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A change in the research landscape in Germany can be observed after the Ethics Commission for a Safe Energy Supply having recommended the nuclear phase-out via the so-called green energy shift in its final report and this being politically resolved. Many current research calls address the changes that are believed to be necessary for the implementation of the green energy shift.

The Ecologic Institute gives in its short study an overview of the current research landscape relating to the energy policy shift in Germany and the European context being of relevance for Germany. Through this overview, possible research deficits shall be identified and evaluated.

The following questions are in the scope of the short study:

• Which research programmes  that deal with the topics of the energy policy shift in Germany already exist or are in the works in Germany and the European context?
• Which institutions finance which programmes?
• What are the most important German research institutes that deal with the topic of the energy policy shift?
• Which questions of relevance for the success of the green energy shift are not addressed and/or not covered by the research institutes?

In doing so, on one hand basic research such as technology development is examined but also socio-scientific (for example acceptance questions), engineering, and economic research. Examples for the latter are the future design of the electricity market or system solutions concerning power generation and consumption. 

Regarding possible research deficits the following questions are in the foreground:

• Is the paradigm change in the energy sector that is seen as necessary for example in the main survey [pdf, 3.7 MB, English] of the German Advisory Council on Global Change for 2011 already anticipated in the research programmes?
• Do the research programmes provide for the necessary linking-up of the disciplines?
• Is the coordination between the already existing policy instruments and the integration of new instruments being considered?
• Is public participation given the appropriate high priority at all steps relating to the implementation of the green energy shift?