Brandenburg Energy Day

The Brandenburg Energy Day is the big annual get-together of Brandenburg's energy industry and science. This year, 450 visitors deal with current innovation topics of the industry. With almost 30 exhibitors, the event has a new record.

"The energy turnaround requires an intelligent interplay of energy conservation and efficiency with renewable energies as well as the commitment of citizens, municipalities, politics and business. Numerous companies in Brandenburg have already initiated extensive measures. Thanks to its early orientation toward renewable energies, Brandenburg occupies a leading position in the energy transition in a state comparison. As a result, the companies based here have access to great potential for a CO2-neutral power supply, which gives them concrete competitive advantages. The fact that renewable energy generation in Brandenburg is attractive for industry is proven by several recent location decisions. With our Energy Strategy 2040, we are ensuring that renewable energies can be expanded even more quickly and increasingly in the coming years. Brandenburg's economy will also continue to benefit from this." This was stated by Brandenburg'sEnergy Minister Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Steinbach today at the Energy Day.

The President of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU), Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande, emphasized: "In the energy sector, we have many major structural change projects with our profile line 'Energy transition and decarbonization' and are bundling joint activities with scientific partners. In doing so, we work closely with the regional economy in order to support the major challenges of an energy transition and the climate-friendly transformation of the Brandenburg economy with science-based solutions. This is already being implemented in numerous research projects. The major projects chesco - Center for Hybrid Electric Systems Cottbus - and the Energy Innovation Center are just two examples of many."

The Brandenburg Energy Day, organized by the Brandenburg Ministry of Economics, Labor and Energy in cooperation with the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg and the Brandenburg Chambers of Industry and Commerce, has been taking place for more than 20 years and is an important instrument for implementing energy policy at the state level. By bringing together business, science, politics and administration, the aim is to show what opportunities and solutions can arise for Brandenburg's economy to shape the energy transition. This year's conference will focus on energy efficiency, renewable energies and the implementation of the heat turnaround.

Brandenburg Energy Efficiency Award

This year, the Energy Efficiency Award was presented for the sixth time as part of the Energy Day. The competition was organized by the Brandenburg Ministry of Economics together with the Berlin-Brandenburg regional group of the Association of Municipal Companies (VKU). The three prize winners each receive prize money of 5,000 euros provided by the ministry.

Deputy Chairman of the Berlin-Brandenburg regional group of the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) and Managing Director of Stadtwerke Neuruppin Thoralf Uebach said: "Nothing happens unless it happens locally: Brandenburg's municipal enterprises are working under high pressure with innovative, forward-looking and cross-sector projects to save emissions and accompany people as competent energy advisors on site. In this way, they are driving climate protection and energy efficiency forward locally without losing sight of security of supply and affordability. We are pleased - especially this year - to award three very innovative projects together with the state of Brandenburg. The three projects impress with their particularly high energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, but also transferability."

The company award went to FTM-Service GmbH from Linthe. The company has been offering service for special vehicles as a master craftsman business since 2011. Thanks to its own photovoltaic systems, it has achieved a degree of self-sufficiency of 30 percent and consistently relies on electromobility for its service cars. Instead of the gas-powered circulating air heating system commonly used in the industry, two heat pumps were installed at FTM. This saves around 76 MWh of energy per year, which corresponds to around 18 tons of CO2 and reduces operating costs by more than 6,000 euros.

A special prize went to Kommunalwind Nord GmbH from Prenzlau (KWN) for its "Green Electricity for Public Transport" project. KWN generates and markets electricity from renewable energies and supports municipal and district-owned companies and special-purpose associations in generating renewable energies for their own consumption. With the support of KWN, the Uckermärkische Verkehrsgesellschaft currently covers almost half of its own electricity requirements from self-generated, green electricity and has thus reduced its annual CO2 emissions by eight tons and at the same time achieved cost savings of up to 50,000 euros per year.

Another special prize was awarded to Wohnungsgenossenschaft Wildau (WGW). Through several measures to increase energy efficiency, the use of renewable energies and increasingly digital house management, WGW has managed to simultaneously bring about savings for its tenants, strengthen its market position and, not least, support climate policy goals.

Opening of the "Hidden Treasures" exhibition

The exhibition "Hidden Treasures - Strong Entrepreneurs in Lusatia's Structural Change" was opened as part of the Energy Day. Photos show successful entrepreneurial personalities of Lusatia in their working environment. The show was initiated by the Potsdam Industrial Club and Strauss Medien, with Economics Minister Steinbach as patron. The exhibition can be seen in the central lecture hall building of the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg.