TÜV SÜD
journal EST #16 TO THE T ks: Can companies When the crowd thin rcing? profit from crowdsou VE #24 ON THE MO e Internet of Things Smar t packages: Th ance selling. is revolutionizing dist #28 TO THE POINT : How protection es When lightning strik r homes. systems safeguard ou
# 04 2012
rms shore wind fa f f O r o f s ip sh Installation
s l i a s e h t n i d n WEsin chiff gelade S in e t m m o k er Offg n a h c y g r e n e e ofDie Zukunft d a d t s i k i t s i g o L e shor
Editorial
DEAR READERS, The entire world is undergoing a change process, one that will cut our dependence on fossil fuels over time. Even though a number of technical issues still need to be resolved, including ones related to the transformation of electrical grids and the development of sufficient storage capacity, one point remains certain: Energy change will occur! Today, we are already seeing that wind energy will assume a central position in this »green revolution.« In this issue, TÜV SÜD Journal therefore devotes eight pages to this technology and explores, among other questions, the strengths of onshore and offshore systems, that is, power plants located on land or on the high seas. Services related to sustainability are also examined in detail by the Journal’s staff. TÜV SÜD’s commitment to sustainability was recently recognized by two outside parties: Our company was honored during the competition called »Germany’s Best,« a program sponsored by the management consultant firm PwC and the German publishing group »Die Welt,« and finished among the top At www.tuv-sud.com/journal, you can sign up for a free ten. The jury was impressed subscription to TÜV SÜD Journal, read it online and contact the magazine’s staff. by our long-range success
The Journal online
and our unwillingness to think in short-range quarterly terms. TÜV SÜD achieved top scores in the areas of sustainable strategy, sustainable supplier management and compliance – for us, this is an incentive to continue doing our best. I hope you enjoy this issue!
Dr-Ing Axel Stepken Chairman of the Board of Management of TÜV SÜD AG 2 TÜV SÜD Journal
Table of contents
#06
COVER STORY Offshore wind farms aid energy transformation. Thanks to special ships, they can now be erected faster and more cost-effectively.
To the
On the
To the
What’s on people’s minds? We take a close look at technological and societal trends.
A look at the world of tomorrow: These innovations could soon shape our lives.
Get to the bottom of it! Our »add value« pages make complex issues understandable.
#16 IQ of 10,000 Millions of people share their ideas and expertise online. Can companies tap this collective intelligence to drive innovation?
#22 Ahead of the times Hybrid drive systems for cars are gaining speed. The Innotruck proves that the combination of an combustion engine and an electric motor is making trucks fit for the future.
#28 When lightning strikes While you are reading these lines, some 3,000 thunder and lightning storms are raging around the world. How can protection systems ensure that they cause as little damage as possible?
#18 The renaissance of the robust From einkorn to »champagne rye«: ancient grains are conquering our fields. They stand out from the rest through their robustness and flavor. But their yield is low.
#24 Smart packages The Internet of Things is turning global logistics inside out: The intelligent flow of goods should manage itself in the future and remain traceable at all times.
#30 Guide to proper heating Don’t know what to do when heaters gurgle? How to ventilate correctly and many other useful tips for heating effectively and economically.
#4 TÜV SÜD in focus #14 5 minutes with TÜV SÜD
#27 On location #31 Dates/imprint
#32 5 minutes with TÜV SÜD #34 The final say
TEST
move
point
TÜV SÜD Journal 3
in focus TÜV SÜD im Bild
Saving money
on the road Steadily rising with no end in sight: Gas prices at filling stations have reached historic highs. Since 2000, the price for a liter of diesel has nearly doubled. It’s no wonder that more than 75 percent of all truck-fleet operators have one thing in mind when purchasing new vehicles: energy efficiency. After all, fuel costs make up about 45 percent of total truck expenses. »Employing the latest technologies isn’t the only way freight forwarders can save money,« says Dieter Roth, Senior Project Manager Truck Services at TÜV SÜD. »A conservative driving style also pays off.« The math according to the experts: For 50 trucks with annual mileage of 95,000 miles each, annual cost-savings potential adds up to € 250,000. To ensure fuel-efficient driving, TÜV SÜD Truck Services offers training programs and the telematics system BLUE LOGICO. This system provides drivers with constant feedback about how efficiently they are driving. It also presents all the necessary driving data in real time so the carbon footprint of transported goods can be calculated. More information at: www.tuv-sud.com/industry/automotive-transportation/truck-services
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TÜV SÜD in im focus TÜV SÜD Bild
TÜV SÜD Journal 5
Cover story
offshore Ahoy!
You can’t tack without wind: If this bit of sailing advice were applied to energy policy, there would be no detour around new wind-power stations. Thanks to specially constructed ships, these units can now be erected faster and more cost-effectively.
6 TÜV SÜD Journal
Cover story
Text: Sandra Lehmann
W
ith centimeter precision, the huge hulk of the Victoria Mathias maneuvers itself into position in the icy waters of the North Sea. The main phase of the jacking operations is just getting started 22 miles off Helgoland. This is the term that experts use when the jack-up legs of the offshore installation vessel are sunk into the sea floor. Two hours later, the job is finished, the legs that previously looked like chimneys towering high above the ship’s corners have been securely positioned in the floor of the North Sea. These legs are nearly 265 feet long and can lift the steel giant up to 50 feet above the surface of water. The huge ship that had just been floating on the choppy seas has been transformed into a work platform. Over the next few months, this platform will not only serve as a substitute for solid ground under the feet of the crew erecting the North Sea East wind farm, but will also be the place from which this collection of engineers, mechatronic engineers and service mechanics will set up 48 wind-power stations. It is a great moment, one that construction engineer Michael Neumaier has been dreaming about for years. On behalf of the German energy provider RWE, he has helped plan and construct both installation ships. The Victoria Mathias is erecting the North Sea East wind farm at the moment. Its sister ship, the Friedrich Ernestine, is building the Gwynt y Môr wind farm off the coast of Wales. A logistics masterpiece
With these high-sea mammoths, RWE and Neumaier are closing an important logistics gap that had complicated the job of erecting offshore wind farms up to now. Before the first installation vessels swept through the market, high-sea wind parks could only be constructed using jack-up rigs. These rigs also have their own set of hydraulic jack-up legs. TÜV SÜD Journal 7
Cover story
»Courage and care is what it takes. With our new installation ships, we are navigating new technological and logistical waters.« – Michael Neumaier, Construction Engineer at RWE
8 TÜV SÜD Journal
Cover story
Before erection can begin on the high seas, all individual components must be loaded onto the installation ship. The ship then transports the components to the North Sea or Baltic Sea.
