Headline: TPEC chats online with staff members of international organizations: A joint project with the German Foreign Office

Potsdam, April 12, 2012. Answers to pressing energy change questions came speedily over online chat today from Dr. Kathrin Goldammer, project manager, and Dr. Dolores Volkert, researcher from the “Transdisciplinary Panel on Energy Change,“ (TPEC) in cooperation with the German Foreign Office. The questions were posed by staff members of international organizations, such as the European Union. The chat took place on the German Federal Government’s online platform “CommIO”, which is overseen by the Foreign Office and has over 1300 members. Ambassador Bernd Bordchardt sat in on the chat session as Foreign Office representative.

The Internet discussion offered Drs. Goldammer and Volkert of the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) more than a good opportunity to inform multipliers worldwide about the energy change and the research initiative TPEC. The chat also gave them a good look into the expectations and ideas coming from outside of Germany.

Dr. Goldammer and Dr. Volkert chatted with Germans working abroad for over an hour on energy change issues, as well as the research project launched by IASS Executive Director Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer in March. The international requirements for a secure supply of renewable energy, for example, was a matter of strong interest. Dr. Kathrin Goldammer emphasized that the success of the energy change strongly depends on developments in Europe and worldwide. “That is why interlinking the European markets – technically as well as market-economically – is so significant.”

What does the energy market of the future – in which the renewable sources will be integrated – look like? This is precisely what TPEC investigates. The global chat participants also raised questions about other TPEC research topics. Dr. Goldammer and Dr. Volkert explained that TPEC focusses on new energy sources, energy storage, energy efficiency and energy reduction. The process involves close cooperation with partners in economics, politics and science.

For further information about the Transdisciplinary Panel on Energy Change (TPEC)