Research Institute for
Sustainability | at GFZ

Advancing Transdisciplinarity and Co-Creation

Thomas Bruhn

Dr. Thomas Bruhn

Research Group Leader
Theme Speaker
Manuel Rivera

Dr. Manuel Rivera

Research Group Leader
Theme Speaker
Weiterentwicklung von Transdisziplinarität und Ko-Kreation

Bringing together different perspectives and forms of knowledge is crucial to advancing the transformation towards sustainability. Socially robust knowledge about and for this transformation can be generated in culturally-aware spaces for reflection and dialogue and through trusting and transdisciplinary partnerships. Researchers working on this theme evaluate and develop transdisciplinary and co-creative research methods and support their use in different areas of research practice. Three aspects take centre-stage here: Firstly, the development of spaces for collaboration and reflection within co-creative research and dialogue processes, including at conferences (e.g., the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference), in joint projects with partners (e.g., EU Horizon projects) and in participation processes (e.g., citizens' assemblies and participatory urban development initiatives). Research teams analyse the methods used in these spaces and and assess their impacts, contributing to debates and processes in the public, policy, and academic spheres. Findings from this research support the development and improvement of transdisciplinary approaches and methods, enhancing their utility for relevant stakeholders. Research conducted under this theme also explores how different forms of knowledge can be combined to improve both the quality of research outcomes and innovative practices and support the development of solutions to complex problems. Advances in this area will help to convince key players in science and practice that the benefits of transdisciplinary cooperation make the increased commitment of time and resources worthwhile. The evaluation of transdisciplinary research is the third aspect addressed under this theme. Research teams draw lessons from processes that include transdisciplinary methods and also measure the efficacy of science-informed methods of advising policymakers and other stakeholders. This research covers a broad range of indicators, including the quality and outcomes of transdisciplinary processes as well as their medium and longer-term transformative effects, and secondary and emergent effects generated through relationships and networks.

Research Groups

In the transition to sustainability, attitudes and mental models are crucial.

Transformative Spaces and Mindsets

Co-creative processes bring together different ideas and actors to deliver mutually valued outcomes.

Co-Creation in Democratic Practice

The Arctic is particularly hard hit by the effects of climate change.

reIMAGINE Arctic Research: Relations, Ethics, and Methods

New types of spaces for activities and encounters, such as the Floating in Berlin, combine art with sustainability.

Arts and Culture for Sustainable Development

Participants at the 2024 FONA FORUM.

02.05.2025

Daring to Do Scientific Conferences Differently

Why do we drive or fly to scientific conferences? Was your last conference really worth the trip? What made the journey worthwhile for you? An unexpected encounter, a new collaboration, an inspiring conversation?
"Orsugiak - The White Gold of Greenland", image kindly provided by producer Michael Bevort.

23.04.2025

“Orsugiak – The White Gold of Greenland” – A New and Old Story of Danish Colonialism and Extraction in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland)

On 15 April, the RIFS research group reIMAGINE Arctic Research hosted a screening of the documentary “Orgusiak – The White Gold of Greenland”, directed by Otto Rosing and Claus Pilehave, as part of a workshop on creative research methods and the unsettling of dominant narratives through film. The screening and discussion were led by professor Dr. Naja Dyrendom Graugaard in her roles as both associate professor at Copenhagen University, focusing on critical Inuit studies and (de)colonial relations between Denmark and Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), and as the lead protagonist of the film, sharing her family history.
The first annual conference of the Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research (GTPF).

22.04.2025

New Horizons in Transdisciplinary Research

Can research both engage with complex realities and be recognized by society? This was both the opening and closing question of the first annual conference of the Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research (GTPF), held in early April 2025, in Frankfurt. The question speaks to one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how can research bridge the gap between the pursuit of knowledge and its ethical and social responsibilities? The answer begins where science and society embark on a shared journey.
An illustration from the guidelines for reporting on road violence

“With so many people killed on our roads, we have to speak clearly”

The latest statistics from Switzerland, Austria and Germany show that little progress has been made towards significantly reducing the number of road deaths. Reporting on these fatalities is often detached and formulaic. A new guide for journalists, developed by an international transdisciplinary team shows how language can play an important role in raising awareness of road safety.
Sufficiency

05.03.2025

Sufficiency as an Opportunity for Social Development

Unlike in France, few politicians in Germany dare to address the many ways in which we need to change our lifestyles in the face of climate change. In a new discussion paper titled “Wege zum Genug”(Pathways to Enough), we suggest that it is high time to rethink the idea of “sufficiency” which is often thought to be synonymous with “frugality” and “”sacrifice”. Rather, we need to reimagine sufficiency as an approach that uses structural change to ensure that resources are shared fairly and used wisely.
Kiez Kiezblock Neukölln Berlin

Civil Society is Driving Germany’s Mobility Transition

In many cities abroad, politicians play a prominent role in making the mobility transition a reality. In Germany it is civil society actors who are driving change. Citizens in Berlin are putting the mobility transition on the agenda by campaigning for the introduction of Kiezblocks: A residential neighbourhoods with no through traffic. Many of these projects have been languishing in limbo for years despite backing from local government. Researchers from the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) have analysed this gap between decision-making and implementation. Using the example of Berlin’s Kiezblocks, they show how civil society actors are using political and media agenda-setting to contribute to the mobility transition in their city.
photo

Launch of Website on Co-creative Arctic Research

The Dávgi research project from the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) aimed to create a basis for knowledge exchange through collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners. Conceptualized by the research collaborative CO-CREATE Arctic, Dávgi offered a unique opportunity to reflect on and create resources to support co-creative research relations. This work recently culminated in the launch of the website co-create-arctic.org.
Is the UN Climate Change Conference a battlefield where negotiators act like warriors?

26.11.2024

On Warriors and Heroes - Group Dynamics at the UN Climate Conferences

Shortly before the recently concluded COP29 UN climate conference in Baku, we published a new paper in which we consider the role and effects of group dynamics on negotiations at the climate conferences. Drawing on participant observations from COP28 in Dubai and interviews with negotiators, we analyse key group dynamic structures and consider their impacts on communication. In our conclusion, we recommend that the facilitation and moderation of informal discussions and meetings be strengthened so that participants can engage in honest exchange and overcome vested interests.
The co-creative reflection and dialogue spaces hosted by RIFS researchers at the UN Climate Conferences provided “safe-enough” spaces for fruitful dialogue and collaboration.

11.11.2024

Safe Spaces in Unsafe Environments – Facilitating Dialogue and Reflection at the UN Climate Conference

In their recent publication “Safe Spaces in Unsafe Environments – Experiences from COP26 About Hosting Inclusive Spaces for Deep Encounters and Reflection”, RIFS researchers summarize their experiences with designing and facilitating “safe-enough” spaces for fruitful dialogue and collaboration at the UNFCCC COP. Two key observations they make are that relationship-building can significantly deepen the quality of discussions in these spaces and that acknowledging the unsafety of a space actually helps to build more safety among people.
Lithium is the lightest metal on earth. It is not only used in mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, but increasingly also in electric cars.

First “Planetary Transitions: Potsdam Artist Residency” Fellowship awarded

Among the mineral resources needed to achieve a global energy transition, lithium plays a crucial role. Surging demand for lithium has driven the expansion of mining operations, raising questions about the sustainability of this transformation. Artistic researchers Sam Spurr and Eduardo Kairuz will explore these apparent contradictions as part of a new fellowship programme launched by the DAAD, the City of Potsdam and the Research Institute for Sustainability – Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (RIFS).
AMA Convergence 2024

30.10.2024

AMA Convergence 2024 - Societal Transformation as a Spiritual Practice

For over a decade, the project A Mindset for the Anthropocene (AMA) has been a space for collaborative research, personal growth, and community engagement, blending the transformative potential of inner work with the need for societal change. This mission was further deepened at the 2024 AMA Convergence in Potsdam, Germany, titled Societal Transformation as Spiritual Practice.
“GU Gymnasium”, June 2013, Sisimiut Kalaallit Nunaat

Notions of Solidarity, Care, and Responsibility in the Storytelling of Greenlandic Youth

Young Kalaallit (Greenlandic Inuit) have written stories about their community as part of a research project focussing on memories and visions of the future in the Arctic. In an article for the specialist journal "Études Inuit Studies", project lead Anne Chahine from the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) describes the themes that emerged in these narratives and follow-up interviews with the authors. The practice of storytelling, she concludes, can be understood as a social activity that can be used to mediate conflicts, overcome rifts in society, and develop ideas for future coexistence in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland).
Thorben Windirsch

Protecting Arctic Permafrost with Reindeer

One third of global soil carbon is located in the permafrost regions of the Arctic, which cover 22 per cent of the Northern Hemisphere. Keeping soil temperatures low is vital to ensuring that this carbon stays in the ground. RIFS Fellow Torben Windirsch has studied this issue extensively and has shown in several scientific pilot studies that large herbivores helped to sequester carbon in Arctic soils over successive ice ages. As a fellow at the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS), he will explore how these findings can be communicated to Arctic communities and stakeholders.
Sabine Vogel (flute) and Emilio Gordoa (percussion) perform at a lake in Mühlenbeck.

03.09.2024

Climate | Sound | Transformation. New Discursive and Experiential Spaces Between Music and Science

Report on a recent conference organised and hosted by RIFS, Kulturlabor Klanglandschaften and the University of Potsdam.
The Geopolitics of Hydrogen

“The Geopolitics of Hydrogen”: Book explores European strategies

The European Union and many European countries have ambitious targets for the production and import of hydrogen. The book ‘The Geopolitics of Hydrogen’, edited by RIFS researchers Rainer Quitzow and Yana Zabanova, provides a comprehensive analysis of EU hydrogen policy and the national strategies of European countries.
Saran Solar Farm in Kazakhstan’s coal-rich Karaganda Region.

02.07.2024

Kazakhstan: Central Asia’s Energy Transition Pioneer

In the geopolitics of the global energy transformation, Kazakhstan’s enormous wind and solar potential – coupled with land availability and rich reserves of critical raw materials – represent a strong strategic advantage. Renewables can supply low-cost power to the growing population, bolster energy security and reduce power imports, help decarbonise industry and transport, and attract foreign investment. For a fossil-dependent economy like Kazakhstan, harnessing these benefits is essential for adapting to the decarbonising global economy and contributing to global climate action.
The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen was once the largest colliery in the world. Today it is an industrial heritage site and a symbol of a past economic era.

