Focussing energy conversion on increased efficiency and renewable energies
EWE concentrates on energy conversion projects which attempt to increase efficiency by using combined heat and power and producing electricity and warmth from renewable resources. One example of the company’s commitment to the field of energy conversion is fuel cell technology, which EWE has been advancing in field tests for years together with manufacturers of fuel cell heating systems. EWE ist an active partner of "Callux", the nationwide largest field test of fuel cells for privately owned houses. EWE has developed into an acknowledged pacesetter in fuel cell technology and regularly brings its expertise in this area to bear on funded projects, both domestically and overseas.
One form of renewable energy that EWE particularly focuses on is wind energy. The company is heavily involved in developing innovative solutions in this area. One example is the implementation of the first German offshore wind park, alpha ventus. The wind park is being constructed by DOTI (Deutsche Offshore-Testfeld und Infrastruktur-GmbH & Co. KG), which was formed in 2006. With a 47.5 per cent holding, EWE is realising the project together with other partners from the energy industry. The alpha ventus test site comprises 12 multi-megawatt (> 5 MW) wind turbines which will produce enough electricity for 50.000 households per year. The project partners are working closely with wind turbine manufacturers and the Federal Environment Ministry. EWE is also involved in the ANEMOS.plus research project. This project aims to improve the systems used today to forecast the proportion of energy which can be created from wind energy. This project is also funded by the European Union.
Another regenerative energy that EWE believes has an interesting future is biogas. At the end of 2007, the company opened one of the first biogas purification plants in Germany in Werlte, Lower Saxony. The plant processes the biogas that it produces in such a way as to achieve the quality of natural gas and then feeds it directly into the local network. This allows biogas to be used as a fuel as well as to create electricity and heat.
