption
- 270 tons of bricks per day.

Visitors to the station had the fantastic opportunity to virtually tour the flagship production and even participate in the building process. More details about the GreenBricks project can be found here.

Together with our partners, we aim to inspire young people to explore the fascinating world of research and encourage them to pursue careers in science and technology. Only through a spirit of inquiry and innovative ideas can we create a more sustainable and livable future.