But they do not have their own drive system or the necessary safety systems found on a ship. For this reason, a tugboat must reposition them in an elaborate operation before many phases of the work can be performed. »This results in a tremendous investment of time that adds up to a whole lot of money,« Neumaier says. Unlike the powerless platform, the swimming vessel is easier to maneuver. With the help of a satellite-supported system, the ship can be precisely positioned. This is critically important because the major components of the power station must be set on the sea floor with centimeter precision. »The ships are designed in such a way that they can change their position within just a few hours. As a result, they can erect one wind-power station after the other in the construction area. The fast, precise jacking up and down gives us the necessary flexibility,« Neumaier says. It all adds up to a large number of benefits that energy providers and investors intend to exploit. Just like solar energy, big things are in store for wind power. In 2007, the European Union decided to raise the share of renewable energies in the electricity mix to 20 percent by 2020. According to organizations like the European Wind Energy Association, the EU will be unable to reach this goal without erecting new high-sea wind farms. As a result, a wave of demand has formed for the installation vessels. »Once a new one enters the market, it is booked solid for years in advance,« Neumaier says. »We can’t afford long waits.
The North Sea East wind farm will have a power capacity of
29548 megawatts
1 billion
wind turbines
kWh of electricity
and reduce carbon emissions by
850,000 tons For this reason, we decided not to charter ships. Instead, we had our own vessels built for us. This will enable us to gain our own technical and logistics know-how.« Steel giants on a big journey
When planning began in 2007, there were no blueprints available for such ships or enough people with the necessary subject-matter knowledge. Since September 2012, everyone involved in the work has come to realize one thing: Their pioneering work has paid off. Following a two-year construction phase,
each year
both ocean-going giants, each measuring 100 meters in length, set off on their first mission in the North Sea this fall. For the North Sea East project off Helgoland, the foundations are currently being laid on the sea floor. Experts have a special name for these lattice-like components, which bear a strong resemblance to electricity pylons:
Ship or jack-up rig? The newest generation of installation vessels are both. Their 265-foot-long movable legs are capable of raising the ship’s hull up to 50 feet above the water’s surface, turning the ship into a level work platform and putting solid ground under the feet of the crew.
TÜV SÜD Journal 9
Cover story
Whether constructing offshore wind farms or inspecting the attendant measuring masts (above): extreme precision and teamwork is required.
10 TĂœV SĂœD Journal
Cover story
»We work offshore around the clock –
300 days a year
for 12 hours at a time. You need regular breaks to continue to perform at this high level.« – Lutz Siemers, Engineer at Hochtief
jacket foundations. They act as a load-bearing base for the power station’s towers, nacelles and rotary blades. A special heavy crane that can move cargo weighing up to 1,000 tons lifts the foundations overboard and positions them with centimeter precision on the designated location. Once in place, the foundations poke their heads a few meters above the water’s surface – ready for the tower to be placed on them. The assembly work appears to be effortless and easy. In reality, it requires an incredible amount of force. The crane’s arm has to move tremendous tonnage. A jacket foundation tilts the scales at about 550 tons, and a nacelle is hardly a lightweight at approximately 320 tons. Good planning is half of the work
Not even a high-performance crane is capable of precisely and, above all, safely mounting all components by itself. This is where skilled technicians and the highest level of concentration under extreme conditions come into play. Lutz Siemers, a project manager at Hochtief Solutions, is intimately acquainted with the challenges of constructing wind farms. The engineer has already managed several such high-sea projects. »On the ship, well-organized work is what really
counts. Nothing moves forward unless we’ve talked through it beforehand,« Siemers says. It is so important to plan carefully and avoid mistakes because offshore wind farms are expensive projects. The project that Siemers is currently managing on Hochtief’s innovative installation vessel is worth € 200 million. A question of finesse
On board, however, there are no signs of haste. There is no place for it anyway. Assembling the individual components calls for dexterity. »Frequently, just a few centimeters separate the elements, which can have the dimensions of a high-speed Intercity-Express train,« Siemers says. »This small amount of space is all that’s available to fitters to correctly set the bolts and screws.« The operation runs 24 hours a day in two shifts. Twelve hours on deck are followed by a 12hour break. This is an opportunity for crew members to retire to their individual cabins or to spend time on the messdeck. The crew can get food and drinks here at any time of the day or night. And the ship’s designers did not forget to include areas for mental and physical relaxation. »We have a sauna and fitness room where we can go. As a matter of fact, life on board is comfortable,« Siemers says. The crew
Challenges facing offshore wind farms The energy yield of offshore wind-power stations is about 40 percent higher than that of onshore systems. TÜV SÜD inspects, certifies and advises companies in the offshore wind-power sector – from the design to the operation of offshore wind farms. In addition to inspections and certification, including substations, TÜV SÜD provides support in the areas of healthcare, safety and environmental protection as well as with lifting equipment and cranes. High seas with rough conditions Good energy yields go hand in hand with a number of challenges. Strong winds, waves, saltwater and salty sea air place a heavy load on wind turbines. As a result, quality assurance is key to ensuring the profitable operation of offshore wind farms. If operational problems cause a station to go offline, valuable time is wasted and the investment yields no returns. TÜV SÜD provides support to wind farms and substations throughout their entire life cycle – even on the high seas.
spends 14 days at sea and then takes an extended break. The men and women who work 300 days a year are flown by helicopter to the mainland, where they can return to their families and get ready for the next job. Fourteen days later, the entire crew knows one thing: It’s time to get back on board! More information at: www.tuv-sud.com/wind
Concepts for and alternatives to wind power High-altitude wind power The World Trade Center in Bahrain produces enough power to cover 15 percent of its own energy needs itself. Three turbines situated between the twin towers convert Gulf airstreams into electricity.
Windstalk forest In
Airborne turbines
Abu Dhabi, 1,203 carbonfiber stalks will soon be swaying in the desert wind. The planned »Windstalk« power station is to convert kinetic energy generated by the stalks into electricity for roughly 5,000 households.
This prototype developed by Altaeros Energies consists of a wind turbine surrounded by a ring-shaped helium balloon. At altitudes of 100 meters, it produces twice as much power than a turbine mounted on a conventional tower.
TÜV SÜD Journal 11
Standpunkte Points of view
POINTs Dr. Niels-Erik Clausen, Wind Energy Engineer Scientific Adviser at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
»The decision for offshore turbines is made on land: Only a handful of people support onshore installations.«
L
arger turbines can be erected offshore – but they are more expensive to maintain and connect to the power grid. One has to weigh the financial costs with the economic benefits. Most of the time, the location of wind farms is a political decision: Many people do not want to see the landscape obstructed by wind turbines.
