Uwe Kerkmann, Head of EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf, attended this year’s Start-up Week in Düsseldorf. Together with Stadtwerke Düsseldorf (the biggest energy provider in the city) he discussed about the city’s goal to be “Climate-neutral by 2035”. Topics included were mobility solutions of the future, new energy concepts and climate-neutral buildings, where EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf is a pioneer in its field.

After an introduction by Markus Sudhoff from “Climate Founders” (a start-up from Cologne), moderator Peter Hornik (CEO digihub Düsseldorf/Rheinland) and Martin Giehl from Stadtwerke Düsseldorf joined Uwe Kerkmann to talk about the climate-friendly and liveable design of urban spaces. Christian Lang, founder and CEO of CHARGERY and Karine Rübner from the Federal Association for Digital Economy offered further perspectives to the topic.

Among other things, current projects of Stadtwerke Düsseldorf about the mobility of the future and climate-neutral energy supply were presented. The EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf will be a big showcase and a real-life laboratory for such sustainable concepts. The Stadtwerke developed a Lake Water Utilization Concept, where the quarry pond Lichtenbroich is used as an energy source for the Campus. Solar energy is also used in this innovative regenerative energy concept.

All speakers agreed that Düsseldorf’s ambitious goal to be climate-neutral by 2035 can only be reached if different approaches are combined and pursued fast and efficiently. The possibilities offered by digitalization are a key factor in this process. Projects such as the EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf can serve as a test field and blueprint in addressing the topics of the future interdisciplinarily together with science and economy.