Digital tools at work: German-made innovation to help save our planet Sustainable living: Google’s ambitious goals to fight global warming Paving the way: State Secretary Brantner on tech and climate AUFBRUCHchange Issue 28 goo.gle/aufbruch-de Society and self in the digital age Climate Action
Content Publishing information Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow Street, Dublin, Ireland | Tel.: +353 1 543 1000 | Fax: +353 1 686 5660 | Email: support-deutschland@google.com | Managing Directors: Elizabeth M. Cunningham, Nicholas Leeder | Google Ireland Limited is a corporation formed and registered under Irish law | Company number: 368047 | EU VAT identification number: IE6388047V This is a special promotional publication by Google. Produced in Germany. Thank you to the team at SZ Scala GmbH. 34 8 10 20 The state of our climate What we know about global warming and the key terms that matter Page 4 “Tremendous opportunities” An interview with Franziska Brantner from the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Page 8 Homegrown innovation Digital ideas from German startups that will help combat the climate crisis – Page 10 “Serious potential” Why Formula 1 race car driver Nico Rosberg founded the Greentech Festival – Page 17 Sunshine-powered crime dramas How mainly renewable energy powers the Google Cloud – Page 18 “Climate-friendly choices should be as simple as possible” An interview with Google’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Kate Brandt – Page 20 Progress from the Mittelstand How Germany’s medium-sized companies are reducing their CO2 footprint – Page 22 “AI helps us use resources more efficiently” How artificial intelligence can guide us towards more climate-friendly decisions – Page 26 Sustainability in Munich Google is breathing new life into a historic building to house its new offices – Page 28 The path to a greener future How Google is committed to fighting the climate crisis – Page 30 “A historic contribution” Researcher Stephan Ramesohl on digitalization’s role in the climate crisis – Page 34 2 Changing agriculture with digital tools: Our cover photo features the founder of Climate Farmers, Ivo Degn (left), with farmer onmorefarmHülsermannChristianfromTINThofinVoerde.Readabouttheprojectpage10.Mit digitaler Hilfe: Innovative Klimaschutzideen aus Deutschland Googles ambitionierte Ziele gegen Erderhitzung »Wir müssen AUFBRUCHüberStaatssekretärinaufholen«:BrantnerTechnologie&Klima Ausgabe 28 goo.gle/aufbruch-de Mensch und Gesellschaft im digitalen Wandel Klima schützen
Since 2007, Google has been a carbon-neutral company. We offset our emissions by investing in climate protection projects and purchase more renewable energy than any other company – which we then feed into the power grid. But that’s not enough.
Find out more about Google’s committment to climate protection → goo.gle/klimaschutz 3
We want all our operations to be CO2 free by 2030 – that means all of Google, around the world and around the clock. We’re also committed to sharing our technology and knowledge with organizations across Germany to help them transition to a carbon-free future. We believe that many small actions can make a big impact, which is why we develop products that empower our users to make climate-friendly decisions every day, whether they’re traveling or shopping.
Dear readers, All around the world, people are thinking about ways to protect our planet. We, too, share that sense of responsibility – after all, internet applications consume up to two percent of the electricity generated worldwide.
We wish you an enjoyable read! Philipp Justus Vice President Central Europe at Google
support;theirforHülsermann/TINThofChristiantothanksspecialwithFranzen,TillmannPortrait:Farmers;Climatebackground:CoverPhotos: LLCGoogleEditorial:Wintermeyer;WinniNoshe,Sellmann,JuliaContent: Editorial
While we don’t have all the answers yet, we believed in setting high goals for ourselves early on. Today, we’re working on solutions that will help us all do our part to protect the climate. We want to share just a few stories and ideas from across Germany with you in this issue of Aufbruch magazine.
The state of our climate
The latest reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change fill over 10,000 pages, leaving no room for doubt that the challenge we face requires urgent action. But they also present solutions. An overview of the most important scientific findings and key terms to know in the fight against global warming.
TEXT: LENA REUTERS Aufbruch Climate Action4
(1)Spratt/UnsplashAnnie(3),iStockphotoPhotos:
→ Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide are natural components of the Earth’s atmosphere. However, human activity has led to a massive increase in the emission of these gases, resulting in an effect similar to that of glass in a greenhouse: They absorb the solar energy and heat that radiate off the planet’s surface and keep it trapped in the atmosphere, which causes the Earth’s temperature to rise. → CO2 is the chemical formula for carbon dioxide, a heat-trapping gas that is produced, for example, by burning wood, coal, or gas. Carbon dioxide is converted into oxygen through photosynthesis or stored in bodies of water like oceans. High CO2 emissions in recent decades have disrupted the natural balance between the release and absorption of the gas, resulting in global warming.
→ Offsetting, or climate compensation, describes the practice of compensating for carbon dioxide emissions by financing climate protection projects like reforestation. Unlike the purchase of → CO2 certificates, offsetting is voluntary.
→ The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. Its findings provide the basis for international climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
5Background information
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) brings together hundreds of sci entists from 195 countries to compile research findings and analyze the dangers posed by global warming. Their latest assessment was published in April 2022, and the message is unequivocal: We must act swiftly and purpose fully. The status quo Human activity is warming our planet’s atmo sphere, oceans, and landmasses. Currently, the average global temperature is 1.1 degrees Cel sius above pre-industrial levels. If this trend is not slowed, it will climb to as much as 1.5 degrees Celsius within the next eight years. Once global warming exceeds certain “tipping points,” which experts estimate at between 1.5 and 2 degrees warmer than the pre-industrial era, it could become impossible to reverse or mitigate some of the consequences. Even if we succeed in curbing rising temperatures before these tip ping points are reached, the IPCC claims that the existing additional warmth will already have an irreversible impact on our climate. The planet – and especially its oceans – need time to react and recover. So, even if we were to stop produc ing greenhouse gases from this moment forth, the effects of climate change would still be felt by future generations.
The concrete impact of the climate crisis on future generations will depend on our ability to stabilize the levels of greenhouse gases cur rently in the atmosphere. If the average global temperature is to be kept from rising more than 1.5 degrees – which is the goal set out in the Paris Agreement of the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference – emissions of green house gases like CO2 and methane must drop 43 percent by 2030. And beginning in 2050, humans must stop producing any emissions whatsoever.
Preparing for the inevitable Humanity will have to learn to cope with certain changes to our climate, like extreme weather events. Some regions are already finding ways to do preemptive damage control – by develop ing early warning systems and investing in flood defenses or air conditioning. However, the IPCC believes many of these efforts are shortsighted. Faced with threats like dwindling fresh water supplies and irreversible damage to eco systems, scientists are calling for a complete overhaul. We need to rethink how we build houses, grow crops, get around, and generate energy.
→ CO2-certificates give certain industrial companies in the EU – like power plants, iron and steel smelters, and cement and lime manufacturers – the right to emit a certain amount of CO2. Each certificate covers one ton of CO2, and only a limited number are issued by the EU for free. Those who emit more must purchase additional CO2 certificates, while those with more climate-friendly operations can sell the ones they don’t need. Emissions trading is intended to create an economic incentive to produce less CO2. Currently, however, the carbon market is only open to some of the greenhouse gas emitters.
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→ CO2 neutral is when a process or activity –like heating, manufacturing, or traveling – can be conducted without increasing the amount of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere. At least theoretically, since → offsetting emissions also counts towards CO2 neutrality. See also → CO2 free
→ The UN Climate Change Conference, also known as the Conference of the Parties (COP), is an annual meeting of all the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992. The 27th COP will take place in Egypt in November 2022.
Solutions for the catastrophe
→ The Paris Agreement was signed by 195 countries on December 12, 2015, at the → UN Climate Change Conference The signatories pledged to curb climate change and help restructure the global economy in a climate-friendly way. The primary goal of the agreement is to strive to prevent the global temperature increase from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and certainly to keep it below 2 degrees Celsius.
→ With the help of various carbon capture and storage technologies, CO2 can be removed from the atmosphere and stored underground –for example, in depleted oil and gas reservoirs or in the ocean floor.
→ The main drivers of climate change are the sectors that produce the highest greenhouse gas emissions. According to the German Environment Agency, these sectors are industry and energy (i.e., electric power plants). In 2021, these two sectors alone were responsible for more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions in Germany.
