The Sustainable Finance Summit in Leipzig: Financing the energy transition among municipalities and SMEs

November 15 from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
Salles de Pologne | Hainstraße 16 | 04109 Leipzig | hybrid event

The energy transition holds great opportunities for municipalities and SMEs; environmentally friendly energy sources can be used, independence from external influences can be expanded and costs can be saved in the medium to long term.

However, this requires joint answers to the following questions from the real, insurance and financial sectors as well as politics at all levels:

  • What political framework conditions must be in place?
  • How can projects for the energy transition be financed?
  • What financing and funding instruments are available?
  • What role do strategic partnerships play in the transformation?
  • What experience can be drawn from energy and heat infrastructure projects that have already been successfully implemented?

These are the questions addressed by the Sustainable Finance Summit in Leipzig, which will take place on November 15, 2023. Decision-makers from politics and experts from associations will provide impetus for necessary framework conditions; experts from the real and financial economy will present financing and funding instruments as well as successful practical examples.

In addition to providing answers, the summit offers an excellent platform for sharing experiences and networking stakeholders to jointly drive the energy transition forward. Discussion rounds and presentations will focus on various topics. In addition to the framework conditions already mentioned by legislation and funding, projects from the energy and heating infrastructure will be presented, experiences of energy-intensive companies on the path to climate neutrality will be shared, and the role of strategic partnerships for the transformation will be discussed. In this context, the importance of banks and insurance companies as capital providers for financing the energy transition will also be addressed.

The Sustainable Finance Summit in Leipzig is aimed at representatives of municipalities, small and medium-sized enterprises, banks, insurance companies, energy suppliers as well as experts from research and consulting. Take the opportunity to learn about tangible and practical approaches and apply them for the energy transition in your own company or municipality.

Agenda  
9:30 am Registration and Networking
10:30 am Welcome
10:45 am

Keynote: Financing the energy transition – investment needs, financing gaps and possible solutions

Dr. Tanja Utescher-Dabitz – Abteilungsleiterin Betriebswirtschaft, Steuern und Digitalisierung, Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e.V.
11:30 am

Panel: Conditions for the financing and promotion of the energy transition

  • Dr. Katrin Leonhardt – Vorstandsvorsitzende Sächsische Aufbaubank -Förderbank-
  • Dr. Gerd Lippold – Staatssekretär Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Energie, Klimaschutz, Umwelt und Landwirtschaft
  • Dr. Florian Gräßler – Geschäftsführer Verband kommunaler Unternehmen e. V.
  • Gunda Röstel – Kaufmännische Geschäftsführerin der Stadtentwässerung Dresden GmbH, Prokuristin der GELSENWASSER AG
12:30 pm Lunch break and Networking
  BLOCK I – ENERGY TRANSITION AT MUNICIPALITIES AND MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISES
1:30 pm

Impuls I: Challenges in the transformation of supply and disposal infrastructures

Daniel Kollbach – Geschäftsführer Stadtwerke Schüttorf-Emsbüren GmbH und Trink- und Abwasserverband Bad Bentheim, Schüttorf, Salzbergen und Emsbüren

1:50 pm

Impuls II: Creating conditions for the formation of equity

Matthias Lux – Geschäftsführer – Stadtwerke Halle GmbH
2:10 pm

Impuls III: Financing of municipal energy infrastructure

Daniel Schmidt – Bereichsleiter Öffentliche Kunden und Wohnungswirtschaft – Thüringer Aufbaubank (AöR)
2:30 pm 30 minutes joint Q&A session as well as discussion
3:00 pm Coffee break and Networking
  BLOCK II – ENERGY TRANSITION IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES
3:45 pm

Impuls I: Challenges in transformation financing

Severin Weig – Director Group Treasury, Group Insurance & Corporate Risk Heidelberg Materials AG
3:55 pm

Impuls II: Corporate Chances at new altitudes – ready for take off

Katrin Lässig – Senior Vice President – Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG
4:05 pm