Winds at sea are strong and constant, and the sea knows no boundaries. For these reasons, turbines of most any size can be erected on the high sea. As a result, the trend is moving toward the erection of wind farms with increased capacity in deep waters far away from shore. Compared with turbines that generated up to 3.6 megawatts on average in 2011, the models being installed today produce 5 megawatts. Wind turbines of 6 and 7 megawatts are currently in the prototype stage. But the cost of erecting and maintaining the offshore turbines is much higher than on land, and that’s not including the cost of connecting them to the power grid. Right now, we can’t really say if offshore wind farms will be worth it in the end. But that’s not the point. For the Danish people and many other EU citizens, the location of the turbines seems to be the deciding factor. While investments in offshore turbines are rising annually, the protests against onshore turbines are growing, too. This makes one thing very clear: Renewable energy is frequently only supported by the public as long as it’s not produced in their own backyard.
Wind energy Offshore or onshore? 12 TÜV SÜD Journal
Points Standpunkte of view
T
here is more than enough land for wind farms in the United States – in the Great Plains, for example. The electricity generated by farms there costs one-third of that produced by offshore turbines. In the end, it’s not the location that matters. The important thing is that we foster wind energy in general.
For us in the United States, a key factor in deciding to foster wind energy is its economic feasibility. Onshore wind farms require much smaller investments. They can be erected without much cost and do not require an expensive grid infrastructure because the consumer is located in the immediate vicinity of the point of energy generation. Moreover, maintenance of the turbines is much easier than at high sea, which is reflected in the cost. In short: Our onshore wind farms in the Great Plains and in other areas of the country generate electricity that is substantially cheaper than power from offshore installations. For this reason, there are only very few offshore farms being planned or in operation in the United States. In any case, they wouldn’t be able to compete with the extremely low price of natural gas here. But natural gas is a finite resource. That’s why it’s important to foster wind energy in general, be it onshore or offshore. In addition, we can only further reduce carbon emissions if we generate more electricity from renewable sources. This does not only protect the environment. It also protects us from the rising costs of fossil fuels.
OF VIEW Peter Asmus, Senior Research Analyst at Pike Research Institute, San Francisco
»The important thing is to foster wind energy in general. The location of the turbines is secondary.«
The renewable-energy trend is gaining speed – worldwide. In light of the growing scarcity of fossil fuels, energy transformation is a sensible, and necessary, step. The switch to renewable energy sources is shining the spotlight on wind turbines. But where should they be erected? On land or on the high seas? Two experts from Denmark and the United States share their views on the matter.
TÜV SÜD Journal 13
5 minutes
TÜV SÜD America teams up with battery tester
Driver’s license info on Twitter
International fleet management
Small-format batteries are an integral part of everyday life: They power almost every electronic device – from cell phones to laptops and tablet PCs. To test their safety and performance, TÜV SÜD America has teamed up with Energy Assurance, a U.S. company based in the state of Georgia.
Drivers who have lost their driving privileges and want to earn them back have the opportunity to do so by undergoing a medical psychological assessment. TÜV SÜD conducts these exams – and now shares up-to-date information about the topic on its Twitter account http://twitter.com/MPUTestknacker and at www.dertestknacker.blogspot.de.
One year after entering into a strategic partnership with the international fleet service provider Fleet Logistics, TÜV SÜD has now acquired 100 percent of the company’s shares. With roughly 100,000 vehicles in Europe, TÜV SÜD is currently the largest independent provider of fleet services in Europe and is already working to become the global market leader.
casteinza@tuvam.com
claudia.takatsch@tuev-sued.de
rainer.laber@tuev-sued.de
Front runners at the e-miglia e-mobility rally
It’s now official: TÜV SÜD engineers have not only mastered e-mobility technology – they know how to put it to use! At e-miglia 2012, the most important and most challenging rally for e-vehicles, the two TÜV SÜD teams that participated brought home silver and bronze. The company took to the road with a MINI E and a Mercedes A-Class E-CELL for the 20-team race. The rally put all participating vehicles to the ultimate test, which documented the advances and day-to-day reliability of e-mobility: With individual stages of the race covering well over 125 miles and a total altitude difference of 36,000 feet, e-miglia 2012 intentionally pushed the cars to their technical limits. TÜV SÜD gained all sorts of practical data by participating in the event – information that will be used to develop new services. In addition, TÜV SÜD e-mobility experts will test all e-vehicles available on the market under everyday conditions. volker.blandow@tuev-sued.de
Trust in certified online shops
TÜV SÜD’s s@fer-shopping certification mark is by far the most well-known online seal of approval in Germany according to a representative study jointly conducted by TNS Infratest, the German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association and the Initiative D21: Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents are familiar with the certification mark. The same percentage of Web users are more likely to trust an online shop with a seal of approval than one without and online shoppers took part in a would only purchase items at a certified representative survey to assess online shop. TÜV SÜD s@fer-shopping how well-recognized various is the most comprehensive certification certification marks are. on the market. The mark explores all key aspects of a website’s functionality and navigability from a customer perspective, examines all service aspects from order processing to complaint handling, and scrutinizes data and system security.
1,067 rainer.seidlitz@tuev-sued.de
14 TÜV SÜD Journal
5
5 minutes
TÜV SÜD America’s anniversary
1,000
A quarter of a century of ensuring safety in the Americas: In summer 1987, TÜV Bayern Inc. was founded and set up More its headquarters in Manchester, Massachusetts. TÜV SÜD’s first steps toward than international expansion are being cele- people currently work for brated in a big way with a number of TÜV SÜD in the United States, customer events. International product testing and certifications were the first Canada, Mexico and Brazil. services offered in the United States. Today, the company provides important services to the Industry Service, Management Service and Product Services Divisions. ian.nicol@tuvam.com
minutes with TÜV SÜD
Energy-efficient elevators across the globe
Automotive lab in Thailand
Thanks to its new laboratory for the technical testing of automotive components in Bangkok, TÜV SÜD is supporting Thailand’s growing automotive industry. The 400square-meter facility tests components for automotive manufacturers and their suppliers as well as approves them for global use. As a result, TÜV SÜD is playing a key role in ensuring that products from Southeast Asian suppliers comply with international quality standards. The new automotive-componenttesting lab is one of TÜV SÜD’s largest in the ASEAN Region and provides many of the mandatory automotive component tests required to meet international standards. The laboratory includes a tire-drum tester, a xenon test chamber, vibration test machines, temperature and humidity test chambers and facilities for testing electromagnetic compatibility and acoustics. sean.boey@tuv-sud-psb.co.th
REACH initiative for midsized companies Real-estate managers know: Efficient building technology can save a huge amount of electricity and money for that matter. TÜV SÜD has been offering a broad range of services in this area for many years – including the certification of energy-efficient elevators. To ensure that customers around the world can benefit from Germany’s high standards, a training series was held and attended by elevator inspectors from eight countries. »This ensures that our experts share the same knowledge and can deliver consistent quality standards in all countries,« Training Instructor Kai Kügler says.
