On Thursday, May 30, 2024, an exciting event on the topic “Future Power Grids: Challenges and Potentials for the Energy Transition” took place at the venue emma am see. Moderated by Dr. Jan Wedemeier, the event gathered around 60 participants who gained insights into the dynamic and complex development of future power grids.

The introductory remarks by State Councillor Maike Frese set the tone for an evening full of insights into the challenges and potentials for the Bremen region. The discussion highlighted the multifaceted nature of this development, from the growth successes to the ongoing challenges of transforming the energy-intensive economy towards sustainability and climate neutrality.

Our speaker, Tim Meyerjürgens, is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the cross-border transmission system operator TenneT and a member of the Executive Board of TenneT Holding B.V. In this role, he holds significant responsibility for the activities of Europe’s largest offshore transmission system operator. TenneT will integrate a large portion of the offshore wind farms in the German and Dutch North Sea into the grids and plays a crucial role in building a meshed European offshore grid. Moreover, Germany aims to cover 80 percent of its gross electricity consumption from renewables by 2030. In this context, we discussed and explored how Bremen and Northern Germany can contribute to this energy transition and how this societal goal can be achieved. A special focus was on the expansion of supra-regional transmission networks and power hubs in the context of sustainable transformation. Meyerjürgens’ technical expertise provided valuable insights into this highly complex topic.

The event not only offered room for technical discussions but also for intense networking and exchanges among the participants. The evening concluded with a barbecue reception where further conversations among the guests took place. The response to the event was positive, and the guests were able to take away numerous impulses for their own work.

We would like to thank the Förderkreis des HWWI – Niederlassung Bremen e.V., all participants, the speaker Tim Meyerjürgens, and everyone who contributed to the success of this event. We look forward to more exciting discussions and insights at upcoming events of the HWWI Bremen.