The European energy system is undergoing a significant transformation. The main drivers of this change are climate change and the policies designed to address it, as the energy system is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the European Union.

The increased use of renewable energy sources as well as energy-saving efforts are considered key approaches for transforming the energy system toward a climate-friendly model. With regard to renewable energy, the Europe 2020 strategy calls for increasing its share of total energy consumption to 20% by 2020. The Europe 2020 strategy represents the EU’s agenda for jobs and growth in the 2020s. These targets, in turn, have numerous implications for other areas of society and the economy, such as transport (e.g., electromobility), heating supply (e.g., the use of heat pumps), and the use of natural resources (e.g., critical raw materials such as rare earths used in wind turbines).

The Spring School will address various economic, ecological, and social implications of the intended climate-friendly transformation of the energy system. It will examine effects at the global, European, and local levels as well as interactions between different geographical scales. Knowledge of the interdependencies between different levels, dimensions, and areas of impact is essential for a successful transformation of the European energy system.

Various research approaches that can enhance interdisciplinary understanding (cross-impact balance analysis, joint production and impure public goods models) are part of the Spring School’s curriculum. Interdisciplinary thinking and understanding are particularly fostered through the integration of economics, psychology, and natural sciences.

The Spring School took place from 19 to 22 March 2018.

Programme

The programme of the Spring School can be found here.

Application

All available places for this event have already been filled; therefore, new applications can no longer be considered. We kindly ask for your understanding.