GREENTECH
itics and economy, people and environment will suffer long-term catastrophic consequences. For this reason, Chinese construction and urban projects now take into account various environmentally relevant aspects. Thereby a whole range of green construction issues are considered, such as increased application of modern thin-film solar modules or energy-saving thermal wall cladding, to name just a few examples which have also been tested and reached application stage in Germany. Their worldwide use is a decisive contribution to successful climate policy and secures jobs in Germany.
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erty” is, and how it affects people there every day. Elimination of poverty, which is a prerequisite for world peace, requires intensive cooperation in the development of sustainable energy supply structures. Suitable knowledge and technology transfer is necessary – for our own interest as well. Apart from that, we are faced with a demographic problem. In 2050 the world population will be approximately 9 billion people. Urbanisation, energy demand, and climate changes are all closely interconnected. Urban planning is faced with serious challenges as a result. Humanity must move beyond the principles of urban life based on fossil fuels. New mobility solutions exist already and some of them have been successfully tested. In China nearly 50% of the population already live in cities. In 2030 it will be more than 60%. They have long been aware of the fact that without a sustainable alignment of pol-
› You have suggested a “Green New Deal” to overcome the crisis. What is this idea exactly about? Governments all over the world have massive economic stimulus and stability programmes in place to combat the financial and economic crisis. At the same time they have to complete the additional objective of taking effective action against climate changes and excessive exploitation of the environment. The combination of the two is referred to as a Green New Deal, like the New Deal under which President Roosevelt dealt with the recession in the USA. However, involvement in such economic stimulus programmes aimed at “killing two crises with one stone” varies considerably across national economies. South Korea is by all means the front runner here. To give another example, China’s enormous economic programme has included more than 30% of measures which meet the requirements of the New Green Deal. Some of the “lighthouse projects” clearly stand out from the rest. Such is the case with the “Masdar-City” project in Abu Dhabi. The city for 50,000 inhabitants is supposed to become a showcase for “Green Tech” – first and foremost by being CO2-neutral and by applying an uncompromising recycling economy with the aim of generating no waste whatsoever. This is going to be a city supplied with renewable energy of only
GLOBAL BUSINESS MAGAZINE HANNOVER MESSE 2010
the highest energy efficiency. It is a pilot project and for this reason it is understandably connected with a number of open questions and problems. The general principle is that intensive solar energy research is perhaps primarily conducted in oil- and gas-rich states of the Arabian Peninsula. So it is no coincidence that the new International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. › You are the founding director of the new Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS). What are the main scientific objectives of IASS? In the first place, IASS complements the already outstanding research landscape in Potsdam, and within Germany as a whole. Its scientific priorities focus on three areas:
1.Fossil energy use without CO2. The main question here is how to use the carbon dioxide originating from emissions in a cycle. Carbon capture and usage (CCU) rather than carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the objective. 2. Solar energy perspectives: The research should in particular focus on more intensive general methods of application of solar-thermal power plants and solar thermal energy. In Spain and the USA such solar-thermal power plants have already been established and generate electricity. The issues of energy storage and long-distance electricity transmission are closely connected with this sphere. 3. Knowledge transfer and the application of scientific progress in a democratic knowledge society: IASS will concentrate primarily on the issue of transdisciplinary research and conversion. ‹
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