To mark its 150th anniversary, German firm BASF is hosting a ten-day program in Ludwigshafen focusing on one of the most pressing global challenges: Given the limited resources, how can we secure our energy supply also in the future?
By 2050, global energy demand is forecast to rise by more than 50 percent, BASF says, and new solutions will have to be developed in order to secure the energy supply in the future.
Germany, in particular, is in the midst of an energy transition: Electricity generation is becoming increasingly decentralized. As a result, electricity grids and energy markets will have to change and become more flexible. That’s why BASF says it chose to make “smart energy” the theme of the tour stop in Germany.
Experts, students, scientists and employees as well as representatives from politics, business and society are invited to join BASF from November 20 to 30, 2015, to work on solutions to this challenge together. Following stops in Mumbai, Shanghai, New York, São Paulo and Barcelona, the Creator Space tour will conclude in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
The events will take place in the new BASF Conference Center, which is being transformed into a creative and inspiring environment with the Creator Space furnishings that have been used around the world.
With products such as insulation materials, catalysts and materials for lightweight automotive construction, BASF says it helps conserve resources. At the same time, energy is an important factor in determining competitiveness in the chemical industry:
The program of Creator Space Ludwigshafen includes numerous events for students, visitors, experts, scientists and representatives from business and politics.
The events and activities include as “designathon” where young people looked for new applications for smart energy solutions in public spaces; an open house at the BASF Visitor Center and Conference Center; a summit where more than 70 experts will be discussing renewable energies, decentralized technologies and the social prerequisites for these to be implemented; an open innovation award; an Innovation Round Table; jamming where around 30 representatives from politics, business, science and NGOs from the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region will attend a creative workshop and develop ideas related to the topic “smart energy for the metropolitan region.”
Other notable events include: 150 minutes Creator Space tour where BASF employees are invited to the conference center, where they will get an overview of the ideas that have been developed at Creator Space in Ludwigshafen and the previous tour stops; knowledge sharing where BASF employees who have been involved in the Creator Space program around the globe will share their experiences; a Global Idea Pitch where the 10 best employee teams who participated in the global idea pitch on “urban living” will compete against each other and present their concepts to a jury which includes members of the BASF Board of Executive Directors; and exhibits and art installations based on the theme “smart energy.”
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Founder & Principal Consultant, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering best-in-class strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Nov 24, 2015 8am EST / 5am PST / 1pm GMT / 2pm CET