On March 17 and 18, our colleagues Katharina Rothhöft and Felix Kaiser organized the event as part of the EE4InG2 project in collaboration with the project partners (ETA-Solutions GmbH – Holistic Energy System Planning for Industry and Commerce, HOME — IREES GmbH). The goal was to connect the members of the 8th Energy Research Program. The exchange of new research findings contributed to further strengthening the network.
Accompanying the 8th Energy Research Program, scientific evaluations are being conducted within the EE4InG2 project. The aim is to examine techniques and the course of research over the past few years in order to improve the EFP with a view to the future. Another focus is on strengthening and networking the EFP.
Following a brief opening presentation by the project manager and a welcome address from the BMWE, the first day began with keynote presentations on current trends and developments in energy research. This was followed by success stories from the field of energy research.
A panel discussion drew particular interest. Various perspectives from research, industry, politics, and civil society were discussed. In particular, the press spokesperson for Fridays for Future emphasized the urgency of the energy transition and encouraged participants to continue advocating for climate protection.
The day concluded with a poster session where participants had the opportunity to present their research findings. Of particular interest were two posters from the GWI that addressed the topic of hydrogen combustion. The first day of the conference wrapped up with a group dinner and a discussion of the posters.
The second day also began with two keynote sessions and included interactive activities. Participants then worked on various topics at thematic tables. The topics were diverse: ranging from industrial heat pumps and AI to cost awareness in research projects. The results were subsequently presented in a plenary session.
The relaxed and positive atmosphere contributed significantly to the event’s success. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the project sponsor Jülich, the BMWE, and the entire EE4InG2 team. We also thank all attendees for participating in the conference. We look forward to incorporating the insights gained into our work.