Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI

We are happy to announce that the next IST conference will take place in Karlsruhe and be hosted by Fraunhofer ISI. In this video, our Executive Director Jakob Edler explains what awaits you 2021 in Karlsruhe.

Despite new technologies and national and international target-setting, the global emissions of CO2 from road transport continue to increase. In a study for the journal "Nature Climate Change", three authors from Germany and Canada show that the current and recently announced policy measures are not sufficient to meet the targets in the Paris Agreement. Their conclusion is that much stricter and more integrated measures and higher carbon prices are needed to reduce emissions.

In a research project, Fraunhofer ISI analyzed how redesigning the EEG levy and electricity tax affects the competitiveness of electricity-based technologies, and what financial impacts this could have on transport, industry, households and the service sector. Some technologies require less financial support, others more. It therefore seems to make sense to apply individual, financial support depending on the sector and technology.

Excess heat from energy-intensive industries is often suitable for use in district heating systems but is usually unutilized. A detailed overview of the potentials available in the EU is now provided by a database of the sEEnergies project. The information is available as maps and downloadable datasets.

Recent research shows that while the EU promotes social and ethical values in research and innovation, such values are not well integrated in research policy or practice. What can be done to improve the alignement of research and societal values in Europe?