Every year, the German Environmental Prize recognizes outstanding achievements in environmental protection. This year, the award goes to moor researcher Franziska Tanneberger for her commitment to protecting moors and to electrical engineer Thomas Speidel for his services in the field of electromobility, including the development of a fast-charging station that charges electric cars in minutes instead of hours.
Every year, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) honors outstanding achievements in environmental, climate, species and resource protection with the German Environmental Prize. The prize money of 500,000 euros makes it one of the most highly endowed environmental awards in Europe. The jury chose moor researcher Franziska Tanneberger and electrical engineer Thomas Speidel as this year’s winners. The official award ceremony will take place on October 27 in Mainz by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Franziska Tanneberger: Commitment to the protection of moors
Peatlands are truly multi-talented: they store carbon and water and at the same time provide a habitat for numerous animals and plants. But they can only do all of this in their natural state. If they are drained, as has already happened with 90 percent of the peatlands in Germany, they turn from climate protectors into climate killers and release large amounts of harmful greenhouse gases – around two billion tons a year worldwide, or four percent of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions. In Germany, drained peatlands account for seven percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania even 40 percent.
“The only sensible way to reduce these emissions is to stop draining the moors,” says moor researcher Franziska Tanneberger. She heads the Greifswald Moor Centrum (GMC) in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and is committed to protecting moors and restoring them worldwide. Among other things, Tanneberger played a key role in the first global report on the status of moors – published by the United Nations Environmental Programme. In her research, she is looking for ways to reconcile the protection of moors with the interests of agriculture.
Her commitment makes Tanneberger a worthy winner in the eyes of DBU Secretary General Alexander Bonde: “As an excellent and internationally highly recognized moor researcher, Franziska Tanneberger has managed, through her tireless efforts with her team, to place the importance of moorland protection and rewetting for a future worth living in national and international political decision-making processes.”
Thomas Speidel: A turbo for electromobility
Electrical engineer Thomas Speidel is also committed to protecting the environment – but in a completely different area. In his company “ads-tec Energy” he develops innovative battery-buffered high-performance systems that can charge electric cars in minutes instead of hours. These fast charging stations slowly draw power from the existing power grid, store it and convert it into strong direct current with an output of 320 kilowatts. If an electric vehicle is docked, it can be charged within minutes thanks to these storage reserves. “Like a toilet cistern that fills slowly and empties quickly when used,” explains Speidel.
The engineer is not only involved in his company, but also in two co-founded foundations and has also been president of the Federal Association for Energy Storage Systems since 2016. His portfolio includes a total of more than 60 German and international patent applications – primarily in the areas of battery technology and storage solutions. Speidel’s inventions could help Germany meet its self-imposed climate goals and, for example, contribute to the installation of one million public charging points by 2030. “Innovations such as those from ads-tec Energy are literally real trailblazers for more electromobility, climate protection and a comprehensive energy transition,” praises Bode from the DBU.
Source: German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU)