Press release

Launch of "Energieküste"

Minister of Economics Buchholz and Regionale Kooperation Westküste present new umbrella brand for Schleswig-Holstein's energy region

The "Energieküste" was officially launched today. This is the name of the new umbrella brand and platform for Schleswig-Holstein's leading energy region, which was presented by Minister of Economics Bernd Buchholz and the „Regionale Kooperation Westküste” in the Kiel State House. In future, the four districts of North Frisia, Dithmarschen, Steinburg and Pinneberg, which have joined forces in the cooperation, want to use it to market their pioneering role in the field of renewable energies together with local companies and research institutions both nationally and internationally. The aim is to strengthen the existing economy, attract new companies to the region, gain skilled workers and create a concise image for the business location.

"We are in an international competition of regions for companies, employees, scientists and investments. It is all the more important that we join forces. The west coast has always been a pioneering region in the energy turnaround, so we can confidently go out there and promote ourselves," says Buchholz. "The energy transition must be thought of in a networked way. This is the particular strength of the "Energieküste", as all aspects of an integrated system are already being developed in the region. Companies and municipalities are already making future technologies and sector coupling a reality in many projects."  There are numerous examples of the dynamic development of the renewable energy industry on the "Energieküste". For example, with the federally funded "Reallabor Westküste 100", a cross-sector consortium of producers, suppliers, municipal utilities, the Heide region, the Westküste University of Applied Sciences and the Heide refinery has initiated a future project in which a regional hydrogen economy is being created on an industrial scale. The eFarm in North Frisia, Germany's largest green H2 mobility project, shows how hydrogen from wind energy can be used to create a completely sustainable infrastructure - from generation to fleet use. For potential locations, innovative heating concepts are being developed with renewable energy or industrial waste heat, for example for the establishment of aquaculture farms. Schleswig-Holstein's largest industrial area, the Chem-Coast Park Brunsbüttel, is located in the centre of the coastal region. In Itzehoe, lithium-ion battery technology is being advanced in research and companies.

Behind the Energieküste is the „Regionale Kooperation Westküste”, whose chairmen Stefan Mohrdieck, District Administrator of Dithmarschen County, and Florian Lorenzen, District Administrator of Nord Frisia County, praised the close networking and good cooperation of all actors from the region. "The political and economic framework conditions are right here. Each district has different strengths and focal points. We have managed to transfer these into a common umbrella brand with supra-regional impact," said Mohrdieck. "The "Energieküste" offers ideal conditions for testing future technologies for the energy transition, whether green hydrogen, batteries for electromobility or microelectronics and robotics," adds Lorenzen.

 

Broad initiative from business, science, politics and administration

The "Energieküste" is supported by the „Regionale Kooperation Westküste”  of the districts of North Frisia, Dithmarschen, Steinburg and Pinneberg. A joint committee of representatives from business, science, the economic development agencies, the state and associations developed the new initiative in a series of workshops and working sessions. In future, ambassadors from the energy industry and research will promote the diverse competence and resource landscape of the "Energieküste", where reallabs, innovative companies, research and development projects and, last but not least, 2,500 wind turbines create the conditions for new value creation in areas ranging from sustainable mobility to big data to transformative industry.

On the portal www.energiekueste.eu, on Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as at trade fairs and events, companies, investors and all interested parties can find out about the business and research location on the coast. The Energieküste will make its first appearance at the ExpoReal real estate trade fair from 14. to 15. October in Munich. Other trade fairs such as the H2.0 conference "Green Hydrogen Economy in the Regions" in Husum and WindEnergy Hamburg will follow, as well as their own events next year.

 

The „Regionale Kooperation Westküste”

The “Regionale Kooperation Westküste” (www.rk-westküste.de) is made up of the districts of North Frisia, Dithmarschen, Steinburg and Pinneberg, the Chambers of Industry and Commerce of Flensburg and Kiel, the Entwicklungsgesellschaft Brunsbüttel mbH, the WEP Wirtschaftsförderungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft des Kreises Pinneberg mbH and the Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Nordfriesland mbH. The central coordination office for the "Energieküste" is located at the Norderelbe Project Company in Itzehoe (Steinburg district).

The project is financed with funds from the “Regionale Kooperation Westküste” Budget 2017-2020 and by the districts of North Frisia, Dithmarschen, Steinburg and Pinneberg. The “Regionale Kooperation Westküste” Budget is funded by the State Programme for the Economy. 

Your contact person for the Energieküste

Kirsten Voss

T +49 (0) 172 375 52 42
k.voss@energiekueste.de

WFG
Nordfriesland mbH
Energieküste
Schloßstraße 7
25813 Husum
Germany