E-car trailblazer, biologist win German environment prize

An electric car battery engineer who developed a system to slash charging times was announced as a winner of the German environmental prize. A moor and peatland researcher shares the 2024 accolade.

Speidel, seen here, developed a system that has slashed the amount of time it takes to charge vehicles, the DBU said

Image: picture alliance/dpa

The German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) on Thursday announced engineer Thomas Speidel, who developed a quick-charge electric vehicle battery system, as one of its winners.

Foundation judges also declared moor researcher Franziska Tanneberger — a driving force in the revitalization of moors — his co-winner of the German Environmental Prize, with the pair sharing €500,000 (about $555,000) in prize money.
What makes the battery system important?

As managing director of Ads-Tec Energy, the engineer developed an innovative battery system for fast charging.

Speidel has described his charging system as being "like a Swiss Army knife of the energy transition."

The idea is that cars can be charged in just minutes, even on low-powered grids from very compact stations.

The new battery technology could help to promote the rapid, comprehensive expansion of the currently still manageable charging infrastructure, explained Speidel.

He said the battery-buffered fast chargers can be installed flexibly on roads, at company buildings, and in residential areas without garages or wall boxes.

DBU Secretary General Alexander Bonde declared the engineer a "trailblazer for climate-friendly electromobility."
How moorlands can better stem climate change

Tannberger is committed to preserving wet moors, said Bonde. He added that Tannberger had helped place the importance of moor protection and "rewetting" in national and international political decision-making processes.

Moors store greenhouse gases, acting as carbon sinks, so they also play a role in limiting climate change.

Biologist Franziska Tanneberger (left) German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke

Image: picture alliance/dpa

Rewetting involves returning a degraded peatland to its original waterlogged conditions, which ultimately aids the peatland's restoration.

Tannberger is committed to preserving wet moorland areas and develops "use perspectives together with farmers, even in rubber boots," said Bonde.

"For her, moor protection and moor use are not a contradiction," Bonde added

The German Environmental Prize recognizes outstanding achievements in environmental, climate, and biodiversity protection. The award will be presented by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the western city of Mainz on October 27th.