The Energy Metropolis Leipzig expert meeting organised by the Office for Economic Development was successfully staged in the conference hall of Leipzig's New City Hall on 26 November 2007. The 200 specialists attending from the realms of politics, business and research exceeded the organisers' expectations.

Said Deputy Mayor Uwe Albrecht: "The Leipzig region is the number-one energy location in eastern Germany. This was reflected by the speakers' papers and presentations at yesterday's expert meeting. This shows the high potential in the field of the energy industry and research in Leipzig. Providing special support for the Power & Environment Cluster has proved to be the right decision. I am particularly delighted by the good response to our invitation to today's forum and the high quality and complexity of the papers. The relevance and importance of energy to government, industry and society are demonstrated by the choice of energy topics, some of which proved to be controversial issues. Leipzig's significance will continue to grow in the course of future debate, not least owing to its role as the home of the German Biomass Research Centre."

All areas of the energy sector - from energy-trading and companies working in renewable energies to institutes and research centres - are represented in Leipzig.

The German government's decision to base the German Biomass Research Centre in Leipzig will provide outstanding growth opportunities for the city and the surrounding region. It will generate important momentum for medium-sized companies and help further network the expertise already present in Leipzig.