Cities in Transition: Towards a Sustainable Future

While the cities of Duisburg and Essen in Germany’s Ruhr Region have a similar history, their plans for a post-coal future diverge: Duisburg is building on its industrial heritage and hopes to establish itself as an international hub for logistics and hotspot for green hydrogen. Essen, on the other hand, has developed a green vision for the future that centres on sustainable enterprises and cultural events. Both pathways present their own opportunities and challenges.
Wind turbines in Tafilah: Jordan has outstanding potential for renewable energy generation.

Jordanians Keen to Harness Community Benefits of Energy Transition

Jordan has outstanding potential for renewable energy generation. Government backing for the country’s energy transition was strong through to 2019, but has dropped off since then. A household survey conducted by the Research Institute for Sustainability - Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (RIFS) shows that citizens want to see this change: 91 percent of respondents expressed their support for an expansion of renewable energies in Jordan.
Germany's engagement with partner countries for the promotion of green hydrogen

Success of German Hydrogen Strategy Depends on Production Capacities in Partner Countries

Germany aims to become a global leader in hydrogen technologies. In contrast to other countries, its hydrogen strategy places a strong focus on promoting “green hydrogen” based on renewable energies, supported by cooperation with partners in distant regions. While this approach is likely to constrain progress at first, it may be the only way for Germany to achieve its climate targets in the longer run, RIFS researchers argue in a study published in Energy Strategy Reviews. At the same time, this means that the success of Germany’s hydrogen strategy depends on the development of production capacities in partner countries.
Nino Jordan Workshop Genf

28.03.2024

Carbon Footprint Policies and International Equity and Cooperation

In a world connected by global supply chains, states are hesitant to pursue ambitious industrial decarbonization policies, fearing that strict regulations or high carbon prices could make industries less competitive or that consumers might switch to cheaper products from countries with lax regulation. But there is a solution: Policies that do not just target the emissions that occur within the confines of national or EU borders but that also cover emissions that have accumulated throughout supply chains. Carbon footprint policies target the upstream supply chain emissions that occur throughout the various stages of production.
Community energy projects offer the opportunity to help shape the energy transition.

Increasing Participation in the Energy Transition: Making Community Energy Cooperatives More Diverse

Germany plans to meet 80% of its electricity needs from renewable energy by 2030. Following the amendment of the Renewable Energy Sources Act in 2023, community energy cooperatives are set to become important drivers of a participatory energy transition. However, research shows that some population groups do not participate in or benefit equally from existing community energy projects. If community energy is to become a broad foundation of the energy transition, political actors must do more to improve diversity and gender equality within community energy projects and ensure that they become more responsive to members' preferences.
Wind energy will be an important part of the future European electricity system.

Europeans Want Decentralized Power Generation and Low Prices

Although a majority of Europeans support the energy transition in principle, local opposition to necessary infrastructure projects is on the rise. What could be done to smooth the future growth of renewables in Europe? In a new study, researchers have identified the preferences of citizens in Denmark, Germany, Poland and Portugal. In all four countries, citizens expressed a clear preference for low electricity prices, less dependence on electricity imports, and favour solar power. Crucially, the study revealed that respondents were also willing to compromise and were prepared to accept trade-offs if these enabled them to secure more preferred qualities in the energy system.
Crises offer windows of opportunity for more ambitious climate policy

Crises as Critical Junctures for Decarbonisation

Economic crises can positively affect efforts to protect the climate. However, policymakers must ensure that energy and climate policies are resilient to the pressures that occur in times of crisis. During crises governments are advised to use green economic stimulus packages to support structural change consistent with the goal of deep decarbonisation.
Solar cell system and wind generators

New Energy Justice Index Casts Spotlight on Energy Transition in the Global South

Can the transition to a zero-carbon society in the Global South propel sustainable development? A team led by scientists from the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) has developed the first quantitative approach to measure the extent to which energy transitions in the Global South incorporate elements of energy justice.
Solar panels at a gas storage facility in the Netherlands.

29.12.2023

How Decarbonization Will Transform the Geography of Industrial Production: New Evidence on the “Renewables Pull” Hypothesis

The availability of renewable energy is an important factor for future investment decisions in the chemical and steel industry. This is a key finding of our survey of 300 decision-makers from the chemical and steel industry. 92 per cent of the respondents anticipate that their company will relocate facilities as it seeks to decarbonize production. In addition to low-cost renewable energies, the respondents identify political support as a key factor in investment location decisions.
Fertilizers are a cornerstone of modern agriculture, silently underpinning the sustenance of 8 billion people daily.

06.12.2023

The Geopolitics and Decarbonization of Fertilizer Supply Chains

In the vast arena of global commodities, fertilizers play a silent yet fundamental role. With a market value of $207 billion, they are a cornerstone of modern agriculture, silently underpinning the sustenance of 8 billion people daily. But this essential industry is at a crossroads, grappling with the enormous challenges of decarbonization, volatile geopolitics, and the imperative of food security. The RIFS research project "Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: Implications of an International Hydrogen Economy" hosted a series of webinars on the "Geopolitics of Fertilizer Supply Chains" about the complexities of the fertilizer industry and the most urgent challenges facing this crucial sector.
The development of solar photovoltaic technology is one example of a positive tipping point dynamic. The introduction of the German Renewable Energy Act (EEG) established a market for renewable power in Germany. This led to an expansion of renewable energy generation, triggering strong learning effects and falling costs that made renewable energies attractive in other countries. Renewables then entered a virtuous cycle of self-reinforcing market growth and global cost improvements.

Pivotal Moment for Humanity as Tipping Point Threats and Opportunities Accelerate

The world has reached a pivotal moment as threats from Earth system tipping points – and progress towards positive tipping points, accelerate – a new report shows. The Global Tipping Points Report, the most comprehensive assessment of tipping points ever conducted, says humanity is currently on a disastrous trajectory. The speed of fossil fuel phase out and growth of zero-carbon solutions will now determine the future of billions of people.
Green hydrogen offers opportunities to develop technological leadership within an emerging net-zero economy.

25.09.2023

The Political Economy of Green Hydrogen in Europe: Reinforcing Regional Inequalities?

In February 2023, the EU presented the Green Deal Industrial Plan, in which it laid out its strategy for the green transition in industry and energy. Green hydrogen will be an essential cornerstone of this transition. The scale-up of renewable hydrogen production and its use in industry and transport has the potential to achieve decarbonization where direct electrification is not an option. Green hydrogen also offers opportunities to develop technological leadership and economic perspectives within a future net-zero economy.
Green hydrogen is considered a promising energy resource.

Europe Is Not Making Sufficient Use of Its Hydrogen Potential

To reach climate neutrality, Europe’s industry will need large quantities of carbon-neutral hydrogen in the future. Many European countries, including Germany, are planning large investments to develop and ramp up the hydrogen industry needed for this. Within the HyPat research project, a new study by RIFS Potsdam, Fraunhofer ISI and the German Energy Agency (dena) makes five recommendations to the EU and the Member States.
Solar roofs in Kenya: More and more governments are embracing the idea of "green growth".

Strategic Framing, Financial Support and Capacity-Building Could Raise Climate Ambitions

The world’s technologically advanced countries have called for the adoption of a ‘green growth’ model of economic development in international climate negotiations. But advocacy alone will not motivate countries to protect the climate. Policymakers should highlight other benefits of climate action, such as for health and food security, researchers recommend in a new study.
Fellow Beatriz Ribeiro

Is Green Hydrogen a Development Opportunity for Emerging Economies?

Green hydrogen will likely play a crucial role in the global energy transition. RIFS Fellow Beatriz Couto Ribeiro is assessing the opportunities for Latin American economies to enter green hydrogen value chains. In this interview, she explains her research.
Windräder im Abendlicht Erneuerbare

07.08.2023

The Right Way to Intervene in Clean Tech

Energy markets have clearly failed to accelerate the deployment of renewables. But as the pendulum swings in the direction of state intervention, policymakers must create the conditions for the public and private sectors to work together to manage a timely green transition and avoid a popular backlash against climate goals.
The Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap is an important signal of political support for the establishment of clean hydrogen hubs in the United States.

04.08.2023

Clean Hydrogen Hubs: A Crucial Instrument in the US Hydrogen Strategy

The European continent dominated the global hydrogen race before 2022, with France, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and the European Union all presenting ambitious hydrogen strategies by 2020 that outlined their major areas of action and objectives, along with key policy interventions to achieve those goals. Nonetheless, in the fall of 2022, the world's attention shifted to the United States. An initial draft of its long-awaited Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap was published by the US Department of Energy (DOE), and in the summer of 2023, the final version of the strategy was issued (U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, referred to hereafter as “the strategy”).
Plans for the development of a wind farm in Wald-Michelbach (Hessen) met with opposition in 2018.

04.08.2023

Resolving Conflicts Around the Energy Transition

Running over three years, the research project "Demokon - A Democratic Conflict Culture for the Energy Transition" studied the characteristics of energy transition conflicts, explored their interactions with political populism, and considered options to improve their resolution. The project was funded by the Mercator Foundation and carried out by researchers from the Research Institute for Sustain (RIFS), Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Göttingen Institute for Democracy Research, the University of Siegen and the communications agency Institut für Raum und Energie.
A solar array in Kazakhstan, where interest in renewable energy is growing.

Interest in Renewable Energy Slowly Growing in Resource-Rich Countries in Central Asia

Fossil fuel industries dominate the economies of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. However, interest in green technologies, renewable energy, and hydrogen is also gathering pace – albeit unevenly – in the three Central Asian states, according to a recent study by RIFS researcher Yana Zabanova
Wasserstoff gilt als entscheidend für das Erreichen von Netto-Null.

Research Examines International Hydrogen Policies

As countries get to grips with their climate-neutrality targets, hydrogen has assumed a key role in transitions in energy and industry around the world. A new series of discussion papers published by the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) provides a detailed analysis of hydrogen strategies and policies in different countries and regions.
Research conducted under the Ariadne project shows that citizens are willing to back changes necessary for the energy transition.

More Than Just Discussions: Research Focuses on Ariadne Project’s Deliberation Processes

Over close to three years, researchers with the Ariadne project have surveyed public opinion on the energy transition. Citizens' conferences, which included the first in-person discussions of the process, were complemented by two surveys. Experts from MCC Berlin and RIFS have now presented the findings of their research in a new analysis of the Ariadne citizen deliberation processes. Their results show that the majority of those surveyed are willing to back measures that will support Germany’s efforts to achieve climate neutrality. The research also reveals that citizens attach great importance to access to sustainable alternatives and affordable mobility as well as public participation and local value creation along the energy supply chain.
Hydrogen or CCU? Europe will need both.

