Siemens AG - Pictures of the Future

The Magazine for Research and Innovation | Fall 2009

Content | Editorial

Tomorrow’s Power Grids

Close Layer

Scenario 2030: The Electric Caravan
Trends: Switching on the Vision
Offshore Wind: High-Altitude Harvest
How to Become a Windmill Builder
Solar Energy – Desertec: Power from the Deserts of North Africa and the Middle East
Interview: Making Solar Thermal Power Competitive
Three Ways to Put Solar Power to Work
HVDC Transmission: China’s River of Power
Plugging into HVDC’s Advantages
HVDCT Converters: The Art of Converting Volts
SVC Plus – the Perfect Wave
Energy Storage: Trapping the Wind
Networking: Plugging Buildings into the Big Picture
Smart Meters: Transparent Network
Interview: Why a Smart Grid will Jump Start Use of Renewable Energy Resources
Virtual Power Plants: Power in Numbers
Facts and Forecasts: Growing Demand for Renewables and Smart Grid Technologies
Electromobility: From Wind to Wheels
In Brief: Developments, contacts, links, literature
Modernizing Infrastructures

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Scenario 2025: The Living Desert
Trends: Investments that Pay
Water Networks: Simulation Tools on Tap
Power Plant Upgrades: New Life for Old Plants
Hospitals: Top-Notch Treatment
Universities: Green Campus
Steel Plants: Efficiency Catches Fire
Steel Production: Knight in Shining Steel
Airports: Flight from Carbon Dioxide
Radio Sensors: Tapping Ambient Energy
Facts and Forecasts: Trillions for Infrastructures
Istanbul: Refurbishing the Megacity
A Tunnel with an Eye on Safety
Interview: Miami’s mayor on the road to greener cities
U.S. Mayors: Renewed Interest in Infrastructures
Airport Transit: Riding on Air
Vienna : A Model of Mobility
LEDs: Lots of Light for Little Power
In Brief: Developments, contacts, links, literature
Virtual Realities

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Scenario 2020: When the Stars Come Out
Trends: Mission-Critical Frontier
Healthcare: Fused Realities
Conferencing: The Illusion of Presence
Multimedia Documentation: Live Documents
Excavators: Simulating a Monster
Interview: Dignity in the Digital World
Crowd Flow Simulation: Predictive Vision
Materials Simulations: Small Worlds
In Brief: Developments, contacts, links, literature
Sections

Close Layer

Short Takes: News from Siemens’ Labs
Combustion Simulation: Red Hot Ideas
Siemens Venture Capital: Green Dwarfs
Science Express: Science:?A Moveable Feast

Tomorrow’s Power Grids

Scenario 2030: The Electric Caravan

Morocco in 2030. Karim works as an engineer in the world’s largest solar thermal power plant, which transmits energy from the desert to faraway Europe. Every evening he takes the time to admire the sunset above the countless rows of parabolic mirrors. But today he’s not doing it alone

Trends: Switching on the Vision

Our power grids are facing new challenges. They will not only have to integrate large quantities of fluctuating wind and solar power, but also incorporate an increasing number of small, decentralized power producers. Today’s infrastructure is not up to this task. The solution is to develop an intelligent grid that keeps electricity production and distribution in balance

Solar Energy – Desertec: Power from the Deserts of North Africa and the Middle East

By 2050, electricity generated at solar-thermal power plants and wind farms in Africa and the Middle East is expected to cover 15 to 20 % of Europe’s energy needs. That’s the goal of the Desertec Industrial Initiative. Siemens is a founding member and technology partner

Modernizing Infrastructures

Scenario 2025: The Living Desert

Yemen, 2025. The formerly flourishing trading city of Shibam was once in danger of becoming a ghost town. Urban planner Bassam Haj Ali shows a former college friend how this ancient city became attractive and livable again, thanks in large part to high-tech infrastructure solutions

Trends: Investments that Pay

Even as cities continue to grow, most are plagued by outmoded infrastructures. With municipal budgets tight, too little investment is being made in sustainable transport and energy networks. That’s counterproductive because modern infrastructures not only improve urban quality of life; they also save money

Hospitals: Top-Notch Treatment

A diagnosis of cancer is not necessarily a death sentence—not even in emerging economies. This is demonstrated by the clinical success of institutions such as the Southern Medical Clinic in Trinidad and Tobago and the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Cairo. Both demonstrate how Siemens technology helps improve cancer treatment

Istanbul: Refurbishing the Megacity

Istanbul is renowned as a bridge between East and West. Because most technical innovations in Turkey first see the light of day here, the city is a beacon for this rapidly-growing country. Siemens technology supports this journey into the future with upgrades for the city’s power, transportation and healthcare infrastructures

In Brief: Developments, contacts, links, literature

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Virtual Realities

Scenario 2020: When the Stars Come Out

By 2020, even experienced doctors will sharpen their skills on downloadable, life-like, virtual patients, allowing them to prepare for the most challenging emergencies—and opening the door to new ways of meeting and interacting with colleagues

Trends: Mission-Critical Frontier

From automated, virtual production lines for hearing aids to fully-functional digital duplicates of real buildings and the exploration of tomorrow’s surgical training avatars, Siemens is a leader in the next competitive frontier: the virtual world

Materials Simulations: Small Worlds

Researchers at Siemens use simulations to develop materials with improved properties. In doing so, they identify relationships between a material’s microstructure and chemical composition, thus determining which alterations will have the highest probability of success in the real world

In Brief: Developments, contacts, links, literature

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Sections

Short Takes: News from Siemens’ Labs

Glowing Cup / Gout Minus Ouch / Laser Navigator / Turbo Dishwasher / Bright Ideas / Nanotube Scanning / Diagnostics for Pets / Diodes Do It

Combustion Simulation: Red Hot Ideas

Siemens researchers in Moscow simulate flames in gas turbines. They do so to make power plants cleaner and pave the way for turbines that will burn pure hydrogen

Science Express: Science:?A Moveable Feast

An exhibition train called the "Science Express" is rolling through Germany. On board are multiple themes illustrating how research and technology will change our lives. Siemens is providing major support in the form of exhibits and accompanying activities. The goal is to get young people excited about science and technology

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Editorial

The New Age of Electricity

Wolfgang Dehen, CEO of the Energy Sector and a member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG, about new challenges and chances in the electicity market

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Contact

Siemens Technology Press and
Innovation Communications

Mr. Dr. Ulrich Eberl
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80333 Munich
Germany
Tel: +49 89 636-33246
Fax: +49 89 636-35292
ulrich.eberl@siemens.com

Pictures of the Future

The Magazine for Research and Innovation

Tomorrow’s Power Grids

Scenario 2030: The Electric Caravan

Trends: Switching on the Vision

Solar Energy – Desertec: Power from the Deserts of North Africa and the Middle East

HVDC Transmission: China’s River of Power

Virtual Power Plants: Power in Numbers

Electromobility: From Wind to Wheels

Modernizing Infrastructures

Scenario 2025: The Living Desert

Trends: Investments that Pay

Hospitals: Top-Notch Treatment

Istanbul: Refurbishing the Megacity

Virtual Realities

Scenario 2020: When the Stars Come Out

Trends: Mission-Critical Frontier

Materials Simulations: Small Worlds

Sections

Short Takes: News from Siemens’ Labs

Combustion Simulation: Red Hot Ideas

Science Express: Science:?A Moveable Feast

Editorial

The New Age of Electricity

Ordering and Download

Regional Issues

Contact