In 2002, Urs Weidmann founded the Silent-Power AG in Switzerland. He wants to help the methanol industry achieve a breakthrough, develop a CO2-neutral value chain and expand his company into an energy service provider. For Weidmann, methanol, not hydrogen, is the ideal synthetically produced energy carrier. He has been convinced of this for 40 years. The entrepreneur relies on the fundamental findings of George A. Olah, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1994. Now, the hour of practice has come for Weidmann.
MehrAt this point, some news of the last few weeks will be addressed which, from GES’ point of view, are reason for hope because they contain building blocks of a possible global solution and / or could help to develop a realistic view of the challenges ahead of us. „We are in the midst of […]
MehrAn electric motor requires different raw materials than a combustion engine: for example, rare earths for powerful magnets. In order to generate and use energy, the global energy transition requires a significantly different raw material base than the fossil age. The transition may lead to a wide variety of supply bottlenecks in the coming years. […]
MehrAt this point, some news of the last few weeks will be addressed which, from GES’ point of view, are reason for hope because they contain building blocks of a possible global solution and / or could help to develop a realistic view of the challenges ahead of us. The expansion of electrolysis projects in […]
MehrAccording to Ineratec it is currently building the world’s largest production plant for synthetic fuels. The output of the pioneering plant at the Industriepark Höchst in Frankfurt is to be up to 3,500 tonnes per year. Ineratec is currently primarily targeting air traffic – a risk-free market. After all, the EU Parliament demands fixed blending […]
MehrAn excerpt: The fixation on green hydrogen in steel production could get Germany’s industry into serious trouble. Discussing a climate-friendly steel industry, GES recommends considering CO2-elimination pathways other than direct reduction with hydrogen. Especially on an international level, supplementing the existing blast furnace route with CCS or CCU seems to be a promising path. This […]
MehrThe EU Commission wants to hold companies accountable in matters of human rights and protection of the environment and climate. According to the provisions of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, European and non-European companies are to enforce corresponding standards within their value chains. What appears to be positive at first glance may bring considerable […]
MehrGermany and Europe are in an energy crisis, the main problem being lower supplies of Russian natural gas. At the same time, the German government has once again tightened the targets for an energy turnaround. How does this fit? Prof. Dr. Andreas Löschel from the Ruhr University Bochum sees a discrepancy between wish and reality. […]
MehrTo reduce its dependence on Russian natural gas, Germany is planning two LNG terminals on the North Sea and further mobile terminals in the Baltic Sea. Significant methane emissions occur along the entire LNG chain (liquefaction, transport, regasification, and injection). The gas is significantly more harmful to the climate per unit of weight than CO2 […]
MehrIn the paper, GES board members Prof. Dr. Estelle Herlyn and Prof. Dr. Franz Josef Radermacher criticise Western countries that want to dictate their energy policies to developing and emerging countries – in the sense of renewables-only, but at the same time call on various African states to supply more oil and gas to Europe. […]
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