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Energy research is to help secure raw materials and resources for the energy transition and ensure a more efficient use. An important element here is the circular economy. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has launched a call for funding looking primarily at energy research in the areas of research efficiency and the circular economy. The Ministry wants to focus its funding on supporting project ideas that could help reduce primary energy consumption and energy-related carbon emissions in the energy supply. Priority will be given to interdisciplinary projects that involve both research institutes and companies as this will help speed up the implementation of research findings in practice.
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On 16 and 17 March, energy transition visionaries will all have their eyes on Berlin, where the annual Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) will be held for the seventh time to look at the global energy transition. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s meeting will be fully digital, with ministers and other high-ranking policy-makers, business representatives, scientists and civil society activists meeting online. They have all been invited by the Federal Government to discuss the latest trends, multilateral agreements and new business models. What global challenges is the energy transition currently facing? What specific measures will need to be implemented in the coming decade in order to be able to meet the 2050 climate targets? How can the lessons learned from the pandemic inform climate policy? How can our buildings become climate-neutral? What smart mobility solutions will we see emerge in the future? If you want to find out the answers to these questions, you can now register online.
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On 29 January 2021, the German transmission system operators published the first draft of the Grid Development Plan 2021-2035. Professional associations, scientific, political and societal organisations, companies, cities, districts, municipalities and individuals still have until 28 February 2021 to submit statements as part of a consultation process. Following this, the transmission system operators will incorporate the feedback received before publishing a second draft presumably at the end of April and transmitting it to the Bundesnetzagentur. The draft of the Grid Development Plan looks towards 2035 and maps out where the four largest grid operators 50Hertz, Amprion, TenneT and TransnetBW think the projects for new power lines or for the upgrading of existing ones set out by the legislators in the Federal Requirements Plan are not sufficient, and where additional action is needed. The brochure on ‘figures, data and facts’ (in German only) provides a summary of the most important conclusions from the first draft.
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On 10 February 2021, the cabined adopted a revision of the Energy Industry Act, which serves to fully transpose the EU’s internal electricity market directive into German law. This is good news for consumers as under the revised act, their rights will be strengthened and better protected. For example, they will be entitled to request dynamic-price contracts for electricity. Under such a contract, it can be cheaper, for example, to charge an electric car at night instead of after work. In addition to this, grid operation will become more transparent and flexible. By adopting the revision of the Energy Industry Act, Germany is also starting to bring hydrogen networks under regulation, creating the necessary regulatory framework for the swift and legally secure development of hydrogen infrastructure – a key requirement for a growing hydrogen industry. The revision contains rules on network regulation and rules that will make it easier to switch existing natural gas pipelines to hydrogen.
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