Current Projects
CCS strategy: Study on the economic evaluation of CO2 capture, transport and storage
The main objective of the study is to carry out a detailed overall economic assessment of CCS technology within the German government's carbon management strategy. The aim is to analyse the true costs and potential risks of CCS.
CINTRAN
Regions that depend economically on fossil fuel extraction or energy-intensive industries will be disproportionately affected by the decarbonization of industry and the economy. The CINTRAN project examines the complex patterns and dynamics of structural change in these carbon-intensive regions in Europe. It examines the pace of change and the regions' ability to cope with and proactively adapt through highly integrated, inter- and transdisciplinary research in close collaboration with regional stakeholders from four regions that are heavily dependent on fossil fuels: Western Macedonia (Greece), Silesia ( Poland), Ida-Virumaa (Estonia) and the Rheinische Revier (Germany). This knowledge will contribute to a more effective, fairer and more inclusive governance of regional change.
CoalExit
The CoalExit project focuses on the economy of the coal phase-out. The exit from coal presents various opportunities but also risks, which will be further analyzed throughout the project. The focus of the project is on the analysis of the changes for the energy system, the effects on the associated structural change and new political options for a socially acceptable coal phase-out in Germany but also globally.
EnSu - The Roll of Energy Sufficiency in the Energy Transition and Business
How can energy consumption be reduced in absolute terms? How can social change flow into energy modeling? The junior research group "EnSu - The role of energy sufficiency in energy transition and society" has been dealing with these questions since May 2020. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the Research for Sustainable Development (Forschung für Nachhaltige Entwicklung - FONA). Six young scientists from the Freiburg Eco-Institute, the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, Energy and the European University of Flensburg (EUF) have given themselves the goal of researching social transformation processes in the context of the energy transition and making them representable for energy system modeling by April 2025.
H2-Offshore - Production possibilities & effects of sustainable hydrogen from offshore wind energy on the energy system
Within the scope of this project, the potential of hydrogen as a relevant energy carrier of a German and European energy system transition, as well as its generation potential in connection with offshore wind energy in the North Sea region (with special attention to Schleswig-Holstein) are examined.
LeiKomH2
The LeiKomH2 project is investigating the role of hydrogen in municipal heating planning. The aim is to create a guideline for decision-makers to realistically categorise the relevance of hydrogen in the heat supply.
Life 21 - IPC-PL-LIFE AFTER COAL PL - Implementation of the Strategy Climate Neutral Eastern Wielkopolska 2040
The main objective of the project is to significantly reduce the time required to achieve the target goal of the regional climate neutrality strategy by providing the prerequisites for: 1. Establishment and subsequent consolidation of a governance system for achieving climate neutrality at regional and local level . 2. Achieving social acceptance and active participation of the society of East Wielkopolska in the economic and social transformation towards a zero-emission economy. 3. Mobilizing additional external funds for the implementation of the climate neutrality strategy. 4. Supporting the implementation of the climate neutrality strategy with a focus on the transformation process of the utilities sector, transport and small and medium-sized enterprises. 5. Standardization of solutions and their transfer and imitation in other EU regions (including direct transfer and transfer during project lifetime to Łódzkie region and 2 coal regions in Bulgaria). The consortium consists of groups of stakeholders (total about 50 project partners involved) of which Polish municipalities make up the majority.
oemof: Open Energy Modeling Framework
Oemof stands for "Open Energy System Modelling Framework" and provides a free, open source and clearly documented toolbox to analyse energy supply systems. It is developed in Python and designed as a framework with a modular structure containing several packages which communicate through well defined interfaces.
OptIES Dörpum
As part of the OptIES Dörpum research project, cross-sectoral regional energy systems are to be examined, taking into account local and national requirements, using the example of the pilot grid in Dörpum.
SH-Projektionsbericht
The state of Schleswig-Holstein is aiming to become climate-neutral by 2040 and wants to reduce CO2 emissions by 57% by 2030 compared to 1990. In February, the state government published an initial draft on CO2 savings by 2030, which proposes cross-sectoral measures. Our study examines the feasibility of these targets and produces a comprehensive projection report. This involves examining whether the planned measures are sufficient for each sector and identifying potential gaps. We also develop core indicators to regularly review target achievement and develop additional measures if there is a risk of missing the target. The aim is to support the ministry and Schleswig-Holstein's climate neutrality targets with well-founded analyses and flexible strategies.
TRAJECTS
The Transnational Centre for Just Transitions in Energy, Climate and Sustainability- TRAJECTS is one of the four DAAD-funded Global Climate and Environment Centres. Its aim is to support and strengthen transcontinental exchange, research, and education on transitions towards a sustainable future. Given the complexity of these issues, TRAJECTS groups a large diversity of expertise and actors, offering local as well as transnational answers and perspectives towards just transitions.
VISION
The VISION project focuses on developing local visions for a just transition in Mpumalanga, South Africa, a region heavily reliant on coal mining. The project seeks to translate the abstract concept of a just transition into concrete strategies, particularly within the Global South. By organizing workshops, policy briefs, and town hall meetings, the project actively involves local communities, decision-makers, and industry stakeholders. The goal is to integrate these local perspectives into broader national and international discussions, building on insights from European coal phase-outs to advance context-specific solutions for sustainable transitions in coal-dependent regions.