Typisch bremisch Typically “Bremish”

with a healthy mixture of large companies and mediumsized
businesses.
Meanwhile the maritime economy is growing closer to
another innovation cluster – wind energy. Here the grea t -
est potential for growth is in the offshore sector, in other
words, on the water. This is a far more difficult task than
building and operating wind turbines on land, given the
huge demands made of system stability, safety and au -
tonomy. At the same time, the generated energy has to be
transported through the sea with minimum losses across
large distances. This entails aspects of nature conservation
and environmental protection, because the Wadden Sea
off Germany’s North Sea cost is an essential resting area
for millions of migratory birds – and has been declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Seeing the potential of wind energy early on
Bremen was one of the first to see the huge economic
potential of this technology, as long as the outstanding
questions can be solved. And so the Wind Energy Agency
(WAB) was founded already back in 2002 to networking
all players and pool their forces. After starting as a purely
regional entity, the WAB has meanwhile become a
national contact partner for the offshore wind energy
branch. It comprises more than 350 companies and institutes
from all aspects of the wind energy, the maritime
industry and research.
The branch’s pioneers include the services company
Reetec – a pioneer in two respects. It was not just one of
the first players to opt completely for wind energy, but
was also an early tenant to move into a renovated warehouse
in Bremen’s Überseestadt. Since then this whole
area has flourished and attracted other companies in
the branch. Together with Reetec, the project planner
Energiekontor also played an active role in Bremen right
from the start. In time, other key players also arrived such
as Alstom Grid, Areva Wind, WeserWind, Deutsche Wind -
technik and wpd AG. Offshore activities are focused is
in Bremerhaven, where the fairway is deep enough for
ocean-going ships so that the steel giants for constructing
the wind turbine foundations can be loaded on special
vessels. A new offshore terminal is being constructed here
specially to offer sufficient space and to withstand the
high loads on a permanent basis. Altogether more than
150 wind energy companies have meanwhile settled in
Bremen and Bremerhaven. Together they cover the entire
supply chain of the branch.
Satellites for safer shipping
The aerospace industry forms the third side in the inno -
vation cluster triangle. It interfaces with the other two
clusters primarily in the field of safety and security, which
can be much better warranted with support from the skies
– particularly for ships and their loads, as well as for wind
farms on the high seas. For decades, the aerospace company
Astrium (to be called “Airbus Defence and Space” in
future) and OHB have been developing highly successful
satellites that perform numerous functions, from telecommunications
through to environmental monitoring. In
future they will be put to even greater use in monitoring
the German Bight, one of the world’s most highly frequented
and at the same time sensitive shipping routes.
The demand for navigation aids for shipping will continue
to grow with more than 100 offshore wind parks currently
in the planning process.
Together with satellite technology, Bremen has also secured
itself a role as European know-how stronghold for
manned space flight. Parts of the Ariane rockets are made
here, together with the Columbus module for the ISS
international space station, as well as the ATV space
shuttle used to supply the ISS. The American space agency
NASA is so taken with this technology that for the first
time it will be using a non American provider in future.
Bremen currently also enjoys a lead over the American
competition in the aviation sector. While Boeing regularly
suffers from technical problems, Airbus is once again flying
high. The factory in Bremen concentrates above all on the
Continued on page 41
37