Energy Research in North Rhine-Westphalia - Innovations for Climate Protection

The event series "NRW Climate Lounge" offers events alongside COP23 on nine weekdays from 5 – 7 p.m. Before introducing the topic of the day, the Wuppertal Institute will present the daily update on the current official negotiations at COP23.

Next, key initiatives in the field of energy research from North Rhine-Westphalia will be presented. In addition to a general overview of the energy research landscape in NRW, the focus here is to introduce the work of the "Virtual Institutes", which themselves as composite institutions of interdisciplinary collaboration from various research institutes represent innovation. The three "Virtual Institutes" presented address issues such as the main non-technical effects of the energy transition (e.g. behavioural patterns and routines), the possibilities of converting electricity to gas and heat and the opportunities presented by "smart energy". The programme will be wrapped up with a presentation of the results from the lead project "Technologies for the Energy Transition", currently being conducted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). The project serves as the central groundwork for further development of the Federal Government’s energy research programme. Which technologies are essential for the national and international energy transition, according to a systematic approach? Where is Germany positioned in this area in terms of research and industrial policy? In which areas do we need further innovation?

Moderator: Dr. Frank-Michael Baumann, EnergyAgency.NRW

Speakers:

• Wolfgang Obergassel, Research Group Energy, Transport and Climate Policy, Wuppertal Institute – Update on the ongoing negotiations at COP23
• Dr. Peter Viebahn, Co-director oft he Research Group Future Energy and Mobility Structures, Wuppertal Institute: Technologies for the energy transition – results of the lead project
• Georg Unger, Cluster EnergieForschung.NRW: North Rhine-Westphalia energy research landscape
• Prof. Dr. Manfred Fischedick, Vice-President, Wuppertal Institute: Virtual institute "Transformation energy transition NRW"
• PD Dr. Dietmar Lindenberger, Managing Director at the Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI): Virtual institute "Power to gas and heat"
• Prof. Dr. Thorsten Schneiders, Head of Research Group "Smart Energy.NRW", Technical University of Cologne: Virtual institute "Smart Energy"

However the outcome of this year's COP, our scientists will report. Stay tuned: #MakingParisPossible

UN accreditation is not required for the event series. Additional dates for the event series and COP23 can be found at the following links.