New cluster founded for decarbonization of industry
Starting signal given at 2nd Lausitz conference for climate-neutral industrial future
Cottbus, November 11, 2021. German industry faces historic challenges on its way to the targeted climate neutrality in 2045. The fundamental technology shift toward low-carbon production must be accelerated - while at the same time ensuring international competitiveness. To advance this transformation, the "Decarbonization of Industry" (CDI) cluster was officially founded in Cottbus on November 11.
The newly formed cluster is intended to provide energy-intensive industrial companies with technical and scientific support in the process of transforming their innovation and competitiveness. The four CDI founding members are the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg, the Institute of Low-Carbon Industrial Processes of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Energy (IEG) and the Competence Center Climate Protection in Energy-Intensive Industries (KEI) as the coordinating body. The interdisciplinary network pools its expertise and works as an idea generator for a successful transformation toward a greenhouse gas-neutral industry. The four players also want to actively shape structural change in Lusatia from their joint location in Cottbus.
The new association has set itself the following work priorities:
- Support pilot projects to shape structural change in Lusatia.
- Initiate cooperative research projects and scientific studies
- Offer exclusive qualification programs for members and partners
- Organize public conferences and specialist events
- Promote technology and knowledge transfer
- Continue to build and maintain the cluster network.
The cluster provides information on current tasks and projects via its website: www.cluster-dekarbonisierung.de. In addition to information on the initiators, the website also provides contact details, for example for future network partners. Other institutions can still join the CDI in order to jointly advance innovations for the path to industrial climate neutrality at the interface of science, business, politics and administration.
The framework for the kick-off of the work of the new cluster was the 2nd Lusatian Conference - Climate Neutral Industry. Under the title "Industriezukunft 2045 - Transformationspfade für Energieinfrastrukturen und Technologien" (Industrial Future 2045 - Transformation Paths for Energy Infrastructures and Technologies), experts from science and industry discussed the current state of structural change as well as the concrete perspectives for it in the region. After greetings from Klaus Freytag, Lusatia Representative of the State of Brandenburg, the audience of experts was introduced to the opportunities and challenges of new technologies for CO2-reduction in several presentations from industrial practice. The keynote speech by Stephan Lowis, CEO of the enviaM Group, outlined transformation paths for a climate-neutral industry. The concluding expert talk focused in particular on how additional momentum can be injected into the transformation that has already begun. Around 60 guests on site at the Cottbus "Kontor47" as well as 200 participants via LiveStream followed the conference.
Voices of the cluster initiators
At the conference, KEI Director Bernd Wenzel emphasized the outstanding importance of the new "Decarbonization of Industry" cluster for structural change in Lusatia: "With the expertise and joint efforts already assembled, we want to make our contribution to the ongoing transformation processes in German industry from Lusatia. Together with regional partners, we are building a nationally and internationally recognized cluster for industrial decarbonization at the Cottbus site. In the long term, the network's activities are to develop charisma nationwide and beyond Germany. The CDI can thus actively help with structural development in the region."
Gesine Grande, President of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, added: "The decarbonization of industry is a transformation process with far-reaching economic, ecological and social consequences. In the new cluster, we want to contribute to mastering these challenges together with our scientific and economic partners in Cottbus. We at the BTU are looking forward to future cross-institutional collaboration. The bundling of our expertise will make it possible to turn the complex transformation not only in research, but also in the implementation and transformation of the economy and region into a success for Lusatia and a model that is respected beyond the region and internationally."
Mario Ragwitz, Institute Director of Fraunhofer IEG, explained, "Together we want to shape the climate-neutral energy systems of the future. The transformation of industry towards climate neutrality is a huge challenge there. With the cluster and its upcoming partners from industry and the energy sector, we are now bringing integrated technologies and innovative business models into application ─ and supporting Lusatia in its transformation to a climate-neutral model region."
Uwe Riedel, Director of the DLR Institute of Low-Carbon Industrial Processes, said with regard to the CDI foundation: "In the cooperation of the cluster partners, the future is created through research, innovation and technology transfer."
