Wind, sun, hydrogen

Dr. Ralf Tschulik is committed to sustainable energy solutions. He was previously, among other things, Managing Director of Rostock EnergyPort Cooperation GmbH in Rostock, which is overseeing the development of a regional hydrogen hub. He is currently Head of the City of Rostock’s Department for Climate Protection, Future Issues and Energy. He also works part-time as a consultant for the energy sector, supporting companies and municipalities in climate protection and future-ready energy supply, and remains an advisor to Rostock EnergyPort Cooperation GmbH.

Engineers make energy readily available

What role do engineers play in the development and implementation of new energy solutions?
Engineers are indispensable for the energy transition – they bridge the gap between vision and practical implementation. Even in the early development stages they contribute their expertise to making new ideas and solutions feasible – not only in theory but also in practice. The goal is to make technologies more efficient, robust and sustainable – whether in relation to wind power, solar energy, hydrogen production or energy storage.

During the implementation phase, engineers play a central role on the construction site and in project management – coordinating specialists and trades, and ensuring that plans are transformed into functioning systems. And during commissioning they test and certify the systems and approve them for use – a crucial moment that reveals whether everything has come together as planned. Their work ensures that wind farms, solar fields and hydrogen systems continue to operate – safely and efficiently.

„It's not helpful to pit overhead and underground transmission lines against each other. We need an integrated, science-based approach – for electricity and for future molecular energy carriers such as hydrogen.“

What motivated you personally to pursue a career in energy consulting?
Actually, it was chance that led me to energy consulting. As an engineer, I've held various positions throughout my career – from projects in traditional construction to a doctorate in shipbuilding and a visiting professorship in structural engineering. In energy technology, I arrived at a field that has gained enormous importance in recent years. It's not just about technology, but about the future – about sustainability, security of supply, and the question of how we can reconcile our lifestyle with the available resources. These topics interest me both personally and professionally. I'm motivated by the opportunity to contribute to solutions that truly make a difference.

„We need more science-based reasoning and fewer black-and-white discussions about energy transmission lines and technologies. Infrastructure investments are long-term projects so we need to think and act in parallel, in a coordinated manner, and now.“

When you think of an innovative project or idea in the field of renewable energy generation – what would it be and why?
I find the transformation of the steel industry particularly exciting. We are currently experiencing a massive upheaval of our entire energy system, with electricity becoming the central form of energy in almost all sectors – including mobility, heat generation and industrial processes, for example. At the same time, we know that a purely electricity-based system will not be sufficient.

For energy-intensive industries like steel production, we need additional solutions – and hydrogen has a lot to offer. But the use of hydrogen is particularly challenging because it is not easy to utilise this technology on a large scale. Technically, however, it is already possible to convert steel production to electricity- and hydrogen-based processes – for example, in so-called direct-reduction plants. The technology is not yet fully developed in all details, but the path is feasible. This is what makes this field so exciting: today, it is no longer a question of whether we can achieve the transformation, but how we implement it – in particular, in the case of Germany with its high labour costs and limited raw materials but with enormous strength in research and engineering. If we succeed in making steel production in Germany both climate-neutral and financially competitive, that would be a major success – for the decarbonisation of the industrial sector and for the future viability of German mechanical engineering. For me, this is one of the key projects of the energy transition.