IKEM Academy 2022 Magazine

Our energy future: Innovation and participation to reach our climate targets

Dear reader,

Now more than ever, the climate and energy fields need bold ambition, future-oriented innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. In 2022, the 19th annual IKEM Academy: Energy and Climate united participants from 24 countries to do just that.

Over the course of one week, participants deepened their understanding of the latest trends in the energy transition – and forged new friendships – while designing a future city, touring a wind park, attending expert-led seminars, and sampling sustainably brewed beers. A Future Booth powered by artificial intelligence even offered an opportunity to visualise sustainable futures together!

When it comes to the climate crisis, the stakes have never been higher. But the energy, expertise and enthusiasm of the IKEM Academy speakers and participants shows that we’re up to the challenge! We hope you’ll join the Academy’s climate community in the years to come. Until then, this magazine will give you a glimpse of the innovative ideas and inspiring experiences the Academy has to offer.

Happy reading!

Anika Nicolaas Ponder Head of Sustainability & Innovation, IKEM

ABOUT IKEM ACADEMY: ENERGY AND CLIMATE

IKEM Academy is an innovative, interdisciplinary and international programme organised annually in close collaboration with the University of Greifswald. For nearly two decades, the Academy has been a leading international forum for researchers and professionals in energy and climate fields. Over the course of the five-day programme, Academy participants exchange expertise in creative workshops, tour state-of-the-art renewable-energy installations, and at-

tend presentations and seminars led by distinguished researchers, professors, industry professionals, and representatives of governments and think tanks. The Academy, located in Berlin, is open to 25–30 participants who work in energy- or climate-related fields or have a specific interest in the programme topic. Applicants are selected based on their academic and professional qualifications and must have experience relevant to the focus of the upcoming Academy.

ABOUT IKEM

The Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM) is an independent research institute and registered NGO affiliated to the University of Greifswald. IKEM’s interdisciplinary research explores potential legal, political, economic and social pathways to a sustainable energy transition in Germany and around the world.

IKEM ACADEMY: A STORIED PAST

The Academy has been building an international climate community of thinkers and doers for 19 years! During that time, it has brought together experts from over 50 different countries to discuss key issues in the energy and climate fields, with a new topic selected each year. Below is a timeline of the Academy’s storied past.

Transition from Nuclear Energy to Renewable Energy Sources

2004Greifswald, Germany

2009

Bridging the Divide in Global Climate Policy 2.0: From Bali to CopenhagenAmsterdam, the Netherlands

Transnational Energy Grids: Challenges on the Way to Sustainable Energy Transmission, Greifswald, Germany

2015

Governing Climate Change: A Multi-Level

Approach to Energy System

TransformationGreifswald and Berlin, Germany

Implementing KyotoChances and Challenges for Transition CountriesIrkutsk, Russia

Realizing the Paradigm Shift towards Energy Sustainability - Greifswald, Germany

Socio-Economic Opportunities and Drivers on the Way to a Low-Carbon SocietyGuildford and London, the United Kingdom

Emissions Trading in Europe – Review and Preview

Greifswald, Germany

Bridging the Divide in Global Climate Policy: Strategies for Enhanced Participation & Integration - Budapest, Hungary

Energy Transition: Expansion and Integration of RES - Berlin, Germany

Energy Transition 2.0: Further Deployment and Market Integration of Renewable Energy - Berlin, Germany

Climate Change and the Energy Challenge: Energy E ciency and Renewable ResourcesBrussels, Belgium

2016

Towards 100% renewable: Connecting energy sectors for a global energy transitionGreifswald and Berlin, Germany

2018 Sustainable Cities: Low-Carbon Policy for the Urban Energy TransitionGreifswald and Berlin, Germany

Roadmap to a lowcarbon future: policy and finance for climate action - Greifswald and Berlin, Germany

Our energy future: Participation and innovation to reach our climate targets – Berlin, Germany

Climate change at a crossroads: Opportunities and challenges for a global green recovery - Digital event

Climate countdown: The next phase of the energy transition –Digital event

Social innovation in the energy transitionGreifswald and Berlin, Germany

IKEM Academy 2022: Setting the scene

The world continues to reel from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but energy consumption – and the associated emissions – are already returning to business-as-usual levels. The pandemic made only a small dent in an otherwise upward trajectory of emissions, record-breaking temperatures, wildfires and extreme weather events. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused energy shortages, further delaying fossil fuel phase-outs.