The EU’s REACH chemicals directive regulates all matters concerning the authorization of chemicals in the European Union. The legislation stipulates that only chemicals that have been registered with the European Chemicals Agency in due time may enter the market. Different transition periods apply for manufacturers and importers – depending on the volume of manufactured or required chemicals. All companies must register their chemicals by mid-2013 and by 2018 at the very latest – which is especially challenging for small and midsized businesses! TÜV SÜD aims to help these companies ensure that REACH is not a threat, but a path to safeguarding business. With the special needs of small and midsized companies in mind, TÜV SÜD has created a service package that provides these companies with assistance in all questions related to chemicals. The spirit of initiative: »Focus on your core competences, not on REACH.« dieter.reiml@tuev-sued.de
kai.kuegler@tuev-sued.de
TÜV SÜD Journal 15
Aufthe To dietest Probe
TO T H E TE S T
OM OF #16 WISD SES THE MAS IENT #18 ANC GRAINS
IQ of
10,000 Companies have discovered collective intelligence and are now using the Internet to fish for good ideas. This new innovation and problem-solving strategy is known as crowdsourcing. But does it work?
16 TĂœV SĂœD Journal journal
To the test
Text: Michael Kallus
S
ometimes the best ideas come from the people you’d least expect. NASA spent five years brooding over an approach to predicting solar flares in order to warn astronauts conducting spacewalk repairs to the outside of the International Space Station. The results were disappointing: Just about every other warning turned out to be a false alarm. In the end, the U.S. space agency posted the problem on Innocentive, an Internet platform used by companies to present complex research questions to which they hope to receive answers from an outside source. One response NASA received came from a retired engineer who had worked in the cellular phone industry. Despite having no experience in aeronautics, he was able to come up with a significantly more reliable and speedier method for predicting solar flares. Many minds, many ideas
That’s how crowdsourcing works. Rather than outsourcing tasks to specialized companies, they are put to the masses – the crowd. »I firmly believe that we’re only seeing the beginning of this trend,« says Professor Dr Nikolaus Franke, who heads the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. »Anyone who follows the various sectors in which crowdsourcing has been successful recognizes this method’s potential.« One of its many areas of application has long been known: using customer feedback to drive product development. The only new facet here is that this feedback no longer makes its way to the company through letters, telephone calls or e-mails; instead, it
is requested directly online. Bosch Power Tools, for example, launched its Innovation Portal to collect suggestions for ways to enhance its line of home-improvement tools.
duced the »Connect & Develop« Internet portal. Procter & Gamble rewards good ideas with up to $100,000 and even offers to partner with contributors who present
»The crowd
is not necessarily smarter than a company’s experts.« – Professor Dr Nikolaus Franke Ideas for totally new products can be gathered this way, too. Starbucks customers can log on to »My Starbucks Idea« to post ideas for new coffee specialties like a cherry mocha, while Audi has let car enthusiasts take the wheel in designing the console of an in-car multimedia system in its »Audi Virtual Lab.« Once the multimedia interface eventually went into production, trade publications hailed it as the top solution on the market. Why crowdsourcing works
Is the crowd better at answering questions and solving problems than a company’s experts? »It’s not that the masses are necessarily smarter. But in the vastness of the Internet, it is likely you can find one person who has already solved a similar problem at some point in time. Or you come across experts and creative minds who approach the problem with a fresh, unbiased point of view and come up with new ideas,« Franke says. Procter & Gamble recognized this potential as early as 2001, when it incorporated crowdsourcing into its corporate strategy. The U.S. consumer-goods company also intro-
ideas that could be transformed into profitgenerating business models. More than 1,000 such partnerships have already been formed up to now, spawning hundreds of innovations. They form the basis for more than 50 percent of all newly developed Procter & Gamble products. »Obviously, not every problem can be crowdsourced,« Franke says. »The key criteria are that it can be explained clearly and concisely.« It is also important to not exploit the crowd. Moleskine, the Italian notebook manufacturer, launched a contest to redesign its company logo. But the terms and conditions for participating caused an uproar: Everyone who contributed an idea was expected to release the intellectual property rights of his or her suggestions to Moleskine, while only the winner would be paid for his or her work. »That is the biggest mistake you can make as a company – treating the crowd as a gravy train of ideas.« More information on management: www.tuv-sud.com/malik TÜV SÜD Journal 17
To the test
The renaissance of the robust
Black einkorn, emmer, winter rye: Organic agriculture in particular is rediscovering ancient grains. The strength of these grains is their robustness, their weakness their low yield. That’s why conventional growers are exploring the potential of crossing ancient and high-yielding varieties.
Text: Timour Chafik
L
egend has it that Richard the Lionhearted is to blame. It’s possible that the future king of England tucked away a few kernels of the prickly, foxtailed ancient grain into his saddle satchel as he trekked through central Europe on his way back from the failed Third Crusade. Perhaps it was a souvenir from Jerusalem, Akko or Cyprus whose stalks later danced in the breezes of Medieval France. A grain that looked a bit odd and wild. »Course-grained,« bristly, scratchy, abrasive, rough. Little by little, the ancient grain that traces a connection to Richard the Lionhearted and bears the name durum wheat became a mere footnote in time. Just as other ancient grains with such impressive monikers as »champagne rye,« emmer and black einkorn disappeared from fields, plates and 18 TÜV SÜD Journal
breadbaskets. Because these crops yielded too little to sustain a growing population with affordable foods, the agricultural industry turned to higher-yielding varieties like wheat, barley and rye: grains that yield about 22,000 pounds per hectare while ancient varieties produce barely 6,600 pounds. Einkorn yields only 1,750 pounds. Ancient grains reflect the spirit of the times
»That’s right,« says Peter Pluschke, city councilor in Nuremberg in charge of environmental issues. »The yields of these grains don’t come close to those of modern highyielding crops because the ancient varieties haven’t been bred to increase yield. But nearly the same amount of effort goes into growing them, which is why today’s farmers must sell them at a higher price.« The metropolitan region of Nuremberg
recently launched a campaign to increase awareness of ancient grains, particularly of emmer. The 5,000-year-old wheat variety reflects the spirit of the times, Pluschke says, particularly with the urban, affluent, health-conscious crowd: »A number of bakers report that sales are picking up.« These ancient grains have other strengths as well: In part, they are more robust, require fewer pesticide treatments and are less susceptible to disease. They are more weed tolerant, and their cultivation doesn’t impact the functional relationship between agriculture and nature as much as conventional methods, Pluschke adds. »Heavily cultivated areas treated with pesticides result in decreased biodiversity in and around them.« Red poppies and cornflowers will spring up between emmer and durum wheat once again, he predicts.
the test AufTo die Probe
Emmer (above), a two-row wheat, is also called »Zweikorn« in German. Kamut (below) which was grown in Asia 15,000 years ago, is another kind of ancient grain.
