Bosch provides technological
solutions for clean energy
Nature has the answer to the world’s burning questions on climate change. Bosch believes this philosophy – one that is deeply-ingrained in the mindset of more than 280,000 of its associates worldwide. And as its green innovative drive endeavors to provide technological solutions to preserve the world’s resources, Bosch forays even further to develop clean sources of energy beyond the automobile. Ultimately, the race to a green future that has begun long ago for the German company has paved the way for the benefit of generations to come.
With the onslaught of global warming, the duality of its corporate claim of "Invented for Life" has also gone beyond the longevity of life-inspired products that are hinged on uncompromising quality. It now faces the challenge of preserving life itself.
"At Bosch we believe in being a catalyst for technologies that are invented for life," said Franz Roland Odenthal, managing director of the company’s Philippine subsidiary, during the inauguration of the annual Mabuhay Germany exhibition in Bonifacio Highstreet. "This is why Bosch is devoting substantial resources in the research and development of new technologies for a more sustainable environment."
Since the birth of the automobile, Bosch has been instrumental to the development of clean combustion and mobility. During the first oil crisis in the 1970s, the company has adhered to its 3S Program: a German acronym which stands for safe, clean and economical vehicles (German: Sicher, Sauber, Sparsam). Bosch clean diesel technology today – in addition to safety innovations like ABS and the Electronic Stability Program – includes commonrail injection components that yield 30 percent less fuel consumption as compared to gasoline engines and 25 percent less CO2 emissions.
Asia is currently the world’s fastest growing auto market in spite of the growing awareness of environment protection and fuel economy. In response to this, Bosch energy-saving technologies will be one of its key strengths and areas of focus: from highly-efficient alternators and starters, to fuel systems that provide better combustion.
While dedicated initiatives aim to make today’s vehicles more efficient, Bosch looks to the future in a post-oil world. Its joint venture with Korea’s Samsung SDI, SB LiMotive, has broken ground this year to start series production of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid cars – the same lithium-ion batteries that power mobile phones and Bosch cordless power tools. Further into the future, the company shall provide "powertrain electrification" for the world’s first commercially-viable electric vehicle. The company projects a sales volume of some 500,000 electric vehicles worldwide as early as 2015.
In addition to automotive, the company has expanded its development efforts to the utilization of renewable energies including wind and solar energy.
Just as Bosch is the largest provider of automotive technology, its Rexroth subsidiary is the leading provider of core components of wind turbines. In 2006 alone, more than 2,500 turbines worldwide were fitted with Bosch components. Rexroth develops as well the efficient drive concepts for the emerging sector of marine energy generation. The first prototypes with hydraulic components and transmission technology are already being tested in plants off the coast of Norway and Great Britain.