Kassel (dpa/lhe) – An alliance of science, business and associations wants to establish a model region for sustainable and resilient energy systems in northern Hesse. The region offers ideal conditions for promoting the energy transition in an exemplary manner, said the President of the University of Kassel, Ute Clement, on Monday in Kassel. “We expect support from a future state government for this.”
The demands on Wiesbaden formulated in a position paper that has now been published range from strengthening vocational training and university education to investing in a technology park in North Hesse and supporting civic participation formats for the energy transition. In order to put scientific findings into practice more quickly, the alliance is calling for the funding of so-called real laboratories with around 30 million euros. In them, science and industry should be able to test and try out their innovations in the areas of climate protection, energy and heat supply.
Representatives of 14 institutions, associations and companies in North Hesse signed the letter, including the University of Kassel, the Fraunhofer Institute IEE in Kassel and the German Trade Union Confederation in North Hesse. It is also supported by the Association of Hessian Entrepreneurs’ Associations North Hesse (VhU), the Kassel Chamber of Crafts and the IHK Kassel-Marburg.
A model region for sustainable and resilient energy systems could be built on strong structures in northern Hesse and set an example for other regions, explained Clement. The position paper states that science, politics and business in the region are closely networked. Many small, medium-sized, but also large companies strived to advance the energy transition. There are well-established partnerships, particularly in the areas of renewable energies and e-mobility. “Due to the area potential, North Hesse as a location for wind energy is a strong and necessary partner for achieving the climate goals.”
