Earlier, Oettinger met PIK director Hans Joachim Schellnhuber in a small circle. “Commissioner Oettinger is convinced that the German Energiewende can only succeed if we think ahead on a European and global scale,” Schellnhuber said. “For the development of relevant strategies, PIK will provide comprehensive analysis.” Science was ready to make its contribution. Suitable models are available at PIK.
In the grand cupola, Stefan Rahmstorf, head of research domain Earth System Analysis, talked about new studies on heat waves and sea-level rise. Climate change is the context of the planned transformation of the European energy system. Brigitte Knopf, head of the research group Energy Strategies Europe and Germany, explained new and large-scale comparisons of computer simulations for the future of energy systems. The model comparisons allowed robust insights, for example on the development of electricity prices in relation to climate protection targets and technology expansion, she explained. PIK coordinates this model comparison, which is a joint project with European scientists and teams from the United States and China. For Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, its head Jan Minx presented the results of the Special Report on Renewable Energy. He highlighted the immense importance of the extension of energy storage and electricity transport.
