The problem of converting the world to sustainable energy can be simply put but achieving carbon neutrality is anything but.

Christian Bruch, CEO at Siemens Energy, says that the company is at the forefront of efforts to reduce our impact on the environment through our energy consumption. The energy world is currently undergoing a transformation, he says, but the existing energy infrastructure makes it difficult to switch to renewables:

“To replace one gigawatt of conventional energy, you need two or three times the capacity in storage if you install renewables. You need an area to put down solar panels and wind turbines. We should do everything possible to replace coal and drive energy efficiency where we can.”

Siemens Energy boasts some 26,000 patents on technology and the company’s technology is responsible for one sixth of global electricity production.

Bruch says that this places the company in a position of responsibility:

“The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals forms the basis of our strategy. We in particular picked five: gender equality, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry innovation and climate action. We need innovation to really build a sustainable energy world. This is what I am passionate every day about.”

To make a difference on a global scale, however, innovative energy solutions need to be available to everyone. Nadja Haakansson, Africa Managing Director at Siemens Energy, says that energy provision is essential to improving the outlook for under-developed nations:

“Access to energy is the key that can help unlock a prosperous future. In Africa over 500 million people still lack access to reliable energy. Energy is the key to jump growth to industrialization, education, healthcare, food security. Here is where we can play a role as a leading energy technology company by supporting power system planning.”

The best way forward is to incorporate existing gas-powered units which produce both energy and heat. As far as conventional infrastructure goes, these units are the most efficient. Vinod Philipp, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer of Siemens Energy, says that converting these units from burning natural gas to burning sustainably produced hydrogen is key to overcoming one of the chief drawbacks of renewables:

“A key part of green hydrogen is that you produce hydrogen from the electrolysis of water. What makes green hydrogen is that we use green energy to conduct the electrolysis process. The main challenge with renewables is that it is intermittent. Either the wind speeds are low or the sun is not bright enough. One of the key challenges we need to overcome is to make sure the energy systems are not only sustainable but also reliable and affordable.”

Philipp says that the current trend is looking very positive:

“Today our entire portfolio can burn at least 30 percent hydrogen and by the end of this decade we want to make sure that our entire gas turbine portfolio is able to burn 100 percent hydrogen. This will make our gas turbines a very environmentally friendly and zero emissions technology for power generation.“

Maria Ferraro, CFO at Siemens Energy, says that the drive to reduce emissions is informing everything that happens within the company, and is fundamental to supporting the relationships that they build with other organizations:

“It’s better when we do it as a team. That includes ensuring that we’re bringing the relevant stakeholders to the table. We have put in place targets for ourselves. We want to make sure we only have green electricity sources for our entire operations by 2023. This is putting us on the path for climate neutrality by 2030.”

Such targets do not come cheap; Ferraro says that Siemens Energy is investing almost $1 billion in research and development to achieve carbon neutrality, though this investment will ultimately benefit everyone. As Christian Bruch says, new ways of working must be found for the world to continue using energy and build a better future:

“We have lived in a system which is not sustainable, so we have to change these conditions. We will see a lot of new technology solutions. We will be a more collaborative, more innovative and more sustainable world.”