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Image: : Dieter Sichau with district council members as well as Dr. Stefanie Abke, District Administrator Stephan Siefken and Nordenham's Mayor Nils Siemen German innovation centre puts €570,000 research and training facility into operation to support hydrogen skills, technology testing and regional energy-transition projects The Nordenham Innovation Center (INP) has reached a significant milestone: The new hydrogen plant has been officially commissioned. Dieter Sichau, Managing Director of the INP, Dr. Stefanie Abke, Executive Director of the EWE Foundation, and District Administrator Stephan Siefken jointly explained the importance of the project, its financing, and its prospects for the Wesermarsch region. A joint project for the energy transition The hydrogen project was launched in 2023 as a joint venture - with funding applications submitted to NBank, the EWE Foundation, the Wesermarsch district, and the city of Nordenham. "NBank finances only technical components, but a project like this also requires personnel resources," explained INP Managing Director Dieter Sichau. Through the combination of technical support and personnel assistance, the project became a regional joint venture that extends beyond the Wesermarsch region into the entire JadeBay region. Financing: 450,000 euros for the hydrogen plant The hydrogen plant itself represented an investment of approximately €450,000. Financing was provided as follows: 40% by NBank and 60% by the shareholders of JadeBay. In addition, the EWE Foundation is providing a total of €210,000 over three years for personnel and development costs to ensure educational support and technical training. "We only fund personnel if it is part of a professional overall concept - and that is the case here," emphasized Dr. Stefanie Abke. Technical results and new research partnerships The plant has already been successfully operated several times. Parallel to this, further research projects are underway: the "WENDE" project of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), involving major German research institutions such as DLR and DECHEMA, and investigations into which types of water are suitable for future hydrogen production. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oldenburg recently conducted purity measurements of the produced hydrogen. The results are about to be published. Future plans: Expansion of the INP and hydrogen as a building technology The INP is planning an extension to meet the sharply increased demand. The center has been operating at full capacity for three years. Plans for the extension include geothermal energy supply, equipping one floor with hydrogen heating technology, and installing a hybrid system with a switchover option to conventional heating technology. "We want to demonstrate how modern building technology can work with hydrogen," said Sichau. Digital learning space: Over 3,000 students per year A key component of the project is its educational work. The INP's digital learning center teaches students technical and scientific skills - from hydrogen and 3D printing to drone technology. In the first year, 660 students visited the center, in the second year that number had risen to 2,015, and this year it has reached 3,020. The INP is well-known among schools far beyond the district as a valuable digital learning center. The EWE Foundation provided additional support to the learning center with €45,000 for a qualified educator, who has since been hired permanently. District Administrator Stephan Siefken emphasized, "In today's world, a good idea is not enough - it also needs funding. We are grateful for the strong partners at our side." Regional importance for the energy transition The INP is increasingly developing into an important location for hydrogen technology and technical education in Northwest Germany. The combination of research, application, and education makes the center a pioneer in the regional energy transition. (Photos and text: Kerstin Seeland)

According to local residents, young men detained under local orders in Mudon Township, Mon state, have been forced to pay exorbitant sums to secure their release. At around 6 p.m. on August 5, four plainclothes men stopped and searched two young men who were riding a motorcycle along the Lettet- Winkamaw road before taking them into custody. The two young men were detained for allegedly violating a local order prohibiting two men from riding on the same motorcycle. A Mudon resident said the men's families were forced to negotiate and pay 15 million kyats for their release. "Negotiations over the money took place between the military and the parents. At first, they demanded 20 million kyats. Later, they said the two would be released if 15 million kyats were paid in full. The family member transferred the money via KPay, and the two young men were then released," one resident said. However, their phones, motorcycle and other valuables have not been returned, according to the resident. On July 30, young people from Kamawet who were returning from Waso flowers were also arrested by a joint team from the military council and subsequently subjected to extortion demands. Similarly, local residents said that people arrested for violating local orders in Thaton and Paung Township in Thaton District are being detained on a daily basis, with some having to pay money to secure their release. The detained young men are reportedly being moved between held at various locations, including immigration offices, Township police stations, military battalions and KTV venues. The military council has been searching for and arresting people who are due to attend various batches of the People's Military Service. As fewer young people are being apprehended, authorities have reportedly begun arresting not only family members of civil servants but also family members of police officers. Some townships in Mon State have again been warned to comply with local orders. The restrictions prohibit two men from riding on the same motorcycle, men from riding as passengers behind a female driver, and anyone travelling after 9 p.m.