But even as the 1.5°C target set in the Paris Agreement appears to drift farther out of reach, there are reasons for optimism: social and technological innovation are opening up new avenues for accelerated climate action – from green hydrogen to digital participation opportunities, and from new policy initiatives to bottom-up climate litigation. With these new tools at our disposal, IKEM Academy 2022 explored the question: what does our energy future look like? How can we leverage existing and new technologies, increase our ambition and boost public participation to decarbonise our societies and reach our climate targets on time? These questions were unpacked during energy site visits, co-creative workshops, expert lectures and panel discussions with world-renowned thinkers and innovators.

IKEM Academy participants included experts from a wide range of interdisciplinary fields: lawyers, engineers, economists, social scientists, startup leaders, science communicators and more! Together, they analysed and ideated solutions to the main climate and energy challenges of our time, building new partnerships along the way.

IKEM ACADEMY 2022

Meet the speakers

Sam Holleran University of Melbourne

Arne Riedel Ecologic Institute

Paul Chahine Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE)

Bernd Riedel Ellery Studio for Creative Strategy

Thilo Krupp Stiftung OFFSHOREWINDENERGIE

Dr. Simon SchäferStradowsky IKEM

Nerissa Anku University of Energy and Natural Resources

Matthias Heskamp Radbahn gUG

Anika Nicolaas Ponder IKEM

Friederike Pfeifer IKEM

Haseeb Bahtary Climate Focus

Olaf Bender Urban Mobility innovations

Dr. Ing.- Andreas Geiges Climate Analytics

Maria João C. P. Rolim CEPMLP Dundee

Chibuikem Agbaegbu Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility

Philine Wedell dena Energie und Betriebe

Henrike Lindemann Green Legal Impact Germany e.V.

Luca Liebe IKEM

Kate McKenzie IKEM

Dr. Stephanie Siewert Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Marie Lange SolarBlick

Odile Stabon IKEM

Francesca Mascha Klein ClientEarth

Alexandra Steinkraus IKEM

Dr. Kathleen Pauleweit IKEM

Dàmir Belltheus Avdic IKEM

Lennart Kehlenbeck Wirtschaftsförderung Land Brandenburg

'IKEM Academy is unique because it allows you to meet experts from around the world and gives you the sense that there are people everywhere with great ideas about how to accelerate the energy transition .'

Leonie Tasse Student, University of Bremen

DAY 1

Energy utopia: From imagination to transformation

The first day of the Academy centred on the importance of imagination and creativity in the process of transforming today’s energy system into one that is both equitable and sustainable. Following a welcome speech at IKEM, the first session invited participants to explore a utopian vision of our future energy system – first during an interactive seminar on energy utopias and future research methodologies, and then during a visit to the Futurium: House of Futures. The Futurium showcases innovative sustainability ideas that could shape our future, and the well-designed exhibition encouraged participants to think visually and creatively about the different futures we can imagine and the kind of world we want to live in. This utopic ‘what if?’ premise laid the foundation for the intensive content-related discussions that would follow in the remaining days of the programme.

Communication and creativity: New tools to meet the climate challenge

Tuesday began with a hands-on, interactive workshop moderated by the creative talent of Ellery Studio. Participants were divided into small groups and coached to design a sustainable city. They started by drawing the landscape and borders, then built infrastructure collaboratively using tactile tools like Post-its, tin foil, yarn, Play-Doh and more. The exercise fostered exchange and networking among the participants as they developed innovative solutions to real-life energy challenges. In the afternoon, the group visited a wind farm near Berlin, where participants had an opportunity to interview the operator about the planning, construction and operation of a wind farm. The day closed with a visit to Brauhaus Neulich, a local brewery that produces beer using green energy!