→ CO2 free goes further than CO2 neutrality, as it describes products or technologies that do not produce any CO2 emissions in either their manufac ture or their use. If a company wants to operate CO2 free, it’s not enough to offset emissions; the company must obtain all its energy exclusively from carbonfree sources. There are many potential arenas, from energy sup ply to mobility, where we can begin to meet this goal. We have the ability to reduce the emissions produced by all the main drivers of climate change. The IPCC makes it clear that phasing out coal-fired power is non-negotiable, while alterna tive renewable energy sources – like hydropower, solar, wind, and biomass energy – need to be swiftly expanded. In the industrial sector, scientists are seeing promising resource-saving production strat egies being implemented with the help of data analysis, which will hopefully result in new closedloop cycles. And each and every individual can also make a difference: According to the IPCC, we can cut methane emissions by up to 70 percent if we reduce our meat consumption and produce less Evenwaste.in the event that humanity doesn’t achieve CO2-neutral living by 2050, new ideas are con stantly giving rise to hope. A percentage of emis sions can be offset by planting forests. And accord ing to the IPCC, storing carbon dioxide underground might be an even more effective solution. So far, carbon capture and storage hasn’t made it past the pilot-project phase, because the amount of energy required for the capture, transport, and stor age of the gas is still too high. Companies and scien tists are currently fine-tuning new technologies –and the IPCC says that here, as elsewhere, we are in urgent need of further and faster progress. ●
Richter/UnsplashThomasWintermeyer,WinniiStockphoto,Photos:
Industry: 23.8 % Building: 15.2 % Transportation: 19.4 % Agriculture: 8 % Waste and miscellaneous: 1.1 %
7Taking action
→ Renewable energies are sources of energy that are practically inexhaustible or become available again after just a short period of time. These include hydropower, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal energy. They represent sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, the supply of which is finite. Energy: 32.5 %
“We have some catching up to do”
The German government’s climate protection goals are more ambitious than ever: The new national target is climate neutrality by 2045. What are policymakers doing to get there, and what role can digitalization play?
We asked Franziska Brantner, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
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INTERVIEW: PHILIPP HAUNER PHOTOS: NOSHE
About Dr. Franziska (Alliance90/TheBrantnerGreens) serves as the elected representative from the Heidelberg district in the German Bundestag and is Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
Ms. Brantner, beginning with this most recent legislative period, the Ministry for Economic Affairs has been expanded to cover climate action as well. What is the ministry doing to fight climate change? A great deal! First and foremost are our inten sive efforts to expand renewable energies and decarbonize industry. One very important tool is our strategy for foreign trade promotion. We’re creating incentives by offering assis tance to German companies that fulfill certain ecological criteria. And, of course, the link between climate protection and digitalization is central; we aim to focus more closely on that going forward. How do you think digitalization can impact climate change – especially given that our digital infrastructure is itself responsible for high emissions? Digitalization opens up tremendous opportuni ties for climate protection. We need to work towards improving efficiency – for example, by setting up a completely digitized energy net work. The Scandinavian and Baltic countries are much further along here; we have some catch ing up to do. In the construction industry, the use of digital twins offers great potential for resource conservation. These virtual represen tations of buildings can help architects and planners adopt more sustainable approaches. It’s one of the most important actions currently being taken as part of the push for better sus tainability. At the same time, as you mentioned, digital infrastructure consumes a lot of energy – just look at the production and operation of data centers. Yet even here, we see positive role models using green electricity, consuming energy efficiently, and making use of generated thermal discharge to heat their premises. What these pioneers are modeling must be our ori entation point for the future. “AI models consume incredible amounts of energy” How about where software and artificial intelligence (AI) are concerned? AI models and machine learning algorithms consume incredible amounts of energy. It will become increasingly important to develop smart solutions that build on existing models rather than starting from scratch, so new AI can be trained more efficiently. In addition, we need more transparency when it comes to under standing energy intensity. When purchasing a new refrigerator, consumers have a choice: Will they go for a B-grade model or the more energy-efficient A+++? These classifications offer an orientation point for appliances, yet we still don’t have a similar grading system for soft ware and apps. As a result, consumers are often unaware that intangible products like these also have a carbon footprint. That’s certainly not the case where digital devices are concerned. Calls to address planned obsolescence – the deliberate inclusion of flaws in devices to necessitate their replacement after a set period – are getting louder. How are policymak ers responding to the issue? This problem is being tackled at the EU level. For example, the European Parliament wants to introduce “right to repair” legislation – an item that’s also high on the Green Party’s agenda. Currently, many digital devices are designed in such a way that they have to be replaced every two years. That simply cannot be – not least of all because of the rate at which we’re using up rare-earth metals. It’s also completely unneces sary. Between each smartphone generation, improvements are really only made to the soft ware, or at most to the camera. Why not simply replace the camera or install new software? These are questions we need to address. What role do startups play in the develop ment of sustainable technologies? Many of them are actively engaged in helping Germany achieve climate neutrality by 2045.
And finally: To what extent can remote working help reduce emissions? It shouldn’t be our goal to have everyone sitting in front of their computers at home, like many of us did during the lockdowns. But the pan demic has helped us become more flexible. And that’s a good thing. Reducing the number of commutes contributes to climate protec tion. We should also look at what co-working spaces have to offer in the way of solutions, particularly in small towns and rural areas. That’s a conversation that transcends the issue of climate change and gets into how we, as a society, want to live and work in the future.
●
9Talking politics
The companies that are making valuable contri butions in this area today will be the market leaders of tomorrow. And yet climate-friendly business practices are often more expensive than conventional ones. Are there other actions we can take, besides carbon pricing? Yes, we can introduce legal regulations. And, of course, I hope companies will make voluntary commitments. Our crisis-ridden times have demonstrated that we have to be more careful with resources and raw materials. Many compa nies are starting to adopt a different attitude. It’s becoming clearer that it’s in a company’s own interest to make its business operations more environmentally friendly. Just look at how fragile supply chains have become. More sustainable resource handling would make supply chains more resilient.
The problem: The methane gas expelled by livestock and nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer are just some of the ways in which agriculture contributes to global warming. Pioneering methods of soil management could reduce these emissions by trapping CO2 below ground.
→ climatefarmers.org
How can technology and digital innovation help us in the fight against climate change? An inspiring trip across Germany.
10
Berlin
The idea: The Climate Farmers initiative is pushing for the widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture. Practices like keeping fields planted year round spurs the growth of CO2-binding root masses, which can delve deeper into the soil when left to grow freely. These roots provide nutrition for dirt-dwelling organisms, which in turn produce humus that improves soil quality. Climate Farmers has launched a Europe-wide cam paign to highlight the positive effects of regenerative agriculture. They share data-supported techniques with farmers who want to transition to this method of farming, so that even more CO2 can be stored under ground. The status: The startup uses digital tools to analyze field allocation and local soil conditions across Europe. Their monitoring system, which is accessible to everyone participating in the project, makes use of satellite imagery to highlight areas where regenerative agriculture is already being practiced. This groundbreaking idea from Climate Farmers has been recognized by the Google.org Impact Challenge, among others.
innovationHomegrownAufbruchClimateAction
TEXT: GRETA SIEBER, LENA REUTERS, CHRISTIAN HEINRICH PHOTOS: SILVIA ClimateAGRICULTURECONDEFarmersfrom
Using satellite data for better soil
ManyfoldsLOGISTICSfrom
The idea: Manyfolds hopes to reduce CO2 emis sions with their customized shipping boxes. An app developed by the startup uses imagerecognition technology to calculate the size and shape of the goods to ship, and an automated program uses that data to generate a template for a box with tailor-made interior and exterior dimensions. This is printed by a cardboardcutting machine and folded into shape. Partici pating companies can lease cutting machines directly from Manyfolds.
Shipping boxes are often far larger than their contents. Outsized boxes waste space in delivery trucks and often require extra packing materials made of Styrofoam or plastic, creating unnecessary emissions.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Plan A from CalculatingBerlin and reducing CO2 footprints
TheTailor-madeMunichpackagingproblem:
The status: Following a successful pilot phase, the founders are continuing to optimize their software and production machines. Currently, the startup is growing its customer base through software and hardware subscription packages.
The problem: Calculating a company’s carbon footprint is often a manual endeavor; however, the process doesn’t usually shed much light on how to actually reduce emissions.
→ plana.earth 11Grounds for hope
The idea: Lubomila Jordanova and Nathan Bon nisseau founded Plan A with the goal of devel oping software that uses a data management platform to automatically calculate a company’s emissions, suggest ways to reduce them, and carry out ESG reporting. Unlike other providers in the field, Plan A’s focus is on decarbonization. Once an emissions profile has been created, the software AI transmits an action plan with con crete steps to help users curb their carbon foot print. The status: After taking in over three million dol lars of startup capital in March 2021, Plan A raised another ten million dollars, which will go towards further refining their software and investments in expansion, among other things.
→ manyfolds.de Ivo Degn, Founder of Climate Farmers “We’ve moved almost all our services to the cloud” “We look at fields all the way from the molecu lar level to the big picture. Through highresolution satellite images, we can check on the development of agricultural land from above. At the same time, we use computersupported analysis to monitor how CO2 levels in the soil are changing over time. To ensure that the ground can trap as much of this harm ful greenhouse gas as possible, we analyze geographical features to create a customized plan for planting, watering, and soil treatment. But the real revolution will be brought about by another invention entirely – something that’s already integral to many office workflows these days. We’ve moved almost all our ser vices to the cloud. This crucial step has enabled us to connect with regenerative agriculture trailblazers all over Europe. Many of them lack local support, or even face backlash. Very few can afford regular travel to their nearest city for conferences or workshops. That’s why we offer everything online – learning resources, agricultural consultations, and the chance to share experiences and ideas with the wider community. In our online forums, farmers from small Portuguese villages learn from their peers in East Frisia, and vice versa. Forty per cent of Europe’s landmass is used for agricul tural purposes, and our programs help people across the continent grow closer together. And this is just the beginning; our goal is to scale regenerative agriculture, so we can trap more CO2 below ground and restore our ecosys tems. According to the ‘4 per 1000’ initiative, if we manage to increase our soil’s CO2 concen tration by 0.4 percent each year, we’ll eventu ally neutralize all human-created emissions.”
