Innovative approaches to sustainable energy supply
The Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry, Ursula Heinen-Esser, opens the 5th German-Japanese Environment Forum on 15 January 2013. The main topics at the conference centres around intelligent solutions for a sustainable energy supply ranging from electric vehicles to "smart homes". Japan and Germany discuss innovative approaches and identify potential for cooperation. Renowned experts from both countries are attending the conference.
"Germany and Japan are poor in conventional energy raw materials; knowledge and competitiveness are our key resources as high-tech countries. At the same time we do not see climate and environmental protection as an unattainable vision. We want to demonstrate that the transformation of our energy systems links economic and ecological opportunities", Heinen-Esser stated. "In the two days of the conference companies and researchers from both countries will present technologies with decisive importance in the competition for the markets of the future. Cooperation between two countries which are setting international standards with respect to quality, reliability and efficiency can bring strategic advantages."
The forum takes place alternately in Japan and Germany under the general heading "energy" and this year's conference is devoted to the presentation of high-tech solutions for the energy network of the future. The special focus is on intelligently operated energy management systems by means of interaction between sectors ranging from wind and solar power to buildings and electric vehicles. Next to innovative approaches and products the programme also includes the presentation of results of a number of field trials which are currently being promoted in both countries.
The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the Japanese New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) have been jointly organising the German Japanese Environment Forum since 2007.