Successful matchmaking in Hamburg
Integrating a sustainable energy heat supply and distribution concept into urban development areas is a great challenge that the city development projects “Billebogen” in Hamburg and “Flensburg Fjord Region” in Schleswig-Holstein will be facing. In collaboration with the Northern Connections project, the project developers spread their demand through the North Sea Region and thirteen innovative companies from Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden and Germany came to Hamburg, Germany to pitch their concepts to the challenge owners of “Billebogen” and “Flensburg Fjord Region”. Software to operate decentral cogeneration plants in a smart way or optimise the district heating performance level on a large scale as well as systems and units to create a hydrogen-based energy supply are only a few of the solutions that were displayed by the following innovators:
- Averdung Ingenieurgesellschaft (GER)
- DeSaH (NED)
- Dezera (GER)
- EnergyVille (BEL)
- Fraunhofer ISIT (GER)
- H2Tec (SCO)
- Hysopt (BEL)
- KTC (SWE)
- PlanEnergi (DEN)
- PV-Projects Agency (GER)
- Skoon Energy (NED)
- SunOyster Systems (GER)
- Wagner Solar (GER)
Besides the pitches that took place in front of an interested audience of about 80 people during a plenary session with further scientific and institutional contributions on the topic, the innovators had the opportunity to present their solution in a one-to-one meeting with the representatives of “Billebogen” and “Flensburg Fjord Region”. For Hape Schneider, Senior Project Manager at HafenCity GmbH for the “Billebogen” project, the Living Lab event has been essential in connecting them with companies they otherwise might not have gotten in touch with. Lars Fischer, of Amt and Amtswerke Eggebek, one of the challenge owners of the “Flensburg Fjord Region” project, it was impressive to see how many people from different countries and backgrounds were interested in and concerned with sustainable energy solutions. Northern Connections provided an outstanding opportunity for sharing experience and expertise in this field, to him.
Getting acquainted with the sustainable energy landscape in Northern Germany and meeting many relevant people was one of the major takeaways for the innovators that participated in the Living Lab Event in Hamburg. It is still a little too early to answer the question how the presented concepts will be integrated within the two projects, but Hape Schneider highly appreciates it, if some of the companies would accompany the further development of Billebogen.
All in all, the Living Lab provided a good opportunity to approach cross-border business activities and collectively take concepts for sustainable energy supply a small step further. This is underlined by Jürgen Desler, Senior Project Manager at HafenCity GmbH for the “Billebogen” project, who was encouraged to increase the requirements for potential bidders on a maximum flexibility concept for Billebogen and to set more ambitious targets and an even stronger focus on connecting the power, heating, cooling and mobility sectors by this Living Lab Event.