The problem: In 2021, over 57 percent of the electricity fed into Germany’s national grid came from the conventional combustion of fos sil fuels such as natural gas. While more and more of our energy is being derived from renewable sources like solar and wind power, phases of downtime, like windless nights when neither solar nor wind power can be generated, need to be bridged with alternative power sources.
from Planegg Creating clean energy with microorganisms
The status: To date, nearly 12,000 cafés and restaurants offer food and drink to go in a Recup or Rebowl in exchange for a refundable deposit. Various food delivery services are also currently trialing ways to get involved. Participating busi nesses can be found at recup.de and through the company’s app. One Recup can replace up to 1,000 disposable cups, and a Rebowl 500 dis posable takeout containers. → recup.de
ElectrochaeaENERGY
The idea: Electrochaea uses renewable energy to split water compounds into molecules of oxy gen and hydrogen, then introduces singlecelled microorganisms called archaea. These act as biocatalysts, using CO2 to convert hydro gen into methane gas. Like natural gas, methane can be fed into the grid and used to create energy – a climate-neutral way to bridge wind and solar downtime.
“The Sion will be part of a mobility cloud“ “These days, charging an electric vehicle still goes something like this: Charge it up, drive it till the battery runs out, then charge it up again. We believe we can make the process more efficient – through a combination of solar cells embed ded directly into the car’s exterior and inte grated sharing technology. Here’s our vision of the future: A woman – let’s call her Anna – is working in her office while her Sion, parked out side, charges via its solar cells. Meanwhile, Elias is nearby looking for somewhere to charge his car. The Sono app directs him to Anna’s Sion, and once there, he pops open its charging socket and links up. He knows if and how much power Anna is willing to spare based on her custom profile in the app. If Ali needs a car on short notice, Anna could even loan him hers with the same app. These were the uses we had in mind when we designed the Sono app, which is inter linked with the car’s infotainment system – its central control console. Our app and in-car sys tems aren’t just there to provide real-time solar charging data or log the car’s energy consump tion; in the future, they’ll also be able to dictate who can borrow the car when, and for how long. This technology means the Sion will be a private vehicle that’s also part of a mobility cloud.”
The status: In a financing round in January 2022, Electrochaea attracted new investments totaling 36 million euros. The founders want to scale up their technology and begin commercial operations soon. Multiple pilot facilities are already running in Denmark and Switzerland, and plans are underway for the first commercial power plant. → electrochaea.com
Jona Christians, CEO and Co-Founder of Sono Motors
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The problem: Standard-issue disposable cups create 40,000 tons of garbage every year.
From app to reusable cup
The idea: Recup/Rebowl is a deposit-based system for multi-use cups and to-go boxes that serves as a trash-free alternative for consumers.
RecupGASTRONOMY&Rebowl from Munich
The idea: The Sion e-car from Sono Motors can be hooked up to standard charging stations, but can also refill its battery using solar power. Four hundred and fifty-six half-cut solar cells are seamlessly integrated into the body of the car; these generate enough power to add an extra 245 kilometers in reach per week. For short-distance drivers, the Sion offers a mobility solution entirely independent of the grid. Thanks to an intelligent digital infrastructure, the Sion will hopefully soon be available as a car sharing option and power source – for example, for e-scooter users who want to charge up on the go.
The idea: Eevie is a digital platform that aids companies in fostering a greener corporate culture. Either individually or as a team, em ployees participate in company-wide climate campaigns over the Eevie app. The app also en courages them to make eco-oriented decisions in their everyday lives, like eating less meat and using less water. Good habits are rewarded; prizes include seedlings that can be planted vir tually in the app as well as in real life. As a result, challenge participants create a positive ripple effect by implementing their newfound knowledge beyond the workplace. The status: Eevie is already supporting com panies like Bayer and DHL with Employee Cli mate Engagement strategies. So far, more than 50,000 trees have been planted in Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and Indonesia.
The idea: Kite surfer Marcus Bischoff came up with the idea of powering container ships with wind energy instead of fuel oil. At 100 to 300 meters above sea level, the wind is always blowing. At that height, large kite sails could catch enough wind to carry ships with a spe cially-designed hull to their destinations with out the need for traditional fuels. A backup electric motor on board would allow captains to steer safely into harbor.
The problem: In Germany alone, private vehicles with combustion en gines generate more than 100 million tons of CO2 each year. Even the electricity used to power e-cars often comes from fossil fuels.
SonoMOBILITYMotors from ConservingMunichresources with
Many companies miss opportu nities to encourage more sustainable habits in the workplace.
→ eevie.io
CargoKiteLOGISTICSfrom Munich Giant sails for container ships
→ cargokite.com
solar-powered mobility
13Digital solutions
ThecorporateForEevieANALYTICSfromDüsseldorfaclimate-friendlycultureproblem:
The problem: Seventy-seven percent of the EU’s imports and exports are transported via container ship. According to CargoKite’s calcu lations, a freighter creates more CO2 than 65,000 cars covering an equivalent distance.
The status: The Sion is set to roll out a limited batch run in the thousands in the second half of 2023. In subsequent years, Sono Motors hopes for an output of over 40,000 Sion vehicles annually. By the end of April 2022, the startup had already logged more than 17,800 preorders. → sonomotors.com
MotorsSonoPhotos:
The status: The CargoKite team is working on the first prototype ship, with which they hope to test and advance their steering and con trol systems. In 2023, the startup plans to pres ent a prototype the size of a recreational boat.
The idea: The team at Planted makes plant-based meat alternatives from protein flour, plant fibers, rapeseed oil, and water. Their products are cur rently available in restaurants and supermarkets in countries that include Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the UK. Planted also delivers Europewide via its online store. Ingredients are as locally-sourced as possible, and no artificial additives are used. In comparison to standard chicken processing, planted.chicken results in 74 percent less CO2 and requires 46 percent less water. Continuous customer feedback plays a large role in shaping the company’s range of offerings.
The status: Founded in 2019, the startup now has over 170 employees, including a 60-head research and development team. A self-proclaimed pioneer in its work with new methods of bio-structuring – which merges protein structuring and biotechnology – Planted has acquired around 45 million euros in investments to date. → eatplanted.de
The idea: Biofabrik’s mobile recycling system, WASTX Plastic, transforms plastic waste into synthetic oil. One kilogram of plastic yields one liter of oil, which reenters the raw materials cycle as a component of recycled plastics. So far, these recycling systems have been sold in 38 countries, and they’re all connected via a network that can track and transmit informa tion like reactor temperatures and pressure conditions on individual units. Virtual updates are constantly improving the systems.
The status: According to the Financial Times and Statista, Enpal is currently the fastestgrowing energy company in Europe. Around 15,000 units are already in operation, and by 2030, Enpal hopes to outfit one million homes with its technology. → enpal.de
The problem: In the 1950s, 1.5 million tons of plastic were produced per year. Today, that number is almost 400 million. Some of this plastic waste ends up dumped in the ocean; estimates put it at about a truckload per min ute.
The idea: Enpal leases out solar panels, battery storage systems, and e-car charging stations to private households, which are networked and operated over an intelligent energy platform. Their customers use the energy to power their homes and e-cars, while the company takes care of installation, maintenance, and repairs.
The status: In 2018, seven years after the Dres den startup was founded, the WASTX Plastic mobile recycling system went into batch pro duction. Since then, the company has expanded into other recycling systems, like WASTX Oil, which processes old oils, and a bio refinery that creates sustainable fertilizer from grass. → biofabrik.com
The problem: Meat and dairy production, which includes the making of sausage and cheese, accounts for around 70 percent of food-related greenhouse gas emissions in Germany.
Rickli/PlantedMarcelPhotos: EnpalENERGYfrom Berlin Solar power for all The problem: High upfront costs hold many people back from installing solar panels on their homes – even if they pay off in the long term.
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BiofabrikRECYCLINGfrom Dresden Oil made from plastic –with the help of data
PlNUTRITIONantedfrom VegetarianZürich/Berlinfoods refined by customer feedback
from
Many banks are still using money from their customers’ debit and savings ac counts and equity funds to invest in companies that profit from the sale of fossil fuels.
