Promoting intercultural exchange and energy economics research – these were the goals of the Summer School “Building a Sustainable Energy Future” (BaSEF), which took place in Cologne from August 29 to September 3. Organized by the Institute of Energy Economics (EWI) and the International Office of the University of Cologne, this year young and experienced researchers from Egypt, Morocco and Germany came together to learn and discuss about the energy and mobility transition. A special focus this year was on the role of green hydrogen for the decarbonization of Europe and the MENA region. The Summer School was sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Numerous experts provided substantive impulses during the Summer School: EWI Director Marc Oliver Bettzüge gave the participants an understanding of the connections between energy consumption and economic development. Ahmed El Banbi and Yasser Elshayeb, professors at the American University in Cairo, complemented the series of lectures with an insight into the Egyptian energy market and its current challenges.
A highlight of the Summer School was an excursion to Essen, where the history of the German energy industry was illustrated in the form of a tour of the former coal mine Zeche Zollverein. The group also visited the company “RWE Supply&Trading” including its trading floor, where the continuation of the historical development of the German energy industry was demonstrated using the example of RWE.
In addition, EWI researchers Dr. Johanna Bocklet, Arne Lilienkamp, Berit Czock, David Schlund, Patricia Wild and Konstantin Gruber discussed current study results on energy supply security, hydrogen economy and generation costs, emissions trading as well as electric mobility with the participants. Ziyue Li, Philipp Kienscherf and Markos Farag from the University of Cologne also taught economic methods. Based on the content-related and methodological impulses, the participants developed exciting research questions that could be worked on in the future within the framework of theses and research projects. The cross-border exchange of all participants in the field of energy economics will continue after the end of the Summer School between the British University in Egypt, the American University in Cairo and the University of Cologne and the EWI.