Impuls III: Local energy transition as a shared task

Falk Zeuner – Association President, VEE Sachsen e.V.
4:15 pm 45 minutes fishbowl discussion
5:00 pm Summary and transition into the get-together
5:30 pm Get-together
Kerstin Andreae
Kerstin AndreaeGerman Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW)
The economist has been Chair of the Executive Board of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) since November 2019. After graduating in 1996, she worked in project management at the Agency for Health and Spa Technology, MediKur in Hamm, at the Social Science Women’s Research Institute and at a financial services provider in the wind energy sector. She was a member of the German Parliament for Bündnis 90/ DIE GRÜNEN for 17 years. Amongst others, she was deputy chair of the parliamentary group and responsible for the coordination of economic, budgetary, financial, labor and social policy.
Dr. Florian Gräßler
Dr. Florian GräßlerAssociation of Municipal Enterprises - Saxony Regional Group
Dr. Gräßler studied political science and government in Dresden and Chemnitz from 2006 to 2014. From 2015 to 2017, he was coordinator of the German delegation to the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. Following this, he was the Head of the VKU European Office in Brussels until 2020. Since 2020, he has been the Managing Director of the VKU Saxony Regional Group in Dresden.
Daniel Kollbach
Daniel KollbachStadtwerke Schüttorf-Emsbüren GmbH and Trink- und Abwasserverband Bad Bentheim, Schüttorf, Salzbergen and Emsbüren
Mr Kollbach has been Managing Director of Stadtwerke Schüttorf-Emsbüren GmbH and Trink- und Abwasserverband Bad Bentheim, Schüttorf, Salzbergen and Emsbüren since 2020. He has worked for Stadtwerke Gronau in various positions since 2001: Trained as an energy electronics technician, electrician, project manager for waterworks, project manager for electricity, head of the network control room, head of the operational technical division. In the course of his professional development, he completed the educational path to master craftsman in electrical engineering and metal on the side, completed a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, obtained a master’s degree as a network engineer for electricity, gas and water and deepened his qualifications with an MBA&Eng. in industrial engineering.
Katrin Lässig
Katrin Lässig Mitteldeutsche Airport Holding
Employed at Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG since 2019, currently as Senior Vice President Sustainability & Real Estate since 2022. Responsible for the implementation of the sustainability strategy, sustainability reporting in accordance with CSRD and the non-aviation sector. After completing her training as a bank clerk (IHK), she studied at the Berlin School of Economics and Law and graduated with a degree in business administration (FH), specialising in marketing and human resources/organisation. At the same time, she began a distance learning course in “CSR and Sustainability Management” in 2003, which continues to this day. Stages of her professional career also include companies such as Thomas Cook AG and Flughafen Dresden GmbH.
Dr. Katrin Leonhardt
Dr. Katrin LeonhardtSächsische Aufbaubank – Förderbank – (SAB)
She has a PhD in economics and is the CEO development bank of the Federal State of Saxony since July 2020. Since June 2022 she is member of the Sustainable Finance Advisory Board of the German government. From 1994 to 200, she was an advisor or head of unit for housing promotion at the State Ministry of Saxony. After that, she worked 20 years at KfW and was responsible, amongst others, as Director for the business areas Individual Financing & Public Customer or SME.
Dr. Gerd Lippold
Dr. Gerd LippoldStaatssekretär des Sächsischen Staatsministeriums für Energie, Klimaschutz, Umwelt und Landwirtschaft
Dr. Lippold has been State Secretary for Energy, Climate Change, Environment and Agriculture since December 2019. After graduating from high school, he studied physics in Leipzig and subsequently earned his doctorate in the field of semiconductor physics. From 1992 till 2000, he was a project manager in research and technology development. Until 2020, he was a member of the Bündnis 90/ DIE GRÜNEN parliamentary group and spokesman for energy and climate policy as well as business, technology and tourism.
Matthias Lux
Matthias LuxStadtwerke Halle
Mr. Lux joined the Management Board of Stadtwerke Halle GmbH in 2008 and has been the chair of the Management Board since 2011. After studying economics at the University of Göttingen, he worked as a consultant at Rödl & Partner in Nuremberg from 1993 to 1997. 1997 to 2005, he was Head of Group Controlling and Head of Group Projects at Stadtwerke Halle GmbH. 2002 to 2008, he was Managing Director of VNG Verbundnetz Gas Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH in Halle. 2005 to 2013, he was also Managing Director of Stadtwirtschaft GmbH Halle and later Hallesche Wasser und Stadtwirtschaft GmbH.
Gunda Röstel
Gunda RöstelStadtentwässerung Dresden & GELSENWASSER
She has been CEO of Stadtentwässerung Dresden GmbH since 2004 and General Manager of GELSENWASSER AG since 2000. She has been also a member of the German Council for Sustainable Development of the German federal government since 2020 and has been the position of Vice Chair since 2023. After studying special education at the University of Rostock, she was party leader of Bündnis 90/DIE GRÜNEN from 1996 to 2000.
Daniel Schmidt
Daniel SchmidtThüringer Aufbaubank
Since 2023 he is head of the public reals estate sector at Thüringer Aufbaubank (TAB). He has been working for TAB since 19 years; the last 9 years in management positions. The educated banker had the focus on: public finance, infrastructure finance, advisory for the public sector and real estate finance. He is also a Certified Sustainable Finance Expert of the Frankfurt Finance School.
Dr. Tanja Utescher-Dabitz
Dr. Tanja Utescher-DabitzBundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e.V.
Business graduate, tax consultant. Studies and doctorate at the Free University of Berlin. Worked for Ernst&Young/EY in Stuttgart for several years. BDEW, where she is responsible for business management issues and digital transformation, among other things. Responsible for the current BDEW project “Capital for the energy transition – How the financing of the energy transition can succeed”
Severin Weig
Severin WeigHeidelberg Materials
Mr. Weig has working for Heidelberg Materials AG since December 2012, initially as Treasury Manager and since March 2015 as Director of Group Treasury. Since November 2018, he is also Director for Group Insurance & Corporate Risk, which works intensively on climate risks. Since June 2022 he is member of the Sustainable Finance Advisory Board of the German government. Before Heidelberg Materials AG, he worked in various positions at multinational banks.
Falk Zeuner
Falk ZeunerVEE Sachsen e.V.
Falk Zeuner, born in 1966, is a qualified electrical engineer (HTWK Leipzig). He has been a partner and managing director of the Leipzig-based engineering office for renewable energies – Terrawatt Planungsgesellschaft mbH since 1996, as well as a partner in various project companies for renewable energy plants. In May of this year, he was elected President of VEE Sachsen e.V.

STAY UP TO DATE

Receive the latest information about “Sustainable Finance”.

Green and Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany e. V.

Go to Top