26.04.2023

Hydrogen vs. Carbon Capture: Why Europe Needs Both for Net Zero

In their decarbonisation journey, European countries have so far focused on policies to dramatically increase the share of renewables and improve energy efficiency across diverse sectors, including industry, construction and housing. However, it has become clear that renewables alone will not enable the industrial sector to achieve its decarbonisation goals, as a large share of the carbon dioxide emissions from industry are emitted during manufacturing processes. Emerging technologies for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) as well as hydrogen (H2) are currently being explored as the most promising solutions.
Potsdamer Science Day 2023

What Do Your Neighbours Think About the Energy Transition?

The annual Potsdam Science Day will take place on 6 May from 1.00 p.m. through to 7.00 p.m. at the University of Potsdam’s Griebnitzsee Campus. The Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) will be attending with a booth focussed on the energy and transport transitions and the findings of a nationwide survey on these two crucial transformations.
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will have far-reaching consequences for trade.

Recommendations for a Just Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

The EU plans to introduce a new levy that puts a price on carbon-intensive goods entering the EU. RIFS researchers have identified measures to ensure that the scheme addresses issues of justice and participation.
Geological layers

17.03.2023

The Geological Subsurface and Its Potential for the Energy Transition

If Germany’s geological subsurface is mentioned at all in public debate, then usually in the context of the potential exploitation of fossil energy resources such as natural gas. But the deep subsurface harbours many other opportunities that could be harnessed to build a more sustainable economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Tapping into these opportunities will require immense efforts and quite likely some very difficult decisions. So what exactly does the geological subsurface have to offer?
The approval of citizens allows the energy transition to gain momentum.

Does One Size Really Fit All? How Regional Differences in Public Opinion Can Influence Climate Policy

The energy transition is a whole-of-society challenge. Politicians and officials in local government can benefit immensely from a clearer picture of public opinion on the ground when it comes to planning wind farm projects near communities or introducing speed limits or air quality measures. Researchers with the Ariadne project conducted two nationwide panel surveys to gauge approval of 26 climate protection measures at the regional level, revealing both geographic differences and shifts in public opinion over time.
A solar park in Cam Ranh, Vietnam.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Southeast Asian Solar Market: Lessons From Vietnam and Malaysia

Both Vietnam and Malaysia have made significant strides in recent years to scale their renewable capacity, and solar has played a cardinal role in both contexts. A new policy brief by RIFS affiliate scholar Emily Burlinghaus takes stock of developments in the two countries and draws lessons for energy transitions in Southeast Asia.
Emission peaks

Economic Crises Can Accelerate Decarbonization

Crises can accelerate structural change and spur an absolute decoupling of CO2 emissions from economic growth. Countries that have already embarked on an ambitious path towards climate action have proven themselves particularly adept in times of need.
A rooftop solar power system in Kenya

Fostering a Sustainable and Secure Energy Supply for Kenya

Kenya is a climate and renewable energy frontrunner in the sub-Saharan region. The country is committed to decarbonisation and currently aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32 % by 2030, relative to the business-as-usual scenario. A new IASS Policy Brief examines key policy options to expand Kenya’s renewable energy capacities and improve energy access and security.
Energy transition in Australia: The Fitzroy North community battery in Yarra is expected to provide solar power to about 200 homes.

Building Acceptance for Energy Transitions in Germany and Australia

Publics in Germany and Australia are broadly supportive of efforts to decarbonise energy systems. However, opposition to the rollout of renewables is growing. In a new study, researchers show that community participation plays a key role in building acceptance for energy transition policies. The governments of both countries are pursuing different strategies to foster public acceptance of various measures.
Wadi Azraq solar farm in Jordan

Accelerating the Jordanian Energy Transition

Jordan’s energy transition has been rapid and ambitious: in 2021 renewables accounted for 26% of electricity production in Jordan, up from less than 1% in 2014. However, progress has stalled recently, largely due to conflicts between Jordan’s renewable energy goals and the costs of fossil fuel over-capacity for the state-owned electricity transmission and distribution company NEPCO. A new IASS Policy Brief considers how regional cooperation, stakeholder participation, and electricity market reforms could put Jordan's energy transition back on track.
hydrogenproduction Gulfstates

Why the Gulf States Are Betting on Hydrogen

Why are Gulf oil and gas producers so keen to promote hydrogen energy? This question is addressed in a new discussion paper by Natalie Koch, political geographer and fellow at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS). She concludes that for political and corporate leaders in the Gulf states, pivoting towards hydrogen serves to maintain the social, political, and economic status quo. Questions of energy justice are likely to remain, however.
Feldheim wind turbines twilight

23.11.2022

A Renewables Frontrunner in Brandenburg

We like to think of Germany as a trailblazer in the transition to a sustainable energy system. But the energy crises unleashed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have highlighted the shortcomings in Germany’s energy policy. The truth is that when it comes to the energy transition, successive governments have dragged their heels and wasted precious time. Undaunted by this, many towns and villages have taken things into their own hands and created carbon-neutral energy and heating systems that power their communities and more.
Rooftop solar panels in Putrajaya

Unlocking a Low-Carbon Future for Malaysia

A new IASS Policy Brief examines how improved competition, stakeholder participation, and targeted recovery packages can catalyse action for the energy transition in Malaysia.
Soweto Schornstein

01.11.2022

The Politics of Just Transitions: Definitions Matter

Just Energy Transition Partnerships represent a novel approach to financing the energy transitions in emerging economies. Spurred by the announcement of the Just Energy Transition Partnership with South Africa at COP26, a host of other countries have since expressed interest in their own JETPs. Nonetheless, while COP27 may witness the announcement of several new JETPs, these partnerships will likely vary in scope, size, and ambition. This is especially true for “just transition” policies, which have real-world consequences for the inhabitants of recipient nations.
Wasserstoff H2

The Hydrogen Dilemma

One of this year’s new IASS fellows is Aliaksei (Alex) Patonia. He is a research fellow in commercial hydrogen development at the Energy Transition Research Initiative (ETRI), which is run by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. He is concerned with the challenges of the evolving hydrogen economy.
On 28th and 29th of September, the partners of the SCARLET project gathered at the IASS for their kick-off meeting.

Superconducting Cables for Europe’s Clean Energy Future

Rising amounts of renewable energy coupled with an increase in decentralised power generation call for the modernisation and significant expansion of the European grids. The EU project SCARLET (“Superconducting cables for sustainable energy transition”) unites 15 partners from 7 countries around the goal of designing and industrially manufacturing superconducting cables to enable more efficient and less costly power transmission from renewable electricity generation sites.
Title page Social Sustainability Barometer 2022

How Is the Energy Crisis Affecting Public Opinion on the Energy and Transport Transitions in Germany?

Is the current energy crisis putting the brakes on climate action? Undaunted by the growing financial burden, support for the energy transition remains strong in Germany. Despite the spectre of skyrocketing energy prices, a broad section of the public wants to see the government double down on its efforts to achieve climate neutrality. This is the conclusion of the annual “Social Sustainability Barometer 2022”.
Social tipping points

29.09.2022

Can positive social tipping points prevent climate collapse?

In mid-September, the first interdisciplinary Global Tipping Point Conference was held at the University of Exeter/ UK in collaboration with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Franziska Mey reports on the conference.
A trainee in Bangladesh learns how to maintain solar panels. Her training was organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a specialised agency of the United Nations.

Technology Transfer Deficits Jeopardize Climate Targets

Many developing countries have made their nationally determined climate contributions submitted under the Paris Agreement conditional on receiving climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building support. However, developed countries have so far failed to deliver tech transfer to the extent promised. According to a new study, public-private partnerships and other energy initiatives can only partially make up for this shortfall. While their role in supporting the growth of low-carbon energy systems in the Global South is proving crucial, their contribution in terms of technology transfer is insufficient.
Take our survey!

01.09.2022

How has the pandemic affected stakeholder engagement in sustainability research?

A survey by IASS researchers aims to find out more about the ongoing impact of the pandemic on stakeholder engagement in sustainability research.
The final round of the science rally

01.09.2022

ACHEMA 2022: The case for transdisciplinary collaboration

A visit to the ACHEMA 2022 trade fair for process industries has strengthened my conviction that dialogue between the business sector, science, politics and society will be crucial to achieving our climate goals.
Carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas emitted, for instance, in oil refineries – can be used as a raw material in industry.

New Book Explains Basics of CO2 Utilisation Technologies

While CO2 is one of the main causes of climate change, it also contains the carbon that we urgently need in everyday life, for example for plastics, shampoo and fuel. An IASS research project has produced the book “CO2-Nutzung für dummies” (“CO2 utilisation for dummies”) to familiarise readers with the basics of CO2 recycling.
Container ship on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on the west coast of North America.

06.07.2022

Hydrogen in Canada: War in Ukraine kindles new interest

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has intensified European policymakers’ interest in developing energy trade relations with Canada, as the former is seeking to identify reliable partners to swiftly diversify its fossil fuel imports.
renewable energy policies

Does Industry Drive Politics?

Does a strong renewable energy (RE) industry lead to more ambitious renewable energy policies? Researchers at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) conclude: Yes, countries with clean energy industries increase ambition in the following years. So governments should address the distribution of risks and benefits of the energy transition in their policy design as local value creation can be a key component to promoting more ambitious target policies in line with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal.
Fellow Natalie Koch

The Arabian Peninsula Lacks a Sense of "Environmental Citizenship"

One of the new IASS Fellows this year is Natalie Koch. She is a professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Koch is currently researching the geopolitics of sustainability and "post-oil" futures in the Arabian Peninsula. In this interview, she discusses her research project and the extent to which the war in Ukraine may be accelerating Europe's transformation to a renewable energy supply.
Is hydrogen the energy carrier of the future?

11.05.2022

The promise of African clean hydrogen exports: potentials and pitfalls

Abundant energy resources in many parts of Africa position the continent as a potential location for the production and export of climate-friendly hydrogen, either based on renewable electricity (green hydrogen) or natural gas in combination with carbon capture and storage technologies (blue hydrogen). Green hydrogen is produced via electrolysis by splitting water molecules into their component parts using renewable electricity, while blue hydrogen is produced by splitting natural gas into hydrogen and CO2 – after which the CO2 needs to be captured and stored.
Malaysia

09.05.2022

Stakeholder-based scenario building: How does it work in practice?

Looking at global energy transition processes, we were keen to find out how countries of the Global South fare in their energy transitions and what factors influence these developments. To find out, we did a deep dive into stakeholder-based scenario building and conducted country case studies in four different global regions. What considerations are important when constructing scenarios and what was the role of stakeholders in the process?
A model of cooperation that unites the world around human and planetary justice is urgently needed.

