Vision and Mission

Agora Energiewende develops scientifically based and politically feasible approaches for ensuring the success of the Energiewende. They see ourselves as a think-tank and policy laboratory, centered around dialogue with energy policy stakeholders. Together with participants from public policy, civil society, business and academia, they develop a common understanding of the Energiewende, its challenges and courses of action. This they accomplish with a maximum of scientific expertise, oriented towards goals and solutions, and devoid of any ideological agenda.

History

In 2012, the European Climate Foundation and the Mercator Foundation founded Agora Energiewende to tackle the challenges posed by the energy transition. Its official mandate is to develop academically rigorous and politically feasible pathways for transforming energy systems toward clean energy in Germany and across the globe. Because its core funding comes from philanthropic organisations, Agora is fully autonomous, operating independently of business interests and political pressures. Within the framework of some international projects, they receive public funds in the form of grants.

Since its founding, Agora Energiewende has become one of Europe’s leading energy policy think tanks. It has developed numerous policies that informed the German government and European institutions.

Agora acts as an intermediary between decision-makers, stakeholders, scientists, and the media by combining research, dialogue, and outreach. Their dedicated team of more than 30 experts examines a host of issues crucial to the energy transition. Through both in-house and commissioned studies, they find answers to economic, technological, and policy questions in order that they may deepen their understanding and create a base of knowledge for developing targeted solutions.

Because no single institution can fully grasp the entire complexity of the transition, Agora fosters intensive dialogue with major stakeholders from public policy, civil society, business, and academia. They provide evidence for setting future energy policy, build consensus about the best solutions, and promote measures to apply in specific contexts.

Structure

Their interdisciplinary team possesses all the expertise needed for a successful energy transition, from experience with long-term planning and a thorough awareness of macro-economic repercussions to specific engineering know-how and an understanding of the nuts and bolts of policy implementation. They investigate topics such as efficiency, market design, supply- and demand-side technology, flexibility, energy economics, power system planning, and political change processes, among many others.

While the power sector is their main area of concentration, they also address interdependencies between it and other sectors and the energy system as a whole. Agora’s Council is populated by some of Germany’s and Europe’s top minds and foremost authorities in clean energy. Ministers, CEOs, professors, civil society leaders, and other key individuals gather regularly to discuss cutting-edge trends, develop new ideas, and advise Agora’s team.