Pörtschach (OTS) – On July 11, 2024, respACT, together with BKS Bank, invited people to the annual business lunch at the Hotel Schloss Seefels on Lake Wörthersee. The event brought together almost 40 managing directors from Carinthian companies and neighboring federal states to discuss innovative solutions for sustainable energy storage and the challenges and opportunities surrounding energy transformation.
Nikolaus Juhász, board member of BKS Bank and respACT state coordinator for Carinthia, opened the event and welcomed the participants. Juhász emphasized the urgency of sustainable energy solutions:
„Switching to sustainable energy sources is an absolute must not only for achieving climate neutrality by 2050, but also for overall economic development, which ultimately ensures prosperity and peace. Because our dependence on fossil fuels makes us vulnerable to supply, price and other geopolitical risks. Manufacturing companies in particular are required to develop and implement quick solutions. As a reliable banking partner for numerous companies, we are happy to support them in their implementation.
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The offerings and key topics of respACT as a network for knowledge development, knowledge transfer and cross-industry exchange on a wide range of aspects of corporate sustainability Hannah Jennewein, regionalization project manager at respACT. In its work, the corporate platform focuses on bringing pioneering companies from the network to the forefront as inspiration and creating added value for companies of all industries and sizes by highlighting sustainable business models and practical reports.
Michael Längle, CFO at RAG Austria AG, demonstrated with his keynote presentation entitled “Security of Supply & Sustainable Energy Future” that energy storage is essential for a sustainable energy transition. Längle presented RAG Austria’s “Sustainable Energy Mining” strategy and emphasized its central role in security of supply, as a partner and enabler in the energy transformation towards a cross-sector, secure green energy future. He highlighted that mining facilities can be ideally used to store green gas and hydrogen to create stable and efficient energy solutions.
„Security of supply means having energy available when it is needed. Sun and wind are not available in sufficient quantities, especially on windless winter days, but are often in excess in summer. As a partner in renewable energies, we at RAG have been working for many years to develop innovative seasonal energy storage solutions based on gaseous energy sources in order to transform summer sunshine into winter electricity and heat in the future. In this way, we use the underground deposits permanently and sustainably, so that the expansion of renewable energy production, supplemented by the otherwise lack of transport and storage, continues to be possible with a secure supply. We believe that gaseous energy sources will continue to be important components of the energy mix in the future – especially green gases such as hydrogen.
“ CFO Michael Längle
During the networking lunch, participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences and promote collaboration between companies committed to sustainability. The event and the exchange underlined the collective responsibility of companies to contribute to a sustainable future that is not only based on clean energy but also creates security of supply. This transformation must be shaped through cooperation and innovation.
About the event
With the business lunch, which is organized annually in Carinthia together with BKS Bank and supported by the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce and the IV-Kärnten, respACT highlights the crucial role of private companies in the implementation of the Green Deal in Austria. This is also an important step towards implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, which simultaneously address global problems and highlight market opportunities and innovation potential. The event format also offers the opportunity to discuss in an exclusive circle at management level and to exchange ideas about current sustainability topics with respACT member companies and interested companies from Carinthia.
About respACT
respACT – Austrian business council for sustainable development is Austria’s leading corporate platform for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development. The association supports its 450 member companies in achieving ecological and social goals responsibly and economically. Further information at www.respact.at.
The event was supported by the Carinthian Industrial Association and the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) and the Industrial Association.
Questions & Contact:
respACT – austrian business council for sustainable development
Mag. Marianne Sorge-Grace
Head of Communications & CSR Day
www.respact.at