01.05.2022

Time is of the essence in the climate crisis – and so is the case for global justice and equity

We will not see quick transformations towards sustainable futures without the consideration of past and present inequalities and injustices. We can tackle the climate crisis much more efficiently and sustainably only if equity and justice are treated as top priorities by all countries at the negotiation table. While we acknowledge that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions to today’s complex and diverse challenges, and that the process begins from different starting points, a closer look at the negotiations of the COP26 and ongoing actions around climate change can help us identify locations and processes that promote injustices and inequalities in preparations for the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
The cement industry could reduce its emissions by binding C02 to minerals.

Business Models for CO2 Mineralisation

The cement industry is responsible for about seven per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. To encourage the decarbonisation of this industry, policymakers and the industry must find ways to incentivise reductions. A study from the Heriot-Watt University and the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) gives us a first look at how CO2 mineralisation can reduce emissions from cement production by up to 33 per cent at no additional cost – under the right conditions.
A major emitter of greenhouse gases, the cement industry must significantly reduce its emissions.

CO2 Mineralisation in the Cement Industry: Experts Call for Better Data on Societal Impacts

As a major contributor to climate change, the cement sector must significantly reduce its CO2 emissions. A promising technology to do this is CO2 mineralisation, which binds greenhouse gases (GHG) to minerals. But giving this technology the push it needs will require the support of important stakeholders. IASS researchers have examined the priorities they have in developing CO2 mineralisation.
President of Tuvalu gives COP26 address, November 2021.

22.02.2022

Climate targets are unachievable without a financial deal for developing countries

The G7 Summit in June offers an opportunity to provide tangible funding commitments to developing countries in the fight against climate change. If offers fall short, the world faces the risk that rising global inequality will derail international climate efforts, writes Dr Rainer Quitzow.
Global supply chains logistics

Transitioning From a Linear to a Circular Economy

How will industrial value chains transform as decarbonisation gains momentum? Together with the IGBCE’s Foundation for Labour and Environment and the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), the German Energy Agency (dena) has published a report examining the interdependencies affected by this transformation – a topic that will receive more attention from policymakers in the future.
Green light for green tech.

15.02.2022

The German Government wants to “dare more progress”: What does it mean for Green Tech in Germany?

The new German Government stated that it wants to “dare more progress” (“Mehr Fortschritt wagen”). But what does it mean for green tech in Germany? In short, the government wants to accelerate climate and digital innovations in particular and provide more support for start-ups that offer ‘future technologies’, thus creating positive prospects for the green tech scene in Germany.
Green hydrogen is set to make an important contribution to decarbonisation.

Monitoring the Global Hydrogen Economy

Green hydrogen is set to make an important contribution to decarbonising industry, aviation and heavy transport. An IASS Discussion Paper presents a monitoring framework to systematically compile the most important trends and developments in the global hydrogen economy. Monitoring based on this framework could help to continuously review measures taken in the context of German and European hydrogen policy.
Solar power is booming across the globe.

Integrating International Quality Standards in Solar Auctions

Solar power is booming across the globe, and public auctions have become the dominant policy tool for deployment. But a lack of solar-specific experience and capacity in newly adopting countries can result in technical failures and lower solar plant performance. International quality standards used as technical requirements in the design of public auctions could offer a solution. An IASS Policy Brief outlines the potential benefits and challenges.
Woman Solar Panels Renewable Energy South Africa

Invigorating South Africa’s Deal to Phase Out Coal-Fired Power

In Glasgow, Germany pledged 700 million euros to support South Africa’s efforts to phase out coal-fired power. But to secure South Africa's coal phase-out without economic and socioeconomic losses, a regional and national plan must provide for a Just Transition. The COBENEFITS team at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Research (IASS) has presented an analysis on decarbonisation that makes data-based recommendations for action in South Africa's coal mining hub, Mpumalanga.
Solar hybrid mini-grid power plant in Shimankar Community, Shendam Local Government Area, Nigeria.

11.01.2022

The Nigerian Electrification Project – An example of a successful rural electrification design?

Nigeria has one of the lowest net electricity generation per capita rates in the world with an estimated national electrification rate of 55% and rural electrification rate of only 39%. To achieve universal access to electricity by 2030, Nigeria will need to connect between 500,000 to 800,000 households per year, especially focused on the rural areas.
Globaler Süden Solarpanele

The Pitfalls of Shifting to Low Carbon Technologies

The energy transition could become an opportunity or a geopolitical threat for a country. But what factors does the outcome depend on? This issue has recently been studied by several research teams. Prof. Andreas Goldthau reviews these efforts in the article “The Tricky Geoeconomics of Going Low Carbon”. He argues that structural factors and market power will decide which countries end up winners and which losers in decarbonising their economies.
Students at Ruwwad practice carrying out the survey

01.11.2021

Conducting a survey on climate change and energy in Jordan

How do you conduct a survey in a country you’ve never been to, where you don’t speak the language, and where household surveys are almost unheard of? Add to that, that the country has been on lockdown for a year and a half. Our answer: it’s all about the local partners!
Energy Jobs Factsheets

Out now: Energy Jobs Factsheets by the IRENA Coalition for Action and COBENEFITS

Renewable energy technologies can be true job motors: in 2020, the renewable energy sector employed at least 12 million people around the globe. Renewables can create sustainable jobs and improve the gender balance in the future energy sector. To harness the full socio-economic potential of renewables and to build the skills base needed for the energy transition, decisionmakers depend on reliable data, and trusted expert organisations to facilitate sound assessments.
Off-Grid renewable energy

30.10.2021

Seeking Optimism in the Off-Grid Renewable Energy Sector – What Key Stakeholders Say

The Covid-19 pandemic has imposed new challenges for the off-grid renewable energy sector and intensified existing ones. At the same time, it has also provided opportunities by highlighting the importance of electrification during crises and demonstrating the resilience of the sector.
Research plant in Zurich: The chemical process is powered by solar energy.

Making Aircraft Fuel From Sunlight and Air

Scientists at ETH Zurich have built a plant that can produce carbon-neutral liquid fuels from sunlight and air. The next goal will be to take this technology to industrial scale and achieve competitiveness. In a paper published in the scientific journal "Nature", researchers from Zurich and Potsdam describe how this novel solar reactor functions and outline a policy framework that would provide incentives to expand the production of "solar kerosene".
Support mechanisms played an important role in driving the growth of electricity generation from renewable energies. While prices for renewables are falling, these mechanisms remain necessary.

12.10.2021

Ending Subsidies Slows the Growth of Wind and Solar Power

Falling prices for renewables such as wind and solar are prompting policymakers at the national and European levels to consider phasing out support mechanisms. In a new scientific study, we show that discontinuing these instruments could have negative effects on the growth of these renewables. We arrived at this conclusion with the aid of a model in which we have integrated empirical investor preferences for the first time.
Modellers and users need to collaborate more closely to make full use of the potential of models for the energy transition.

Co-creative Collaboration Improves Energy Models

Scientists are constantly working to improve models for energy systems. Is this making the models more responsive to the actual needs of users from politics, business and civil society? IASS researchers have reached a mixed conclusion: While improvements are being made, modellers and users need to collaborate more closely to make full use of the potential of models for the energy transition.
The carbon border adjustment mechanism is initially aimed at emissions-intensive industries such as the steel sector.

An Incentive or a Penalty? A Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Could Hit Some Trade Partners Hard

The European Green Deal plays a crucial role in the EU’s efforts to achieve its ambitious climate policy goals. By implementing a carbon border adjustment mechanism that will impose levies on imports, the EU hopes to prevent companies from relocating their activities to countries with less ambitious climate policies. Which countries are exposed to greater economic risks as a result? What makes them particularly vulnerable? And how can the EU help them to protect the climate? IASS researchers have tackled these issues in a new study.
Signing of the Implementation Agreement for Nigeria in Abuja. From left to right: Onyeche Tifase, CEO Siemens Nigeria, Alex Okoh, Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprises, Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG and Regine Hess, German deputy ambassador to Nigeria.

20.09.2021

The Siemens-Nigeria Electrification Roadmap Partnership: After Two Years, Where Does It Stand?

The Nigerian government and German energy company Siemens AG signed the Nigerian Electrification Roadmap (NER) partnership, also known as the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) in 2019. The Roadmap contains technical and commercial proposals for financing, implementing, and executing projects to revive the Nigerian power sector and manage Nigeria’s future electricity requirements.
Wind power infrastructure will need to be expanded rapidly if Germany is to meet the increasing demand for electricity and achieve its climate protection targets.

Accelerating the Expansion of Wind Power

Ensuring the successful expansion of wind power will require the broad involvement of citizens. A new IASS Policy Brief offers recommendations for policymakers on how they can rally citizens behind the goals of the energy transition, support public participation at the municipal level, and improve the equity of participation opportunities.
Seizing the opportunities of the energy transition

13.09.2021

A Social Performance Approach for the Energy Transition

The urgent need to forge a path towards a climate-neutral future is finally being acknowledged in Germany’s courts, parliaments, and business sector. With its ruling earlier this year on the Climate Protection Act, the Federal Constitutional Court has issued a landmark decision on climate justice.
Geldscheine Windrad Erneuerbare

25.08.2021

The EEG as the core instrument in German climate policy

Some German political parties and economists suggest ending the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) surcharge in the power bill and instead financing renewables through the carbon tax. While the recent carbon pricing debate has focused on equity and political feasibility, it has neglected the elephant in the room: how would this change affect Germany’s ability to meet the 2030 climate goals? Here, we show that this refinancing would put climate goals at risk. Purely market-based renewables are not yet viable, the change could therefore slow down their already sluggish deployment. We thus argue that the EEG remains the quintessential instrument for German climate policy in the coming decade.

19.08.2021

What do the Corona restrictions mean for researching with stakeholders in energy and marine research?

In spring 2020, we asked ourselves: What effects are the Corona restrictions having on projects in energy and marine research that actively include interest groups (or stakeholders) in their research?
Delaying decarbonization can trigger a cascade of negative feedbacks.

Late Decarbonizers Face Mounting Economic Risks

Ambitious efforts to advance the clean-energy transition are not only good for the climate, but also pay off economically. According to a new study by the IASS, late decarbonizers are likely to face increasing risks to economic stability and industrial competitiveness. Furthermore, uneven decarbonization between countries could foster international tensions in coming years.
Installed capacity of renewables in Argentina has increased in the last few years. The country aims to achieve at least 20% by 2025.

