The spring conference of the DGMK and ÖGEW focuses on the innovative strength of the underground industry, which aims to play a key role in shaping the transformation of the energy system.
Around 600 participants and 40 exhibitors gathered in Papenburg to highlight the importance of the underground industry for the energy system of the future. At the spring conference of the German Scientific Society for Sustainable Energy Sources, Mobility and Carbon Cycles (DGMK) and the Austrian Society for Energy Sciences (ÖGEW), researchers and practitioners from industry exchanged ideas over two days.
At the opening on May 7 in the shipbuilding town in Lower Saxony, Managing Director Gesa Netzeband emphasized on behalf of the DGMK, which is organized as an association, that her industry is “about doing, even if we often have to embrace the unknown.” She was referring to the transformation of the energy system, which is in full swing, “even though not everything has been thought through.”
Jürgen Rückheim, head of a Berlin-based geoenergy consulting firm, highlighted the relevance of scientific research in this context. He is also head of the Geo-Energy Systems and Underground Technologies division at the DGMK, which traditionally organizes the conference. He said that joint research between science and industry is important in view of tight public budgets and is a “fundamental building block for the future energy landscape.” He called for even more joint research to be established in the DGMK department. Even though relatively young research areas such as geothermal energy have led to an important reorientation of the department, “we must not neglect innovative oil and natural gas production,” said Jürgen Rückheim. Research and industry have “unique expertise” in this underground field.
This year's spring conference is entitled “Underground Industry: Innovations and Insights – Guarantees for a Sustainable Energy Landscape.” For the first time in more than 40 years, researchers and companies have left Celle, also in Lower Saxony, to attend. The usual conference venue is unavailable for logistical reasons for some time.
The DGMK department head also touched on current politics in his opening remarks. Much depends on the legislative initiatives that the newly formed federal government will introduce. According to Jürgen Rückheim, every regulatory consideration regarding methane regulations, power plant strategy, lithium production, geothermal expansion, or the major topic of hydrogen will have a significant impact not only on the energy and industrial landscape, but also on research.
He pointed out that, on the one hand, technological developments important for the transformation require considerable investment. On the other hand, they were accompanied by an intensive need for research. This presented opportunities and challenges, particularly for the field of geo-energy systems and underground technologies. Therefore, the shift to politics was also justified at a scientific conference. Ultimately, it remained to be seen which announcements from the coalition agreement would be translated into concrete measures, said Rückheim.
During the conference, participants will be brought up to date on the latest research in the fields of storage technology, geosciences, HSE, drilling technology, petroleum engineering, CCS, production engineering, and geothermal energy. For example, representatives from Geothermie Neubrandenburg GmbH will present their ideas for expanding medium-depth geothermal energy to make it usable for district heating. Another of the 55 presentations will focus on an oil storage cavern in Wilhelmshaven, which is expected to serve as a hydrogen storage facility in the future.
From Jürgen Rückheim's point of view, research and industry can look back on their achievements and capabilities with confidence. He said there is good reason to be proud of the tangible and intangible assets that are contributing to the success of the transformation. The community can approach the future with confidence because it possesses “great expertise.” And confidence is advisable because the existing innovative strength can successfully help shape the transformation of the energy landscape.
