AI4GREEN project for sustainable management

The INTERREG VI-A program Germany/Bavaria - Austria 2021 - 2027 is one of 73 cross-border funding programs within the European Territorial Cooperation (INTERREG) and part of the European cohesion policy. The funding priorities within these programs are specifically tailored to the respective program area in order to specifically promote cross-border cooperation and counteract the challenges encountered there. Five thematic priorities have been defined in which the projects must fit: Sustainable Economy, Resilient Environment, Sustainable Tourism, Integrated Regional Development and Cross-border Governance.

Grenzüberschreitendes Innovationsnetzwerk

The kick-off event in June at the University of Applied Sciences in Kufstein brought together AI experts from higher education institutions and research institutes in Bavaria and Austria. In addition to the Kufstein University, the higher education institution in Kempten, the FH Vorarlberg, the TH Rosenheim, the FH Salzburg, the University of Salzburg, the TH Deggendorf and the Software Competence Center Hagenberg (SCCH) are also involved. This cross-border innovation network aims to support the regional economy and industry by providing innovative solutions and know-how. The close cooperation makes it possible to pool complementary expertise in the field of data science and to find more comprehensive solutions. “In view of global challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution and increasing resource consumption, the AI4GREEN project aims to identify and harness sustainable optimization potential in business and industry,” says Prof. (FH) Dr. Mario Döller, Rector of Kufstein University. “Modern AI-based methods are to be used to improve production processes and thus reduce CO2 emissions, energy consumption and resource consumption.”

PILOT ACTIONS IN AGRICULTURE, ROBOTICS AND PRODUCTION

As part of the project, three pilot actions will be carried out in the areas of agriculture, robotics and production. The aim of these trials is to demonstrate the potential savings on the basis of real use cases:

• Agriculture: reducing the CO2 footprint
• Robotics: energy savings
• Production: resource efficiency

One of the main challenges is the transfer of research results into practice, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These hurdles are to be overcome by developing reusable tools and demonstrating them in practice. Existing LOIs (Letters of Intent) demonstrate the interest and willingness of industry to apply these innovative solutions.

The AI4GREEN project shows how sustainable solutions to global challenges can be found through cooperation across national borders and the usage of modern AI methods. The kick-off event at the Kufstein University marked the beginning of a promising initiative to promote the regional economy and industry through innovative, data-based approaches.