The problem: Fifteen percent of global CO2 emissions are created by the production of concrete, the most commonly used building material worldwide. The idea: Carbon Instead founder Julia Roth and her team have been testing ways of using carbonization to reduce the CO2 footprint of building materials. The technique they employ is called biomass pyrolysis. This thermal process converts the majority of the CO2 stored in plants into a solid substance, which not only means long-term CO2 capture, but a resulting raw material that can be put to good use. Car bon Instead is currently working on solutions for integrating this carbonate into various building materials to lessen their climatic impact.
The status: Founded in 2020, Carbon Instead is collaborating with industry partners and institu tions like the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics to implement their innovative idea on a widespread scale.
TomorrowFINANCE
ThemobileClimate-friendlyHamburgbankingproblem:
“Our customers’ preferences dictate how we tweak existing products and what new prod ucts go into development. A lot of companies claim to work this way, but we take it to a whole new level – more precisely, two levels.
The status: Tomorrow now has 120,000 cus tomers. The company has invested over 85 mil lion euros in social and environmental projects to date, including preserving almost 100 million square meters of rainforest. Soon, Tomorrow plans to offer sustainable equity funds along side its banking services. → tomorrow.one Christoph Jenny, Co-Founder of Planted and Executive Board Member “We track and adjust over 500 variables”
The first is customer feedback. We’ve swapped out standard questionnaires for short digital quizzes, which are customized to ask just a few detailed questions about the item in question. Were the spices in the sauce too intense, on point, or could it use a little more punch? Was the portion too big, too small, or just right? All these answers are analyzed by complex digital tools, which factor in reorder rates and user behavior in our online store. The second happens at our production facili ties, where we collect data to track and adjust over 500 specific variables, like temperature and humidity. We try to gather as much cus tomer feedback as possible on each individual product, so we can match it up with our data.
It’s on the basis of this data analysis that we make changes. Currently, we’re seeing a demand for larger chicken breast alternatives alongside our thinly-sliced ‘chicken’ strips. In response, we’ll expand our range. As always, everything we put on the market is made in line with our motto: no artificial additives, just plantbased tastes and flavors – and all without the CO2-intensive processes traditionally associ ated with meat.”
CarbonCONSTRUCTIONInsteadfrom Berlin Sustainable concrete through carbonization
The idea: In 2018, Inas Nureldin, Jakob Berndt, and Michael Schweikart founded the financial service provider Tomorrow Bank – and with it established what they claim is the world’s first climate-neutral bank account. The FinTech company invests solely in social and environ mental projects like the expansion of social housing. Currently, for every euro that their cus tomers spend using their Tomorrow Visa debit cards, the company invests in rebuilding an ecosystem on South Africa’s Eastern Cape.
→ carboninstead.de
15Continued innovation
“We’re building a system that can automate the flight of an Enerkite for months on end”
The status: The first 100 kW Enerkite prototype will begin operation in 2023. The Enerkite is set to generate twice as much energy as a standard wind turbine of a comparable scale, thus saving 95 percent on materials. In the future, mobile Enerkites could potentially be used to charge electric vehicles in rural areas or disaster zones. → enerkite.de Aufbruch
The idea: Almost every country in the world could cover its electricity demand many times over with wind energy, according to the engineers behind Enerkite. They’ve developed wind energy technology that harnesses the strong, persistent winds found at an altitude of around 300 meters to generate electricity.
“Fully-automated, durable technology: That’s what our engineers are aiming for. We want our airborne wind power generators to function in dependently and produce electricity without human intervention. In short, we’re building a system that can automate the flight of an Enerkite for months on end. The goal is for a kite to fly year round, whenever the wind is blowing, and to land safely before the wind subsides; its responses should be automatic and depend able – no matter the weather. This system requires sensors that register wind velocity as well as the kite’s angle and coordi nates. And we need computer-run regulating software that can reliably track and react to in put information. Even the advanced prototypes we’re using for commercial development are outfitted with industry-grade technology that meets the most stringent security standards, comparable to the computing systems of off shore wind turbines and ships. This technology doesn’t just guarantee that our devices func tion seamlessly in standard conditions for months at a time, it also collects data that helps us further optimize the kites, correct errors, and minimize risks. We also frequently use simulations to virtually test the impact of new settings and upgrades. The real-life data we collect is fed into our sim ulations to make them as accurate as possible. In this sense, everything is connected – just like the weather cycles our Enerkites harness to generate electricity.”
Climate Action
Busso von Bismarck, Head of Business Development at Enerkite
wind energy
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The problem: Only six percent of electricity worldwide is derived from wind power.
GmbHEnerKitePhotos: EnerkiteENERGYfrom
AutomatedBerlin-Brandenburgairborne
What made you realize that technology and digitalization play a major role in environmental issues? It all goes back to Formula 1. Engine tuning tech nology has taken a massive leap forward thanks to digitalization. So much can be improved through technology, which is why it’s such a critical area for investment and research. You co-launched the Greentech Festival in 2019 with entrepreneurs Marco Voigt and Sven Krüger. How did the idea come about? I was at the CES trade show in Las Vegas a few years ago and saw a lot of exciting green tech nology, which left me wondering why we didn’t have an event like that in Europe. With Green tech, we’ve created a unique global platform where leaders in green thinking from business, politics, and culture can share their ideas. I love that the festival brings together projects, initia tives, and solutions from so many different realms. You can find common ground and com mon interests between industries as diverse as food, mobility, fashion, and construction. You invest in climate-friendly startups. What is it that makes a “green idea” interesting to you as an investor? It has to solve an existing problem in a way that will remain relevant and feasible long term. But it’s the people behind the project that are the determining factor for success: If they believe in their company, that belief is passed on to me as an investor – and to their target market. What green technology are you most excited about right now? I’m really interested in the energy sources of the future. I recently visited the ITER nuclear fusion project in southern France. We’re likely still sev eral decades away from a breakthrough, but I find the topic fascinating.
The biggest goal has to be the reduction of greenhouse gases and emissions from fossil fuels. Unfortunately, at this point, it’s unclear if that’s even still enough to stall the effects of cli mate change. Industrialized and emerging countries in particular are finding it difficult to reduce their energy consumption. But we have the right goals in place, and I have high hopes in technological progress.
Where does that hope come from? I believe there’s a solution for everything. That’s something I learned from my Formula 1 days. Never give up; a setback is only a reason to try harder. ●
Greentech Festival
The Greentech Festival, an international event all about green ideas, products, and innovations, takes place annually on the grounds of Berlin’s former Tegel Airport. The conference was launched in 2019 by Nico Rosberg and two business partners. Find out more at → greentechfestival.com
Since retiring from racing, Nico Rosberg has been investing in companies that focus on sustainable mobility and alternative technologies. Rosberg is also the founder and CEO of the electric racing team Rosberg X Racing. About 17A festival for ideas
What’s your view on Germany’s role as an incubator for technologies and startups? I think Germany has serious potential. We have incredible engineers and great technical univer sities. However, we’re far more hesitant than “Serious potential”
How Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg became the founder of a green technology festival. A conversation about digital progress and German innovation.
ZioraTomPhoto:
In an effort to stop climate change, what advances in technology do you think we’ll see in the next decade?
INTERVIEW: MARTIN TROCKNER
Mr. Rosberg, what inspired your commitment to climate protection? After my Formula 1 career, I thought it was important to do something that wasn’t as egodriven as sports. I wanted to be involved in proj ects that benefit people. Did it have anything to do with the fact that Formula 1 isn’t exactly known for being environmentally friendly? As a development platform, Motorsport contin ues to prove its worth. Formula 1 is behind countless technologies that make everyday road vehicles safer and more efficient. These innovations can, in turn, help motivate and inspire the sport’s massive fan base.
countries like the US when it comes to funding startups. If we can get better at that, we could see a new Silicon Valley emerge in Germany.
On Sunday evenings, people from every corner of the country look forward to another exciting episode of the beloved crime drama Tatort on public broadcasting channel ARD. Even if they don’t make it to the couch at 8:15 p.m. sharp, they can always watch the episode on ARD’s media library. In fact, according to ARD Online, it’s partly due to the show’s widespread popularity that the library receives so much traffic on Sunday evenings. The Mainz-based broadcaster needs a reliable server with plenty of storage capacity and computing power for the ever growing numbers of viewers making use of its streaming selection. The Google Cloud was developed for situations just like this with digital service providers and users alike in mind. Its computers and data centers are housed in what’s known as a “Cloud region.”
crimeSunshine-powereddramas
ILLUSTRATION: FABIA MATVEEV Aufbruch Climate Action18
These days, businesses, organizations, and even TV broadcasters across the country are taking advantage of the storage capacity and computing power provided by Google. What keeps it all up and running? Among other things, solar farms found in Germany. We take a closer look behind the scenes at the carbon-free landscape of Google Cloud.
Mainz → ARD Online
Google has been committed to using renewable energy for many years, and beginning in 2017, was able to cover 100 percent of its yearly electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases. This applies to the Cloud regions as well. The existing facility near Frankfurt am Main and the planned facility in Berlin/Brandenburg will be powered by ENGIE Deutschland, which is slated to deliver 140 megawatts of solar and wind energy to Google in the coming years. It’s all made possible by a new 39-megawatt photovoltaic energy plant and 22 wind farms in the German states of Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. ENGIE’s energy portfolio guar antees that as of this year, approximately 80 percent of the energy delivered to the Google infrastructure per hour will come from carbon-free sources.