»Ancient grains exude radiance, vitality and energy. This is not possible in conventional agriculture.« – Andreas Walz, organic farmer
TÜV SÜD Journal 19
To the test
1,750
pounds per hectare is the yield of einkorn – on the same area modern crops produce about 10 tons.
A field like this, located just a few miles northwest of Amberg, belongs to Andreas Walz. The organic farmer runs a Demeter farm in Schäflohe and grows only ancient grains. He received a packet of these grains through the Chamber of Agriculture in North RhineWestphalia in 2002. It took eight years to breed enough seeds to sow in his fields. The fields, he gushes, »exude radiance, vitality and energy.« This is not possible in conventional agriculture where the grain just waits for its day of reckoning to be doled out by the threshing machine, he claims. It’s clear to anyone: For Walz, wheat is more than just an ingredient for bread. It is something that must fit the weather and soil composition of a region. It must create an ecosystem with increased biodiversity, with butterflies, flightless birds … »There’s not much life stirring in conventional fields,« he asserts. And one can taste that, he believes. Flavor is something that fell by the wayside over the years as newer varieties were bred. »At our small farm, we are trying to reverse this trend with our ancient grains.«
20 TÜV SÜD Journal
New varieties that build on the old
Conventional growers, represented by such organizations as the German Plant Breeders’ Association, are attempting to improve grains as well. Their goal is to breed new traits into the varieties. And they scour the world looking for them. »You have to think of this in terms of a modular system,« explains Dr Carl-Stephan Schäfer, Secretary General of the German Plant Breeders’ Association. »The breeder must look for varieties that have better traits, such as higher drought tolerance. The breeder then uses these for further breeding.« Ancient grains can also be selected for these hybrids. »In the end, we want to develop new varieties with improved traits,« Schäfer says. »That’s why we don’t understand why someone would want to only grow old varieties. After all, we have created new, improved varieties that build on the older ones.« He thinks the argument that ancient varieties are more robust and better for biodiversity falls short: »It may be true that an
To the test
ancient variety is robust, but this argument focuses on only one single trait. In the end – and this is key when talking about yield – an old variety can’t really compete with a newly bred variety because the traits show a negative correlation: A robust, old variety simply has a lower yield.« The objective of breeders is to offer new, robust grains in the future, he says. To do this, it is important that all grains that were ever grown remain available. This is what he calls genetic variety and biodiversity. In any case, the old-grain trend is good fit for our times, he adds: »Back to nature,« slowing down, »less is more« … »Those may
be the driving forces. But modern-day agriculture is far removed from the romantic life painted in the pages of Heidi,« the Secretary General says. Indeed: It is hard to imagine that only idyllic rolling seas of durum wheat will cover the roughly 12 million hectares of crop land in Germany any time soon. But an island of winter rye here or there could certainly serve as an oasis among other crops. More information on health and food safety: www.tuv-sud.com/management_systems/ food_safety
»An ancient variety
may be robust, but, overall, it can’t compete with newer varieties.« – Dr Carl-Stephan Schäfer of the German Plant Breeders’ Association
Above: Organic farmer Andreas Walz in his fields and Secretary General of the German Plant Breeders’ Association Dr Carl-Stephan Schäfer. Below: Old varieties like buckwheat (left) are enjoying a comeback in baking.
TÜVSÜD SÜDJournal journal 21 TÜV 21
On the move
ON THE MOVE
TRUCK #22 THE UTURE OF THE F net #24 Inter gs of Thin
H
Ahead
idden behind the futuristic design is cutting-edge technology – an intelligent eco-vehicle called Innotruck. Its aerodynamic design cuts wind resistance to half that of conventional trucks. But that’s not the only feature that ensures energy-efficient driving. An innovative hybrid drive system is the key to this as well. The system is radically different than the hybrid drives found in passenger cars. The internal combustion engine – a biodiesel generator – does not directly set the vehicle in motion, but just serves as a generator that produces electricity for an electric motor. 22 TÜV SÜD Journal
Only the electric motor powers the truck forward. The advantage: The number of revolutions produced by the internal combustion engine is independent of speed, which improves fuel consumption. Excess energy is stored in batteries for later use. This energy can also be used to »fill« electric cars or even be fed into the power grid. »Innotruck demonstrates that the mobility of tomorrow will be powered by interconnected systems,« says Professor Dr Gernot Spiegelberg, who oversees the topic of electromobility at Siemens Corporate Technology and heads the Innotruck research project at Technische Universität München.
On the move
of the times Hybrid drive systems for cars are gaining speed. The Innotruck research project demonstrates how combining internal combustion engines and electric motors is making trucks fit for the future, too. Text: Lukas Pitule
People and machines in perfect harmony
The operation of Innotruck is revolutionary as well. Speed and direction are controlled with a sidestick. Cameras replace the side mirrors, eliminating all blind spots for the driver. Intelligent systems prevent drivers from tailgating or veering across lane markings. »We increasingly need modes of transportation that understand traffic conditions and can compensate for drivers’ mistakes,« Spiegelberg explains. »After all, it’s about improving safety and efficiency.«
The 82-foot-long, 25-ton Innotruck was designed by Luigi Colani. The spectacular truck shell touts the innovative technologies hidden inside. But it’s not the truck’s body that is to go into series production, rather its new technologies. That’s the plan of the truck’s developers at Technische Universität München.
More information on hybrid drive systems: tuv-sud.com/e-mobility TÜV SÜD Journal 23
On the move
The smart package Be it shoes, clothes or bikes: Today, you can order almost anything online – at any time of day or night. But the more that is ordered, the tighter the delivery bottleneck becomes. The consequence: It takes even longer for our purchases to arrive at our doorsteps. Thanks to a small chip, the nail-biting wait could soon be a thing of the past.
