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Honoring Energy Efficiency

Professor Eberhard Jochem received the inaugural Bayer Climate Award at the end of March for his “pioneering technical and economic contributions to energy efficiency.”

The Bayer Science & Education Foundation chose energy efficiency expert Professor Eberhard Jochem from the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) in Karlsruhe, Germany, to receive the first Bayer Climate Award.

Energy efficiency has high priority at Bayer. For example, the oxygen-depolarized cathode technology codeveloped by Bayer reduces electricity consumption in the production of chlorine by about 30 percent. Here, plant assistant Jörg Bäther inspects the oxygen inlet pipe.

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Energy efficiency has high priority at Bayer. For example, the oxygen-depolarized cathode technology codeveloped by Bayer reduces electricity consumption in the production of chlorine by about 30 percent. Here, plant assistant Jörg Bäther inspects the oxygen inlet pipe.

“More than almost any other researcher, Professor Jochem has been able to demonstrate that improving energy efficiency is the key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the different areas of our industrialized society,” said Bayer CEO Werner Wenning at the award ceremony in Berlin. Germany alone could cut CO₂ emissions by almost 15 percent by 2020 in a commercially profitable way simply by improving energy efficiency.

“Climate change is the biggest challenge now facing society as a whole,” Wenning pointed out. He said it jeopardizes the basis for all social and business activity.

Pointing out the possibilities

Bayer CEO Werner Wenning, award-winner Professor Eberhard Jochem and Bayer Management Board member Dr. Wolfgang Plischke (from left) at the award ceremony

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Bayer CEO Werner Wenning, award-winner Professor Eberhard Jochem and Bayer Management Board member Dr. Wolfgang Plischke (from left) at the award ceremony

In his congratulatory address, Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, the member of the Bayer AG Management Board responsible for Innovation, Technology and Environment, highlighted Jochem’s combination of outstanding research and personal commitment. “Professor Jochem never misses an opportunity to point out feasible courses of action,” Plischke said. “Far from being a lone activist, he possesses detailed knowledge of the circumstances in which decisions are made.” This is where Jochem brings in his expertise, Plischke explained.

Jochem’s research has shown that energy efficiency could be increased by 80 percent during this century by means of improved processes for energy conversion and use – with special emphasis on materials sciences, physicochemical processes, biotechnology and electronics.

Part of the Bayer Climate Program

Environmentally friendly and athletic: Eberhard Jochem rode his bicycle to the Bayer Climate Award presentation ceremony in Berlin.

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Environmentally friendly and athletic: Eberhard Jochem rode his bicycle to the Bayer Climate Award presentation ceremony in Berlin.

The award, which will be presented every two years from now on, forms part of the comprehensive Bayer Climate Program, a Group-wide initiative in which Bayer is combining a wide range of measures to further reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time developing new ways to protect the climate and deal with the effects of climate change. As well as implementing so-called lighthouse projects such as the “EcoCommercial Building,” “Stress tolerance in plants” and the “Bayer Climate Check,” the company is also pursuing far-reaching goals in order to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from its production facilities. The program also includes measures related to the use of company cars and business air travel. The package is supplemented by measures to support schoolchildren and scientists who are active in the field of climate protection.

One of these measures is the Bayer Climate Award, worth €50,000. Award-winner Jochem views the accolade as an additional incentive to continue his research into how greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced economically and efficiently. He plans to donate the prize money to a climate research foundation he himself established.