19Electricity generation
Frankfurt am Main → Cloud region Google Cloud services are made available through a global network of Cloud regions. Currently, Germany has one such Cloud region near Frankfurt am Main; another is being built in the Berlin/Brandenburg area. Google Cloud makes the storage capacity and compu ting power of these centers available to customers, like public broadcaster ARD, who are then able to run their own services in the Cloud.
Mecklenburg-West
Pomerania → Solar farm
Kate Brandt served as Chief Sustainability Officer for the US government under former President Barack Obama; today, she holds the same position at Google. Her goal: a carbon-free company that also helps others become even more sustainable.
Aufbruch Climate Action20 INTERVIEW: FELIX ROHRBECK PHOTOS: WINNI WINTERMEYER
“Making climate-friendly choices should be as simple as possible”
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Germany has also set ambitious goals for itself and wants to be climate neutral by 2045. What can Google do to facilitate this? We welcome Germany’s pioneering role and want to support the transformation to a sus tainable economy. We will therefore invest more than one billion euros in digital infrastruc ture and clean energy in the country by 2030. One initiative is our collaboration with utility company ENGIE, which will supply all Google sites in Germany with wind and solar power starting this year. The electricity will be gener ated at a new, large-scale solar park as well as over 20 wind farms across Germany. We’re also helping cities like Hamburg achieve their own sustainability goals – like improving air quality with Project Air View – even faster. All the bad news about climate change can be disheartening. What gives you hope that we’ll ultimately win this fight? It’s true that it can sometimes feel daunting. But, in the words of Sundar Pichai, “I remain a technology optimist.” It’s based on his belief that people will never stop coming up with new solutions to problems. And I agree. If we bring together the power of people, governments, and cities with the technology of companies like Google, I believe we can overcome this incredibly great challenge together.
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As Google’s Chief Sustainabil ity Officer, Kate Brandt is responsible for the company’s global sustainability strategy. The US national previously served as the Chief Sustainability Officer of the United States under former President Barack Obama. She studied international relations in Cambridge, England and at other institutions, and has received various awards for her commitment to sustainability.
About Ambitious goals
You served as Chief Sustainability Officer under former President Barack Obama. What prompted your move to Google after his presidential term ended? The climate crisis is the most pressing chal lenge of our time, and this decade is crucial. We have just eight years left to set the right course, something we can only achieve with the active participation of governments, companies, and each and every individual. For Google, sustain ability has been one of the most important val ues since its founding. I believe we can make a re al contribution with our technology by empowering and supporting others on the path to greater sustainability – and also, of course, by constantly improving our own operations.
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More and more people are trying to live in a way that’s as environmentally friendly as possible. How can Google help? First of all, I’d like to say that it’s great to see so many people trying to make greener decisions in their everyday lives. And the number is grow ing! This is shown by our data on search que ries. Since the start of the corona pandemic, there have been significantly more search que ries from people who want to find out how to live more sustainably. But we’ve also discov ered that they often still have a hard time find ing relevant information and making the right decisions based on it. This is where we come in. Making climate-friendly choices should be as simple as possible. That’s why we’ve developed tools that help people, for example, commute or shop in a more climate-friendly way. Can you give us some specific examples? One example is Google Flights. When you search for flights using our service, you’re shown the CO2 emissions per capita associated with each trip. It also highlights the difference in environmental impact between flying econ omy and business class; because passengers in business class need much more space, their relative carbon footprint is bigger. Another example is Google Hotels, where you can see how sustainable an accommodation is before you make a reservation. And then, of course, there’s Google Maps. In the US, it already shows users not only the fastest route, but also the most environmentally friendly one. The poten tial here is huge. According to one study, in the US alone, this could save as much CO2 as taking 200,000 cars off the road. We hope to make this resource available to all users in Germany before the end of the year.
“We want to support the transformation to aeconomsustainabley”
Let’s talk about Google’s carbon foot print. How can a corporation that oper ates huge data centers all over the world be sustainable? This is, in fact, the question that drives us. From the very beginning, we’ve tried to operate our data centers as sustainably as we can – which means using as little electricity as possible. What’s more, since 2017, we’ve been sourcing as much electricity from renewable sources as we consume on an annual basis. We also com pensate for any CO2 emissions we do still pro duce – for example, at times when there’s not enough renewable energy available – by invest ing in climate protection projects, for which we receive carbon credits. We now want to take the next step and achieve entirely carbon-free operations – at all locations around the clock –by 2030. This means that all electricity for our data centers will then come from carbon-free energies, every hour of every day. To para phrase Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai: It’s a goal as ambitious as building a quantum computer or developing a self-driving car.
TEXT: TATJANA KRIEGER PHOTOS: MAX BRUNNERT, CONSTANTIN MIRBACH
The backbone of the German economy is its Mittelstand, a group of stable, mostly medium-sized enterprises united by a common set of values. They’re showing how digitalization can reduce carbon footprints –while simultaneously creating new business opportunities. from the Mittelstand
Alois Müller GmbH in Ungerhausen installs heating and air-conditioning systems for both private and industrial customers. In 2019, it opened the doors of its Green Factory, which produces goods such as ventilation ducts and features an in-house welding shop.
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Progress
The family-owned business makes premium skincare products, generat ing an annual revenue of around 200 million euros. Increasingly, the com pany, which employs 700 people, is turning its attention to climate pro tection. In addition to the products it sells in stores, the company manages an online shop; items are shipped in boxes containing no plas tic-based packing materials and delivered via climate-neutral transporta tion. For around five years, Robertz has led an interdisciplinary sustain ability team, which introduced the dashboard. In 2021, Babor was awarded a sustainability prize by German chemical industry association VCI for its innovation. “Our company is already climate neutral,” says Robertz. “Our goal for the future is to replace offsetting with measures that actually reduce emissions.”
To achieve that goal, the company is building a new, completely recycla ble production facility in Eschweiler, just a few kilometers from its head quarters. Every component of the extremely energy-efficient building is clearly marked. Should it one day need to be dismantled, the various raw materials can easily be separated and reused. Until that time, the facility will consume 60 percent less energy than the legal limit for industrial buildings. Photovoltaic and heat recovery systems will facilitate produc Solution-oriented thinking
HORST ROBERTZ, BABOR (PICTURED RIGHT)
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Anytime an employee at Aachen-based cosmetics manufacturer Dr. Babor uses the printer or copier, an automatic notification is sent to IT signaling a small increase in the company’s overall carbon footprint. The same thing happens when the barrier goes up in the staff parking lot or the mixing machines spring into action. All this data flows into a dash board, forming columns color-colored by emissions category – like elec tricity, vehicle fleet, paper supply, and refrigeration. The columns grow throughout the day, with a running tab showing the progression of the total value. “We can log our CO2 consumption almost in real time,” says Horst Robertz, who’s responsible for Research, Procurement, and Pro duction at Babor. “It shows us where there’s potential for improvement.”
“Our company is already climate neutral”
Investing in sustainability also comes with economic benefits. Increas ingly, climate engagement is becoming a competitive factor. “These days, we’re getting new trade partners for whom sustainable practices are a
tion processes that are independent of fossil fuels. “It will be one of the most sustainable cosmetics factories in the world,” says Robertz. By the time the first employees start work there in 2023, Babor will already be working towards its next goal: decreasing emissions. Robertz hopes to get this number down to 50 percent of the 2018 level by 2025. After that, the next target will be zero. “First, we have to use digital tools like our dashboard to gain a precise picture of how efficiently our systems are running.”Baborisn’t
How much progress a company makes with its own in-house transition to green energy seems to be primarily a question of willpower. Germany would likely be much further along with its national energy goals if every one were as resolute as Alois Müller. “Begging for government subsidies won’t get us anywhere,” says the head of Alois Müller GmbH. His com pany, which is based in the Bavarian town of Ungerhausen, specializes in heating, ventilation, plumbing, air-conditioning, and electrical installa tions for both private and industrial customers. In 2011, when the German government decided to phase out nuclear power, it was clear to Müller that renewable energies were the future. Today, the company has already achieved what enterprises like Babor are striving toward. In the summer of 2019, Müller – who oversees 700 employees – opened the doors of the Green Factory, which produces large fixtures like ventilation ducts and features an in-house welding shop. Since then, the Factory has operated almost entirely carbon free and energy self-sufficient, thanks to on-site systems that produce renewable energy.
Scheduling production according to nature’s clock
Eco-friendly logistics, data-driven carbon footprint monitoring, and a new factory with green operations – Babor is tackling climate protection from many angles.
