Hi ,

Last week, Germany battened down the hatches as three (!) storms swept through its northern states. As we close out the month of February, we’re hopeful that calmer waters lie ahead.

Political storm clouds may be starting to clear, at least with regard to Germany’s climate goals. Robert Habeck, the new Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, recently breathed new life into the stalled debate on renewable energy expansion by unveiling an emergency climate programme, which promises to jumpstart Germany’s progress towards ambitious targets. This month, IKEM released a short paper with nine concrete proposals to accelerate this expansion – read on to find out more about our recommendations.

In another promising sign for climate protection, regional interest in the energy transition seems to be on the rise. Attendance at an event organised by IKEM and the Brandenburg Energy Technology Cluster far surpassed expectations: more than 150 stakeholders from across the region exchanged ideas on the potential for locally generated renewable energy. Below, one of the organisers discusses his impressions of the event.

We wish them – and climate advocates everywhere – smooth sailing in the months ahead.

The IKEM Communications Team

At a digital event organised by IKEM and the Brandenburg Energy Technology Cluster, more than 150 stakeholders discussed the potential for power plants in Brandenburg to supply green energy for Berlin. 

The overwhelming turnout shows that there is a clear interest in regional projects that advance the energy transition, said Luca Liebe, an IKEM research associate and one of the main organisers of the event.

The conference, called Regionaler Grünstrom Brandenburg-Berlin: Status, Erfolge, Anwendung, featured a series of presentations on the status of local green energy production and use in Berlin-Brandenburg. 

At the event, which was held in December, IKEM presented best-practice examples, an inventory of green energy projects in the capital region, and the results of an as-yet unpublished study on the legal framework. The results of the study indicate that the current regulatory framework remains a key obstacle to the implementation of green energy projects, even when these projects are technically feasible.

‘Removing these hurdles will be one of the main tasks of the new federal government,’ said Liebe.