Interactive workshop

Site visits

Site visit to Teut Windpark and Brauhaus NEULICH

DAY 3

Energy transition worldwide: Taking stock

On Wednesday, the programme focused intensively on the state of the global energy transition, challenges in international climate governance, the importance of climate finance and sustainable bonds, the future of green hydrogen, the role of forests and land use, and energy justice. While Monday and Tuesday featured excursions and participatory formats, Wednesday’s agenda offered an immersive line-up of expert-led discussions in a more traditional conference setting.

'Public money is not enough. We need private investors to play a role in the energy transition . With only public money, we won’t be able to reach our targets.'

Paul Chahine Luxembourg Stock Exchange

digital interaction Hybrid session

DAY 4

Bottom-up drivers of action, innovation and empowerment

On Thursday, the Academy narrowed its scope to the opportunities that a decentralised energy supply can offer. In sessions on social innovation, science communication and Nigeria’s net-zero plan, discussions centred on the potential for the energy transition to empower citizens and communities.

The afternoon featured panel discussions on topics including climate litigation and the importance of locally produced green energy. Participants were encouraged to interact with the expert speakers, and the Thursday programme concluded with a lively discussion.

action on climate change by strengthening the legal arguments that enable courts to hold governments to account.'

Dr. Kate McKenzie | IKEM

Graphic recordings

DAY 5

Beyond electricity: Green innovation for an integrated world

Friday marked the final day of IKEM Academy. The day began with a deep dive into innovative topics, including virtual power plants and new developments in the offshore wind sector, from hydrogen to hybrid projects. The next session, an interactive panel discussion, examined how sustain -

able mobility and green cities can boost health and quality of life – and how we can combine the two. The day concluded with a co-creative workshop that encouraged participants to apply the principles of design thinking as analytical tools, in their professional work and beyond.

Interactive workshop

Climate experts discuss the challenges ahead – and share what keeps them optimistic

The energy transition has gained momentum over the past few years, but many obstacles remain. What do you see as the main challenges to its success?

Nerissa Anku: The main challenge is the lack of political will to implement policies that advance the use of clean energy technology. In Ghana,

for instance, we have good policies, but these policies aren’t working, because we don’t hold our leaders responsible for policy outcomes. We need to put pressure on governments to steer the process –so that someone will have the will to say, ‘It’s time to do this’, and then do it.

Francesca Mascha Klein: The activities of governments and companies don’t reflect the urgency and fundamental change that is required in the

Francesca Mascha Klein Lawyer | Client Earth

Nerissa Anku PhD Student | University of Energy and Natural Resources

Mauricio Barriga Development Engineer | EMCEL GmbH

Sonakshi Saluja Guest Researcher | Reiner Lemoine Institut

Dr. Carlos Gaete-Morales Research Associate | German Institute for Economic Research

face of the climate crisis. Fossil fuels still represent a major energy source and are often even subsidised, despite clear scientific evidence of their detrimental effects on the climate, the environment and health. Instead of enabling resource depletion and excess consumption in the name of economic growth, political decision-making must prioritise human well-being and the health of our planet.

Dr. Carlos Gaete-Morales: My research focuses on technological challenges in the power system. In that context, one of the most significant challenges is identifying the technologies that can fulfil the power demand and accommodate the peak load. We need to understand when peak load will occur and determine which technologies will be able to meet it, while considering factors such as costs and the implications for sustainability.

Sonakshi Saluja: A successful energy transition will require behavioural changes with regard to energy consumption. Motivating these behavioural changes is a challenge in every society. We need incentives and perks to promote these behavioural changes so that sustainable methods of energy production will be adopted and actually used.

Mauricio Barriga: The main challenge is making the necessary investment. That doesn’t just mean that we need to direct financial resources to energy projects. We also need to develop an adequate regulatory framework, and we need to be willing to change our own behaviour as consumers.

'The activities of governments and companies do not reflect the urgency and fundamental change that is required in the face of the climate crisis.'

Francesca Mascha Klein Client Earth

What gives you hope that the energy transition will succeed?

Anku: What gives me hope is the fact that we’re here, talking about it. Everybody knows that climate change is real and that we have to take action to limit global warming. There’s a lot of promising technology available, and there’s so much ongoing innovation. Hopefully, one day, world leaders will also take action to make our planet a safer place.

