The extensive and intensive participation process for the development of a feasibility study for the Digital Rail Innovation Cluster ends today with a workshop in the Rhenish mining district. This project, commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs, contributes to structural change by developing opportunities for the digitalization of the railways and new prospects for people and companies in the regions affected by the lignite phase-out. The task of aconium GmbH is to manage the project and develop the regional cluster concepts in the coal regions of the “Lusatian coalfield”, “Central German coalfield” and “Rhenish coalfield”. With this last of a total of six stakeholder workshops, a decisive milestone for the project development has now been reached: The findings from the exchange with representatives from politics, administration, business and science in the regions are the basis on which potentials and starting points for the Digital Rail innovation cluster in the lignite regions can be examined and concrete proposals for the establishment of a cluster management organization in the field of digitization of the rail sector can be worked out.
The involvement of local stakeholders is crucial
The involvement of experts from the federal states, the regions and the rail sector was particularly important. Only in this way can the aspects, experiences and expectations from the regions that are relevant to the development of a cluster be incorporated into the process. This involved a variety of questions: What is the significance of rail as a form of mobility in the future? How can rail innovations be driven forward? What role does rail play in coping with structural change in coal regions – and how can regions benefit from this?
Jannis Haack, Project Manager
There are numerous points of contact for the railroads of the future in the coal-mining regions of the Lusatian, Central German and Rhenish coalfields: they are rich in tradition in the rail sector and therefore have important expertise and know-how in this industry. Digitalization and innovation offer opportunities to strengthen rail as the form of mobility of the future, to tap into new value creation potential, to strengthen economic power and thus to contribute to the success of structural change.
This is where the feasibility study for a digital rail innovation cluster comes in. It is intended to contribute to the success of structural change and open up new perspectives. It identifies the potential for an innovation cluster in the coal regions and provides practical suggestions for regional cluster initiatives. Close and active involvement of regional representatives is of central importance for the success of the feasibility study. The workshop in the Rhenish mining area marks the end of an intensive exchange and participation process in the regions. This was preceded by workshops in the Lusatian mining district and the Central German mining district. As part of the regional workshop, the results of the feasibility study were reflected on, discussed and supplemented together with representatives from the coal regions in order to provide further impetus for the innovation clusters in the coalfields. The final event with the presentation of the feasibility study is planned for the end of August 2022.
The feasibility study for the Digital Rail Innovation Cluster was commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport in 2019. aconium GmbH has been commissioned to carry out the study together with Boston Consulting Group GmbH and DIW Econ GmbH.