Energy initiatives: Talk is cheap

Everyone knows the world needs a diverse offering of energy sources. But, to paraphrase the late U.S. President Harry Truman, the buck stops here: No more talk, let’s just get down to it and get the job done.
That thought came to mind as politicians and business thinkers from Europe, Asia and the U.S. joined in a Tuesday meeting at the World Energy Dialogue at Hannover Messe in Hannover, Germany.
“There are a lot of problems going on, but there is a positive mood coming on again,” said Jochen Homann, state secretary o the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. “In a crisis, (Germany) must refer back to our technical performance and our strengths. This is not a crisis, this is an opportunity to perform over the crisis.”
Countries can not do it alone, they have to join to understand and then fix the problems.
“In stormy times like this, we are all sitting in the same boat, that is why we have to work together to overcome our problems,” said Youn Ho Lee, minister of knowledge economy of Korea.
“We know things are headed in the right direction,” said Dr. Hans-Peter Keital, president of the Federation of Germany Industries (BDI). “It is important to remember traditional power generation. Take coal plants, we can replace coal fired plants with cleaner more efficient ones.”
He also said nuclear plants are also a possible area for energy growth. But Germany, he said, has to continue to work on new initiatives.
“We need intelligent networks and smart grids,” he said. “It is not a question of government money; it’s about regulations. If you can make it more attractive for investors, that will bring in billions of dollars.”
“We want to get regulatory parity that will set the scene for decades. We should work at the overall European level to have one voice. We should set new goals within the European Commission (EC) to set goals.”
But when it comes to tackling the energy issue, Homann said, “we have the technologies, you just have to do it. A lot of these companies are ready to go. We just need an overall strategy for energy supplies and stick to it.”
Not only is finding sustainable energy and issue, but so is using it properly.
“We need to use energy more efficiently,” Homann said. “We also need to do more to utilize renewable energy.”
Keith Cooley, chief executive of NextEnergy in Michigan, hit upon the efficiency angle.
“We (in the United States) are beginning to learn what you (in Europe) learned quite a long time ago. The greatest challenge we face is changing the sense of entitlement we have when it comes to energy usage.”
Finding quality energy usage and living in a green world is key, especially in Korea.
“Greenhouse gas emissions in Korea have doubled since 1990,” Lee said. “It is time for a paradigm shift like our new green deal.”
Korea is looking to increase nuclear energy and renewables in addition to boosting its solar energy.
“Since 1990, we have built 11 nuclear facilities,” Lee said. We have also spent $4.6 billion in the promotion of green energies.”
With the potential of oil prices going down or leveling off, the green movement may take a step back, but Lee said that could be a great time to grow. “This is the optimal time for investment in green growth,” Lee said. “We want to start a green revolution and we think this is the only way for Korea and the world to grow.”

Hannover report: Rating Obama’s first 100 days

The fear of U.S. protectionism seems to be a fear throughout Europe as that was the first and most important question a panel had to tackle Monday at a Global Business Forum, a panel discussion focused on “The first 100 days of the Obama administration.”
Everybody else has an opinion on President Obama’s first 100 days in office, why not those at this year’s Hannover Messe?
“When Obama was running for president, he didn’t have this type of crisis on his mind, but he now has to deal with it,” said Dr. Werner Hoyer, with the German Parliament. “There will now be solutions to problems that we have not seen for quite some time. The good thing is Obama is taking a fresh approach to solve the current problems. The political framework to expanded business opportunities between the U.S. and Europe will exist for a long time.”
There is a fear with a democrat as the president he will become very protectionist for his constituency, trying to keep jobs based in the U.S.
Dean Johnson, senior director of the Detroit Regional Partners said that would hardly be the case.
“Please remember a democrat, Bill Clinton, pushed through the Free Trade Agreement and there are plenty of Clinton people in the Obama administration,” Johnson said.
“We are actually looking at this from a foreign policy perspective where we are looking to diversify and looking to open up policy to include our enemies to work in collaboration,” he said.
Jeff Mullis, a republican state senator from Georgia, does not agree with all the president is saying and doing.
“Obama is helping out with the world and that may be viewed positively across the world, but in the U.S., it still remains to be seen. I think the American public is looking for Obama to be great. We are looking for opportunities. I am a republican and I have hope for America.”
Meanwhile, getting into specific policy matters, Keith Cooley, chief executive at NextEnergy, said coming up with a strategic energy policy is one of the most important things Obama has done. He talked about the smart grid and what the U.S. has to do bring it up to date.
“There is no way we will take 21st Century technology and put it on a 19th Century backbone,” Cooley said. “There is no way we can use tomorrow’s technology with yesterday’s technology. The developed world has to find a way to bring technology to the developing world.”
But part of creating and sustaining an energy policy and get out of the recession griping the world is being able to work together, Cooley said.
“As my mother would say when I was young, we all have to play nice with each other. We need to work together,” he said.
Richard Schmid, president of Executive Management Support Service, agreed everyone has to be on the same page.
“We are all in this together,” Schmid said. “Whether we voted for him or not, we have to respect the office of the presidency. A lot of what he has done is start up programs, but that is just the beginning. We have to keep pushing the boulders forward because we are in this together.”
The problem is not coming up with a plan, the problem is sticking to it.
“We in America are short term thinkers,” Schmid said. “We don’t think 10 years in advance.”
From a European perspective, though, there is plenty of hope.
“Obama’s election is the most important positive affect in the U.S. since Ronald Reagan was elected,” said Prof. Dr. Ing. Heinz Jorg Fuhrman, vice chairman of the executive board and heard of finance and technology at Salzgitter AG in Germany.
“There is now somebody in charge that doesn’t seem to use the military to prove his strength,” Fuhrman said. “He is not always using the big stick. We all desire to bring the U.S. back in a leadership position.”

