6. Innovation Lounge Digital

Paths to climate neutrality – Technological coexistence

Science and management in dialogue – in cooperation with Fraunhofer Alumni: “Paths to climate neutrality – technological coexistence”

July 18, 2024

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Watch the video with the most important learnings: (in German)

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Event

Digital via Livestream

July 18, 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Moderator: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Viktor Deleski

5:00 pm Welcome and introduction of the speakers and panelists
5:15 pm Keynote Prof. Dr. Gunnar Grün: „ Reducing of CO₂ emissions in construction“
5:45 pm Keynote Dipl.-Ing. Claudia Keibler-Willner: “Nuclear fusion – medium-term prospects for climate neutrality?”
6:15 pm Keynote Malte Feucht: “Carbon Capture – What to do with excess CO₂?”
6:45 pm Keynote Dr. Joachim Manns: “Thermal Circular Economy – Energy and recyclables from waste”
7:10 pm Panel discussion, questions from live chat

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Topic

Climate neutrality: fact-based discussions for sustainable energy

The debate about the path to climate neutrality and a secure energy supply is discussed highly charged, polarizing and in some cases ideological in society. Are we already focusing on the right mix of technologies and are we sufficiently promoting openness to innovation in order to achieve climate neutrality significantly and more quickly and at the same time guarantee a sustainable energy supply for an export-oriented industrial nation?

As part of the Innovation Lounge, we are giving experts from applied research and practice the space for an open, fact-based and ideology-free discussion on what can be done today to achieve climate neutrality, which future technologies could be used and how they work technically. We will shed light on what is currently being researched and how the research results can be practically applied in the foreseeable future, what topics start-ups are working on with a “next generation” perspective and what solutions are already being successfully used by industry on a local, regional and global level.

The aim is to initiate further fact-based discussions in order to generate enthusiasm and take decision-makers along on the road to global climate policy success.

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A summary of the Climate Neutrality Innovation Lounge in 8 theses

1. Reducing CO2 emissions in construction is crucial for the goal of climate neutrality

Prof. Dr Gunnar Grün, Head of Department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP, emphasises the importance of reducing CO₂ emissions in the construction industry. ‘30 to 40 per cent of emissions in Germany come from the building sector,’ explains Grün. In order to become climate-neutral by 2045, the annual reduction rates for emissions must be massively increased. The decarbonisation of the cement industry is an important lever here, but only one of the key measures. Grün emphasises that the use of geothermal energy for heat supply also offers great potential, both in the municipal and industrial sectors. And these are just some of the options for making Germany’s building sector greener and, in particular, achieving the heating transition: After all, 90% of energy consumption in private households is for space heating and hot water, and more than 85% currently comes from fossil fuel sources.

2. (Nuclear) fusion offers a sustainable energy perspective in the medium to long term

Dipl.-Ing. Claudia Keibler-Willner, topic coordinator for fusion research at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, explains the advantages of nuclear fusion as a long-term energy source. ‘Fusion is safe, sustainable and CO₂-free,’ says Keibler-Willner. Despite the long research and development time, the very complex research and the high costs, she sees great potential, especially in inertial confinement fusion, to meet the energy demand of the future. Important research breakthroughs have been made in this area in the recent past. ‘We now need to start building the ecosystem for fusion technologies.’ The involvement of industry and, in particular, long-term support from politicians are crucial to driving forward research and development in the field of fusion.

3. Carbon capture is key to reducing excess CO2 in the atmosphere

Malte Feucht, founder and CEO of the start-up Phlair, emphasises the need for technologies to remove CO₂from the atmosphere. ‘We have been producing invisible waste for many decades and releasing it into the atmosphere – in the hope that it will disappear into thin air. We have never had a “Kehrwoche” (sweeping week) for the atmosphere, as is customary in my home region of Swabia,’ says Feucht. Direct Air Capture (DAC) is an effective method of permanently removing the very stable and inert molecule CO₂ from the earth’s atmosphere and utilising it as a raw material for the production of chemicals, for example. However, scaling up this technology is a challenge: ‘The costs are currently still too high, but in the long term we are aiming for costs of less than € 100 per ton of CO₂’ explains Feucht. Thanks to its engineering tradition and manufacturing expertise, Germany could play a leading role in the development and export of these technologies – and reduce CO₂ concentrations again.

