Oct 03, 2025
TU Dresden's "EcoSolve" team wins the chemPLANT 2025 competition
The TU Dresden student team can look back on a more than successful chemPLANT debut! Despite its newcomer role in the established chemPLANT competition, the team was able to assert itself against the competition right from the start. They won the final at the Partec conference in Nuremberg! The team also received an award for the best pitch for their concept.
This year's task was to develop new processes for recycling rotor blades made of glass fiber-reinforced plastic. With the "EcoSolve" process, which is based on microwave solvolysis, the Dresden students impressed the jury with their creativity, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
The process can be used to efficiently recycle used rotor blades from wind turbines. After shredding, glass fibers and resins are separated and then processed into high-quality products - for example, protectors for various sports. Up to 4 tons of CO₂ can be saved per ton of recycled material.
In the final, the "EcoSolve" team prevailed against 16 strong teams from all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland and secured first place ahead of the team from TU Darmstadt and the team from TU Dortmund.
Recognition of competition participation in the "Interdisciplinary technical qualification" module (5 CP)
Since the summer semester 2025, students have been able to take the "chemPLANT/ChemCar" course and thus have their participation in the chemPLANT (summer semester) and ChemCar (start in winter semester 25/26) competitions recognized. The Chair of Chemical Process Engineering offers technical and administrative support in the form of regular update meetings. As part of the competitions, the teams work on real issues, develop their own concepts and present them in the competition. The event offers the opportunity to apply specialist knowledge in practice, train teamwork and make innovative ideas visible.
Following the interest of the students and the success of the team in the first run, we are pleased to continue offering the module in the future and thus enable students to take part in the competition as part of their studies!