To emerge from recession, countries must unite

All countries working together will shorten the economic crisis griping the world today.
Protectionism will only prolong the morass facing the world, said the keynote speakers from Germany and from partner country the Republic of Korea Sunday at the opening ceremony for Hannover Messe in Hannover, Germany.
“Worldwide cooperation like that shown at the G20 (Summit) shows that global acceptance is vital,” said German President Horst Koehler. “We need a logical worldwide cooperation between the financial markets and with goods.”
What will get countries out of the financial quagmire, Koehler said, is hard work and creative thinking.
“Innovation and quality are the keys,” Koehler said. “That is what Germany is known for, but to get of (the recession) we need cooperation from management and unions. We don’t know when the recession will come, but it will come. When it does come, everyone will rely upon the people being ready.”
The answers do not fall with one person, or company, or country for that matter. Instead, it will come from the collective across the globe.
“We live in a shifting paradigm. We still fall short in a cooperative platform,” Koehler said. “We have not exploited the digital revolution or the environmental revolution. Germany has not taken advantage of this and neither has anyone else.”
“We must cooperate globally,” Koehler said. “Germany and Korea have an interest in being export companies to ensure initiatives to emerging companies continue to move forward.”
But, Koehler said, it all comes down to financial institutions. “The world needs a rapid conclusion to the financial issues.”
“Credit is the lifeblood of industry and as long as banks have no confidence in each other, there will be no growth,” said Prime Minister Dr. Han Seung-soo of the Republic of Korea, the partner country at this year’s exhibit. “We must unite to eliminate all types of protectionism that is a must.”
Seung-soo said a more global approach will lead to success.
“We are all facing financial crisis, but there are some countries that only try to take care of their own companies,” Seung-soo said. “Protectionism does not help at all. Protectionism should be opposed.”
Seung-soo also said they should continue to open the doors to commerce between Europe and Korea.
“The Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Korea will mean we can help and support each other in our markets,” he said. “I do hope (Hannover Fair) will act as a stimulus to help free trade. We want to work to help get a foothold in Europe.”
One of the areas both countries can work together on is in the area of green technology.
“Germany has taken a firm hand on green growth,” Seung-soo said. “Korea is not that far behind. We have a new green new deal now in effect in Korea. Germany and Korea are starting on the path to green growth.”
To grow as a country, you have to take some risks, Seung-soo said.
“In our country damage has two components: Risk and opportunity. We are going to take this international crisis and turn it into an opportunity for growth.”

Eye on energy at Hannover Fair

Walking around the vast halls at Hannover Messe Sunday the day before the world’s largest automation trade show opened in Hannover, Germany, it seemed every fifth word out of people mouths was energy and then it was quickly followed by efficiency.
Energy and efficiency are the buzzwords at this year’s show and it is abundantly clear when you talk to the Chief Executive of Hannover Messe, Dr. Wolfram von Fritsch.
“In our energy building we have solutions that are up and running. Energy efficiency runs throughout the show,” Fritsch said. “Energy efficiency is now more important for industry as it has been before.” The show this year has 6,100 exhibitors from 60 countries.
At an exhibit where a scaled down version of a biofuel plant was on display, Friedhelm Loch, president of Zvei tried to bring the energy issue down to the basics.
“Energy efficiency is not only dear to the hearts of politicians, but it is dear to the hearts of everyone,” he said. In short, he said, “energy efficiency is the intelligent use of modern technologies and control technologies.”
Whether it was the Siemens booth or Danfoss, Turck or Pheonix Contact, walking by all the gigantic booths, one commonality was exhibitors touched on the energy efficiency theme.
Roland Bent, vice president of marketing and development at Phoenix Contact said while his company, as is every company in the world, is facing a difficult economy, they decided not to downsize their booth. They wanted to show the industry they are looking to move forward and work their way through these difficult times.
The Rittal booth wanted to move forward with their plan to create technology for recharging filling stations for electric cars.
Festo showed their wireless self actualizing flying helium-filled penguin that would fly around their huge exhibit area on its own, without remote control. The penguin flew around freely using its sensors which would tell it when it was too close to something.