Germany: BASF and partners work together on smart energy solutions

To mark its 150th anniversary, 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? Following stops in Mumbai, Shanghai, New York, São Paulo and Barcelona, the Creator SpaceTM tour will conclude in Ludwigshafen, 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. 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.

By 2050, global energy demand is forecast to rise by more than 50%. In order to secure our energy supply in the future, new solutions will have to be developed. 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. Therefore, BASF chose to make “smart energy” the theme of the tour stop in Germany. “Industrial and energy companies, politicians, scientists and interested public will have to work together if we are to find efficient solutions for the energy supply of tomorrow. At the Creator Space Ludwigshafen, we want to discuss technologies, storage systems and business models for intelligent energy supply with our partners,” said Margret Suckale, member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE.

With products such as insulation materials, catalysts and materials for lightweight automotive construction, BASF helps conserve resources. At the same time, energy is an important factor in determining competitiveness in the chemical industry: “As a major energy consumer, we are aware how important it is to operate in an energy-efficient way. That is why Creator Space is exploring questions like how renewable energies can be supplied at competitive costs,” said Dr. Friedrich Seitz, Site Manager of BASF in Ludwigshafen.

The program of Creator Space Ludwigshafen includes numerous events for students, visitors, experts, scientists and representatives from business and politics.

• Designathon: Following the official opening of Creator Space, a 24-hour creative marathon starts today. Young people will look for new applications for smart energy solutions in public spaces. An area in the center of Ludwigshafen will serve as the example. The ideas will be presented to a jury of experts on Saturday, November 21.
• Open house: From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 22, visitors can expect exhibits and site tours as well as an artistic program that makes energy visible at the BASF Visitor Center and Conference Center D 105.
• Summit: From 8:30 a.m. on November 23 until 5:30 p.m. on November 24, more than 70 experts will be discussing renewable energies, decentralized technologies and the social prerequisites for these to be implemented. Participants will develop ideas in six workshops and share these in a closing presentation on November 24.
• Open Innovation Award: On the second day of the Summit, the winners of the Open Innovation contest on energy storage will be announced. Each winning team will receive prize money of €100,000 and have the chance to implement their ideas in a project in collaboration with BASF.
• Innovation Round Table: On November 25, BASF will for the first time host the Innovation Round Table. Companies from across Europe will be sharing ideas on “co-creation and technology scouting.”
• Jamming: Around 30 representatives from politics, business, science and NGOs from the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region will attend a creative workshop on November 25 and develop ideas related to the topic “smart energy for the metropolitan region.”
• 150 minutes Creator Space tour: On November 26, 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: On November 27, BASF employees who have been involved in the Creator Space program around the globe will share their experiences.
• Global Idea Pitch: At the last event of the tour and the anniversary celebrations, the 10 best employee teams who participated in the global idea pitch on “urban living” will compete against each other on November 30. They will present their concepts to a jury which includes members of the BASF Board of Executive Directors. BASF will support the realization of the winning projects.
• Exhibits: As part of Creator Space, there will be exhibits and art installations based on the theme “smart energy” taking place in the conference center, Visitor Center and the company restaurants.

The Creator Space tour is the cornerstone of BASF’s anniversary celebrations. The aim is to bring people and ideas together all over the world to collaborate on finding solutions to challenges related to smart energy, food and urban living. More details and updates on all activities related to the celebrations of BASF’s 150th anniversary can be found on Creator Space™ Online ( www.creator-space.basf.com) – a global, collaborative internet platform.

About Creator Space™
BASF is hosting activities and events around the world in 2015 to celebrate and to co-create – bringing in the ideas and collaborative energy of BASF employees, customers, scientists and members of the community. In addition to the Creator Space tour, other key elements include Creator Space online, a global internet platform, and three Creator Space science symposia, in Ludwigshafen (smart energy), Chicago (food) and Shanghai (urban living). More information under:   http://www.creator-space.basf.com