The panel discussion took place as a side event to the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) with around 70 participants in the BMWi. Seven German companies presented their reference projects in five-minute pitches and answered questions from the international audience. The projects presented were implemented by the German Energy Agency (dena) as part of the dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme (RES), which is supported by the German Energy Solutions Initiative.

Pitches about the international dena RES projects

OneShore Energy, which is part of BayWa r.e., presented its photovoltaic project in Rwanda. OneShore Energy installed a PV-diesel hybrid system in Kinihira at the production site of one of the country's leading tea producers, Sorwathe, whose representative also spoke at the event. Sunset Energietechnik build a renewable energy supply for a tourist camp in Kenya. Bioltec Systems reported on its project in the Bahamas: A training and demonstration centre for renewable energies in which waste material is used to produce fuel for sustainable mobility, while an innovative combined heat and power plant provides electricity and heat. The plant is used in the local school’s science classes.

As part of the project implemented by Ecos Consult in Japan, a wood heating system was developed to support the heating of the geothermally preheated Teshiogawa Onsen springs in Hokkaido. Maxx Solar & Energie provided an overview about two solar systems with battery storage for a mission hospital in Zimbabwe, which were financed by donations and a blockchain solution. Thanks to the PV system with battery back-up installed by Kraftwerk RPS, a Chilean hotel in the Atacama Desert has been able to cut its annual diesel consumption by up to 60%, thereby reducing its emissions and operating costs. The Ecoligo project in Ghana implemented innovative financing approaches for photovoltaic systems. The project attracted more than 40 private investors through the crowdfunding platform ecoligo.investments.

Reference projects abroad

The operators of reference plants abroad also shared their experiences about the implementation, operation and cost-effectiveness of German technologies in a discussion with the audience. The foreign guests particularly emphasized the importance of a reliable and trustful cooperation with the German partner companies within the framework of the joint projects.

The side event demonstrated that German technologies in the field of renewable energies offer a wide range of possible solutions which can be specifically adapted to numerous energy supply requirements in a wide variety of fields.