Written by Sabine VanderLinden

 I recently spent a day at Munich Re for their “Female Fueling the Energy Transition” event, and what an eye-opener it was! From the moment I stepped into their stunning headquarters, I felt the energy—professionals from diverse backgrounds gathering to discuss how green solutions, insurance, and mutuality can work hand-in-hand to shape a more sustainable future. Here’s a snapshot of my day and the inspiring lessons I took away.

A Warm Welcome and a Big Idea

Shortly after arriving, I was greeted by Dr. Kathryn Ebner, part of Munich Re’s Greentech Solutions team. She set the stage in her opening remarks by connecting the event title to the broader importance of collaboration:

“When we look at the title of this event, Female Fueling the Energy Transition, maybe you will notice that this quite perfectly matches the motto of this year's International Women's Day, which is collaboration is key to advancing gender equality.” – Dr. Kathryn Ebner

Her words struck me because they seamlessly blended two major themes: the role of women in spearheading green initiatives and the idea that true innovation happens when different perspectives collaborate.

Understanding the Power of Insurance for New Technologies

Dr. Ebner then gave a quick rundown of Munich Re’s Greentech Solutions—an arm of the company focused on performance warranties for emerging green technologies such as photovoltaics (PV), wind, and most recently, hydrogen and battery storage. Though I’d previously seen insurance as purely a safety net, I learned there’s much more—insurance can be a genuine driver of mutuality in the market by sharing risks and pooling resources:

“What we do is performance warranties for new energy technologies. It started in 2009 with PV insurance. Then wind was added, battery stationary storage, hydrogen, e-mobility … The aim is to mitigate the technical uncertainties of technologies that do not have a long-standing track record yet.“ – Dr. Kathryn Ebner

By covering the performance or product warranty risks associated with young technologies, Munich Re helps instill confidence in greener ventures. That means potential investors, manufacturers, and project developers can sleep a little easier, knowing someone has their back if things don’t go as planned.

Tackling Aviation Emissions—From Contrails to Hydrogen

After the introduction, Dr. Tina Jurkat-Witschas from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) stepped in to share her research on sustainable aviation. Her talk offered a fascinating look at the future of flight and reminded me how pivotal insurance can be in accelerating solutions that mitigate risk:

“Climate change is happening, and we are the ones to shape a sustainable future … The largest part to aviation apparently is contrail cirrus … on the largest part warming, and we need to reduce them, no matter the uncertainties.” – Dr. Tina Jurkat-Witschas

She argued that hydrogen holds tremendous promise—especially if the industry can figure out how to reduce weight and store it safely on board. Though significant technical and regulatory hurdles remain, Dr. Wichas stressed that credible research (like hers) plus the right financial instruments (like insurance) can help move hydrogen-fed aviation from dream to reality.

Industrial Perspectives, Mutuality, and Collaboration

A highlight for me was the panel discussion: OEMs – The many contributions to a successful transition with Andrea Lübke (MAN Truck and Bus) and Regina Pouzolz (Deutsche Aircraft). They illustrated how manufacturers in trucking and aviation plan to decarbonize their industries—and the critical role insurers can play in absorbing technology risks:

• Andrea built on the idea that bridging the gap between promising solutions and mainstream adoption requires collaboration: “We definitely see that we need to focus on either hydrogen or battery electric because the infrastructure needs to follow somehow … If we try to do everything, we will simply not afford it, and we won’t generate a benefit for society.”
• Regina elaborated on how new aircraft design could be made more sustainable if project financiers (and insurers) unite to share risks: “It’s not enough just to have a good aircraft, but you also need to keep the business in mind … And that is where performance warranties and insurance cover are super helpful in bridging that gap.”

Their frank conversation about balancing real-world constraints (like cost, weight, and passenger safety) against the urgent need for greener travel resonated with me. If these two very different industries—aviation and trucking—both believe in the power of shared-risk approaches and insurance, it’s clear that mutuality really does unlock innovation.

Hydrogen Roadblocks and the Regulatory Puzzle

Another session I found eye-opening was led by Selina Kettner (LBST) and Dr. Ebner again, this time focusing on hydrogen regulation and risk mitigation. Turns out, hydrogen faces its biggest obstacle in pricing and certification. As Selina put it:

“The major roadblock remaining for green hydrogen is that its production costs compared to fossil and low-carbon pathways are about two to three times higher, unfortunately. So what we need is an environment and a framework within which for producers there is no risk.” – Selina Kettner

That’s also where performance insurance shows its power: by helping these new projects lock in financing. Once you reduce uncertainty, you draw in more capital, scale up production, and eventually bring costs down. It was simple but powerful logic—backing crucial technology with well-structured insurance can catalyze entire new industries.

Personal Branding and Future Steps

The day wrapped up on a lighter note with a workshop on personal branding and thought leadership—how we, as professionals, can build momentum for green tech by sharing our knowledge. Munich Re’s own Matilda Götz explained how stepping out of our comfort zone and making bolder statements can amplify crucial sustainability messages:

“If you don’t intentionally craft your personal brand, other people’s assumptions and perceptions of you may not align the way how you see yourself.” – Matilda Götz

Though this workshop was less about technical solutions, it reminded me that storytelling is a powerful tool. We can talk about hydrogen or electric trucks all day, but genuine impact often happens when people share experiences that inspire others to join the ride.

My Key Takeaways

1. Insurance as a Green Enabler – Far from being just a passive safety net, insurance can actively foster the adoption of emerging green technologies by pooling risk and building investor confidence. That’s mutuality in action!
2. Collaboration Across Sectors – Whether it’s trucking, aviation, or hydrogen electrolyzers, large-scale decarbonization demands cross-industry efforts, strong regulation, and tools to de-risk investment.
3. Bold Vision and Authentic Communication – The day ended with a reminder from Munich Re’s workshop: be confident in your expertise, share your vision, and connect with others to scale your ideas.

I left Munich Re hopeful, not just because of the wide-ranging expertise on display, but because there was a genuine, collective will to tackle climate change through practical, tangible solutions. By combining technical innovation with robust insurance and a spirit of mutuality, it’s clear we can make these green visions a reality.

As I walked out of the building, I felt a renewed sense of possibility. The path to a sustainable future will take many minds and many hands. But as Munich Re's event showed, there's no shortage of passion, expertise, and collaborative energy ready to make that future just a little brighter.