03.08.2021

An opportunity to transform the Argentinean energy system

The Argentinean electricity sector remains concentrated in a few actors and is highly dependent on fossil fuels. We discuss in our blogpost the opportunities and barriers to supporting micro-scale renewable energy projects, which can directly benefit families and small businesses throughout the country.

Energy Transition Enjoys Broad Support among German Populace – and for Most, is not Proceeding Fast Enough

What does German public opinion say about the clean-energy transition? According to the findings of a recent representative survey, almost 80 percent of Germans see the decarbonization of the energy and transport sectors as a collective responsibility. More than half think the transformation is not occurring with sufficient speed. In addition, most view the transformation as too expensive.
So könnte autonomes Fahren einmal aussehen

Are Societies Ready For Autonomous Vehicles?

The use of autonomous vehicles is being trialled in cities around the world, with applications ranging from garbage collection to freight forwarding and public transport. Many of these trials examine not just technologies but also the social acceptance of autonomous vehicles. A new study by researchers from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) looks to Singapore to explore how societies can best support the introduction of autonomous vehicles.
A student installing solar panels.

Fostering Community Well-Being Through Energy-Sector Investments

The positive impacts of renewable energy development for people and the planet are widely acknowledged. However, the direct contribution of local renewable energy projects to local community well-being has received limited attention to date. A new study prepared by researchers at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) describes a social performance approach to investing in the energy sector that focuses on promoting the well-being of individuals and energy project host communities.
The EU must achieve climate neutrality without heightening social tensions.

Societal Divisions Could Hinder EU Climate Policy

Many contemporary political conflicts are between those who would prioritize the needs of local or national communities and those with a more universal outlook. According to a new study by IASS researcher Silvia Weko, this split between "communitarian" and "cosmopolitan" Europeans is also evident in their attitudes towards European climate policy. Achieving climate neutrality without exacerbating societal divisions within and between countries will require the EU to strike a careful balance.
Restrictions imposed to combat the coronavirus pandemic are complicating EU-funded research projects on the energy transition.

Corona Crisis Complicates Involvement of Stakeholders in Research Projects

In EU research projects, the involvement of stakeholders, such as NGOs and businesses, plays an increasing role. During the pandemic, almost half of the planned activities have been cancelled. According to scientists, this could lead to problems in later project phases.
The energy transition is structurally changing our energy system.

16.04.2021

Energy models as "laboratories" for exploring smart and sustainable energy systems

What role do businesses and households play in smart and climate-neutral energy systems? Why does this pose challenges for energy modelling? Diana Süsser (IASS) and Andrzej Ceglarz (Renewables Grid Initiative) shed light on this in their article.
Vietnam has great potential for renewable energy projects, but the power sector is still dominated by fossil fuels.

13.04.2021

Is Mitsubishi’s withdrawal from the Vinh Tan coal power plant a signal for Vietnam’s energy transition?

In late February 2021, Japanese trading company Mitsubishi Corporation decided to pull out of the Vinh Tan 3 coal-fired power plant project in Vietnam after facing considerable pressure from investors and activists over the company’s fossil fuel investments. This decision follows in the footsteps of HSBC’s withdrawal one year previously. Scheduled to go on-grid in 2024, the 2-gigawatt plant was expected to feature ultra-supercritical technology. This is the first time that Mitsubishi has pulled out of a coal development project. Work on Vinh Tan 3 will now continue under the aegis of China Southern Power Grid, which is also a major investor in the Vinh Tan 1 power plant. However, this outcome will not serve the interests of Vietnam in terms of job creation, air quality, and achieving climate targets.
Germany has to buy a large part of its green hydrogen from wind- and sun-rich regions of the world.

Global Atlas for a Green Hydrogen Future

Germany will remain dependent on energy imports for the foreseeable future. This will include green hydrogen imports from regions with abundant solar and wind energy resources. Supported by researchers from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam, the HyPat project is conducting a global assessment of green hydrogen potentials, as called for in Germany's National Hydrogen Strategy (Nationale Wasserstoffstrategie - NWS).
Energy models and energy policy influence each other.

How Energy Modelling Influences Policymaking and Vice Versa

Scientists have been using energy models to provide policy advice for years. As a new study shows, energy models influence policymaking around the energy transition. Similarly, policymakers influence the work of modellers. Greater transparency is needed to ensure that political considerations do not set the agenda for future research or determine its findings.
The coronavirus crisis is hampering investment in renewable energy, especially in middle- and low-income countries.

Pandemic Exacerbates Challenges for International Energy Transition

The Covid-19 Crisis is deepening the divide between energy transition frontrunners and laggards. In a new publication, researchers from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam present an overview of the global impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the energy sector. Their findings show that low- and middle-income countries need more support in their efforts to ditch fossil fuels.

Making the New Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism a Success for International Climate Cooperation

The EU is discussing a “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism” that would impose levies on goods entering the EU based on their carbon content. The consequences for vulnerable developing countries must play a bigger role in this discussion. A new IASS Policy Brief makes three recommendations for the policy design.
A comprehensive restructuring of the energy system is necessary to achieve climate neutrality.

Carbon Pricing's Disappointing Effect on the Pace of Technological Change

In order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, the world must reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Carbon pricing – recently introduced in Germany for transportation and heating – is viewed by many governments and experts as the most important climate policy instrument. However, a new study shows that carbon pricing has been less effective as a driver of technological change than was previously anticipated.

14.01.2021

The Biden presidency – A turning point for US and international climate policy?

On 20 January 2021, Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the 46th President of the USA. His election has boosted hopes for international efforts to protect the climate. But the recent riots in Washington DC underscore the fact that Biden will be taking the helm of a deeply divided nation – and climate protection promises to be a particularly thorny issue.
The composition of the electricity mix varies across the European Union. Governments will need to coordinate their reform efforts to better promote energy transitions.

Supporting Renewable Electricity: EU Member States Should Coordinate Reform Efforts

The European Union recently adopted more ambitious climate goals for 2030 – their implementation is now the focus of debate. What do the Member States need to consider? A new study shows how important it is that governments coordinate policy reforms to support renewable electricity. Otherwise, many investors are likely to shift their focus to technologies that will continue to be subsidized or to countries where subsidies are still available. This outcome would increase the overall costs of expanding renewable electricity generation in Europe.
At an online event, IASS Project Lead Sebastian Helgenberger handed over the report to the Indian Ministry for New and Renewable Energy.

COBENEFITS Report Presented to Indian Government

Renewable energies are not just good for the climate: A team of IASS researchers has looked into the advantages of an Indian energy transition for the domestic economy and society and for a green recovery post-Covid-19. Their findings have been published in a report that was presented to the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy at a recent digital conference.
Wasserstoffbetriebene schwere Nutzfahrzeuge könnten bedeutenden Beitrag zu Klimazielen leisten

Hydrogen-Powered Heavy Duty Vehicles Could Contribute Significantly To Achieving Climate Goals

A partial transition of German road transport to hydrogen energy is among the possibilities being discussed to help meet national climate targets. A team of researchers from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) has examined the hypothetical transition to a hydrogen-powered transport sector through several scenarios. Their conclusion: A shift towards hydrogen-powered mobility could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and greatly improve air quality - in particular, heavy duty vehicles represent a low-hanging fruit for decarbonization of road transport.
The EU wants to cooperate more intensively with Africa.

EU-Africa Strategy: How Green Growth Can Succeed

The EU wants to cooperate more intensively with Africa in five key areas: the green transition and energy access, digital transformation, sustainable growth and employment, peace and governance, and migration and mobility. A new Policy Brief makes recommendations for the successful implementation of the EU-Africa Strategy proposed in March 2020.
There is far more to the energy system than technical infrastructure.

19.10.2020

“Socialising” energy models: It’s time to put social concerns in energy models

On the 7th of October, the European Parliament voted to adopt a more ambitious climate target to reduce EU emissions by 60% in 2030 compared to 1990, up from 40% currently. Policymaking and planning decisions towards this target are not straight forward, and it bears the question: How can we foster the societal and political acceptance needed to completely decarbonise our energy systems? While energy models can be used to study the pathways towards a decarbonised energy system, they largely neglect the social and political dimensions of the energy transition. To provide more realistic, relevant, and sustainable decision-advice, it’s time for energy modellers to integrate social concerns in their models.
Fridays for Future protest in Hamburg: There is a broad political and public consensus on the need for climate action. But opinions are divided on the precise form it should take.

Cross-Party Agreement on Decarbonisation Targets but No Master Plan for Future Electricity System

Which political parties have the most ambitious climate and energy policies? The answer, according to a new study, is surprising. In Germany, France, Spain and Italy, parties across the political spectrum, from the Greens to the Liberals, show a similar level of ambition on this score. However, researchers have also identified a major impediment to the energy transition: none of the investigated parties has a convincing idea for a technology mix that would ensure grid stability despite weather-related fluctuations in wind and solar energy.
Wind energy and solar energy produce green energy

The Soft Power Concept of German Energy Foreign Policy

As part of its foreign policy, Germany hopes to promote energy transitions abroad through international energy partnerships. A new study by the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) analyses these bilateral energy partnerships. Building on its reputation as an energy transition frontrunner, Germany is currently pursuing a soft power strategy aimed at winning over foreign countries to its policy approaches in the energy sector. According to this analysis, Germany's bilateral energy partnerships are the central policy instrument to this end.
Vietnam is one of the world leaders in economic growth. But the rapid development has its price.

13.10.2020

Vietnam’s Updated Climate Goals Aim at Maximizing the Co-Benefits of Climate Action

Vietnam has recently incorporated a new section into its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to emphasize the socio-economic co-benefits of climate action for the country.
Energy models help decision-makers to steer the energy transition process.

07.10.2020

Modellers meet decision-makers: User needs for energy models for the European energy transition

The energy transition raises many questions about how to achieve and design net-zero emission energy systems. Energy models can support decision-makers by providing virtual laboratories in which different energy futures can be explored. But what are the requirements of different stakeholders on these energy models? Which challenges of the energy transition should they tackle? What questions should these models be able to answer? In order to identify needs and discuss the expectations placed on energy modelling in the framework of the project Sustainable Energy Transition Laboratory (SENTINEL), we conducted an online survey in summer and held an online expert workshop on the 1st of October.
Whether or not CCU technologies will benefit society is largely a question of governance.

