Energy transition
The Energy Transition in Industry: The BMW Foundation at the "Werkstatt des Wandels"

Federal President Steinmeier and the BMW Foundation at the "Werkstatt des Wandels"Last week, an event in the "Werkstatt des Wandels" series took place in Lower Saxony. The event series is realized by the Office of the Federal President, the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, the Center for Responsible Research and Innovation at the Fraunhofer IAO, and the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung.
Guided by the theme "Energy Transition in Industrial Production," Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier met for a dialogue with representatives of industry, politics, civil society, and startups about the future of energy supply and the industrial use of renewable energies. The event demonstrated how crucial the energy transition is for the structural transformation in industry and Germany's economic success.The Energy Transition in IndustryThe energy transition has long been a key issue of social and political debates, and it was also spotlighted in this event. The balance between energy consumption and energy supply is of crucial importance for industry, since it significantly influences industrial competitiveness and fitness for the future. "We must not tire to advance the transformation of the energy landscape," emphasized Federal President Steinmeier.A vivid example of successful transformation was provided by a visit to Siemens Gamesa in Cuxhaven, which manufactures offshore wind turbines. The chemical company Dow Deutschland in Stade presented the modernization of energy-intensive production processes.“Werkstattgespräche”: Focus on CollaborationDow also hosted the fourth edition of the "Werkstattgespräche" (workshop discussions), which are part of the event series. This time, the discussions revolved around the decarbonization of energy-intensive industries. The focus was on the question of how different stakeholders – from companies to the scientific sector to local authorities – can contribute to the energy transition.Participants included Heba Aguib, Member of the Board of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, Stephan Weil, Minister-President of Lower Saxony, Kathrin Ballerstein from the transmission system operator TenneT TSO GmbH, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Detlef Schulz from Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg, and Matthias Otte from the Federal Network Agency. Another participant, Eliza Diekmann-Cloppenburg, mayor of Coesfeld, emphasized the importance of citizen involvement for a successful transformation. In Coesfeld, a citizen participation model ensured that both the city and the citizens benefited from the expansion of renewable energies.Heba Aguib, Member of the Board of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration: "To achieve the goal of climate neutrality by 2050, we need to simultaneously take into account social, political, and economic dynamics. The growth of renewable energies is essential for achieving net-zero by 2050. All innovation and economic activity are to no avail unless society as a whole stands behind these changes. What has to change is not only the speed of the transformation but also the perception."Startups as Drivers of the Energy TransitionAlongside established companies and political decision-makers, startups too presented innovative solutions for the energy transition. Martin Schichtel from Kraftblock, a startup based in the Saarland, presented an innovative high-temperature storage system, which makes it possible for industry to use green process heat and thus contribute to decarbonization. Wei Wu from Heatrix, a Bremen-based startup, showed how fossil fuels in industry can be replaced by electricity that is converted into high-temperature industrial process heat in a carbon neutral way.Innovations and startups play a key role in societal transformation processes. To further promote this development, the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, through its RESPOND accelerator program, helps young companies scale their sustainable solutions. Kraftblock was part of the program's first cohort in 2020. Moreover, the BMW Foundation is a core partner of the Energy Resilience Leadership Group (ERLG), an initiative launched by Breakthrough Energy and Siemens Energy that aims to reduce Europe's energy dependency through cleantech projects.Innovation Culture as a Basis for ChangeOn the eve of the "Werkstatt des Wandels," the BMW Foundation hosted an event entitled "Renewable Energy Systems of the Future." Participants included Martin Mann from the Office of the Federal President and Martina Schraudner from the Center for Responsible Research and Innovation (CeRRI) at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (Fraunhofer IAO). In her welcome speech, Heba Aguib emphasized: “For us, the energy transition is a central concern that we advance together with our partners. As a foundation and a network, we create spaces for dialogue and collaboration among different interest groups, and initiatives such as ERLG show how to dismantle barriers and advance innovations. By promoting a culture of innovation, we strengthen not only our society's resilience but also the pillars of our democracy."“Werkstatt des Wandels” event seriesTransformation processes, structural changes, and their impact on society and the economy are at the heart of the "Werkstatt des Wandels" and its "Werkstattgespräche." The events center on different societal sectors, such as the healthcare system and agriculture, which were the focus of previous events in the series.
BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt
The BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt unites the brightest minds from business, policy, science and civil society to collaborate on forward-looking approaches and solutions to the challenges of our time. Together, we work across borders, cultures and systems for innovative pathways to strengthen an innovative and responsible economy while also promoting an open-minded and future-proof society.
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