WHAT WE DO

Researching regions in transformation

The Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM) is researching transition processes in a variety of current and former coal regions worldwide, to develop a handbook that can guide just energy transitions in Lusatia, a lignite region in eastern Germany, but also other coal regions. The study is part of the WindNODE project and sponsored by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) as part of the programme ‘SINTEG — Smart Energy Showcases’.

At the heart of the ‘Just Transition Study’ are regional case studies, which investigate the forces behind the energy transition, tools that facilitate just transition processes, and practical experiences. The study examines the role of various factors in each region, including specific technologies, business models, policies, regulatory frameworks, governance models, social innovations, and participatory formats.

The findings of the case studies will be linked to successful approaches from the WindNODE project and compiled into an accessible handbook that can assist regional policy makers and stakeholders in implementing successful transitions in coal and other carbon-intensive regions. As there is no one-size-fits-all approach, our handbook aims to inspire and support the development of solutions that are tailored to the strengths and challenges of a given region.

The handbook will be published in 2021 and feature:

a Just Transition Toolbox for coal regions with best practices, lessons learned and inspiring stories,
a roadmap for the energy transition in Lusatia with practice-oriented recommendations that are tailored to specific regional strengths and challenges, and
recommendations to facilitate a just transition through changes in the regulatory and policy framework across different levels.

Our research is grounded in a systemic transition perspective that assumes that regional transitions to a low-carbon economy are based on social and technological innovations and broad multi-stakeholder participation. Insight from a broad range of stakeholders – including policy makers, business leaders, civil society organisations, researchers, and educators – is therefore a crucial component of the case studies.

Who we are

Institute for Climate Protection,
Energy and Mobility (IKEM)

The Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM) is a Berlin-based think tank that explores energy-transition pathways towards a sustainable society, focusing on the interactions between the legal, economic, and political aspects of Germany’s Energiewende.

The Institute develops targeted communication strategies that extend the reach of scientific research and maximize the impact. Events such as the annual IKEM Academy provide opportunities for collaboration across sectoral and geographical boundaries. IKEM generates public enthusiasm for the energy transition through creative communication formats, like the multi-award-winning Infographic Energy Transition Coloring Book.

Find out more here.

WindNODE

WindNODE is part of the incentive scheme “Smart Energy Showcases” (SINTEG) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. WindNODE encompasses all eastern German states including Berlin under the auspices of the six heads of state government. In WindNODE, over 70 partners work together over more than four years, from 2017 to March 2021, on transferable model solutions for the intelligent energy system of the future. WindNODE demonstrates a network of flexible energy users who can align their consumption of electricity with the fluctuating supply of wind and solar power plants. The objective is the system integration of large volumes of renewable energy while also keeping the power grids stable.

Find out more here.

The team

Sabrina Heinecke

Sabrina Heinecke is a Research Associate in IKEM’s Sustainability and Innovation team and responsible for the ‘Just Transition Study’. She also is involved in other activities that ensure high visibility, transferability, and implementation of WindNODE solutions.

She holds a master´s degree in political science from Freie Universität Berlin and an international bachelor´s degree in political management from the University of Applied Sciences in Bremen. During her studies she worked at the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW), the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and at Ecologic Institute Berlin. Sabrina has experiences with sustainability transitions, strategic and participatory processes as well as local measures for climate mitigation and suitable financing models.

Anika Nicolaas Ponder

Anika Nicolaas Ponder leads the Sustainability & Innovation team at IKEM. Her expertise includes innovative engagement formats for the energy transition, international networks, and project management. Anika has managed the IKEM Academy since 2011. In recent years, she served as project lead for the Baltic InteGrid, an EU consortium investigating meshed offshore grids in the Baltic Sea. She was also project manager for two multi-award-winning collaborative projects between IKEM and Ellery Studio for Creative Strategy.

Anika holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the Amsterdam School of Business and a master’s degree in Sustainable Development from the Sorbonne, Paris.

Kate Miller

Kate is the translator, copywriter, and content editor at IKEM and the University of Greifswald. At IKEM, her projects include writing and editing content for marketing materials and the Gender Equality Toolkit (EQT), including text for the award-winning EQT poster. At the University of Greifswald, Kate leads a University seminar on US law and environmental policy and translates texts on environmental law. Kate´s work for the ‘Just Transition Study’ focuses on content editing, case study research, and facilitating the exchange with stakeholders in the US.

Kate is originally from the US and holds a Bachelor of Arts in German and German Studies from Haverford College and a master’s degree in Sociology from the University of California-Davis. She is also the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and the co-founder of an award-winning NGO for at-risk teenagers in Philadelphia.

Dàmir Belltheus Avdic

Dàmir is a Research Associate in IKEM’s Sustainability and Innovation team and supporting the case study research and stakeholder dialogue within the ‘Just Transition Study’.

He has a degree in History from Université Panthéon-Sorbonne, a BSc in Economics & Business from the University of Amsterdam and a master’s degree in International Relations from Sciences Po Paris. His professional experience includes project management in EU capacity-building projects as well as work on a wide range of research subjects, including offshore wind, and meshed grids in particular.

Odile Stabon

Odile is a Graphic Designer at IKEM. She is in charge of translating elaborate research into visually compelling infographics and posters. She ensures that the IKEM design guidelines are consistent in online and printed publications.

Odile studied Industrial Design at Brunel University in London, specialising in service design and communication.

Luca Liebe

Luca Liebe is a part of the Sustainability and Innovation team at IKEM, with most of his work focused on the ‘Just Transition Study’.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and the University of Warsaw in politics and international relations with a minor in law. He is currently completing a master’s degree in political science at the University of Potsdam. Mr. Liebe’s emphasis therein lies in climate and environmental policy at the international level.

The ‘Just Transition Study’ is part of the WindNODE project and sponsored by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) as part of the programme ‘SINTEG — Smart Energy Showcases’.

About us