Carbon Capture and Utilisation Can Advance SDGs

The implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is indispensable for building a sustainable and just future. For that reason, technological innovations need to be assessed in terms of their compatibility with these goals. A new study shows that technologies for carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) can make a positive contribution to the energy transition.
machine tool worker solar industry China

“Investing in the Future is a Better Bet than Reshoring”

The economic recession induced by Covid-19 is threatening the global supply chains on which low-carbon technologies depend. Prof. Andreas Goldthau talks about the resulting risk to the climate and appropriate policy responses.
Wind turbines on the outskirts of Avignon: By 2050, Europe is to become a climate-neutral continent.

Green Electricity for Europe: Small Scale Solutions Also Affordable

The European Union aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and is relying largely on renewable electricity to reach this goal. The implementation of this energy transition is the subject of heated debate: A continental-scale system that concentrates energy generation infrastructure in the most suitable locations would provide the most afforable solution but many citizens favour smaller, more dispersed supply networks. A new study prepared by researchers in Potsdam and Zurich shows that the implementation of such systems would not incur significant additional costs.
Onshore wind power plays a key role in the European energy transition.

Renewables in Europe: Land Requirements Can Be Reduced at Low Cost

Transitioning our energy supply from coal, oil and gas to wind and solar power is feasible. However, renewables require more land than conventional forms of energy generation. A new study explores the options to reduce the land requirements of a fully renewable energy supply in Europe and their possible impact on the cost of electricity.
Ashalim Concentrated Solar Power plant in the Negev desert in Israel

03.08.2020

Israel: Green innovation could power economic recovery

Countries have responded differently to the large societal and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. While some view the crisis as a window of opportunity for new technologies and approaches to achieve climate neutrality, others will be tempted to reinforce their dependence on old technologies, leading to a carbon lock-in. Israel’s response as a start-up nation is promising, but further measures are needed to support a green transition.
Building materials have a massive carbon footprint, but new cement solutions are on the way.

09.06.2020

CO2 carbonation: cleaning-up the cement industry?

In the European Commission’s “Coronavirus response”, President von der Leyen recently announced the aim of building “a modern, clean and healthy economy, which secures the livelihoods of the next generation”. But what does that mean for high emitting industrial sectors such as cement production? Are they part of “yesterday’s economy”, or will they successfully transition to more sustainable modes of production? Over half of all the materials that humans use on Earth are “cementitious” – including concrete, cement and other building materials – and it is difficult to imagine a life without cement.
Solarpanels Windenergy energy transition

15.07.2020

Germany’s New Building Energy Act is a Missed Opportunity

Thanks to plummeting prices for electricity generated from renewables, the energy transition in the electricity sector has really taken off. It has also been at the forefront of recent public debates on the coal exit and minimum distance rules for wind turbines. But it is the heating sector that accounts for most of Germany’s energy consumption: According to the German Environment Agency, building heating alone represents around 32 per cent of the country’s total energy consumption. So the energy transition in the heating sector is a key arena for successful climate protection. The Building Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz) adopted by the German Bundestag on 18 June explicitly refers to the need for action in this sector.
Survey on Caronb untilization technolgies

08.07.2020

"Crises highlight the need for action": Survey on the future of CCU research

How is the coronavirus crisis affecting the research and development of sustainable technologies? We spoke with the leaders of research projects funded under the CO2WIN programme.
IASS researchers examine the options for the future of the European energy transition in two online surveys.

Two Surveys on the Energy Transition in the EU

If we are to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, we must create a net-zero emissions energy system. A new set of energy modelling tools is needed to explore potential energy futures and opportunities to transform existing energy systems. Researchers from the Sustainable Energy Transition Laboratory (SENTINEL) project have launched an online survey to learn more about the requirements for energy models to support decision-making for the European energy transition. In a second survey, they are examining the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the stakeholder engagement activities of energy research projects.
Off-grid solar energy is a key player to address health emergencies in the global south and to achieve a sustainable recovery.

26.06.2020

Realising the Transformative Potential of Decentralised Renewable Energy in Emergency Response

The vital role of electrification in emergency response has become strikingly clear during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Electricity is indispensable for the effective operation of healthcare facilities and the provision of health services, the timely diffusion of information, and undisrupted communications at a time when social isolation measures are in place. Access to electrification also makes it easier to carry out important household activities and follow essential hygiene recommendations. The pandemic has therefore served as a reminder of the vulnerability of the 860 million people who have no access to electricity, most of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa.
Covid19 Energy man mask Photovoltaik

The Impact of the Pandemic on Global Energy Policy

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered an economic recession with potentially stronger effects than the 2008 financial crisis. The recession has been accompanied by a global decline in energy demand. A new study by the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) examines the impacts of the pandemic on the global energy sector, and considers whether recent political decisions are accelerating the transformation of energy systems or perpetuating reliance on fossil fuels. The study includes an analysis of the energy policies of Argentina, China, Germany, India, Israel and the USA.
Solar Panele werden gereinigt

Covid-19 Crisis: Renewables Can Help to Unburden Health Care Systems and Restart Economies

Economies around the world have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Substantial political efforts will be needed to stabilize employment markets and relieve pressure on health systems. Renewable energy generation can provide important stimuli for efforts to achieve these goals. A team of researchers with the COBENEFITS project at the IASS has analysed the potential benefits of decarbonizing the energy sector.
A couple monitors the efficiency of its home heating system from the couch. Shutterstock/ HQuality

The Neglected Heating Sector

Heating accounts for over 50 per cent of final energy consumption. So reducing the emissions that result from heating buildings would make a huge difference to the climate. What strategies are being pursued to realise this potential in Germany and the UK? A study by researchers from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) finds that both countries could do a lot more to mitigate climate change in the heating sector.
The chemicals industry is hoping for policy and regulatory frameworks that will make CCU products economically viable.

Industry Faces Major Challenges in Utilisation of CO2 Emissions

Innovations in the area of carbon utilisation are the subject of growing interest. Novel technologies that capture CO2 emissions for industrial use can contribute to building a circular carbon economy and reduce consumption of fossil‐based raw materials. A recent study analyses the economic challenges and opportunities these technologies present to different industries.
The Vaca Muerta formation in Argentina is one of the world’s largest shale oil and gas fields.

12.05.2020

A Tale of the Golden Goose and the Ugly Duckling: Impacts of the Pandemic on the Argentinean Energy Sector

Argentina is among the countries hardest hit by the social and economic consequences of the current pandemic. In order to mitigate the impacts of the crisis, the government is responding with some immediate relief measures – tax deferrals, subsidies for low-income families, and special financial measures for different sectors including energy – as well as planning a quite ambitious recovery program. The decisions that are being taken today are likely to have a profound effect on the energy sector for decades to come. These decisions are influenced by visions and narratives associated with different sectors, with oil and gas being the “golden goose” and renewables the “ugly duckling”.
Broad public acceptance is vital to the success of energy transitions.

Involving the Public in Energy Transitions: Guidance for International Actors

Energy policy debates tend to revolve around the technical feasibility of shifting from fossil to renewable energies. But energy policy measures will only be successfully anchored in society, and lifestyle changes sustained, if they are supported by broad swathes of the population. Edited by IASS Director Ortwin Renn and researchers from the Kopernikus project E-Navi, “The Role of Public Participation in Energy Transitions” offers theoretical insights as well as practical examples of how participation processes can succeed.
An ailing Europe: How much solidarity will EU states muster in the process of overcoming the crisis?

21.04.2020

What We Can Learn from the Corona Pandemic for Climate and Energy Policy

The corona pandemic caught our society off guard. That is one reason for the scale of the crisis. This makes it all the more important to learn from the current situation, not least in the area of climate and energy policy. In what follows, I discuss the lessons we can draw from the crisis in reflections clustered around the terms vulnerability, resilience and solidarity.
The European Green Deal should be expanded and implemented as soon as possible.

17.04.2020

Investment in the Future: How a Green Covid-19 Stimulus Package Can Advance the Energy Transition

The corona crisis is not only threatening our health; it’s also shaking our economic systems to the core. A fall of global stock markets by as much as35 per centin the first quarter of this year means that a recession is imminent. The energy sector is also affected, with the price of oil plummetingand renewable energies also facing difficulties. Coronavirus infections, prolonged curfews, short-time work, and border closures are all affecting the supply chains of wind and solar energy technologies. Investment has all but dried up. In this situation we can learn from the experience of tackling previous economic crises and should opt for a “green” stimulus package in a three-step government programme of relief, recovery and reform. To accelerate and bolster the energy transition, all of the measures implemented in these three steps need to be scrutinised for their long-term viability.
The production of solar panels is increasingly automated but still requires a significant number of workers.

14.04.2020

Coronavirus shows it’s time to get strategic about renewable energy technology

The international health crisis has exposed a serious problem for energy systems – we’re not taking renewable energy technology seriously as a critical asset. Most solar panels today are made in China, and a shortage of key components means that Europe is now facing major delays in new installations. Wind power faces a double whammy – manufacturing is down, and countries may not have the personnel and parts locally to keep systems running. Countries should aim to build up national clean tech infrastructure in the same way that they ensure strategic reserves of fossil fuels.
The shutdown hits the economy hard. It will be crucial for climate protection that the EU Commission's Green Deal is implemented rigorously after the coronavirus crisis.

06.04.2020

How will the Corona Crisis affect energy policy?

The Europe-wide shutdown is reducing both energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. At first glance, this might seem like good news. But it has also caused CO2 certificates traded under the European Union Emissions Trading System to lose a third of their value since March. Economic activity is expected to be significantly depressed over the coming weeks and months and production capacities underused.
Storing electricity from renewable energies in the form of hydrogen: The idea is convincing, but its implementation is not so simple.

20.03.2020

The International Dimension of Germany’s Hydrogen Ambitions

Hydrogen is dominating the debate on Germany’s energy transition at present. But it will require forward planning and considerable international coordination to get the market up and running. The European Union has a key role to play in this process.
Green hydrogen based on renewable energies can contribute to the energy transition.

Hydrogen and the Energy Transition: An Issue for Foreign Policy

Hydrogen and hydrogen-based synthetic fuels (so-called e-fuels) are a hot topic in current energy policy debates. On 18 March 2020 the German government will present its National Hydrogen Strategy. Meanwhile, the European Commission is exploring the idea of establishing a European Hydrogen Alliance as part of its industrial strategy for the European Union.
Smart thermostats can help households save energy.