The Green Factory’s approach is multi-pronged: a photovoltaic plant on the roof, a combined heating and power unit run on eco-gas (gas that has been rendered climate neutral through offset projects), and a pellet heat ing system powered by regenerative raw materials such as waste wood. To use energy as efficiently as possible, production processes are sched uled according to the availability of electricity. “We always run energyintensive processes between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., when we have plenty of solar energy,” says Müller. Like Horst Robertz at Babor, Müller places great emphasis on the importance of digitalization. “Data is crucial,” he says. “I need precise information on our factory, our energy consumption, our production, and the weather conditions.”
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alone in implementing climate protection measures. While politicians and corporations are still struggling to find ways for Germany to reach its climate goals and gain independence from fossil fuels, a green revolution is happening quietly in the background. Mittelstand and familyowned companies are pursuing ambitious sustainability strategies, often while staying out of the limelight. Robertz believes mid-size companies especially have an inherent advantage when it comes to sustainable transformation: “Short chains of command and quick decision-making processes enable us to implement things faster than big corporations usually can.”
Alois Müller is already making additional revenue by selling sur plus electricity. The Green Factory has two public EV charging stations, and may soon install more. Meanwhile, Müller’s energy consulting subsi diary e-con AG is experiencing a real boom. “There’s been an explosion in demand,” he says. “Big companies and town councils alike want to know the quickest ways to become carbon neutral.” The Green Factory has been awarded the Bavarian Energy Award, among other prizes, for its sustainability strategy. But Müller certainly isn’t resting on his laurels. “We want to make our entire fleet electric as soon as we can,” he says. “We’re also looking at hydrogen-based solutions and thin king about the construction materials of the future.” Does he wish there was more political support for his innovations? “The Mittelstand needs clear and reliable energy policy decisions so it can make the right invest ments,” says Müller. Babor executive Robertz has another request for politicians: “Please speed up approval processes and the expansion of infrastructure!” Companies in the Mittelstand are perfectly capable of managing the rest themselves. ● “We want to make our entire fleet electric as soon as we can”
Opening up opportunities through sustainability Switching to sustainable operations also opens up new business oppor tunities.
prerequisite,” says Robertz. Likewise, many consumers value skin care products that are as natural as possible and produced in a low-impact way. These consumers tend to be loyal customers who are willing to pay a fair price. That’s why Babor’s next initiative is to make its formulas, ingre dients, and packaging even more environmentally friendly.
ALOIS MÜLLER, ALOIS MÜLLER GMBH
25Practical experience
Alois Müller’s factory is almost entirely carbon neutral and energy self-sufficient. Surplus electricity is sold via two EV chargers.
Climate Action
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to any technology that enables computers to perform judgment,processes,“intelligent”suchaslearning,passingorproblem solving. About Sebastian Pokutta is a mathematics professor at the TU Berlin focusing on artificial intelligence and technologies.optimizationHe is also Vice President of the Zuse Institute Berlin, an interdisciplinary research institute for applied mathematics data-intensiveandhighperformance computing.
Mr. Pokutta, can artificial intelligence save the planet? Certainly not on its own. But if implemented correctly alongside human governance and societal measures, AI can be an extremely effective agent in fighting climate change.
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What can AI do better than other tech nologies or methods? I don’t think of AI as being in competition with other methods and technologies, but as a com plement to them. Fundamentally, AI is a dissem inator that allows us to gain insight from data and make better decisions based on that insight. “AI helps us use existing resources more efficiently”
INTERVIEW: CHRISTOPH HENN PHOTOS: FELIX BRÜGGEMANN
Artificial intelligence can guide us towards more climate-friendly decisions, says Sebastian Pokutta. The mathematics professor and Vice President of the Zuse Institute Berlin discusses the ways in which AI is already helping to reduce CO2 emissions and how quantum computing may take us even further.
It’s true that digitalization requires electricity, which produces CO2. But our overall climate footprint is smaller when we digitally map out the most sensible workflow for conventional processes. We’re also using AI to make data centers – technology’s beating heart – signifi cantly more efficient. And some research proj ects, like those being conducted at the Zuse Institute Berlin, are working on optimizing algo rithms, which are instrumental for sustainable systems. A better algorithm can reduce the time needed to train a machine learning model –and thus the related CO2 emissions – by a factor of hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thou sands. ● And faster decisions? Absolutely. Large chunks of the research and development cycle for new technologies can be significantly shortened thanks to AI-assisted processes. AI is at its most useful working in conjunction with the thinking power of people and research groups. Its great strength lies in its ability to quickly process and analyze large, unstructured data sets and find patterns within them. What does this mean in the context of climate action?
If AI is used to calculate shorter, more climatefriendly delivery routes, emissions drop even further. This is just one small aspect of logistics in which AI can be used to allocate resources far more efficiently and ecologically. At present, the international flow of goods is so complex that many ships and trucks end up making freight less journeys; in some sectors, a whopping 30 percent carry no cargo and are responsible for massive and unnecessary CO2 emissions.
What can AI contribute beyond increasing efficiency?
AI enables better decision-making, which leads to higher efficiency, and as a result, more sus tainable processes with a smaller climate foot print. Take shipping, for example: AI optimizes the truck-loading process, thereby increasing the number of packages per truck and decreas ing the associated CO2 emissions per package.
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Machine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence and describes how computers learn from data and experience in order to continually improve their performance of certain tasks. Quantum computers solve complex problems much faster than conventional computers using the laws of quantum mechanics. However, this high-performance technology is still in the early development stages.
So AI can streamline existing emissionsproducing processes? Yes. And using existing resources more effi ciently has major advantages, because it often takes a very long time to set up completely new systems – especially in Germany.
AI plays a key role in observing climate-related changes in vegetation via satellite. Because it can process large amounts of data quickly and easily, the technology lets researchers build models that can help us assess and adapt to future climate changes. In addition, AI is used in early-warning systems for weather disasters. Sustainability-focused startups, like those try ing to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, are also increasingly turning to AI. Machine learning
Will the development of quantum computers, which are much more powerful than present-day computers, expand the potential of AI? Yes, because its potential is currently limited by the computing power available. If quantum computers can one day expand our access to computing power, we’ll be able to accomplish more – i.e., train larger models based on more data. The time factor will be just as significant: Right now, AI is a huge asset for making strate gic future plans, but it struggles with real-time adjustments. Why does that matter? Let’s say we use AI to chart the most fuelefficient route for a plane. That route is likely more efficient in theory than practice, as real life is full of unexpected variables. With quan tum computing, on-the-spot adjustments can be made to keep the plane on the most efficient route, even as the pilot course-corrects for inclement weather. To look at another example, we could use satellite images to improve a factory’s CO2 emissions based on minute-byminute measurements rather than overall esti mates, as we do today. We can’t even imagine most of the ways in which this sort of real-time analysis could be put to use. And yet – while AI is helping to reduce greenhouse gases, the energy required to process such large quantities of data produces greenhouse gases of its own.
For its state-of-the-art development center in Munich, Google is breathing new life into an iconic landmark. How redevelopment on the historic Arnulfpost site will drastically reduce emissions, water consumption, and waste – all while fostering biodiversity.
TEXT: CHRISTOPH HENN Building sustainably 28 Aufbruch Climate Action
The planning team behind Google’s new development center is also con scious of waste production and water consumption. Many original fea tures are being salvaged and recycled – such as old doors and railings or reclaimed bricks and structural components from the former customs building – and 90 percent of the construction waste is slated for recy cling. Inside the building, water wastage is minimized thanks to highly effi cient fixtures, smart water meters, and sensors that automatically detect leaks. Rainwater, meanwhile, is collected in underground tanks that can hold up to 340,000 liters. This renewable resource is, in turn, used to irri gate the site’s outdoor green areas.
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The work currently underway on the approximately 50,000 m2 site is focused on preserving existing buildings wherever possible, thereby reducing the need to produce new building materials – a very CO2-intensive process. The existing buildings are being optimized in terms of energy efficiency, while all new structures – the largest of which is a building that connects the historic side wings – are being built to the most rigorous energy and environmental standards.
“We’re embedding sustainability into every aspect of our design and con struction process to ensure that the Arnulfpost project helps Google reach its ambitious goals regarding carbon emissions, circularity, water consumption, health, and ecology,” says Andreas Gyr, who is responsible for the sustainability of Google’s European real estate portfolio. In 2020, his work earned him the Living Future Hero Award for green building. At the Arnulfpost campus, Gyr and his team are primarily focusing on reduc ing energy consumption – and using computer-aided analyses to help improve the site’s efficiency. For example, structural energy requirements can be reduced by 26 percent through intelligent ventilation and cooling/ heating systems, low-consumption LED lighting, and other energyefficient electrical appliances. Significant energy savings can also be achieved thanks to automated fixtures that shade the façades from the sun. The site is linked to Munich’s efficient district heating and cooling grid and recycles excess energy produced on site. The waste heat generated by the server cooling systems, for example, is used to warm up water and air. When possible, the remaining demand is met by carbon-free energy: Rooftop photovoltaic systems covering some 450 m2 generate green electricity directly on the Arnulfpost campus.
changetosubjectbemayDesignsGoogle©.ofcourtesyprovidedBagot;WoodsbydesignsarchitecturalonbasedABVisulentbyproducedArnulfpostofImagePhoto:
Sustainability is at the heart of this project, with Google taking various steps to cut back the sizable carbon footprint a build of this scale typically produces. According to the German Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), the construction and operation of residential and commercial buildings in Germany is responsible for 40 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Within the industry, the top emissions-generating processes include the extraction of raw materials, building and renovation work, powering heat ing and cooling systems, and supplying electricity. For the Arnulfpost project, Google is paying close attention to these environmental impacts and taking great care to save on both building materials and energy, while also recycling the vast majority of its construction waste.
