German funding for energy research reaches 1.31 billion euros

The German government last year approved 1.31 billion euros in funding for research related to the country’s energy transition, according to the federal environment ministry. As part of the government’s 7th Energy Research Programme, 878.24 million euros in funding supported a total of 6,995 research, development and demonstration projects. The government also granted 314.42 million euros to the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres for energy research. Germany’s 2021 funding level was 8 percent higher than the previous year and marked a 55 percent increase compared to 2014. The financial support is aimed at the research activities of companies, research institutions, universities and other organisations related to new technologies and applications for the energy transition.
The 7th Energy Research Programme focuses on the accelerated transfer of innovations into practice in the energy industry. To that end, the government is funding strategic energy transition undertakings, such as the economy and climate ministry’s Real Laboratories and the education and research ministry’s flagship hydrogen projects. Among those is the North German Real Laboratory, which aims to make hydrogen a sustainable alternative for industry and the heating and mobility sectors. The funded projects are presented in a newly published report.

In its aim to become climate-neutral and less dependent on energy imports, Germany is striving to convert its supply systems to renewable energy, increase energy efficiency and further intensify the market ramp-up for green hydrogen. However, last year's emission data shows that the country is not meeting its CO2 reduction targets in several sectors, after narrowly achieving its 2020 climate goal.