The energy research programme of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action
A climate-neutral and secure energy supply requires bold solutions. This is why companies and research institutions are working intensively on the small and large aspects of the energy transition. Ultimately, these many elements should result in a climate-neutral and resilient energy system by 2045. In order to accelerate this process, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) has defined the guidelines for funding applied energy research with its research programme as part of a mission-oriented innovation policy.
It contributes to the achievement of the Federal Government's energy and climate policy goals. Furthermore, the programme not only supports the energy transition through the expertise developed, but also secures value creation, jobs and prosperity in Germany. It also strengthens the leading position of German companies in the field of modern energy technologies in international competition.
Mission-orientated innovation policy for the energy transition
In its research programme for applied energy research, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action has defined the basic lines and priorities of its funding policy in the area of innovative solutions for the energy transition. With this programme, the BMWK is pursuing a mission-oriented innovation policy. This means that cross-sector and cross-disciplinary research funding is geared towards specific, ambitious goals for each mission. The focus is on quickly putting research results that contribute to the development of a climate-neutral, secure energy supply into practice. Through the mission-oriented programme approach, applied energy research contributes to developing a broad spectrum of solutions for the transformation process in the energy sector for the market in order to achieve the climate protection goals. The Ministry aims to achieve this through a broad funding approach along the entire value chain and by focussing on the transfer of results.
The priorities of the new energy research programme are
- Research for a resilient and efficient energy system Mission Energy System
- Research for a climate-neutral heating and cooling supply Mission Heat Transition
- Research for the conversion of the electricity supply to renewable energies Mission Electricity Transition
- Research for a sustainable hydrogen economy Mission Hydrogen
- The rapid transfer of research results into practice Mission Transfer
Applied energy research as a pioneer for climate neutrality
The economy and society are dependent on a reliable and affordable energy supply. On the one hand, this requires the permanent availability of technically and economically usable forms of energy. On the other hand, with increasingly fluctuating feed-in and digital networking, the technical robustness and resilience of the supply system is a strategically important task with economic, security and socio-political relevance.
An important requirement of energy research policy is to create solutions for the climate neutrality of the energy system. This can only be achieved if the proportion of renewable energy in all sectors of the supply system continues to increase. In order to integrate these into existing systems in an optimal and resource-saving manner, the various system elements must be considered together and across the board. Be it electricity grids, digitalisation, hydrogen technologies and sector coupling or even society.
However, energy research is not just about switching to climate-neutral energy sources. The focus is also on lowering CO2 emissions and reducing energy requirements and the use of resources. Through further development and optimisation, applied energy research contributes to making infrastructure, buildings, residential areas and industrial production processes more energy and resource efficient.