topic Research

Dialogue Platform: "Energiewende Research Forum"

The transformation of Germany's energy supply system is a task that concerns society as a whole. Designing this process is equally complicated. The research community must play a role as an important partner which can provide decisive answers to complex issues. It will act as an initiator and driver for transforming the energy system. Scientists see their basic responsibilities in helping to increase knowledge and providing decision-makers with various options.

The "Energiewende Research Forum" regards itself as a platform for dialogue for everyone involved in the transformation of the energy system. It will be able to assess the various options offered by science from different points of view and translate them into recommendations.

The "Energiewende Research Forum" will provide an opportunity for high ranking representatives of the federal ministries, the Länder, the academies, the science organizations and universities to meet with representatives of industry and societal groups. State Secretary Georg Schütte of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research will chair the Steering Committee of the "Energiewende Research Forum", which will consist of eminent members.

The "Energiewende Research Forum" will discuss key issues regarding the transformation of the energy system raised by society and industry from a scientific perspective. Acting on the basis of the German Science Academies' analyses of the "Energy Systems of the Future" project, the Forum will work with all the stakeholders to assess proposals, recommendations, scenarios and options for transforming the energy system that have been developed by research. The "Energiewende Research Forum" will provide answers and raise questions regarding research and implementation in the overall context of energy reform.

The proposals of the "Energiewende Research Forum" will be made available in the form of recommendations as contributions from the field of science to the respective decision-makers in industry, politics and civil society.

The Forum will also define areas of demand for further research and will encourage long-term research topics from the point of view of all stakeholders in industry and society.

The Science Academies' "Energy Systems of the Future" project

The aim of the Science Academies' "Energy Systems of the Future" project is to pool the available scientific expertise in Germany on an interdisciplinary basis and focus it on key issues connected with the Energiewende. Apart from questions of technological feasibility, the focus will also be on economic and legal practicability and issues concerning the efficient use of resources and public acceptance. The project sets out to identify ways to effect the transformation of the energy system and introduce a safe, affordable and sustainable energy supply. It will provide a sound scientific basis for the public debate regarding all aspects of Germany's new energy strategy. This will ensure an objective debate and promote acceptance of the new strategy in the medium and long term.

The results of the project will be translated into concrete recommendations for action, which will serve as the basis for decisions by policy-makers and representatives of science, research and business in the "Energiewende Research Forum". Recommendations that directly affect institutions of higher education and research organizations will be agreed with the "Research Coordination Circle".

"Research Coordination Circle"

The German research community is well placed to face the challenge of transforming the energy system. Scientists at the research institutions of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FhG), Helmholtz Association (HFG), Leibniz Association (WGL) and Max Planck Society (MPG), all of which receive institutional funding, are making important contributions to transforming the energy supply system. The spectrum of their work ranges from application-oriented research to urgently needed technological innovations, for example in the field of energy efficiency and renewables, and to research that can be classified as pure basic research. Furthermore, Germany's institutions of higher education are also involved in a wide range of research topics and methods and have discovered solutions which are contributing to the success of Germany's new energy strategy.

The Energiewende is an ongoing process which also calls for close coordination within the research community about the topics to be worked upon. The non-university research institutions have therefore decided to set up a "Research Coordination Circle", which also includes the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and the German Research Association (DFG). Questions of implementation will be discussed in scientific circles. Two issues of particular interest are the strengthening of inter-institutional cooperation on content and the coordination of long-term and basic research requirements.

Further information on the Energiewende can be found here.