24 TĂœV SĂœD Journal
On the move
Text: Sandra Lehmann
T
hree, two, one – I won!« The German advertising slogan of a famous online auction company sums it up well. Indeed, e-shopping is a quick affair. With a simple click of the mouse, we can drop all sorts of products into our virtual shopping cart. And with the next click, we can send them on their way to our door: shopping in the fast lane. In reality, though, our new shoes, books or electronic devices frequently end up on the next holding track. This is because the new world of shopping is increasingly pushing the logistics sector to its limits. »The logistics systems of many industries were designed more than 20 years ago,« explains Dr Volker Lange of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics. »They can hardly meet today’s requirements.«
The problem: Brick-and-mortar retailers get most of their products in bulk shipments delivered by a single truck. But in the growing online segment, individual deliveries to private addresses are the rule. This puts increasing pressure on logistics. Within a short period of time, more and more routes must be planned. The Fraunhofer Institute predicts that the majority of service providers will no longer be capable of quickly and flexibly managing this volume. For this reason, the Institute is looking into new solutions. Its model for a logistics system of the future is the Internet. In this model system, packages of data independently find their way to recipients because they know the Web addresses. The »Internet of Things«, as the Fraunhofer Institute calls it, is an attempt to apply this principle to the flow of goods. But how does a package know where it should
go? What it really needs is a navigation system. This could be a task for RFID chips. The four capital letters stand for radio frequency identification, a wireless noncontact system that facilitates the automatic identification and localization of objects. It tells a package not only what it should transport, but where it should go as well. The data on the chip can be read at each station the package reaches. As a result, it is simply sent from one point to the next. Thanks to robotics technology and the proper scanning devices, an
TÜV SÜD Journal 25
On the move
item can be packaged and sent on its way using a fully automated process. This saves valuable time. Should the item also have its own Internet address, it can be constantly tracked online. As a result, sender and recipient always know what stage of the journey a package has reached and exactly when it will be delivered. But that’s not all: The data on the chips can – in contrast to the barcodes on supermarket goods – be updated and changed during the shipping process. Should the recipient want the package be delivered to a different location, the address on the RFID chip is simply changed and the package rerouted during the delivery process. Global intelligence
What can be used for smaller packages is also to be applied to the global flow of goods. Large containers outfitted with RFID chips could be controlled around the globe with little logistical effort. By just monitoring data, Port of Hamburg workers would then know where exactly in South Africa a shipment is located or if it has already been unloaded and delivered to the recipient. A decentralized flow of goods also helps the logistics industry address other problems. Compared with a central-
26 TÜV SÜD Journal
Each year, more than
13,000,000,000 packages are shipped around the globe. In Germany alone, annual shipments total 2 billion.
ized system, the breakdown of small autonomous units does not impact the entire warehouse and transport structure. Only the article in question must be rerouted or called back. When products replenish themselves
According to Lange, it will be some time before flows of goods can actually organize themselves. RFID technology is not yet fully mature, and the chips are still too expensive for mass production, he says. On top of that, he adds, the infrastructure required for the Internet of Things, such as scanning devices, must still be developed. But Lange is optimistic that the self-sending package will not be the only luxury of the future. In time, products will be able to replenish themselves.
The logistics experts Since its establishment in 1981, the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics has been conducting research in all areas of internal and external logistics. The »Internet of Things« was chiefly developed by Managing Director Professor Dr Michael ten Hompel and is one of the most innovative research approaches in the industry. In addition to its research work, the Dortmund-based institute also advises companies.
More information on logistics: www.tuv-sud.com/industry/infrastructure/transportation
On location
People:
On the heels of counterfeiters The investigative duo of Gisela Reiß and Helge Knobbe search for manipulated serial numbers.
Original or counterfeit? If it’s not obvious at first glace, TÜV SÜD’s experts will clarify the matter.
I
t’s about huge sums of money and posh cars: A 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa changed hands for more than € 12 million last year. Models like the Porsche Spyder and the gull-wing Mercedes 300 SL are also fetching millions at auction. And most of these vintage cars have doubled in value over the past 10 years. This makes them highly sought-after investments – and has turned college-trained engineer Helge Knobbe into an investment adviser. »It’s not the car’s condition that makes it worth the investment, but rather its authenticity,« says the TÜV SÜD employee. The serial numbers on the engine, transmission and chassis are especially important. If all three match the manufacturer’s records and originally belonged together, the car receives a triple-A rating.
More information on materials inspections: www.tuv-sud.com/technical_installations/ plant_engineering/materials_technology
So far, so good – if counterfeits weren’t also floating around the market. »Let’s take the relatively rare BMW 328 Roadster as an example. To fake an original – which would be worth a great deal – counterfeiters will attach the unwelded frame of the less rare BMW 315 Limousine to a replica build of the 328,« Knobbe explains. The engraved serial number would immediately expose the counterfeit, so counterfeiters often try to make it illegible. »But manipulating the metal in any way leaves traces,« the materials expert explains. He and his colleague Gisela Reiß travel to customers to ferret out alterations using metallographic inspections and make them visible. This approach allows them to protect buyers from unpleasant surprises and gives swindled owners the expert opinion they need begin legal proceedings against counterfeiters. TÜV SÜD Journal 27
To the point
TO T H E P O INT
TNING #28 LIGH TION PROTEC ING #30 HEAT TIPS
Defying Text: Timour Chafik
While you are reading these lines of text, some 3,000 thunder and lightning storms are raging around the world. How can lightning protection systems ensure that these celestial fireworks cause as little damage as possible?
28 TÜV SÜD Journal
To the point
lightning L
ightning tends to like it easy. It takes the path of least resistance, a fact that lightning protection systems, colloquially known as lightning rods, use to an advantage. They are composed of materials that conduct electricity well, of rods and wires made of copper, for example, or galvanized steel around 0.4 inch in diameter. They surround the building like a protective cage, capture lightning bolts and channel their energy directly into the ground instead of through the house. A lightning bolt contains only about the same amount of energy as a 100-watt lightbulb uses in 10 days. It is nonetheless capable of causing such devastating damage because this energy is released within a fraction of a second. If a lightning bolt strikes a house without a lightning protection system, its electrical charge seeks an unchecked path through the building. Electrical wires can melt or explode; electric arcs with temperatures of several thousand degrees Fahrenheit form, threatening to start a fire. The external lightning protection system made of metallic wires for capturing, discharging and grounding electrical charges prevents this. However, if a lightning bolt strikes it, a strong electrical field is produced in its vicinity, and this can cause electrical surges in electrical, antenna and network cables. Electronic components, known as internal lightning protection systems, prevent this from happening in modern buildings. In the past, the only way to protect televisions and other appliances during an electrical storm was to pull out all the plugs from their sockets – which, in spite of everything, remains good advice today.
More information on lightning protection: www.tuv-sud.com/plants_buildings_technical_facilities TĂœV SĂœD Journal 29
To the point
Guide:
Proper heating Hedgehogs hibernate during the cold season. During hibernation, their bodies switch to an energyconservation mode – and can thus optimally cope with low environmental temperatures. In the case of humans, however, heating has to perform at peak efficiency so they remain pleasantly warm within their own four walls. Here are five tips for heating economically and effectively.
