Tilmann Vahle

We speak with Katharina Eickelberg about sustainability in the field of renewable energies

This is the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era, explained UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai last December. For the first time, the world community agreed to"transition away from fossil energy carriers" in order to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5° Celsius, sending a clear signal - also to investors. With a record deployment of 473 gigawatts of renewableenergy sources in 2023, we're on the right track, but we need to move faster, especially when it comes to expanding the required infrastructure such as grids, storage systems, and e-mobility. We will need sustainable solutions on all grid levels and in all sectors to meet the challenges of a renewable 24/7energy supply. How can the energy industry become climate neutral asquickly as possible? What challenges are utilities facing and how can they overcome them? Join us at our opening session, allow yourself to be inspired, and motivated to work towards a fossil fuel-free world!

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Prof. Dr. Christopher Hebling studied Physics and worked for like ten years in the field of Silicon Photovoltaics before he became Director of the Hydrogen Technologies Division at ISE with a staff of about 150 scientists, engineers, and students today. Among his manyfold affiliations he is the spokesperson of the Fraunhofer Hydrogen Network (36 institutes) and Board Member of the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence 'Integrated Energy Systems'. Next to his close involvement in national hydrogen strategy developments he is member of the Expert committee for the Transformation of the Automobile Industry of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Furthermore, he is the Co-Chair of the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, and he is involved in international stakeholder processes and advisory boards of international hydrogen and fuel cell conferences. He published more than 150 journal and conference papers and is Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The Hydrogen Technologies Division conducts research in low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis and fuel cell systems, as well as in thermochemical catalysis and process developments of hydrogen to synthetic fuels and chemicals (PtX).

A technical expert with a passion for electromobility - this is Dipl.-Ing. Andreas Richter, R&D Manager at DEKRA. He has almost 15 years of experience in the field of e-mobility, a topic that has been a recurring theme throughout his career: After studying mechatronics with a focus on vehicle mechatronics, Andreas was in charge of cross-divisional electromobility services from 2010 on and set up a DEKRA Group-wide E-Mobility Competence Center. In his current position as R&D Manager, two topics are particularly close to his heart: the electrical safety of vehicles and determining the State of Health of the EV battery. Andreas is also the founder of DEKRA's Battery Test for Electric Cars, a unique, patented procedure for determining the battery SoH.