4. Thermal waste utilisation is an essential part of the circular economy

Dr Joachim Manns, Managing Director and COO of EEW Energy from Waste GmbH, brings a different approach into play at first glance, but one that is quite similar on closer inspection: he explains the importance of thermal waste utilisation for the circular economy. ‘Waste is a recyclable material, waste is a resource,’ says Manns. Modern waste incineration plants convert waste into energy, thereby helping to conserve resources and protect the climate. ‘We are part of the circular economy and can make a significant contribution to climate protection,’ explains Manns. The integration of technologies such as big data and AI into waste management could further increase efficiency and minimise the environmental impact – or increase the potential.

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5. Artificial intelligence and machine learning have the potential to accelerate fusion research

Claudia Keibler-Willner recognises the importance of artificial intelligence and machine learning in accelerating fusion research. ‘AI and machine learning are crucial points for making technological progress,’ she says. High-performance computers now enable simulations that can replace expensive and time-consuming experiments. This will help fusion research and could also accelerate the development of fusion power plants.

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6. Investments in innovative technologies require maximum political and private support

Scientist Claudia Keibler-Willner and founder Malte Feucht agree: massive investment is needed in innovative technologies such as fusion and carbon capture. ‘Start-ups are important for the development of new technologies, but they need security and political support,’ says Keibler-Willner. Feucht adds: ‘We are lagging behind in Germany and Europe when it comes to state subsidies, but the right impetus has been provided. Now we really have to step on the gas to make it worthwhile for companies like us to stay here in the long term.’ Feucht is very active with his start-up in the USA and Canada, where subsidies play a much more important role. According to the two, a mixture of public funding and private investment is necessary to support the development and scaling of new technologies.

7. Holistic approaches and international cooperation are necessary to tackle climate change

Holistic approaches and international cooperation are necessary to tackle climate change.
Dr Joachim Manns from EEW Energy emphasises the need for holistic approaches and international cooperation. ‘We need to link up closely to bring together expertise and work together effectively,’ says Manns. Investments in infrastructures such as CO₂ networks, which have not been discussed at all to date, and cooperation with external partners are crucial to mastering the challenges of the energy transition. ‘It’s about developing and implementing solutions together in order to achieve the climate targets,’ says Manns.

8. Ambassadors who can promote non-ideological solutions to tackle climate change are needed now

The Year of Science 2025, proclaimed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is all about future energies. The Innovation Lounge anticipated this year of science six months in advance, as Viktor Deleski from Fraunhofer, who opened the event, said: ‘We need to start a dialogue now and get active.’ Atreus partner Dr Christian Frank adds: ‘We need ambassadors for the new beginning – people who want to change things and just do it.’ Deleski recalls that in a 1983 episode of the TV programme ‘Löwenzahn’, Peter Lustig showed a VW Golf I with an electric motor as a vision of the future and said: ‘And if we make a real effort, then maybe in 40 years we’ll get all the petrol cars off the road!’ To ensure that another 40 years don’t pass before then, we will probably need all the solutions we can think of to tackle climate change.

Our Speakers

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gunnar Grün is Head of Department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP and responsible for research management. He has also been Deputy Director of the Institute since 2016.

He headed various departments and working groups, including energy efficiency and indoor climate, and was group leader for indoor climate systems. In addition to his work at Fraunhofer IBP, he has been a professor at the Institute for Acoustics and Building Physics at the University of Stuttgart since 2019, where he teaches building physics. Previously, he was a professor at Nuremberg Institute of Technology Georg Simon Ohm, where he taught System Integration in Efficient Buildings. He began his career as a research assistant at the Fraunhofer IBP. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gunnar Grün has extensive experience in building physics and the energy efficiency of buildings.

Dipl.-Ing. Claudia Keibler-Willner is Topic Coordinator for Fusion Research at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and scientific advisor to the institute management at Fraunhofer ILT, a leading research institute for laser technology.

Previously, she was ThinkTank Manager at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Munich, where she focussed on management and business analysis. At Fraunhofer FEP, she headed the S2S Organic Technology division and was responsible for the development of innovative technologies. She began her career as a Production Manager for Adhesive Bonding Technology at SBF Spezialleuchten GmbH in Leipzig. Claudia Keibler-Willner studied mechanical engineering and production technology at the Technical University of Dresden and graduated with a degree in engineering.

Dr Joachim Manns is Managing Director and COO at EEW Energy from Waste GmbH, a company specialising in thermal waste utilisation.

He was previously Managing Director at MVV Umwelt GmbH, Mannheim. Dr Manns held various management positions at EnBW AG in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, including Head of Technology and Innovation Management, Division Manager for new construction projects and Power Plant Manager of the Rheinhafen steam power plant in Karlsruhe. Dr Manns began his career as a project manager for international projects at Steag AG, Essen, and was later an authorised signatory and project director at Vasa Energy/Concord Power. He studied physics at the University of Bonn.

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