2 Bleed regularly
If the radiator gurgles, it is not heating properly and should
1
Keep an eye on the temperature Each degree cooler saves about 6 percent of heating energy. A temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended for living and dining rooms, and 68 to 72 degrees for children’s rooms and offices. In the bedroom, 65 degrees Fahrenheit is sufficient.
be bled. To do this, the valve must be opened so the air can escape. A radiator key can be purchased at any DIY center.
3
Hibernating animals like the hedgehog seek hollow tree trunks or hollows in the ground in the fall where they will later be protected from the severe cold. They spend the winter in their shelter curled up in a ball with their eyes closed.
Don’t try to save in the wrong areas
People who completely turn off their heating overnight or during working hours only appear to be saving energy. If the home cools down too much during this time, a large amount of energy is required to heat it up again.
4
Regulate heating cleverly A conventional thermostat maintains a constant temperature at the desired level. Programmable thermostats lower the temperature during absences, saving heating costs. These can be purchased for retrofitting individual heating units for about € 40.
30 TÜV SÜD Journal
5
Ventilate correctly Incorrect ventilation during the heating period puts a strain on the wallet! Therefore: Do not tilt windows, but rather open them wide several times a day for about five minutes.
More information on the topic: www.tuv-sud.com/activity/focus-topics/energy-efficiency
Academy | dates
Training tips TÜV SÜD Academy In each issue of TÜV SÜD Journal, we introduce to you a selected series of seminars. This issue’s topic is: Training for green-home experts Improving energy efficiency and lowering energy consumption in residential buildings can result in huge savings. After all, the building sector is responsible for around 40 percent of worldwide energy consumption – a large portion of which can be attributed to warm water and heating. Green-home experts provide information about economical, energy-related renovations and government subsidies. They issue energy certificates and oversee the planning and realization of green homes as well as supervise the entire construction process. TÜV SÜD Academy offers further training for architects, civil engineers and engineers in the field of technical building services who would like to become green-home experts. The training seminar consists of two modules: Green-home experts: energy consulting Length: 16.5 days (incl. 3.5 days of e-learning and project work) Green-home experts: planning and realization Length: 16.5 days (incl. 3.5 days of e-learning and project work) The modules can be booked individually as well as the complete course (25 days). Starting dates are possible throughout the year in numerous German locations.
11/12/01
CALENDAR
You can experience TÜV SÜD in person at the following trade fairs, congresses and events. Our team of experts is looking forward to meeting you. More information on the dates: www.tuv-sud.com/corporate-events
November 2012 VDE Convention, Stuttgart, Nov. 5–6, 2012 »Smart Grid – Intelligent Energy Sources for the Future« is the theme of this year’s VDE Convention in Stuttgart’s International Congress Center. Smart grids connect and control decentralized energy production and storage facilities. By doing this, they are playing a key role in the further integration of renewable energy. Medica, Nov. 14–17, 2012 The health-care system places a high priority on risk management, quality, safety and responsibility. At the world’s largest medical trade fair, TÜV SÜD will be presenting its comprehensive services in this area, such as testing, certification and surveillance of medical products. SPS/IPC/Drives, Nuremberg, Nov. 27–29, 2012
Detailed information on the seminars: www.tuv-sud.com/academy christian.maier@tuev-sued.de
The leading trade fair for electronic automation showcases both components and complete systems. In addition to offering training sessions, TÜV SÜD supports its customers in develop-ing security-related systems and defining tailored development processes.
Imprint Publisher: TÜV SÜD AG, Westend St. 199, 80686 Munich Owners: TÜV SÜD e. V. (74.9%), TÜV SÜD Foundation (25.1%), Westend St. 199, 80686 Munich Head of Corporate Communications: Matthias Andreesen Viegas Project Manager and Editor in Chief: Jörg Riedle Contact: +49 89 5791-0, info@tuev-sued.de Realization: Medienfabrik Gütersloh GmbH, Neumarkter St. 22, 81673 Munich Printing: Eberl Print GmbH, Kirchplatz 6, 87509 Immenstadt Photo credits: Corbis (4, 5, 10, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30), RWE (2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10), Siemens (8), TÜV SÜD (14, 15, 32, 33), Kai Uwe Oesterhelweg (22, 23), Altaeros (11), WTC Bahrain (11), Windstalk (11); Illustrations: LULU* TÜV SÜD Journal appears quarterly. Articles appearing in the magazine are copyrighted. TÜV SÜD Journal is printed in a climate-neutral manner on paper from sustainable forestry.
January Arab Health, Dubai, Jan. 28–31, 2013 Hosted in the United Arab Emirates’ pulsing metropolis, the 38th »Arab Health« convention will showcase the newest technical developments and research in the health-care sector. The trade-fair organizers expect 3,700 exhibitors. It will be accompanied by a four-day convention. Around 500 international experts are expected to speak at 18 individual conferences.
TÜV SÜD Journal 31
5 minutes
Book your further training now!
Endurance test for trucks
Family-friendly career
Plan now for 2013’s training sessions – companies can do this on the TÜV SÜD Academy website. All of the seminars for the upcoming year are listed at www.tuev-sued.de/ academy – just in time to jump in to early strategy and budget planning and to include them in the training targets of your employee reviews.
Europe’s largest truck field test, bestof9.eu, has been under way since April 2012. Test-organizer Huss Verlag and its technical partner TÜV SÜD have now revealed the initial results. One of the outcomes: Euro 6 vehicles keep pace when it comes to fuel efficiency. Burning a mere 11.9 gallons per 100 miles, the Euro 6 trucks have inched ahead of the competition.
Recognition for a family-friendly environment: TÜV SÜD has received the »berufundfamilie« (career and family) certification mark for another two years. In addition to policies for flexible working hours, the company offers such services as day care and a 24-hour hotline for on-the-spot assistance with questions about nursing care, child care and difficult living situations.
thomas.wagenpfeil@tuev-sued.de
dieter.roth@tuev-sued.de
nicole.commessmann@tuev-sued.de
New testing center in Shanghai
TÜV SÜD has consolidated its laboratories and expanded its testing opportunities in a new testing center in the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai. The facility brings the TÜV SÜD laboratories that had been located throughout the region together under one roof, expanding their service range at the same time: the 108,000-square-foot building is home to six laboratories, in which chemical products, food, textiles and shoes (softlines), electric and electronic devices, mechanical products and so-called hardlines such as exercise equipment and housewares can be tested. The testing center has been accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) and is currently in process of getting accredited by the Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle. charles.qiao@tuv-sud.cn
TÜV Italia tests plants in 14 Italian regions
In Germany, part of TÜV SÜD’s core business involves periodically testing steam boilers and pressure vessels as well as elevators and plants located in areas at risk for explosions. In summer 2012, the Group began offering these services south of the Alps as well. Timed to correspond with the total liberalization of the Italian inspection market and the expiration of the last state monopolies, TÜV SÜD subsidiary TÜV Italia has obtained the required accreditation and now, as a Notified Body, may test plants subject to monitoring. In Italy, companies have only been In eligible to receive accreditation as a Notified Body since late the plant-inspection market in May 2012. Roughly 60 employGermany was liberalized. Italy has ees in 14 out of 20 regions are also recently implemented a similar currently offering such inspecEU ordinance. tion services. For this reason, there has been a strong emphasis placed on large companies that do business countrywide and require services across all of Italy from a single source.
