Stronger focus on agile innovations

24.03.2025

Source: E & M powernews

An impulse paper with five recommendations for the strategic further development of research funding has been presented by the advisory board for the BMWK's energy research program.

The scientific advisory board for the energy research program of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) has published an impulse paper. It contains concrete proposals on how to further develop the funding of energy research in a sustainable way.

In the paper, the committee advocates an accelerated transformation of the energy system and formulates five recommendations for policymakers. According to the Advisory Board, the aim is to strengthen Germany's energy and technology sovereignty and to achieve the legally enshrined goal of climate neutrality by 2045.

Background: The advisory board is part of the governance structure of the energy research program and regularly advises the BMWK on strategic issues. It is made up of experts from science, industry and civil society institutions.

It is currently chaired by Britta Buchholz, Vice President "Active Distribution Networks" at the technology group Hitachi Energy and Chairwoman of the Energy Technology Society in the Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (VDE). Kirsten Westphal (BDEW) is also a member of the advisory board

According to the paper, the energy system as a critical infrastructure must become a greater focus of research funding. In this context, the advisory board calls for an increase in public spending on research, innovation and knowledge transfer, among other things. Specifically, the members recommend increasing the share of this expenditure to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product.

At the same time, the Council advocates greater support for application and implementation-oriented research. This is crucial in order to transfer results from science into practice. This also includes targeted support for collaborative projects involving industry.

As a third recommendation, the paper mentions a closer interlinking of research and industrial policy objectives. This requires both agile project formats, which particularly appeal to start-ups, as well as long-term program lines for larger corporate alliances. These should cooperate with scientific institutions along value chains.

As a fourth measure, the Council proposes prioritizing fields of innovation that are oriented towards long-term, stable guard rails. These guard rails should be knowledge-based and provide reliable orientation - both for research players and for industry.

The committee also emphasizes the importance of cross-cutting topics. These include digitalization, artificial intelligence, power electronics and energy storage solutions. These fields should be specifically promoted, taking into account energy and resource efficiency as well as aspects of the circular economy.

Strengthening the "Mission Transfer" in the energy research program

The paper also reaffirms the role of energy research as a mediator between science, industry and society. As part of the current, eighth energy research program, it is planned to specifically incorporate feedback from research practice into the further development of funding. The advisory board plays an important advisory role in this.

According to the BMWK, the so-called "Mission Transfer" in the energy research program is intended to ensure that practical research is given greater visibility and that its impulses reach the economic and social reality. The impulse paper is intended as a contribution to the further development of applied energy research in Germany.

The impulse paper "Opportunities and challenges for the further development of energy research funding" can be downloaded from the website of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Author: Davina Spohn