Experts share experience in the Renewable Energies Hamburg (REH) technical forums
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Exchange on current issues, establishing contacts - the EEHH forums offer the ideal framework for networking in the EEHH cluster. There are currently six EEHH forums on the topics of: Financing & Law, Human Resources, Sector Coupling, Solar, Heat and Wind. The Human Resources forum celebrated its premiere in 2023.
Financing & Law Forum
There were two sessions of the Financing & Law Forum last year, both of them held in combination with other forums. The sessions addressed the Building Energy Act (see the Heat Forum) and the issue of large-scale battery storage systems (see the Sector Coupling Forum).
Human Resources Forum
Following a longer hiatus, the Human Resources Forum was reconvened in 2023 to assist members in finding, retaining and developing employees and specialists. First up was a kick-off forum on Gen Y/Young Professionals with a detailed workshop component. A second session was then organised in the summer on the issue of social media recruitment. Accompanying the forum was a job fair in October, which was held in cooperation with the Federal Employment Agency, and a cross-cluster BarCamp with three Hamburg cluster agency affiliates.
Sector Coupling Forum
The Sector Coupling Forum used its first session of 2023 to address the issue of digital solutions for the planning and maintenance of energy infrastructures. Speakers presented applications from the areas of artificial intelligence, virtual reality and 5G campus networks. The second session together with the Financing & Law Forum was dedicated to large-scale battery storage systems, which can fulfil numerous important functions in the energy system. Aside from an elaboration of legal classifications and a presentation on the financing process for these storage facilities, the session also featured a presentation on business optimisation based on artificial intelligence. The last session focused on the potential for flexible control of electric vehicles and heat pumps, which can reduce the need for investment in the electricity grid.
Solar Forum
What is Hamburg’s potential in the area of photovoltaic systems? The Solar Form drew on its Solar Potential Study to answer this question. The findings of the study were presented during the forum’s first session of the year at the Patriotic Society in late March. The study also identified significant potential for the agrivoltaics sector in Hamburg. REH organised a bicycle tour to an agrivoltaics pilot system in the Altes Land region in late summer. This was followed in October by a session on the issue of tenant electricity in the Housing Industry and Industry & Commerce working groups. The key findings of the Solar Potential Study were presented at the Expert Group for Logistics Properties in November. Going forward, there are plans to initiate closer cooperation between the Solar Forum and the Expert Group for Logistics Properties.
Heat Forum
In 2023, the heating transition finally gained traction in society as a whole thanks to the debate on the Building Energy Act. Fully aware that this would likely lead to a shift in priorities, the Heat Forum organised a members’ workshop in May. Discussions revealed how the interests of members are moving away from technical issues to energy industry and regulatory matters. There were a number of important regulatory decisions on the agenda as the year progressed, which members had identified as priority issues during the workshop. The purpose of these decision was to define the framework conditions for the heating transition. In response, Dr Dirk Legler held a webinar in October to outline the hotly debated Building Energy Act. The third session in November focused on municipal heat planning.
Wind Forum
The first session of the Wind Forum was held in April on the topic of energy islands in Denmark and was organised as a combined event with the International Forum. Next up was a webinar session on the offshore wind sector that addressed the Site Development Plan (SDP) in the German Exclusive Economic Zone. The speakers were Dr Stoevesandt, Fraunhofer IWES, and Karina Würtz, Offshore Wind Energy Foundation. The second session on the onshore wind sector dealt with wind in industrial and commercial areas. Speakers at the event were Nikolas Cromm, TÜV Nord, and Oliver Augustin, Planungsbüro Dr. Augustin Umwelttechnik.