2008 boris.gehring@tuev-sued.de
32 TÜV SÜD Journal
5
5 minutes
British specialist for renewable energy TÜV SÜD considers itself a global expert on all sorts of renewable-energy services – and it has bolstered its expertise: British company Project Management Support Services Limited (PMSS) became part of the TÜV SÜD Group in summer 2012. The spectrum of services provided by PMSS includes supporting project development and project realization, carrying out due diligence, and planning and monitoring adherence to occupational safety and environmental protection standards in the wind-energy sector, specifically for offshore wind farms. This combination of specialized expertise and TÜV SÜD’s know-how and experience in the greater energy business makes TÜV SÜD a global leader in the realization of windemployees energy projects.
Top customer service
70
mvalente@tuvnel.com
advise wind-farm builders and operators at the new TÜV SÜD subsidiary PMSS.
minutes with TÜV SÜD
Bavaria’s Best 50
A closer look at smart grids
In recognition of their high-quality customer service, Allianz has received a certificate valid for all of Europe – the first German insurance company to receive this distinction. Professor Dr Peter Schaff, who heads the TÜV SÜD Management Service Division, presented Allianz CEO Dr Manfred Knof with the EN 15838 certificate. tomislav.vlahovic@tuev-sued.de
TÜV SÜD has been helping Kerafol, a specialized ceramics manufacturer, implement a new management system for the past 15 years. The company has now been recognized with »Bavaria’s Best 50« award for outstanding innovative spirit. Congratulations! johann.hoeller@tuev-sued.de
TÜV SÜD customer wins plant-safety award
Intelligent energy grids are expected to facilitate the transition to new sources of energy. Embedded measurement and control systems for the automation of electricity distribution are critical for the operation of these grids, just as standardized communication processes are. TÜV SÜD now has a broad range of testing options for these systems at the new Smart Grid laboratory that opened a few weeks ago. Among other things, the lab tests devices according to IEC 61850.
Once a year, the TÜV e.V. (VdTÜV) association singles out companies that have set benchmarks in the area of plant safety. This year, one of the prizes was awarded to Stadtwerke München, Roughly Munich’s city utilities. TÜV SÜD in- TÜV SÜD inspects roughly 800 spects elevators and escalators for this escalators and 170 elevators for customer and carries out risk assessments. Stadtwerke München places Stadtwerke München. great value on preventative measures, such as sensitive sensor technology. This technology emits a warning signal, for example, when the temperature of a drive system rises. And that pays off: In the Munich subway system, more than 95 percent of elevators are operational at all times.
800
kai.struebbe@tuev-sued.de dieter.roas@tuev-sued.de
TÜV SÜD Journal 33
The final say
Gold rush in A U.S. company plans to extract precious metal from asteroids and earn billions by mining in universe.
34 TĂœV SĂœD Journal
The final say
space
T
here will be a lot of action in the sky as the year comes to an end: On November 13, 2012, a total solar eclipse will be observable in northern Australia. On December 14, 2012, the International Space Station (ISS) will be visible at dusk with the naked eye in southern Germany. However, there will be no trace of Planetary Resources. Six months ago, the U.S. company announced that it planned to launch probes, robots and spacecraft into space to mine precious metals on asteroids. The media hype was as big as the names behind the project. Planetary Resources was founded by Eric Anderson and Peter Diamandis. The two have been shuttling space tourists to the ISS with their first company, Space Adventures, since 2001. They managed to attract Chris Lewicki, former head of the NASA Mars missions »Spirit« and »Opportunity,« as chief engineer, and consultant John Lewis, Professor of Planetary Science at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and author of the work »Mining the Sky.« The names of the investors are no less impressive. Google CEO Larry Page, whose entrepreneurial instinct for winners is universally established, is on the list, along with director James Cameron, who has already proved with the Hollywood blockbuster »Titanic« that he has a nose for success stories. At the moment, though, there is nothing to show that Planetary Resources’ project will be one as well. Yet, John Lewis is already painting a picture of a happy end. He estimates the value of the natural resources in the approximately 8,900 near-Earth asteroids that have been discovered up to now to be in the trillions of U.S. dollars. After all, some are composed of up to 30 percent precious metals, such as gold and platinum. The plan to get to the resources reads as follows: Probes will measure the asteroids as they pass by and analyze their composition. If they appear to be profitable and if the flying boulders have a diameter of less than 10 meters and weigh less than 1,000 tons, they will be captured. A spacecraft will envelope them in a cocoon made of Kevlar© and pull them into the moon’s orbit, where robots will begin recovering the raw materials. Finally, a space shuttle will transport them to Earth. All in all an expensive and protracted undertaking. The capturing maneuver alone is set to take eight years and cost $ 2.6 billion. However, the project as a whole is supposed to be feasible. But what does »supposed to be« mean? The Titanic was also supposed to have been unsinkable. If anyone, James Cameron should bear that in mind. TÜV SÜD Journal 35
Ranking progress
W
hat makes a country innovative? The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) lists 84 factors in its »Global Innovation Index 2012.« These range from the political conditions for setting up companies and high levels of public-sector education spending to company support for employee development through further education, such as the training offered by TÜV SÜD Academy. In collaboration with international business school Insead, the WIPO gathered the relevant data for 141 countries and used it to draw up an innovation ranking list. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry notes that innovative momentum has slowed in light of the economic crisis and warns: »The downward pressure exerted on investment in innovation must be resisted. Otherwise we risk durable damage to countries’ productive capacities and future prosperity.«
Global Innovation Index 2012: Top 3 countries by region
(A country can only achieve a maximum of 100 points in the ranking system. Source: www.wipo.int)
Finland
Sweden Canada
Switzerland
USA
Hong Kong (China)
Tunisia Costa Rica
Singapore
Colombia
Mauritius
Brazil Chile
New Zealand
68.2 57.7
64.8
56.9 36.3
North and Central America
42.7
36.6
39.2
35.5
South America
63.5
61.8
Europe
37.4
Africa
58.7
56.6
36.5
Asia and Oceania
WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION (WIPO). SOURCE: GLOBALINNOVATIONINDEX.ORG.
South Africa