BEWEGT: New accompanying research for energy transition and society
What role does society play in the energy transition? The project team met in Karlsruhe in July, photo: Fraunhofer ISI
Accelerating the energy transition: Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI and the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) came together at a two-day kick-off meeting in Karlsruhe in July to launch the new BEWEGT project. The accompanying research and coordination project on the “Energy Transition and Society” funding priority is part of the Energy Research Program for applied Energy Research of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).
Connecting projects and improving their visibility
BEWEGT pursues two strategic goals: First, the project team aims to promote exchange between research projects in the “Energy Transition and Society” funding area and to increase the visibility of the projects and their results. Second, BEWEGT strives to increase the impact of these projects in politics and society in order to contribute to accelerating the energy transition.
The overall project manager, Prof. Dr. Karoline Rogge from Fraunhofer ISI and Professor of Sustainability Innovation and Policy at the University of Sussex, emphasizes: “With BEWEGT, we want to highlight the people who want to drive forward the energy transition – in research and practice. By summarizing their results and experiences and disseminating them via a website, position papers, social media, and other formats, we are making innovative energy research accessible to stakeholders in politics, business, and society.” At Fraunhofer ISI, the “Policy and Society” and “Foresight” departments are involved in identifying relevant future topics in a participatory manner.
Energy transition: A social responsibility
“With BEWEGT, we are pursuing a systemic approach that integrates technological and social aspects,” adds IÖW project manager Prof. Dr. Bernd Hirschl. “After all, the energy transition is not only a technological task, but also a social one. The collaboration between the IÖW and Fraunhofer ISI brings together decades of expertise in the field of energy transition. Our goal is to advance the energy transition in a socially acceptable manner,” says Hirschl, head of research at the IÖW and professor of “Management of Regional Energy Supply Structures” at the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg.
The project will run for four years. In October 2025, the BEWEGT team invites the projects to a first network meeting. A kick-off conference will be held in Berlin in spring 2026.
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More about the project: „BEWEGT: The Energy Transition Society. Accompanying research for the funding priority Energy Transition and Society in the Energy Research Program“
