Technically perfect energy transition From Hamburg to the World: Interview with Marcel Kraatz, Operations Manager at SUATEC GmbH.

In this blog series invites members and partners of the EEHH Cluster Agency to present their visions and current activities and projects related to Japan.

SUATEC GmbH was established in 1999 and has belonged to the Bodo Wascher Group since November 2018. Besides its headquarters in Schwarzenbek in the Hamburg metropolitan region, the medium-sized enterprise also operates a communications and development office in Berlin. SUATEC offers tailored system solutions in the fields of automation, electrical and process engineering.

Hello Marcel, could you tell us a bit about yourself and the services that SUATEC offers in the renewable energy sector?

I have been working in the field of plant engineering for about 15 years, mainly in the area of steam, fuel and firing technology. For most of this time, I worked in these areas as technical manager, later as operations manager and managing director.

SUATEC GmbH is a planning and systems engineering company that develops and realises interdisciplinary and cross-sector solutions for all areas of energy generation, transport and use.

Which model projects have you already completed successfully, and what made your contribution so special?

One larger project we recently completed involved planning a large steam accumulator system consisting of 6 individual storage tanks. What set this project apart was the meticulous analysis of real data from multiple measuring points at the factory, which was necessary to define the ideal size and control systems for the accumulator.

In addition, we are working on numerous projects involving the development of complete renewables-based solutions – PV in particular – for steam generation and storage. All are related to the ongoing energy transition. This is why we are prioritising building systems that use the best available technology with optimised compatibility.

Your first visit to the REIF-Renewable Energy Industrial Flair in Hamburg's partner region of Fukushima (Japan) was in 2023. What was your impression, and how do your plan to proceed going forward?

It is fascinating to see how much is happening, that so many new developments have been initiated and that the region is increasingly focussing on renewable energies. You can see how creative they are, so we really have lots to look forward to in the future. We will continue to focus on delivering added value to local, future partners and will therefore remain present in the region.

You have also come into contact with Japan in your professional career to date. How have you experienced business dealings with Japanese partners?

You are right. I have always viewed Japan as a highly developed country and I have deep respect for the people. Business relationships are meetings of equals and the cooperation itself always takes place on a high technical and organisational level – which is consistent with our own philosophy here at SUATEC GmbH.

What are SUATEC’s goals in the context of the energy transition what support can we offer you along the way as the EEHH Cluster Agency?

SUATEC GmbH has embraced the vision of making the world a better place and of being a dependable partner for industrial companies, especially in the provision of creative and sustainable solutions. We provide services in the areas of energy generation, transport and utilisation – without offering a specific technical product – so we remain thankful for the event formats organised for industry stakeholders and are happy to continue working with EEHH in this area.