Anyone who assumes electromobility is a climate-conscious invention of the 21st century is mistaken: Electric vehicles existed all the way back in the early 1900s. Although gasoline engines – which were more powerful at the time – soon dominated the roads, their electric counterparts con tinued to be put to good use elsewhere, like at the historic Arnulfpost in the center of Munich. In the 1930s, all the mail destined for the Bavarian capital arrived here and was sorted in the iconic rotunda of the building known colloquially as the “Post Palace.” Electric tugs were indispensable in transporting letters and packages from the delivery area to the mechanical sorting facility, which was cutting-edge for its time.
A new habitat for 17 species Greenery plays an important role at the new Arnulfpost. “All our neighbors should feel at home here – that includes the local community as well as the wildlife,” says Holfelder. The roof and other parts of the complex will be landscaped to meet habitat conditions for 17 specifically selected ani mal species. “The site will foster species native to Munich with declining populations – such as the house sparrow – while providing other species with more habitable space,” explains Professor Thomas E. Hauck, land scape architect and co-founder of the Studio Animal-Aided Design plan ning office, which is advising Google on the project. “It’s win-win, because people also benefit from getting to experience more nature in an urban Andenvironment.”thee-mobility that provided climate-friendly transportation around Arnulfpost almost 100 years ago will be returning in 2024: The campus plans include more than 20 charging stations for electric vehicles. How ever, in order to encourage employees and guests to use local public transportation and other greener ways of getting around, there will be a limited number of car parking spaces – instead, there will be 300 parking spaces for bicycles as well as on-site bike repair stations. For more infor mation, visit goo.gle/arnulfpost
It’s been a long time since mail was processed at this historically pro tected landmark, but the Arnulfpost site will soon be a place of innovation – and climate protection – once again. In 2024, Google will open a new development center here with space for some 1,500 employees. As Wieland Holfelder, Google’s Site Lead in Munich, explains: “We’re further developing the historic fabric of the building and designing the new structures and open areas to create a healthy and sustainable site.”
● 29Conserving resources
Preserving existing buildings wherever possible
TEXT: PETER ILLUSTRATIONS:WAGNERFABIA MATVEEV In the fight to save the planet from rising global temperatures, Google is doing its part by supporting a diverse range of initiatives. At the top of the list: making its business operations carbon free by 2030. But all users should also be able to live more climate-friendly lives with Google. A peek at ten ongoing projects.
A greener future step by step
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Google has offset all of the CO2 emissions in the company’s history
On September 14, 2020, Google CEO Sundar Pichai released a special statement: “As of today, Google has offset all of its ‘historic’ CO2 emissions. This makes Google carbon neutral across its entire corporate history.” Pichai went on to specify the time period: All emissions that had occurred during business operations before the year 2007 were offset. From 2007, all of Google’s operations were already CO2 neutral, partly through the purchase of CO2 compensation certificates. Background: Science hasn’t yet found a way to reverse emissions. But there is the option of carbon compensation. Google consistently invests in activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In agriculture, for instance, methane from animal dung is being converted into bio gas that can be used to generate electricity, rather than simply escaping into the air. By investing in such measures, Google can math ematically neutralize all operational emissions that were produced until 2007 by the operation of servers, the commuting activities of employ ees, or business trips, for example. Read more at → goo.gle/kompensation I. Taking the footprint to zero
II. Computer power times six III. Shopping
IV.
Background: Though it’s not possible yet, Google’s ultimate goal is to have all its data cen ters running on carbon-free energy around the clock. In much of the continental US, for instance, solar parks make a considerable contribution during the day, but when the sun stops shining at night, electricity generated from the combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas come into play. Since 2017, Google has therefore matched 100 percent of its elec tricity use in its annual balance sheet by pur chasing the same amount of renewable energy. This approach has made Google the biggest corporate purchaser of renewable energy in the world, based on renewable electricity purchased in megawatt hours. Read more at → goo.gle/erneuerbare
31Innovations
Background: The portfolio provided by ENGIE ensures that from 2022 onwards, around 80 percent of the energy supplied to Google’s infrastructure in Germany will come from CO2 free sources at any given hour. Google is work ing with ENGIE and other partners to increase that proportion, with the goal of complete decarbonization by 2030. Through this project, Google and ENGIE will become part of the ini tiative Marktoffensive Erneuerbare Energien set up by DENA, the German Energy Agency. This special market offensive aims to encour age more large companies to get their electric ity directly from renewable sources and thus contribute to the decarbonization of the econ omy. Read more at → goo.gle/gruenezukunft and → marktoffensive-ee.de for sun and wind Promoting a carbon-free economy
Google joins the Marktoffensive Erneuer bare Energien to promote renewable energy
Google purchases more renewable energy than most other companies Google’s data centers in Frederica, Denmark and Hamina, Finland are run directly on renew able energy 90 percent of the time, while the Eemshaven and Middenmeer data centers in the Netherlands operate 100 percent carbon neutral thanks to renewable energy purchases.
Background: Digitalization affects almost every aspect of our lives, which is why the demand for computer power is increasing: Data centers are now responsible for two per cent of global electricity consumption. Every time we stream a series, look something up online, or write an email, we’re consuming pro cessing power. Data-intensive artificial intelli gence functions and digitalized industrial pro duction facilities have increased demand further still. That’s why Google experts are working on ways of improving energy effi ciency using state-of-the-art technologies. In 2014, Google began applying machine learning to automatically optimize data center cooling systems, which reduced energy consumption by as much as 30 percent. Specialists also designed intelligent control units for tempera ture, light, and cooling in order to reduce energy consumption, and special servers were developed for data center operations. Read more at → goo.gle/rechenleistung
Google data centers are always becoming more efficient Google currently operates 23 data centers worldwide. In each of these centers, a cata logue of the World Wide Web is stored, from which the Google search algorithms seek suit able answers to each query. Comparable facili ties are also available for Google Cloud applica tions: Companies or organizations can use these centers to operate their own digital ser vices. Even in Google’s early days, founders Ser gey Brin and Larry Page tried to run the servers as efficiently as possible, and their successors followed suit. Today, Google data centers are twice as efficient as the average corporate data center. What’s more, Google’s computational power is six times greater than it was just five years ago – using the same amount of electricity.
For many years, Google has been purchasing electricity from renewable sources in Germany. One especially large-scale project began in 2021 in collaboration with utility company ENGIE, which will deliver more than 140 mega watts of solar and wind power to Google Cloud facilities near Frankfurt am Main and Berlin in the coming years. The electricity will be gener ated by a solar park and 22 wind farms in the states of Brandenburg, Hesse, MecklenburgWest Pomerania, Lower Saxony, and SchleswigHolstein.
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The background: Nearly a decade ago, in 2013, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory had already published a study showing that 87 per cent of the energy consumed by information technology in the United States could be saved if all US office workers were to work via the Cloud. A case study by the independent Ameri can agency General Services Administration showed that switching to Google’s email or word processing applications could reduce computer costs, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent. Read more at → goo.gle/effizienz
Google.org Impact Challenge spurs climate action through digitalization As part of the 2020 Google.org Impact Chal lenge on Climate, Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, supported key initiatives in the fight against global warming. One of the selected organizations was the NGO Norma tive from Sweden: Normative developed an application with which small and mediumsized companies can also measure their carbon footprint and identify emission hotspots –including direct and indirect emissions. With the data, companies can define their own sus tainability plans and take appropriate measures to reduce their emissions. In addition to fund ing, Google.org brought together a team of Google.org Fellows, comprising software engi neers, UX designers and product managers from different Google offices across the globe who came to work alongside Normative to build a carbon calculator for SMEs.
