Panel discussion on future of energy transition

GERMANY: This morning, exhibition boss Peter Becker and experts from the fields of industry and politics opened New Energy Husum, the leading renewable energy trade fair, with a keynote speech and a panel discussion about the energy transition. More than 300 exhibitors will be exhibiting the complete range of renewable energy products and services at the Husum exhibition site until March 24.

“For the last eleven years our aim with New Energy Husum has been to provide a strong international platform for the renewable energy business sector, while also offering the general public an opportunity to find out about the use of all available kinds of renewable energy sources,” said exhibition boss Becker in his speech.

The traditionally strongest exhibitor segments are once again biomass/biogas, small wind turbines and photovoltaics. Other important exhibition topics include hydroelectric power, passive houses, energy storage and electric vehicles.

In his keynote speech, Stephan Schwartzkopff emphasised, “Beyond the energy transition it is time for a new normality.” The spokesman of the board of Kompetenznetzwerk Nachhaltige Mobilität also called for “reliable framework conditions for renewable energies, and funding for sustainable mobility systems”.

Exploiting political tailwind
“The energy transition is an ecological necessity and an economic opportunity. Also and especially for Schleswig-Holstein, also and especially for the exhibitors at New Energy,” said Ralph Müller-Beck, permanent secretary at the Schleswig-Holstein ministry of Economics, Labour, Transport and Technology.

“We want to achieve added value and create jobs. If the energy transition is to take place here, in Schleswig-Holstein, if we want to be trailblazers again, then all the actors here in the state should be aware that they will have to work together even closer,” continued Müller-Beck. He called upon the approximately 300 listeners use the experience, the given natural circumstances, and the political tailwind here in Schleswig-Holstein, and to pool their strengths.

“The energy transition is not just about phasing out nuclear power, swapping one energy source for another, or just altering the energy mix. It is more about how we fundamentally change the way we generate, distribute and use electricity,“ added Benn Olaf Kretschmann, MD of Stadtwerke Husum GmbH. “Die The energy transition is not a technical issue, but primarily a social issue. It is a transformation process that must run parallel with the complete renovation of the supply systems,” said Kretschmann.

Creating green jobs
Peter Rathje, managing director of ProjectZero gave an insight into neighbouring Denmark. The public-private partnership plays a major role in implementing the vision for turning the Danish municipality of Sønderborg into a CO2-neutral region by 2029, thus creating sustainable growth and a large number of new green jobs.

“In the border region we have both the resources and the expertise for mastering the challenges involved in achieving the German and Danish energy and climate goals,” said Rathje. “By further reinforcing the cooperation between us, and with a greater contribution from the cities, we will be able to reduce our dependence on national solutions, and create room for innovation, corporate and public participation, and generate new growth and green jobs.”