The energy transition is more than the development of new infrastructures and technologies; it entails far-reaching changes in society and the economy. IASS/Norbert Michalke

Headline: Pathways to Sustainable Energy

The research group Pathways to Sustainable Energy conducts transdisciplinary research on the global transition to sustainable energy. It combines disciplinary expertise from the fields of political science, sociology, psychology, economics and the environmental and physical sciences with expert knowledge from practitioners and policy makers in the energy sector. Specifically, the team focuses on the following inter-related topics:

Social sustainability of energy transition processes
Politics and governance of the global energy transition
Techno-economic and political dimensions of a global hydrogen economy By engaging practitioners from government, business and civil society in our transdisciplinary research processes, we co-create actionable policy proposals and solutions.

Socially Sustainable Energy Transitions

Social aspects of sustainability are critical for the success of energy transformations around world. The research group studies the perceptions, involvement and support of the general public in the context of Germany´s Energiewende as well as the local priorities and needs of different communities and stakeholders in selected African countries.

Politics and Governance of a Global Energy Transition

A global transition to sustainable energy is accompanied by important changes in the geopolitics and governance of energy. Against this background, the research group investigates how the global energy transition is affecting the international political economy of energy and identifies implications for foreign policy and international cooperation.

Techno-economic and Political Dimensions of Clean Hydrogen

Clean hydrogen has recently emerged as an important new pillar of the global transition to sustainable energy. Our interdisciplinary research on the topic investigates the inter-relationship between political, techno-economic and environmental dimensions of an emerging global hydrogen economy.

Projects

A source of hope: green hydrogen produced with electricity from renewable resources.

Green and low-carbon hydrogen could help decarbonize high-emitting sectors. In this interdisciplinary project, researchers explore the underlying technological possibilities, economic structures and institutional setting of an emerging hydrogen economy and analyze their implications for a global transition to sustainable energy.

Wind turbines in the Indian state of Rajasthan: renewable energies are on the rise across the globe.

A sustainable, low-carbon energy supply is essential for achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Although fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy supply, renewables are on the rise around the world and competition in clean energy technologies is intensifying. In this project the researchers aim to better understand these political processes.

The expansion of wind power and the electricity grid is one of the challenges of the energy transition.

This three-year project examines conflicts and cultures of conflict resolution in connection with the German energy transition. Researchers are studying the dynamics and drivers of these conflicts and threats they pose to democratic culture. The project focuses in particular on the role of populist narratives and attitudes, which are increasingly common in debates about Energiewende projects.

The guiding principle of the Ariadne joint project is to provide an overview and orientation for the design and implementation of the energy transition through excellent research in a joint learning process with politics, business, and society. The aim of the project is to create an overarching perspective, analyze the impact of policy instruments and identify a whole range of possible policy options for shaping the energy transition in Germany.

Germany has to buy a large part of its green hydrogen from wind- and sun-rich regions of the world.

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. The HyPat project is conducting a comprehensive global assessment of green hydrogen potentials, as called for in Germany's National Hydrogen Strategy (Nationale Wasserstoffstrategie - NWS).

In order to reach its goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, Germany and the EU must rapidly introduce hydrogen (H2) as an energy carrier along the entire value and production chain. The growth of this hydrogen economy will spur the development of new trade relations and place new demands on the global governance of the energy transition. The project analyses the opportunities and challenges of these developments from a geopolitical perspective. The results of this research will support an international dialogue with stakeholders from politics, the business sector, and civil society.

Completed Projects

Smart home automation systems help save energy.

This focus area assesses options for saving fossil fuels with the aid of smart heating systems and improved energy transmission.

Increasingly, discussions of the energy transition are revolving around questions of fairness, justice, and social responsibility, with a particular focus on financing, public acceptance of wind turbines and transmission lines, the coal phase-out, and working conditions in the wind and solar industry.

The value chains of the global hydrogen economy are constantly evolving.

In a project financed by Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the IASS will develop a concept for a systematic monitoring process for the global hydrogen economy. Insights gathered through such a monitoring exercise are intended to underpin strategic innovation and market support within the framework of the international hydrogen policy of Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Superconducting electric cables could provide benefits in terms of size, costs, efficiency and environmental impact.

In a Europe-wide research initiative, the IASS and partners are investigating the potential of superconductors in energy transmission. Could these particularly conductive materials be used in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission to increase grid capacity and ensure a stable electricity supply?

Green hydrogen is considered a promising energy resource.

Hydrogen is widely viewed as the energy resource of the future - both in German and European politics. Under current proposals, hydrogen is to be generated using electricity from renewable sources and will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industry. The European Committee of the Regions has decided to contribute an own-initiative opinion to the political debate on the development of the European hydrogen economy. The IASS will play a supporting role in the preparation of this opinion.

Team

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.

The coronavirus crisis is hampering investment in renewable energy, especially in middle- and low-income countries.

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.

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.

A couple monitors the efficiency of its home heating system from the couch. Shutterstock/ HQuality

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.

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.

Broad public acceptance is vital to the success of energy transitions.

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.

Green hydrogen based on renewable energies can contribute to the energy transition.

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.

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.

