At the invitation of German Bundestag member Veronika Bellmann, high-ranking representatives from politics and business made their way to the 3rd Annual Central Saxony Business Forum in Freiberg to discuss the topic of the German transition from fossil to renewable energy production and its implications.
During the Forum, German Environment Minister Peter Altmaier explained the new energy concept of the Federal Government. Prof. Klaus Töpfer, former German Environment Minister, considered the opportunities and risks of a sustainable and forward-looking transition in energy production, and Saxon State Minister for Environment and Agriculture Frank Kupfer regarded the transition from a Saxon perspective.
A panel and audience discussion period then served to address regionally relevant issues and experiences.
SolarWorld AG and GICON GmbH, as representatives of the regional economy, presented pioneering developments which can provide a significant contribution to the expansion of renewable energy generation in Germany. Included in the presentation were Prof. Jochen Grossmann and Professor Frank Dahlhaus, who introduced the GICON SOF (Floating Offshore Foundation), a floating support structure for offshore wind turbines, of which a full-scale working pilot will be in operation by 2014. GICON ranks among the world’s leading companies in the development of floating offshore foundations.
In the presence of German Environment Minister Peter Altmaier and Saxony State Minister Frank Kupfer, GICON signed a cooperation agreement with the Technical University of Freiberg, an important partner in the development of the GICON SOF.
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Press release, October 12, 2012; Image: GICON