Let the good times roll: Starting September 21, about six million people from all around the world will be enjoying themselves at the Oktoberfest in Munich for two weeks. Traditionally, Siemens supplies drives and control systems as well as energy distribution for the festival's rides. Automation solutions from Siemens also control special beer pipelines – the only ones of its kind worldwide –that supply the Hacker, Winzerer Faehndl and Braeurosl festival tents with their tasty Oktoberfest brews. Because many breweries use Siemens technologies within their brewing process, Siemens doesn't only ensure fresh beer at the Oktoberfest.
Scandinavia is the first region in the world to rely increasingly on battery-powered and thus environmentally-friendly technologies in the shipbuilding industry. After "Ampere", the world's first electrical ferry in Norway, and a follow-up order of the Finnish shipping company FinFerries, Siemens has now received an order from Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1. Ampere was put into operation in Norway in May 2015, and has traveled a distance equivalent to more than 1.5 times around the equator. With the change from diesel propulsion to battery, Norwegian ship owner Norled has reduced the cost of fuel by 60 percent. Now Siemens has tailor-made a suitable technical solution for Fjord1. With this contract, the first four battery-driven ferries in the world will run on technology developed and manufactured by Siemens.
"Elektra" - the newest member of the electric ferry fleet: In June 2017, the Elektra began regular operation between Nauvo and Parainen in the Turku archipelago. Battery packs, which are charged via the land-based charging stations in the harbor for use by the ferry, serve as the primary source of energy, with Diesel engines used as emergency power units. The Elektra is also Europe's largest car ferry. At nearly 98 meters long and 16 meters wide, the Elektra can transport up to 90 cars per trip. The ferry purchased by FinFerries will now be traveling this route every 15 minutes. The batteries will be charged in roughly five minutes while cars move off and onto the ferry. The two lithium-ion batteries each have a capacity of 530 kWh.
For many holiday-makers, a cruise on board a luxury liner is right up at the top of their wish list. No wonder that the leisure cruising market has been booming for many years. In the past year alone, more than 20 million cruise passengers embarked in locations around the world – and the trend is upwards. This year saw the launch of the Aida shipping company's ninth ship fitted out with automation technology from Siemens.
This year something very special is brewing: 2016 marks the 500th jubilee of the world's oldest food law. In 1516, the Bavarian co-rulers Duke Wilhelm IV and Ludwig X issued a decree in Ingolstadt to the effect that henceforth, only barley, hops and water could be used in the brewing of beer. The "Reinheitsgebot" was born, and its fame has since spread around the world. German beer is one of the country's most popular exports, with around 1.5 billion liters shipped to foreign shores every year. A high proportion of brewers rely on technology from Siemens to prevent any disruptions to production and keep the golden liquid flowing freely. The first electronic control-based automation solutions came into existence in the 1970s. The "Braumat" process control system has since taken care of reliable production and quality consistency in countless breweries the world over. Today, competition for market share in the beer industry is tough. Efficiency and flexibility are vital to success. What remains to be seen: What will the brewery of the future look like? From July 22-24, Siemens is taking part in the "500 Years of the German Purity Law 2016" Festival in Munich as a partner to the brewery industry with its own booth.