Taking place in Madrid from 2 to 13 December, the 25th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25) will focus on the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. The Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) will be represented in Madrid by a number of experts, who will address a range of issues.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Baden-württembergischer Order of Merit for Ortwin Renn

Eighteen people were recently awarded the Order of Merit of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg by Governor Winfried Kretschmann. Professor Ortwin Renn, Scientific Director at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) was among them. Renn was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the transfer of scientific insights into politics, public administration and management and his unstinting commitment to a just and sustainable economic and social order.

Other countries can learn from the German experience with renewable energy integration. Our picture shows the installation of solar modules in upstate New York.

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.

Panel discussion Social Sustainability Barometer for the German Energiewende 2018 Bild 2

The second edition of the Social Sustainability Barometer for the German Energiewende offers insights into public opinion on this important issue. Following a presentation by social scientist and author Daniela Setton of the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), a panel of experts highlighted some of the key findings.

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”.

Nine internationally renowned Potsdam-based research institutes want to support the city’s climate protection efforts.

The City of Potsdam has set itself an ambitious climate protection goal: It wants to reduce its CO2 emissions to practically zero by the year 2050. A new long-term partnership between the city and Potsdam-based research institutes is intended to pave the way for this.

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.

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.

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.

Dr. Sonja Thielges

Dr. Rainer Quitzow

Green hydrogen is set to play a central role in the efforts of the European Union and many EU member states to decarbonize different sectors in order to reach their 2050 climate goals. The hydrogen strategy adopted by the European Commission in July 2020 seeks to make green hydrogen an integral part of Europe’s energy system by 2050. In particular, the strategy emphasizes the potential of green hydrogen in sectors where direct electrification is a challenge, including energy storage, heavy-duty transport, aviation, shipping, and energy-intensive manufacturing. However, in order to enable a market ramp-up for hydrogen, low-carbon hydrogen derived from fossil fuels is also being considered as a production option alongside green hydrogen.

Dr. Sonja Thielges

Silvia Weko

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.

Dr. Rainer Quitzow

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.

Dr. Rainer Quitzow

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.

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.

Dr. Sonja Thielges

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.

Dr. Rainer Quitzow

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.

Events

08.10.2020

EU-Russia energy relations are currently dominated by trade in oil and gas. Russia is the EU’s largest supplier of hydrocarbons, while the EU represents its largest export market. As the EU continues to decarbonize its energy sector, imports of fossil oil and gas are expected to decrease over the coming decades. This development does not necessarily mean that the EU will no longer be dependent on energy imports, however. Rather, it is likely that the EU, led by a number of ambitious member states, will transition to the import of renewable energy and possibly decarbonized natural gas.

02.04.2020 - 03.04.2020

What are the best pathways for sustainable futures? Master in Global Economic Governance & Public Affairs run an international dialogue with researchers of the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS). Better Governance is at the core of major challenges of the 21st century such as Systemic Risks and the Covid19 crises, the Geopolitics of the Energy Transition, Global Digital Economy”.

04.03.2020

The IASS and the Federal Foreign Office invited experts from various federal ministries, industry, civil society and science to discuss Germany’s "hydrogen foreign policy".

04.09.2019 - 07.09.2019

The Academic Convenors of the ECPR General Conference in Wrocław 2019, taking place from September 4th to 7th, 2019, have confirmed a Section on "Political Economy of the Global Energy Transition: a Multi-scalar Perspective" (Section 44), initiated by the IASS and partners.

21.02.2019

Die kritische Sicht auf die Umsetzung der Energiewende hat seit letztem Jahr deutlich zugenommen. Gleichzeitig wächst die Unzufriedenheit mit der Politik der Bundesregierung und der sie tragenden politischen Parteien. Vor allem wird die Umsetzung der Energiewende als teuer und unfair beurteilt. Das sind nur zwei der zentralen Ergebnisse des neuen Sozialen Nachhaltigkeitsbarometers der Energiewende, das wir Ihnen am 21. Februar in Berlin vorstellen.

10.10.2018

Bei der Energiewende steht bisher die Entwicklung der Strominfrastruktur im Mittelpunkt. Die Erdgasinfrastruktur ist für die Nachhaltigkeitstransformation aber ebenso wichtig. Diese Tagung am IASS fokussiert auf Erdgas als Teil des fossilen Trios

20.09.2018

How can we develop high performance grids for the transmission of electricity from renewable sources? What investment opportunities should be pursued and which policy options will advance the energy transition? Experts from industry and research will present breakthroughs in transmission technologies developed across five demonstration projects.

15.05.2018

Die bilateralen Energiepartnerschaften sind ein wichtiger Baustein in Deutschlands internationaler Energiewendepolitik. Das IASS möchte die Forschung zu den Energiepartnerschaften vorantreiben, indem es eine vergleichende Studie zu den Partnerschaften mit Brasilien, China, Indien, Marokko, Mexiko, Nigeria, Russland, Südafrika, Tunesien und der Türkei erstellt.

16.04.2018

Latin America is an important continent for global climate protection and the global energy transition. The region doesn't just fulfil a global climate protection function with its vast forest areas, in particular the Amazon basin. It is also exposed to the drastic effects of climate change in the form of droughts, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels.