Hi ,

2023 was the hottest year on record, according to the latest data from the European Copernicus Climate Change Service. In fact, global temperatures almost reached the 1.5-degree threshold set out in the Paris Agreement. This unexpectedly fast intensification of climate change is a wake-up call: global mitigation efforts are far from sufficient and we must do everything possible to implement effective climate action.

Our goal at IKEM is to make an impactful contribution. On the one hand, with our research, for example, on the energy transition in the Baltic Sea region. More on that in an interview with our colleague Dr. Michael Kalis. Or through recommendations for implementation, just like our proposal for a standardised national regulation for citizen participation in wind and solar parks to increase acceptance. And with science transfer and networking, for example, at the next edition of the Berlin Energy Round Table on 28 February, where we will discuss hydrogen-readyness in existing power plants.

These are the topics of our January newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it!

Until next time,

The IKEM Communications Team

— Dr. Michael Kalis, Head of the IKEM Research Academy and Scientist at IFZO 

The Baltic Sea region stands out as one of the most integrated maritime cultural areas globally. However, since 1989, political and social upheavals have posed challenges to the region, prompting states and societies to respond with both ‘integration’ and ‘demarcation.’ In light of these dynamics, the research projects of the Interdisciplinary Research Center Baltic Sea Region (IFZO) at the University of Greifswald delve into the fragmented transformation in the Baltic Sea region. 

IKEM is a partner of IFZO. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Michael Rodi, who is also the Director of IKEM, the IFZO research department Climate and Energy Policy is developing strategies and concepts for overcoming the fragmented energy policy in the Baltic Sea region in order to make it a model region in the field of energy transformation. Dr. Michael Kalis, who is both a Research Associate at IFZO and Head of the Research Academy at IKEM, also has a dual role. In the following interview, he discusses the goals of IFZO, his research focus, and the opportunities for the energy transition in the Baltic Sea region.

The acceptance of the energy transition hinges on involving residents affected by it – this is the premise of a recently published legal study by IKEM on behalf of the Bündnis Bürgerenergie (BBEn) and the Deutscher Genossenschafts- und Raiffeisenverband (DGRV). Wind and solar parks will only be recognised as positive developments in regions if they provide substantial added value. To address this, IKEM scientists have developed a nationwide proposal for citizen participation.

A broad coalition of representatives from research and industry is urging the German government to allocate funds for applied research on electromobility, both in the budget for the year 2024 and beyond. In an Open Letter, the signatories call on the government to reconsider the planned cuts and discontinuation of funding for measures aimed at advancing electromobility in the Climate and Transformation Fund starting from 2024.

According to the coalition comprising over 25 universities, research institutions, companies, and business networks, including IKEM, the decision to reduce and terminate these funds would be detrimental from both climate and industrial policy perspectives. The coalition warns that this could result in long-term damage to the transformation of the transportation sector, the achievement of climate goals, and the viability of a key industry in Germany.

"Wahl-o-Mat" for the energy transition: Clever online tool leads you to the right project (RESET - Digital for Good)

Active citizen participation is crucial (Tagesspiegel Background Energie & Klima)