2013 energy storage conference to promote commercial energy storage solutions

Renewable energy currently accounts for more than 12% of final energy consumption and more than 20% of power consumption in Germany. The success or failure of energy transition does not therefore depend on energy production but on the possibility of storing large quantities of energy.

On 18^th and 19^th March 2013, the second Energy Storage – International Summit for the Storage of Renewable Energies will take place in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The aim is to bring together experts from science, industry and politics to promote practical and commercially viable storage solutions for renewable energies. Keynote speeches are planned by Federal environment minister Peter Altmaier and Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation of Economic Trends, among others.

This year the internationally recognised scientist Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber, spokesman for the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance and Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, is chairman of the conference committee. At the end of the first event in 2012 he pointed out that the implementation of the energy transition was still too fragmented. “Overcoming the challenges of energy transition depends on looking at the big picture,” he explained. He regards the Energy Storage Conference as an important step.

Prof. Dr. Weber is supported in the programme for 2013 by further renowned experts:

• Dr. Klaus Bonhoff, Managing Director, National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH)
• Dr. Günther Ebert, Head of the Electrical Energy Systems division, Electromobility, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE
• Dr. Andreas Hauer, Head of the Technology for Energy Systems and Renewable Energy department, Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research (ZAE Bayern)
• Janice Lin, Managing partner of Strategen Consulting LLC and CEO and co-founder of California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA)
• Prof. Dr. Volker Quaschning, University of Applied Sciences, HTW Berlin
• Dr. Jens Tübke, Head of the Applied Electrochemistry department, Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology, ICT

At Energy Storage 2013, storage technologies will be considered in the wider context of the development of the energy sector. Political framework conditions are under consideration, as is the question of cost effectiveness, funding and the integration of the most important storage technologies. Which energy stores does the energy transition need? What are the business models? What political support is required? Answers are provided by the event, organised by Solarpraxis AG and Messe Düsseldorf, which brings together the major market players.

The first conference attracted great interest in the industry, with more than 350 attendants from 29 countries. Once again, the follow-up event will be supported by a trade exhibition to round off the programme. Companies wishing to present marketable applications and new concepts in the field of energy storage are invited to take part in the trade exhibition.

Further information:

Energy Storage – International Summit for the Storage of Renewable Energies