June 2023.

Our study tour "Energy Transition 2023" with a visit to the fair Intersolar, provided Argentine and Chilean companies with a special interest in solutions related to #energytransition, #decarbonization, #renewableenergies, #storage and green #hydrogen, the opportunity to visit events and real first-hand projects. 

The tour was organized by AHK Chile in the framework of the Energy-Partnership Chile-Germany, together with AHK Argentina - Argentine-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce and with the support of the State of Bavaria Office for South America. The objective was to present innovative technologies and pioneering projects, in order to adapt them to local conditions. 

First day
The "energy self-sufficient" village of Gemeinde Wildpoldsried produces electricity and heat from the sun, wind, biomass, hydropower and wood. Thanks to a consistent transition to renewable energies over more than two decades, the village now produces eight times more electricity than it consumes and its commercialization generates additional income for their villagers. As a result, it won the European Energy Award. During the visit we learned about the "Irene" project, which optimizes the coordination of generation and consumption through distributed metering technology, such as the "Iren2" project, which seeks to test the viability of microgrids as individual grids by analyzing them in topological power plants. 
In the afternoon, we got to know the egrid applications & consulting GmbH, which has intelligently interconnected large batteries at grid level in the Allgäu region. The six battery storage units distributed throughout the region provide grid services both individually and as a whole, which represents added value for the energy future.

Wildpoldsried website: Wildpoldsried. Innovativ. Richtungsweisend. WIR.
eGrid website: Portfolio - egrid

Second day
On the second day we visited INERATEC in Karlsruhe. The former start-up provides modular chemical plants for Power-to-X #PtX and Gas-to-Liquid applications as well as sustainable fuels and products. Green #hydrogen, from #renewable #electricity, and greenhouse gases such as CO2 are converted into e-kerosene, carbon-neutral gasoline, clean diesel or synthetic waxes, methanol or GNS. It should be noted that the company was the winner of the "Energy Challenge Chile 2023" and participated in the Chilean EXPOMIN 2023.

Later that day, we were able to get to know the electrical coordinator for the southern region of #Germany, TransnetBW GmbH, with a guided tour of the control center in Wendlingen. TransnetBW manages the transmission network of Baden-Württemberg THE LÄND. The company's high-voltage lines (220 and 380 kV) are about 3,100 km long and are part of the interconnected system with other European countries. In turn, the high-voltage network is connected to the regional distribution network (110 kV) via approximately 80 transformers. During the visit we discussed the challenges of the energy transition and #decarbonization, as well as solutions to use the existing grid to optimize its capacity, incorporate storage, #gridbooster, improve forecasts, etc. in order to ensure system stability and minimize the dumping of clean energy.

Website Ineratec: Startseite | INERATEC
Website TransnetBW: Homepage - TransnetBW

Day 3
We visited the Technische Universität München and the "gate - Garchinger Technologie- und Gründerzentrum". The "gate Garching" offers an ecosystem to support #tech-startups. The institute acts as an #incubator and has already mentored and supported a wide range of innovative teams to successfully enter the market. We appreciate the fruitful exchange!

One of the startups located on campus is Battery Dynamics GmbH Dynamics. The company, with its high-precision #battery testing equipment and services, can also help you develop #durable and #high-performance battery systems. With modern #diagnostic methods, such as high-precision #coulometry and differential voltage analysis, it is possible to detect battery aging more quickly and accurately, thus improving battery systems more and more.

Website gate Garching: Startseite - gate Garching DE
Website Battery Dynamics: Battery Dynamics - High Precision Battery Testing (battery-dynamics.de)

Fourth and fifth day
The study tour "Energy Transition 2023" concluded with a two-day visit to the Intersolar trade fair.
We were welcomed by the companies IBC SOLAR AG, sonnen, Inc. and meteocontrol at their booths and were shown their technology. Together with BSW - Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V. we discussed the challenges of the energy transition and how Chile and Germany can help each other. With Dr. Matthias Vetter from Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE we discussed developments in #photovoltaic and #storage technology, and with the Deutscher Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellen-Verband (DWV) e.V. (German #Hydrogen Association) the fields of application of green #H2 in industry and transport. Thank you very much for these and all the other very interesting conversations and contacts.
 
Our conclusion for this week: progress is being made, but much remains to be done. The technical challenges are similar, even if the national contexts are different. International and intercontinental cooperation is the key to rapid technological progress and investment.

This Study Tour was organized by AHK Chile and takes place within the framework of the Energy Partnership Chile-Germany, an alliance that seeks to increase energy efficiency, promote a greater use of renewable energy, and transform the energy systems of both countries for the future.