ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) Energy team had a busy few days at the SET Tech Festival and the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue in Berlin last week, exploring new sustainable energy solutions with innovators from across Europe and beyond. Now in its ninth year, the Set Tech Festival is an important feature on the sustainable energy calendar, with companies coming together to share best practice and discuss how to address the challenges ahead. With maintaining sustainable energy supplies and addressing climate challenges at the top of political and social agendas around the world, space has a key role to play in delivering effective and sustainable innovation in the sector.
Day one saw a series of pitches from the finalists of the prestigious Start-Up Energy Transition (SET) Award, and Asimina Syriou, Energy Lead for ESA BASS, joined the jury judging the 15 finalists in five categories, along with other experts in the field, including BASS Energy Task Force member DENA, which hosted the event in cooperation with the World Energy Council. As well as assessing the companies’ presentations and deciding which projects best align with the Festival’s core themes of sustainability, energy transition and climate innovation, the jury also offered networking and mentoring to startups, connecting them with relevant industry contacts.
This year’s winners were announced at the Award Ceremony the following day:
• Clean Energy & Storage: Cowa (Switzerland 🇨🇭)
• Mobility & Transportation: Nyobolt (UK 🇬🇧 )
• Industry: Cyclize (Germany 🇩🇪 )
• Buildings & Construction: Concular (Germany 🇩🇪 )
• Quality Energy Access & SDG-7: Koolboks (France 🇫🇷 )
ESA BASS had a prominent presence at the event this year, and the team was joined at the booth by three companies which have been supported by BASS to develop their own innovative projects in recent years. Italy’s i-EM who developed the successful MOWGLI project were among them, along with SolarCleano from Luxembourg and Germany’s VISTA.
During the day, Rita Rinaldo, Head of Applications, Projects and Studies Division at ESA, spoke about how space is accelerating the energy transition, joining DLR Start Up Factory, LiveEO, one of the BASS programme’s successful projects and ELIA group, on the stage during the Innovation as a Cross-Fertilizer Between Industries – The Energy x Space Nexus panel discussion.
“We are delighted to see so many BASS alumni at this event and to support the companies on our stand” said Rita Rinaldo. “Events such as these give innovators the chance to showcase their vision and make connections fostering the adoption of the developed product/service, by engaging with potential customers and other companies operating in the energy sector. For us, it is an opportunity to bring forward the unique value that space has in supporting the energy transition and increasing awareness of currently planned initiatives, such as the ones on Green Hydrogen or Digitalisation of the Energy Infrastructure.
Our collaboration with DENA, a key member of the BASS Energy Task Force, is instrumental in bridging the gap between space innovation and the needs of the energy sector, ensuring that satellite technology plays a pivotal role in advancing sustainable energy solutions. ESA BASS continues to support new innovators across Europe to use space technology and data to address the challenges faced by the energy sector.”
Corinna Enders, CEO of DENA, highlighted the role of cross-sector collaboration in accelerating innovation: "Driving the energy transition requires a collective effort from industry, policymakers, and innovators. By fostering partnerships like those at SET Tech Festival, we can unlock groundbreaking solutions that push the boundaries of sustainability and climate action. ESA BASS plays an essential role in this ecosystem, demonstrating how space-based technology and data can be leveraged to support the energy transition and create real impact."
Marking the end of a busy three days in Berlin, representatives from ESA BASS also took part in the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue, a major conference running parallel to and in cooperation with the SET Tech Festival. Organised by the German Federal Foreign Office and the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action the conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss energy transition, climate goals, and sustainable development.
To find out more about how ESA BASS is supporting the energy transition, please visit https://business.esa.int/energy or sign up for our quarterly Energy Bulletin.
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