VII. Bright new ideas V. The ultimate goal VI. For climate-friendlier companies
Background: The head of Google’s data cen ters and Senior Vice President for Technical Infrastructure, Urs Hölzle, admits that trying to operate carbon free is a difficult undertaking: “It would be an exaggeration to say we already know exactly how we’re going to do it.” Still, he believes it’s an achievable goal and has his hopes pinned on technological advances. “The greatest obstacle is often the idea that some thing can’t be done.” Year by year, Google will inaugurate new solar and wind parks to replace any coal-generated power still being used by data centers. In the meantime, entire backup systems are being powered by batteries rather than diesel generators. Read more at → goo.gle/ziel2030
Background: In 2020, the Google.org Impact Challenge on Climate provided a total of ten million euros for sustainable ideas with digital aspects. Normative, for example, was funded with a total of one million euros. Another grantee was the initiative Climate Farmers (see page 10 and cover photo). Read more about the Impact Challenges at → google.org Google aims to operate carbon free around the clock by 2030 Google wants to make its entire operations car bon free around the clock by the end of this decade – an ambitious goal, given the current scope of scientific capabilities. If Google suc ceeds, every Google search query will be pro cessed using clean energy, at every hour of every day. The same will be true of every email sent via Gmail and every video viewed on You Tube.
Google Cloud is more sustainable than an in-house server When we listen to podcasts or music on our phones, when we send emails or stream a series, there’s almost always a cloud in the background – i.e., a large center where data is saved and processed. The bigger the data cen ter, the more efficiently it can be run. If the electricity comes primarily from renewable energies, as is the case with Google Cloud, the CO2 emissions drop towards zero.
Background: Digital devices often become sluggish and inefficient after just a few years, because manufacturers want consumers to replace them with new ones. The installation of software such as the Chrome OS Flex operating system helps prevent unnecessary electronic waste. Read more about Chrome OS Flex at → goo.gle/chromeosflex
Google operating systems keep laptops working longer Updating existing software and managing older digital devices can be time consuming, both in the workplace and at home. The Google Chrome OS operating system was designed to update automatically for easier management. The new version, Chrome OS Flex, allows exist ing hardware to be used longer. Once installed on older PC and Mac models, it gives the devices a new lease on life, making them fast and bringing them back up to date.
X. New life for old computers
Background: Every day, more than a billion people around the world use Google products. These products should empower them to make more climate-friendly choices. Incidentally, the Google Flights feature that displays the CO2 emissions of individual flight options was devel oped by a team in Zurich using data on aircraft type, seating layout, route, and flight duration.
IX. More climatefriendly choices
Background: Since 2018, Google’s EIE tool has provided a platform that can be used to sup port local climate protection measures to more than 20,000 cities worldwide and over 800 cities in Germany. The tool provides local gov ernments with a regularly updated, data-based overview of traffic and building emissions and of the potential for renewable energy. At insights.sustainability.google, local govern ment agencies can request access to the data for their city or municipality. More at → goo.gle/airviewhh
VIII. Useful data for city officials
You can read more about Google’s commitment to climate action at → goo.gle/klimaschutz
Google is helping users find more fuel-efficient driving routes and loweremissions flights Many people rely on Google Maps for route guidance when driving. Soon, in addition to showing route alternatives with similar arrival times, Google Maps will also indicate the most fuel- and energy-efficient driving route – if it’s not already the fastest route. On a 41-kilometer journey that takes drivers through Berlin, for example, the feature can find a route that reduces fuel consumption by 18 percent while taking just three minutes longer. Google esti mates that this technology could save more than a million tons of CO2 emissions each year.
A Google car measures air quality in Hamburg Since the fall of 2021, a Google car with stateof-the-art sensor technology has been driving around Hamburg recording the levels of nitro gen dioxide, nitric oxide, carbon dioxide, car bon monoxide, particulates, and ozone in the air. For Project Air View, Google teamed up with the CityScienceLab, set up by HafenCity Uni versity Hamburg (HCU) and Hamburg’s city government, to assess air quality in various dis tricts. Google will share the information it gath ers with the HCU and the city, to aid them in future decision-making. “We’ll be able to gain many new insights on the basis of such exten sive data paired with Google’s global outlook,” says Martin Huber, Head of Hamburg’s Office for Transport. “We’re keen to embrace all of the tools at our disposal, no matter the architect, and we’re pleased that Google is trialing such pioneering technology here in Hamburg.” In addition, the city’s air quality data will be pub lished on Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE) platform from 2023 onwards.
Of course, emissions are cut even further when people switch to bikes or e-scooters. That’s why Google Maps now shows the locations of bike and e-scooter pick-up points in more than 300 cities across the globe. Meanwhile, Google Flights, accessible via Google Search, high lights lower-emission flight options – alongside alternative routes by rail. And Google Hotel Search indicates accommodations that are particularly climate friendly. Google Maps also shows drivers of electric vehicles the way to the nearest charging station, with information on opening hours, payment options, and char ger type.
Read a more detailed account of the process at → goo.gle/flugemissionen valuable
33Helpful and
A conversation about digital solutions for the climate crisis with Stephan Ramesohl, Co-Head of the Digital Transformation Research Unit at the Wuppertal Institute, a leading sustainability research think tank.
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PHOTOS:
“Digitalization will make a historic contribution”
Mr. Ramesohl, each year, the average German is responsible for twelve tons of CO2 emissions – which drastically exceeds the targets we’ve set to keep global warming under 2 degrees Celsius. Less than a tenth of that figure (around 0.85 tons per person) is the result of digitaliza tion. In that respect, do you see digitalization as a help or hindrance for the climate? Unsurprisingly, it’s both. Digitalization has its own ecological footprint. The energy needed to run data processing centers can easily be sup plied by renewable sources, but digital devices like phones, tablets, computers, and smart watches require components that are often sourced under questionable social and eco nomic conditions. They’re also recycled far too infrequently. Digitalization has an unsolved resourcing problem, and that is its Achilles’ heel. Besides, the primary purpose of digitalization is GRETA SIEBER JULIA SELLMANN
How can digital tools help save the climate?
INTERVIEW:
About Stephan Ramesohl is Co-Head of the Digital Transformation Research Unit in the Wuppertal Institute’s Circular Economy EnergyElectricalRamesohlDepartment.holdsaPhDinEngineeringandTechnologiesand teaches infrastructuresindustrialand climate protection at the University of Wuppertal. Sustainable Products Initiative: The European Commission aims to make products placed on the EU market more durable, reusable, efficient.recyclable,repairable,andenergyto make processes quicker, cheaper, and more flexible, and that makes it an accelerant for unsustainable consumption habits and life styles. Yet a recent study by German digital industry association Bitkom and multina tional services company Accenture suggested that speeding up digitalization in Germany could cut 41 percent of CO2 emissions, thus helping the country meet its climate goals. Apparently, the savings potentials of digital technologies may be as much as six times more than their own carbon footprint. I believe the sustainable transformation we so urgently need can only happen with the help of digital tools. But we can’t leave digitalization to its own devices – we must ensure that its tre mendous transformative potential is applied sensibly in tackling the greatest challenge of the 21st century. The ways in which we do business, travel, purchase goods, and spend our leisure time have to change radically to become much more sustainable. Digitalization will make a his toric contribution to those efforts. But only if we steer them in the right direction and rethink our data usage and digital consumption. How can digital tools help us change our behavior? On a smaller scale, they can help us make wellinformed choices, discover green product alternatives, buy second-hand rather than new, borrow and lend instead of buying, and find repair services. Also, thanks to video confer encing, we can cut down on unnecessary travel. This tool was used intensively during the pan demic, and we experienced first-hand that we didn’t need to take an entire business trip for one brief meeting. Smart home and thermostat systems are helping save energy in private homes, and smart traffic lights are saving energy on city streets. And on a larger scale? These days, almost all types of coordination and information sharing require digital tools. Smart energy management systems control when and how much electricity from renewable energy is fed into the grid. There are programs that con trol the energy consumption of large buildings. And artificial intelligence is helping analyze sat ellite data in order to track down illegal burns in the rainforests. With its Sustainable Products Initiative, the EU is promoting a circular econ omy that uses resources more efficiently. One of its proposed measures is the Digital Product Passport, which will provide information on how ecological an appliance is, including how much energy it consumes, where its component parts came from, and how it can be repaired or recy cled. You recently published a paper on block chains and environmental footprints. How can blockchains help the climate? Like digital tools in general, blockchains will not automatically help protect the climate. They are a tool. Blockchains offer a tamper-proof system to document ecological standards and social sustainability in supply chains. There are more and more decentralized energy sources – like solar panels on private homes – that are partly linked up to one another or to the grid in order to balance surplus and demand. This happens on automated trading platforms that require reliable and comprehensive transaction docu mentation. With regard to the energy consump tion of blockchains: There are now technologies that consume just a fraction of the energy required by Bitcoin. They run at the level of a normal database and use the same amount of energy as any other digital technology.
“Sustainable transformation can only happen with digital tools”
What do you expect from policymakers when it comes to digitalization and climate protection? Policymakers must set the goals, chart the course, and make the rules. When it comes to the circular economy, we need guarantees for long product lifetimes and the “right to repair.” Digitalization cannot replace policymaking, but it can help politicians bring about the transfor mation. ●
35Talking science
Blockchains are tamper-proof distributed data structures that, without centralized control, record transac tions in chronological order and map them in an understandable and unalterable form. The best-known applications of this technology are smart contracts underBitcoin,cryptocurrenciesandlikewhichhascomefireforbeingvery energy intensive.