Klein: Legal interventions brought by environmental organisations and communities who are most vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis can be very impactful. Holding governments and companies accountable can lead to a stronger culture of compliance and trigger a broader paradigm shift.

Gaete-Morales: The development of new technologies makes me hopeful that our energy system is moving in a more sustainable direction. Every day, new breakthroughs – like an increase in the energy density of batteries – move us a little closer to our goal.

Saluja: It always inspires me to see how many people are working to save the planet for others. When I see that

there are so many people who are really motivated to invest in these efforts, I feel hopeful that we will succeed.

Barriga: There is a growing understanding that technology, policy and behavioural changes all play a role in the energy transition and require complementary approaches. That gives me hope. We’re also seeing more clearly what changes we need to make at a macro or governmental level, as well as at a personal level.

How do international conferences like IKEM Academy advance progress towards our energy transition goals?

Anku: IKEM Academy has been wonderful and eye-opening. The multidisciplinary format makes it possible to share

knowledge on a wide range of topics, from science communication to technology to the legal aspects of the energy transition. I’ve learned so much that will help me improve my work. I believe that everyone can benefit from this programme. I’ve enjoyed every bit of it.

Klein: IKEM Academy brings together so many different people to network, exchange ideas and develop solutions. This paves the way for the multidisciplinary, international collaboration needed to tackle the climate crisis and accelerate the energy transition.

Gaete-Morales: At IKEM Academy, I had an opportunity to find out more about so many aspects of the energy transition. As a very technical person, I usually work with equations. But at the Academy, I also learned how we,

'There is a growing understanding that technology, policy and behavioural changes all play a role in the energy transition and require complementary approaches. That gives me hope.'

Mauricio Barriga EMCEL Gmbh

as researchers, can extend the reach of our work, for example by using elements of graphic design to communicate our ideas to the community. It was very useful to me to take in all of these different ideas, and I think we really made headway in resolving some of the challenges of the energy transition.

Saluja: IKEM Academy encourages diverse perspectives. That’s crucial, because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the energy transition. Solu-

tions can’t come only from one sector of society. By exchanging ideas and listening to different perspectives, we can understand how to modify approaches based on different contexts.

Barriga: IKEM Academy creates a real space for exchange, and the topics we’re learning about are engaging and diverse. We have an opportunity to explore different topics and communicate with each other about our ideas, and that helps us find solutions.

'IKEM Academy encourages diverse perspectives. That’s crucial, because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the energy transition .'

Sonakshi Saluja Reiner Lemoine Institut

HIGHLIGHT

Our energy future: Collaborative roadmaps to reach our climate targets

The final event of the 19th IKEM Academy was a collaborative workshop that challenged participants to develop concrete strategies to meet sustainability goals. Drawing on the principles of design thinking, the workshop explored a central question: how can we get everyone on board to reach our climate goals?

The workshop was moderated by two members of IKEM’s Sustainability and Innovation Department: graphic designer Odile Stabon and research associate Alexandra

Steinkraus. Stabon guided the workshop with her knowledge of design thinking methodologies, while Steinkraus contributed her expertise in the fields of climate security and environmental economics.

Over the course of the 2022 Academy programme, speakers emphasised the need for society to work together to find long-lasting, effective solutions that could drive change. The goal of the workshop was to develop concrete approaches to meet this challenge.

During the workshop, participants were split into four groups and assigned one of four ‘identities’ : individuals, companies, governments or international organisations.

Each group was tasked with developing short-, mediumand long-term solutions that could fulfil the needs and wants of the individuals or organisations they represented.

Groups were asked to focus on solutions that would be ‘desirable’, ‘viable’ and ‘feasible’ – the criteria applied to potential innovations during the design thinking process.

Participants began by examining possible solutions in the abstract sphere of ‘desirability ’, then gradually narrowed the scope to the more tangible considerations of ‘feasibility ’ and ‘viability ’ The exercise encouraged the groups to develop sustainable solutions that could balance diverse needs.

