Interviews

Fichter: Climate change is increasing the pressure for innovations geared towards energy efficiency and renewable energies. Key technologies such as nanotechnology can be extremely useful in this regard, but only if they are used systematically. One example of this is the dye solar cell. This brand new, nano-based photovoltaic technology uses absolutely no energy-intensive raw silicon so it helps protect resources and lower costs while at the same time offering completely new application opportunities, as one of our latest research projects shows.

Fichter: On the one hand, the necessity to see products not in isolation, but as part of an integrated system. This also results in the need to systematically incorporate users of future products into the product development and testing processes at an early stage. This may seem simple and obvious, but where innovation is concerned, it happens all too rarely in practice.

Fichter: Yes, we were able to identify six fundamentally different development pathways. These range from a pathway that originates in a concrete sustainability problem, such as overfishing of the world's oceans, for example, to a pathway that we call "retrospective discovery". In this case, an innovation may achieve an environmental aim, like the T-Net-Box – a virtual answerphone on the net, but improved energy efficiency was not one of the original or explicit goals of the technical development and was only recognized as an environmental benefit retrospectively.

Fichter: As the host of an innovation workshop and a neutral process consultant, an innovation coach can support the creativity of group processes highly successfully. He or she can also provide constructive help in resolving the conflicts that can often arise from the different points of view and interests of the various corporate bodies and departments and from cooperation with external partners.

Fichter: Klaus Fichter: Three factors are key to this: Firstly, a strong and highly visionary initiator who can win the support of decision-makers from important partner companies in the value added chain through skilled networking and so build up an informal promoter network. On this subject, I recommend a look at the book, "Never eat alone"! Secondly, you also need good networking to win over senior management, because without the support of the people at the top, all efforts at innovation will be in vain. Thirdly, support for the innovation network by an external innovation coach is usually extremely helpful.

Fichter: Of course, and that doesn't just apply to the renewable energies industry. In the IT industry too – a market that up till recently had next to no interest in energy issues – energy efficiency has suddenly become a hot topic. The energy costs of the data centers of Internet companies like eBay and Google are now a powerful cost pool. The energy efficiency of servers is therefore a key competitive factor. Take a look at current adverts by server manufacturers like IBM and Sun. This sector is undergoing a massive upheaval at the moment.

Dr. Klaus Fichter,
Director Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability gGmbH, Berlin