As at May 2009

Brief summary of research and development in renewable energies

The Federal Environment Ministry supports application-oriented research projects on wind energy, photovoltaics, low-temperature solar thermal energy, solar thermal power plants, geothermal power, cross-cutting issues, hydro and ocean power and projects geared towards optimising energy systems with regard to increasing shares of renewable energies.

Research and development play a central role when it comes to increasing the use of renewable energies in Germany and to reaching global climate protection goals. The German government aims to increase the share of renewable energies, by 2020, to 18% of total final energy consumption, at least 30% of total electricity consumption, 14% of heat supply and 12% (energy) of total fuel consumption. In 2008, renewables had already reached a share of around 10% in final energy consumption and around 15% in electricity generation.

With the Integrated Energy and Climate Programme (IEKP), the German government has further improved the framework conditions for renewable energies. This programme comprises, inter alia, the amended Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), a Renewable Energies Heat Act, and regulations on the use of combined heat and power (CHP), on energy saving, mobility and fuels.

Research and development contribute to enabling renewables to continue their success story on the market by continuously advancing technological development and steadily reducing prices for manufacture and application.

The Federal Environment Ministry thus pursues clear goals with its research support:

• To further promote the expansion of renewable energies,
• to strengthen the international competitiveness of German enterprises and research institutions in the field of renewable energies and
• to create and maintain new and future-oriented jobs.

Through research support the Federal Environment Ministry creates the preconditions

• for a continuous reduction in renewable energy costs,
• for an overall optimisation of energy systems and
• an environmentally and nature-friendly expansion of renewable energies.

The Federal Environment Ministry attaches great importance to a swift practical application of research findings. This is why the financial participation of companies is a crucial criterion for the selection of submitted project applications.

The projects funded by the Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) are managed by
Projektträger Jülich (PTJ).

In addition to the Federal Environment Ministry, the following ministries also support research and development in the energy sector:

• The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) is in charge of coordinating energy research of the Federation and of energy efficiency.
• The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is in charge of basic research.
• The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) is in charge of reseach funding in the field of biomass.