In the final stage of the workshop, groups took to the stage to share their ideas. Participants presented a wide range of potential solutions. One group introduced itself as an international organisation committed to advancing the rights of indigenous people; another group represented a

yogurt company whose mission was to reduce its carbon footprint in all stages of the product life cycle.

Design thinking tools encouraged participants to think outside the box and use creative play as a means to envision desirable futures.

The experience highlighted the importance of adopting an interdisciplinary approach to solve climate issues – and of putting innovation and co-creation at the forefront of that process. The event wrapped up the ambitious 2022 Academy on an inspiring, optimistic note.

Interactive workshop

'Design thinking tools encouraged participants to think outside the box and use creative play as a means to envision desirable futures.'

Odile Stabon Designer, IKEM

HIGHLIGHT Visions of the future: ‘Future Booth’ pioneers the use of AI-generated art in the sustainability field

As the IKEM Academy farewell barbecue got underway, a line began to form in one corner of the patio, where strings of white lights illuminated two computer monitors perched atop a folding table. At first, the IKEM Academy participants who clustered around the humble set-up puzzled over the meaning of a sign reading ‘Future Booth’, which stood propped against a nearby bench. But within minutes, they watched in amazement as their own visions of a sustainable future took shape on the monitors in front of them – a feat made possible by artificial intelligence (AI).

The idea to integrate AI-generated imagery into the Academy programme originated with two employees of Ellery Studio for Creative Strategy , a Berlin-based design agency that has collaborated with IKEM on science communication projects like the Infographic Energy Tran-

sition Coloring Book. One July evening, as Executive Creative Director Bernd Riedel and Digital Lead Brady Kuehl experimented with the new AI-based imaging tool MidJourney, they discussed how the new technology might have an impact outside the art world. The concept of visualising alternative realities, they realised, overlapped with one of the key themes of IKEM Academy 2022: the need to integrate creativity and innovation into the design of sustainable futures.

The Academy, which was set to begin in the following week, would encourage participants to consider creative approaches to architecture, transit and land use that could promote healthy, liveable, climate-neutral urban development. Participants would examine the topic of sustainable cities on a site visit to the Futurium museum and in a participatory workshop led by Riedel

Riedel and Kuehl pitched the idea of a ‘Future Booth’ to Nicolaas Ponder. The booth, they explained, would expand on the conference topics while exploring a potential use for the new AI-powered tool. Participants could generate their own vision of the future and then share their ideas with others.

Nicolaas Ponder immediately recognised the concept as a valuable addition to the 2022 Academy agenda. AI technology has been widely used to enhance sustainabil-

and Anika Nicolaas Ponder, the coordinator of IKEM Academy.

ity efforts in recent years, for example by lowering energy consumption in factories. But Riedel and Kuehl were proposing something novel: the use of AI for artistic purposes within the sustainability field.

‘IKEM Academy and the Future Booth are both embedded in the same basic idea,’ said Nicolaas Ponder, ‘which is that we need to think about our future in engaging, activating, optimistic ways. At the Academy, the image generation tool was the trig-

ger we needed to get people to actively think about the future they want to live in and to start visualising their future in a participatory way.’

To create a picture with MidJourney, users input a string of words to specify the content, style, colours and dimensions of their desired image. Within seconds, the programme conjures a set of original images that meet these specifications.

The tool’s rich visuals are useful in discussions of the future, Kuehl said, because they can ‘make abstract ideas tangible.’ That’s crucial, he added, because one of the most stubborn obstacles to climate action is that ‘a lot of people just have trouble imagining solutions.’

Participatory AI-generated visuals could also be useful in increasing public acceptance of climate action, said Nicolaas Ponder.

‘In the climate field, we tend to talk about the need to give things up and make life changes just to maintain the conditions we have today. That’s a difficult motivator,’ she said. ‘I think it’s impor -

'The Future Booth and IKEM Academy are both embedded in the same basic idea, which is that we need to think about our future in engaging, activating, optimistic ways.'

Anika Nicolaas Ponder Head of Sustainability & Innovation, IKEM

tant to think not just about what we’re giving up, but also about what we can gain. That includes a socially just future, with green housing and green spaces that are affordable and accessible to everybody .’