Smart Thermostats Prove their Worth in Poorly Insulated Buildings

High investment costs are a major impediment to the energetic refurbishment of residential buildings in Germany. Smart thermostats are a relatively inexpensive alternative. An IASS study shows that they are cost-effective for homes with a medium to low efficiency standard even when the realised energy savings are modest.
Solarpanele Arbeiter Afrika

Creating the Conditions for a Globally Just Energy Transition

How can the energy transition be organized in a globally just way? Will developing countries struggle to transition to clean energy because they lack the financial and technical means? A new Policy Brief by the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) focuses on the risks of an uneven transition and makes concrete proposals to prevent such risks.
The stakeholder empowerment tool attracted plenty of interest at the UNECE Sustainable Energy Week.

Navigation Tools to Strengthen Dialogue at United Nations Regional Commission

In late September, the Kopernikus project ENavi presented their interactive simulation tools at the 28th meeting of the Committee on Sustainable Energy of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva. The tools can be used to demonstrate the impacts of measures to develop more sustainable transportation systems and expand renewable energy generation capacities.
Zukunftsbox Kohlenstoff

Learning about Carbon: IASS Develops Educational Resource

The “Future Box: Carbon” developed by the IASS in cooperation with Berlin’s Futurium Museum offers school pupils an exciting and hands-on introduction to climate change and raw materials. This learning resource is suitable for use in classes from 8th Grade up and for all school types. The Future Box can be used in different subjects and will help to build awareness of sustainable development issues.
Conference with a focus on the co-benefits of the energy turnaround

Focusing on the Co-benefits of the Energy Transition

Ministerial representatives and experts from around the world met in Berlin over two days at the Climate Opportunity 2019 Conference to learn from each other about the co-benefits of transitions towards more sustainable energy systems. The conference also provided a space for the development of strategies to leverage the co-benefits of individual climate protection measures in the course of political decision-making processes.
Carbon can be used as a raw material in industrial processes, such as in the manufacture of building materials and chemicals.

The Deployment of Carbon Capture and Utilisation Technologies Takes a Key Step Forward

On October 1st, 2019, representatives from EIT Climate-KIC, the Global CO2 Initiative, the Phoenix Initiative, and other interested stakeholders gathered in Brussels to discuss the future of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) assessment methodologies, a critical step in unlocking R&D and commercialisation efforts for this growing climate solution.
Regional or local self-sufficiency with renewable electricity generated by wind and sun is possible in many places in Europe.

Europe’s Future is Renewable

Europe has enough solar and wind resources to meet its electricity demand entirely from renewable sources. A new study by researchers at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam shows that many regions and municipalities could meet their electricity demand using electricity systems based exclusively on renewables. However, their development would exacerbate land use pressure around metropolitan areas and larger conurbations.
In many countries, the level of remuneration for renewable electricity is no longer set by the state, but determined by the market at auctions. This can help to control volumes and costs.

The Lessons of Failed Energy Policies

Even though electricity generated from solar and wind energy is becoming increasingly cost-competitive, the expansion of renewable energies continues to depend on policy support. When such support is lacking, setbacks to the energy transition can often result – as seen in the cases of the former pioneer countries Spain and the Czech Republic. What energy policy lessons can we learn from this? A study published in the journal Energy Policy makes recommendations for effective policy design.
slate layers

Fracking Likely to Result in High Emissions

Natural gas releases fewer harmful air pollutants and greenhouse gases than other fossil fuels. That’s why it is often seen as a bridge technology to a low-carbon future. A new study by the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) has estimated emissions from shale gas production through fracking in Germany and the UK. It shows that CO2-eq. emissions would exceed the estimated current emissions from conventional gas production in Germany.
India’s solar capacity has boomed, unlike many of the least developed countries.

17.07.2019

Public problems, private solutions? The UN addresses the climate technology gap

Even though unit costs for renewable energy have fallen sharply, there’s clearly more finance needed for mitigation and adaptation. The least developed countries still don’t have the technologies they need. Can the private sector deliver, or should governments and the UN intervene?
The Trump administration promotes fossil fuels, while Germany aims to move away from them.

19.07.2019

U.S. and German Energy Policy at a Crossroads? The Transatlantic Partners and the Future of Energy Cooperation

The U.S. and Germany are moving in fundamentally different directions with their energy policies. Germany has embarked on its “Energiewende,” an energy strategy based on renewable energy and energy efficiency as well as the phase-out of fossil fuels and nuclear energy. It is an important building block in the country’s climate protection endeavors. The U.S. under the Trump administration has abandoned its national and international climate commitments. It is pursuing an “Energy Dominance” strategy that seeks to expand the production of U.S. coal, natural gas, and oil. This strategy marks a significant departure from the Obama administration, which pursued a climate action plan focused on fostering clean energy in the U.S. and abroad.
CO2 emissions shutterstock hfuchs

12.07.2019

Tough trade-offs for new international carbon market mechanisms

Several countries’ national determined contributions (NDCs) highlight climate finance as a precondition for the ambitious action needed to achieve development paths compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5°C in 2100. Many hopes have been pinned on new market mechanisms in this context, but the trade-offs demanded by carbon trading schemes continued to be hotly debated at the UNFCCC last week, not least due to their political and economic implications.
Smart Grid iStockphoto Metamorworks

Sustainable Energy for All – Only Possible with More International Cooperation

About 80 per cent of current CO2 emissions are caused by the member states of the G20. So it’s clear that they have a particular responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage a shift to renewable energy. The leaders of these countries now need to act on that responsibility at the G20 Summit in Osaka on 28 and 29 June.
Fuel cells hold great potential for the global energy transition.

27.06.2019

The G20’s Renewed Attempt to Spearhead a Clean-Energy Transition

The Group of Twenty (G20), a federation of the most important industrialised and emerging countries, is a crucial forum for initiating a clean-energy transition at the global level. Its member states account for nearly 80 per cent of the world's energy demand and more than 80 per cent of global CO2 emissions. The G20 brings together key players in international energy markets and international institutions along with major energy exporters. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a concerted effort on the part of G20 nations could increase the global share of renewable energy sources to 44 percent by 2030.

But a successful move away from fossil fuels remains to be seen, not only in the US, where President Trump intends to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, but also among the other G20 members. Indeed, 82% of the primary energy in G20 states is still fossil-based. Since assuming the G20 presidency, in 2019, Japan has been pushing for renewed sustainable energy efforts in the G20.
Economic growth and rising consumer needs require a secure energy supply. Many developing and emerging countries are resorting to cheap loans from the G20 to build coal-fired power plants.

27.06.2019

Financing of coal power by G20 states is undermining the Paris climate agreement

In the upcoming days Japan will hosts its first ever G20 Summit. As the main contributers to global warming, the G20 states agreed 2009 on a phase out plan of fossil fuel subsidies. Ten years later the failure of the G20 to act on global warming is evident: around $63.9 billion was spent by G20 countries this year to develop coal industries in the global south.
Synthetische Erdöl-Substitute – hier eine Anlage der Firma Sunfire in Dresden - sind ein vielversprechender Einsatzbereich von CCU-Technologien.

CO2 Recycling: Large Potential but Many Uncertainties Remain

Many different technologies already exist for converting the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) into products like construction materials and chemicals. But which of them can make a real contribution to climate protection? A new study commissioned by the European Commission provides answers.
Die Spinnerei e.V. ist in der Lausitz tätig und macht Angebote zu Naturbildung und Kultur. Das Team berichtet von regelmäßigen verbalen und in jüngster Zeit auch körperlichen Angriffen.

22.05.2019

Lusatia Goes to the Polls: Civil Society under Threat

Substantial financial assistance is being provided to Germany’s former coal regions to support their socio-economic transformation, but an active civil society will also be crucial to their revitalisation. Grass-roots initiatives in Lusatia are struggling in the face of hostility and a lack of support from local government.
ENavi researchers believe that the coal phaseout should be flanked by a carbon-pricing system and other measures to ensure that the anticipated climate benefits are realised.

Kopernikus Project ENavi Presents Preliminary Findings on the Climate Benefits of Germany’s Coal Phaseout

Germany has committed to reducing its carbon emissions to 45 per cent of 1990 levels by 2030. There is a broad consensus that the decommissioning of the country’s coal-fired power plants is essential to achieving this goal. The shift to a more decentralised system of energy generation will, however, result in additional costs for society as a whole.
ENavi researchers investigate the range of tasks society has to fulfil to achieve the energy transition.

ENavi Summer Academy Takes a Closer Look at the Requirements and Effects of the Digital Energy Transition

Digitisation can support the transition to a low-carbon energy system by facilitating the production, transportation and consumption of renewable energies. Digital technologies give consumers a role in determining when, where, and for what purpose energy is provided, how much energy can be saved, and what share of the energy mix renewables make up. From 13 to 17 May, early-career professionals from 16 different countries will meet with experts in Potsdam to discuss the challenges the transition to a sustainable energy system presents to politics, science, the private sector and civil society, and the role digitisation can play in the process.
pollution istock rfwil.png

16.04.2019

Germany’s Climate Protection Act: Why is progress so faltering?

Upcoming decisions on Germany’s coal phaseout and climate protection legislation need to inspire a more forward-looking industrial policy.
Other countries can learn from the German experience with renewable energy integration. Our picture shows the installation of solar modules in upstate New York.

German Experience in Grid Integration Could Advance International Energy Transition

The distribution grid is the backbone of the energy transition. In Germany, over 1.5 million decentralised energy systems now feed their output into the electricity grids managed by around 900 distribution system operators. Their management costs have increased considerably as a result. How do German distribution system operators cope with the challenges they face, and what can other countries learn from them? IASS researchers explored these questions in a representative survey. Their findings have been published in the journal Renewable Energy.
Activists from Germany and South America came together at the IASS to share their experiences campaigning against fossil fuel infrastructure.

04.04.2019

Natural resource exploitation in Germany and South America: Activists share their experiences of resistance and transformation

Today, emerging visions of a better society are forged in practical experience and experimentation. The contexts, approaches, and methods employed by activists differ radically from one experiment to the next. As researchers with the IASS project Politicizing the Future, we were keen to facilitate exchange on the subject of societal visions among activists from very different contexts and to see what could be learnt from their experiences for the development of more sustainable societies.
English Version

2018 Social Sustainability Barometer: Growing Dissatisfaction with Energiewende Implementation Process

A clear majority of Germans across all income brackets, age groups and educational backgrounds still supports the Energiewende. Indeed, since the publication of the first Social Sustainability Barometer in 2017, there has been a notable rise in the number of people who view the energy transition as a broad societal task to which they personally want to contribute. However, there is growing criticism of the implementation of the energy transition by the German Government: Three quarters of respondents describe the process as “expensive”, while over half view it as “chaotic” and “unfair”.
ENavi's Multi-Criteria Approach to Evaluation

A Sustainable Energy Transition: New Guidelines for Multi-Criteria Evaluation

Transforming Germany’s large power grid into a sustainable energy system is both a challenge and an opportunity. To succeed in this task, we need criteria that define sustainability and reflect society’s values and priorities. A research team in the Kopernikus Project “Energy Transition Navigation System | ENavi” has now developed a set of criteria that integrates a diverse range of perspectives.
The Israel Public Policy Institute (IPPI) in Tel Aviv.

