Assem has just finished a team call, takes off his headset and comes over to my desk. He is in a good mood and seems curious. At the same time, you can sense a certain tension. He wants to get a message across, but more on that later.

Assem, can I say that your journey to TRICERA is probably the longest of all employees?

That sounds a bit strange at first, but it’s probably pretty accurate.

I originally come from Lebanon. I studied energy and environmental management there. My path led me to Germany via Iraq, Dubai and Turkey. I found a new home here. This was possible because in 2018 I was one of 12 students worldwide to receive a scholarship for the Energy and Environmental Management Master’s program at the European University in Flensburg.

That alone could fill an entire interview. If you like, let’s talk a little more about this path.

I would love to. I spent time in each of the countries and worked for various companies. In Iraq, I worked for an American company that built the infrastructure for sewage systems. In Dubai, I helped a German, multicultural company that converted diesel generators to produce electricity. In Turkey, the Turkish-Lebanese company was also very international. They built and sold switchgear in the MENA region.

The experience you have gained around the world will certainly help you in your everyday life here. What was your start here like?

I was accepted at TRICERA even though I couldn’t speak a word of German. I was very impressed and touched by this, as sometimes even entire meetings were held in English just for me.

That is perhaps one of the values that fascinates me the most here. The flexibility that we have in the product is also present in the processes. That really helped me to settle in and feel comfortable.

I applied for an internship as a project developer for international projects. The initial task was to draw up a business case for renewable energy projects in Lebanon. At the beginning, I worked a lot with Lars, one of the founders, and then more and more with the individual teams.

As time went on, I moved closer to the implementation side of things and worked more as a project engineer.

Today, however, you are active elsewhere for TRICERA.

That’s right. What fascinated me the whole time was strategic purchasing. However, I had no previous experience with it. Only my time as an electrical engineer helped me to know where it was best to order components.

Nevertheless, Tim and Lars made it possible for me to get to know this area. They also took a bit of a risk for me here. It could have gone wrong. That was extremely impressive for me, as they trusted me to go down this path together.

Why did your employer become TRICERA in the first place?

It has a lot to do with my current position and the 2nd Life and 2nd Use batteries. It fulfills me that we are using the resources already invested in the batteries for longer and extending their life cycle by installing them in stationary battery storage systems. It’s a great feeling to be part of something good.

I also like the flexibility I mentioned earlier. We are not fixated on a specific case, but can adapt our solution in-house. We make adjustments, implement new components and let ourselves be inspired. I like the research part, we feel that every week we come across further optimization potential in an already very good product.

Your comments and your position suggest that you must be in tune with the times: what trends do you currently see in battery storage systems?

For a long time, NMC batteries were the first choice for installation in battery storage systems. A large proportion of them can be recycled, which is an advantage for us and our partners in the automotive sector, particularly in view of the update to the Battery Directive adopted by the European Union. This requires that modules can be reused, reconditioned or recycled at the end of their service life.

Meanwhile, battery modules made from a mixture of lithium and iron phosphate (LFP) are cheaper than their nickel, manganese and cobalt counterparts. Combined with the latest innovation, the 300 ampere-hour cell, we are achieving completely new energy densities, lower costs and a smaller CO2 footprint. In my view, this is a very exciting development.

What else would you like to pass on to our readers?

Despite my background, I am nothing special or extraordinary. In everyday life, people sometimes give me the impression that I am. That’s not the case here at TRICERA. The company makes it very easy for me to feel welcome and to be part of a “big picture”.

It is a privilege to be able to move freely across borders. We should appreciate that more. I would be delighted if we told more of these stories and didn’t use other narratives. Because a case like mine happens much more often and, in my opinion, is worth listening to.

First of all, thank you very much for your openness and this great story.

Finally: Who are you nominating for the next interview and why?

My nomination goes to David from the new Operation & Maintenance department. His job starts once the project has been handed over and we have been tasked with maintenance. It will be exciting to find out more.