Tools like MidJourney can bring those possibilities to life in a unique way, she said. ‘The combination of AI technology, visual arts and climate science is especially promising in the context of “backcasting”,’ she noted, referring to a planning method that involves working backwards from a certain desirable outcome to determine the steps necessary to achieve it. Backcasting is useful in discussions of climate change because it draws a direct line from action (or inaction) in

of

imagery that shows desirable, sustainable futures. The AI Future Booth allows everyone to create and share their visions. It’s a democratisation of imagination!'

the present day to the consequences in the near and distant future. AI-generated imagery can cultivate a similar sense of immediacy, said Nicolaas Ponder: ‘when we think about the future in visual ways, we can better understand what it looks like, and that’s a powerful tool for getting people excited about the prospect of a better future.’

Riedel and Kuehl hope that the Future Booth at IKEM Academy demonstrated the value of participatory visualisation tools in solving real-world problems.

‘The climate field is in dire need of inspiring imagery that shows desirable, sustainable futures,’ said Riedel. ‘The AI Future Booth allows everyone to create and share their vi-

'The climate field is in dire need

inspiring

Bernd Riedel

Executive Creative Director, Ellery Studio

sions.’ Participatory formats like these are potentially transformative, he said, because they represent a ‘democratisation of imagination.’

AI-generated imagery can play an important role in climate-related problem-solving, added Kuehl. ‘This kind of technology could be useful any

time there’s a problem that can be addressed by showing other people what a solution might look like. That’s especially valuable in discussions of global warming and climate change, because there’s such an urgent need for us to show people how things could be, how we want them to be, how they should be.’

Kuehl expects that, as AI-powered image generators become more accessible, they will have a growing number of applications in the sustainability field and beyond.

‘With tools like this, the sky’s the limit,’ he said. ‘That’s what makes them so exciting.’

'AI-generated art is especially valuable in discussions of global warming and climate change, because there’s such an urgent need for us to show people how things could be, how we want them to be, how they should be.'

Brady Kuehl Digital Lead, Ellery Studio

IKEM Academy 2022 took participants on a week-long journey that covered a lot of ground – from design thinking workshops to sustainable breweries, from international policy to social innovation, from climate finance to sustainable cities, and from energy justice to climate litigation. Along the way, participants formed friendships and gained new inspiration for international collaboration.

Cooperation that crosses borders and disciplinary fields is key to finding innovative solutions to the climate and energy challenges of our time. And although the stakes have never been higher, the Academy showed that creativity, optimism and joy can be found when we take on these challenges together.

With this magazine, we hope to share a bit of that IKEM Academy energy with you. We look forward to expanding our Academy community in the years to come – and we hope you’ll join us.

Solar greetings,

Anika Nicolaas Ponder

IKEM Academy 2022 is supported by

Lotto-Stiftung Berlin

Acknowledgements

Design direction

Anika Nicolaas Ponder

Odile Stabon

Layout

Odile Stabon

Julie Hertel

Cover illustration

Anna-Louisa Dogley

Julie Hertel

Copy-writing

Anika Nicolaas Ponder

Kate Miller

Odile Stabon

Alexandra Steinkraus

Copy-editing

Kate Miller

Anika Nicolaas Ponder

Special thanks

Brady Kuehl

Bernd Riedel

Nerissa Anku

Francesca Mascha Klein

Sonakshi Saluja

Mauricio Barriga

Dr. Carlos Gaete-Morales

Leonie Tasse

Special thanks to ENERTRAG

Organised by:

IKEM | Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility e.V.

Magazinstraße 15–16, 10179 Berlin

Tel.: +49 (0)30 / 4081870-10

www.ikem.de | www.academy.ikem.de

Visit our

IKEM Academy is a world-renowned multidisciplinary forum for highly qualified researchers and professionals who work or study in energy- and climate-related fields.

Each Academy features creative workshops, expert seminars, energy site visits, panel discussions, innovative interactive formats and networking events for participants who want to learn more, think more and do more for the global energy transition.

This magazine offers a sneak peek at our exciting Academy activities – and at the inspiring people it brings together!