Ideas for Low-Carbon Economies: New Fellowship Programme for Professionals from Germany and Israel

Germany and Israel are pursuing ambitious goals in the expansion of renewable energies and the development of innovative technologies. A new fellowship programme aims to foster a lively exchange of ideas among professionals in both countries.
A street in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: As the world decarbonizes, it does not necessarily become more democratic.

22.01.2019

The geopolitics of renewables. A new but messy energy world

Exhibiting the fastest growth among all fuels in the electricity sector, renewables are about to fundamentally change the energy system. This change is hoped to bring about important social and economic co-benefits, including sustainable and affordable energy for all, green job opportunities, and increased human health and wellbeing. But there may also be some fundamentally political implications of the low carbon shift. This is what a high level group of global leaders was tasked to look into, the result of which was published in their recent report titled A New World The Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation, published by IRENA, the international renewable energy agency.
Windenergie-Anlagen werden überwiegend auf dem Land errichtet. Um Akzeptanz zu schaffen, sind Beteiligung und finanzielle Teilhabe der Bevölkerung wichtig.

Energy Transition with Public Participation: The Key to Successful Wind Farms

People are often apprehensive when they hear about plans to build a wind farm in their locality. They wonder how it will change the landscape. And whether the noise of the rotor blades will get on their nerves. People need information about the planned changes, but their direct involvement in the decision-making process is also important, because the expansion of wind energy depends on public acceptance. The Fachagentur Windenergie an Land and the IASS invited representatives from politics, the energy sector, and civil society to participate in the 3rd Workshop on Public Participation in the Development of Wind Farms on 15 and 16 January.
Standing 1.2 metres tall, the experimental reactor for methane cracking is made of quartz and stainless steel and contains molten tin. The reactor cracks methane in a reaction that occurs as bubbles of the gas rise up through the molten tin. The reactor is hosted at Karlsruhe Liquid Metal Laboratory (KALLA), where various technologies for the use of liquid metals are being developed.

Zero-Emission Hydrogen Production from Natural Gas: German Gas Industry Awards Prize to Researchers in Karlsruhe and Potsdam for Groundbreaking Process.

A new technology developed in a joint research project by scientists at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Institute of Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) promises to provide energy from natural gas without producing harmful CO2 emissions. The process converts natural gas, which consists primarily of methane, into hydrogen and solid carbon. The researchers have been recognized for their work with the Innovation Award of the German Gas Industry.
When lignite-mining activities cease, the craters that remain are usually filled with water or become lakes naturally due to rising groundwater and precipitation.

Who is to Pay the Follow-Up Costs of Lignite-Mining? IASS Researcher Makes Policy Recommendations

The days of Germany’s lignite-mining industry are numbered, that much is clear. The Coal Commission appointed by the Federal Government now has the job of planning how exactly the phaseout will proceed. One issue that is often overlooked in this context is the question of how the rehabilitation of former coal-mining sites is to be financed. A new IASS Discussion Paper examines the risks inherent in the existing financing practice and makes concrete proposals for changes.
Die Partner des Demonstrationsprojekts Best Paths präsentierten am 20. September 2018 in Brüssel das 3-GW-Supraleiterkabel. Auf diesem Foto: Stéphane Hole, ESPCI Paris; Matteo Tropeano, ASG Superconductors; Jean-Maxime Saugrain, Nexans; Christian-Eric Bruzek, Nexans; Adela Marian, IASS Potsdam und Guillaume Escamez, Nexans.

Superconducting Cables: Recommendations for Deployment of New Technology

A small footprint, more capacity and no losses - these are the main advantages of superconducting links for electricity transmission compared to conventional solutions. But how far is this new technology from deployment? Experts from the energy sector discussed the hurdles and chances at the final conference of the EU project Best Paths in Brussels.
Best Paths workshop La Spezia

Superconducting Cable Sets New Records for Power Transmission

Together with transmission system operators, partners from industry and science presented the results of ground-breaking research on a superconducting cable system at an international workshop on 5 July in La Spezia, Italy.
The Social Sustainability Barometer for the Germany Energiewende indicates that citizens want to have a say in the expansion of wind energy.

Monitoring the Energiewende: Expert Commission Draws on Social Sustainability Barometer

On 27 June the Federal Cabinet gave its stamp of approval to the 6th Energiewende Monitoring Report submitted by Economic Affairs Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU). In a statement on the report, the independent expert commission charged with observing the monitoring process has for the first time compiled indicators on public acceptance, drawing on the Social Sustainability Barometer for the German Energiewende. The Barometer, which monitors the social dimensions of the energy transition, was prepared for the first time in 2017 by the IASS in the context of the dynamis partnership.
How can we achieve a socially responsible coal phaseout for Lusatia? The IASS is advising politicians on how to manage this process.

Phasing Out Coal: IASS to Investigate Structural Transformation in Lusatia

The region of Lusatia in Eastern Germany is experiencing a structural transformation due to the dwindling significance of lignite. In a new research project, the IASS will investigate the changes taking place there. Karl Eugen Huthmacher from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and IASS Scientific Director Patrizia Nanz presented the project at the Lusatia Dialogue on 25 June.
Much of the coal sold by these traders at a market in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, will be used in cookstoves. Many developing countries lack adequate access to technologies that play a vital role in the energy transition.

Low Carbon Transition in Developing Countries: New Project Will Generate Proposals to Promote Energy Justice

The international energy transition is already delivering numerous benefits, but it is also creating new inequalities. The risks posed by this transformation will impact especially on developing countries, which lack access to technologies and capital. What, then, can be done to ensure that these countries too can make the transition to a low-carbon economy? This question is the focus of a new project that will study the systemic impacts of the global energy transition.
The panellists were: Rebecca Bertram (Heinrich Böll Foundation), Isabelle Buscke (Federation of German Consumer Organisations), Kathrin Glastra (European Parliament), Ortwin Renn (IASS), Alain Taccoen (Électricité de France).

Climate, Costs, Participation: Heinrich Böll Foundation France and IASS Reveal what Citizens Want from the Energy Transition at Event in Brussels

What do citizens in France and Germany see as the key criteria for a fair energy transition? The Heinrich Böll Foundation France and the IASS presented two studies to 50 stakeholders from the policy community, business, science and civil society at an event in Brussels.
Erneuerbare Energien schaffen nachhaltige Arbeitsplätze und kurbeln in ländlichen Gebieten, die nicht an das Stromnetz angeschlossen sind, die Entwicklung an – wie hier in einem Dorf in Vietnam.

20.03.2018

The Social and Economic Co-Benefits of Renewable Energies

In the fight against climate change, it’s vital that developing and emerging nations also abandon their fossil fuels, which are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The co-benefits of renewable energy policies can become a decisive argument for structural change.
ENavi Spokesperson Ortwin Renn (right) and ENavi Scientific Manager Stefan Stückrad (left) in front of the Berlin Efficiency House Plus of the Federal Environment Ministry.

How Global Climate Policy Can Learn from the Energy Transition

The Kopernikus projects present their research findings on the German Energiewende at the world’s largest academic conference in Austin.
Stéphane Holé (ESPCI Paris) and Adela Marian (IASS) discuss the setup for the space charge tests.

Novel Insulation for Superconducting Power Cable Withstands Low Temperatures and High Operating Voltage

To transport electricity effectively, a superconductor has to be inside an extremely well-insulated tube with an interior temperature of -200°C. Researchers at the IASS, the ESPCI engineering college in Paris, and French cable manufacturer Nexans have now developed a novel form of insulation that is compatible with the low temperatures and the high operating voltage of 320 kilovolts.
A discussion of Brandenburg’s energy and climate policy with (from left to right) Hans Joachim Schellnhuber (PIK), Patrizia Nanz (IASS), Dietmar Woidke, Governor of Brandenburg, Ortwin Renn (IASS), and Viola Gerlach (IASS, moderator).

A Future Commission for Brandenburg

The Governor of Brandenburg and members of the state government came to the IASS on 12 December to discuss energy policy and climate protection. Together with the directors of the IASS and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), they explored the idea of a Future Commission to ensure that Brandenburg’s energy transition is socially responsible and economically sustainable.
Will CO2 soon be used to make building materials? Germans and Britons are all in favour of this.

CO2 as an Asset: Positive Attitudes to New Technologies in Germany and the UK

With Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technologies, carbon dioxide can be converted into products such as building materials, chemicals, and fuels. A new study investigates perceptions of carbon utilisation technologies in the UK and Germany.
Das Soziale Nachhaltigkeitsbarometer zur Energiewende

Social Sustainability Barometer for the Energiewende Shows Broad Support along with Doubts about Implementation

For the first time, social scientists have measured how just the Germans think their energy transition is
Der Chemiekonzern Bayer stellt bereits Produkte aus CO2 her.

CO₂: From Waste to Feedstock

Economic activities and consumer behaviour in developed countries are currently based mainly on the use of fossil-based raw materials, and their emissions are largely responsible for anthropogenic climate change. In efforts to reduce human effects on the climate, the avoidance of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is and remains the most important measure. But high CO2 emissions go hand in hand with a demand for carbon in the form of many of the goods that we need on a daily basis, for example for the production of plastics or fuels. Can it therefore make sense to consider the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) as a source of carbon? Since the 1970s, scientists have been researching carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies. The aim of these technologies is to re-cycle the CO2 contained in emissions as a feedstock for industrial processes. This captured CO2 could replace fossil-based carbon as a component of materials and energy carriers, thereby creating a carbon cycle.
Prototyp eines supraleitenden Stromkabels.

Superconductivity

In the coming decades, the development of renewable energy sources (RES) such as wind and solar will play a major role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and making our energy system more sustainable. But the places where RES are available or would be most efficient are often located far away from the densely populated and industrial areas where the energy is needed: on the open sea in the case of offshore wind and in sunnier climes in the case of solar. This means that the construction of new power lines needs to go hand in hand with RES development. In Germany for instance, expanding the electrical grid has become a crucial precondition for the success of the Energiewende.

The Grid of the Future: Tests on New Superconducting Material Deliver Promising Results

European scientists are currently testing a variety of options to connect ...
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