Ms Vancheswaran,

Mr Christ,

Mr Rispens,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

it is my genuine pleasure to welcome you at this our reception. Only a few hours ago I had a most comprehensive  consultation with Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on the topic of renewable energy and I just know, in this field, India and Hamburg share many views and ambitions.

Hamburg is, and wants to be, a growing metropolis. We claim to be that economic region in Germany with the best prospects. Hamburg has an excellent sector mix and a healthy industrial economic base. Hamburg is the domicile of many major corporations.

And we have 1.8 million inhabitants which does not quite match New Delhi. There are five million who live and work in our metropolitan region, though, which equals one per cent of the European Union citizens. A thriving region.

So we are going from strength to strength or are we? In the age of rising energy demand, of course we are aware that precautions must be taken. 

Only recently, Germany has decided to phase out the use of nuclear power until 2022. Hamburg was Europe’s Green Capital 2011 and Hamburg is committed to make its contribution to the energy transition. The aims are partly contradictory as the prevention of CO2 emissions and the targets of economic growth sometimes may collide.  

But they can be supportive of each other just as well and this is where the great opportunities of Indian-Hanseatic co-operation come in.

In Hamburg, and the North of Germany in general, we are focusing above all on wind power. This has to do with high-tech; basically the competence to develop and apply modern technologies in Germany within a European framework. This, as far as I am concerned, is going to be a signature feature of the entire region. 

And I do predict  that the connection between economic growth and the climate-friendly development of products and production will be enjoying high priority worldwide. 

Hamburg has a great deal to offer in this area. We have put a lot of thought to the topic of energy generation, and modern storage solutions. 

Intelligent growth driven by engineering is what we need most. This is how I see modern environmental policy.

And it is the cities, especially large cities, that have the responsibility of being innovative and of making use of the most advanced technologies engineers have developed. Large cities are able to do this. They are able to serve as fascinating laboratories for our society. New Delhi people know what I mean and how it feels.

India is a key economic power, both regionally and internationally. We know that the country is looking to expand its industrial production and diversify its exports.The Indian government intends to promote green technologies such as the use of renewable energies, electric motors and storage technologies. 

The Hamburg Metropolitan Region has been a stronghold of the renewable energy industry so far, especially considering wind, but also solar energy. And the Region has great wind conditions of its own, between the North Sea and the Baltic. As Europe’s wind energy capital, Hamburg has attracted leading manufacturers and component suppliers already, and other companies involved in the wind industry to settle their headquarters in the city. In fact, most headquarters of wind energy companies in Germany and the European Union, maybe even worldwide are located in Hamburg.

We count ten turbine manufacturers in Hamburg so far and big companies such as Repower Systems (now Suzlon), Nordex, Siemens, et cetera are represented in the region.

These companies are playing a major part in implementing Germany’s energy transformation. The international energy markets are also watching Germany’s progress very carefully as the world’s first mover in the energy policy turnaround aims to lead the field in new technologies.

Hamburg is also strengthening its role in research & development concerning renewable energies. The Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, for example, envisages a Wind-Lab” and a Smart-Grid-Lab” as part of the future Technology Center Energy-Campus Hamburg.

Together, the city of Hamburg and the Hamburg University of technology are building the Innovation Campus for Green technologies. Here, under the metaphorical one roof, we will bring together research and development, technology transfer, industrial cooperations, teaching, further education, promotion of business start-ups, and company development. Obviously, the ICG focuses on green technologies, like energy efficiency, generating energy from the sea, integrated municipal power supply, climate-friendly energy and environment technologies, management of climate change effects, resource conserving production, green logistics.  

Hamburg is also the central planning location for solar power parks in Germany and around the world. Major decision-making companies such as Conergy Deutschland, Centrosolar, Voltwerk, and Velux are based in the Metropolitan Region. 

Hamburg not only provides for the necessary development know-how, but also for the certification, financing and insurance, which are a prerequisite for the well-functioning of this branch of the economy. 

The Hamburg Administration helps to coordinate all players involved. The Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster was founded to strengthen and promote industry cooperation in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region and to underpin positive economic development.

This, however, I will not go on about just now as we have the expert with us, Mr Jan Rispens.

I look forward not only to his, and Ms Vancheswaran´s keynotes, but also to many years and decades of energetic Indian-Hanseatic co-operation.

The spoken word applies.