Energy

Now, today, we are able to deliver sophisticated concepts for decentralised energy supply, which guarantee a high quality supply and allow the development even of remote regions.

Renewable energies are the central model of the future. In the case of solar energy – photovoltaics and CSP (concentrated solar power) – the question is to what extent it can be developed economically, both commercially and for private use or if this is actually possible. Furthermore, the infrastructure needs to be expanded considerably. By contrast, water is used not only directly for energy, it is also an essential element of almost all energy production and therefore all the more precious as a resource: in the next 15 years, the global population will consume 70 percent of the fresh drinking water available; in 2025 over 90 percent.

The climate changes that are currently already noticeable make it clear that there is an urgent need to rely more on renewable energy sources. The high price of oil is a massive driver of this development. The beginning has long since past: the Kyoto process should mean that the greenhouse gases emitted around the world are substantially reduced. Moreover, it has since been recognised that dependence on the limited resources of oil, gas and uranium also poses a risk to world peace.

This opens up interesting economic opportunities for renewable energies. Genesis will consistently exploit these opportunities and is therefore concentrating on products that are conducive to efficient energy production and that promote the expansion of renewable energies. Thanks to this focus and the associated know how, our investors are able to optimally exploit the potentials of this market and, with their direct capital investment, accelerate the change towards a sustainable energy supply.

Accounting and consulting company Deloitte has presented its long awaited energy report for 2011. In this, experts see the sector as facing great challenges. One problem is the lack of well-trained specialists: alternative energies are the job engine of tomorrow – relevant qualifications are required. The European Union and Germany in particular are now already struggling with a lack of well-trained experts in the area of renewable energies. The USA and Canada are also facing this challenge. In these countries, appropriate concepts are already being worked on in the political domain.

Another central issue is the question of “grid parity”; the point at which the power from renewable sources becomes economically competitive. Nonetheless, global demand for fossil fuels is still strong: “the global thirst for energy is huge. The emerging countries in particular rely primarily on fossil energy sources. In Asia alone, refinery capacities will expand by an impressive 2.75 million bbl/d between 2011 and 2015. The appearance of the market also corresponds to this: after massive M&A activities by the Chinese in Africa, Asia and South America, an investment boost of state corporations from Russia, South Korea and Brazil followed. Since then, India and the CIS countries have now started to became active,” explains Hans Günter Wolf, Partner and Energy & Resources Manager at Deloitte.

For the future, Wolf sees a clear trend towards hybrid and electric vehicles: “one specific example of the fact that demand for energy is moving slightly is the trend towards hybrid and fully electrically powered vehicles – a trend that will continue to intensify in the coming years and bring lasting change to the automotive sector", Hans Günter Wolf comments.

The entire report can be viewed on the Deloitte website