After six years of successful cooperation, the fourth phase of the German-Japanese Energy Transition Council (GJETC) began in October of 2022: The GJETC developed extensive joint recommendations for the implementation and further development of the energy transition, and a large number of publications and outreach events as well as thirteen council meetings contributed to an increased German-Japanese cooperation.
In order to continue to develop independent impulses for a long-term, sustainable overall energy supply strategy, the GJETC is now continuing its work in a fourth project phase with new study topics and cooperation concepts. The relationship of trust that has been created between the council members enables a dialogical and (self-)critical approach to controversial topics.
From the third phase onwards, the scientific exchange on questions regarding energy policy and industry was complemented with "Innovation Partnerships", which aim at exchange between businesses from both countries in a pre-competitive stage. As such the first Innovation Roundtable was held in November of 2021 on the topic of waste heat usage. Another one is planned for 2023.
From October 2022, the fourth phase of the project has focused on "Strategies, concepts and measures for decarbonizing the building stock by 2045/50" and "Pathways to greenhouse gas neutrality for industrial sectors that are difficult to decarbonize: the petrochemical/chemical sector". Taking up the topic of the first Innovation Roundtable, the Council also dedicated a topical paper to the topic of waste heat.
The results of the studies and topical papers are discussed by the council's experts and then communicated to the public at outreach events.
On the German side, the Wuppertal Institute supports the Council's work as a scientific secretariat. On the Japanese side, the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) takes over this task. ECOS Consult provides organizational support for the project on the German side. After Tatsuya Terazawa took over the role of Japanese Co-Chair from his predecessor Prof. Masakazu Toyoda in 2021, there was also a change of Co-Chairs on the German side from Prof. Dr. Peter Hennicke to Dr. Stefan Thomas at the end of 2022.