"The Energiewende: Decarbonising Europe’s industrial heartland": Study tour to Germany for journalists

Rotor blade manufacturing (photo: Nordex SE)

The world’s 4th largest economy is heading towards an entirely new energy system

The Energiewende is dramatically transforming Germany’s economy. As the world’s second largest exporter and fourth largest economy remakes its energy system, new jobs and new business models are emerging, well beyond the renewables industry.

As Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing elections next year, our media study tour takes a close look at how the Energiewende is reshaping the German economy. The four-day tour of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s coal and steel industrial heartland, will focus on questions such as:

• Can German industry keep its competitive edge – despite concerns about rising energy costs? Or is the Energiewende putting a dent in Germany’s highly prized industry and driving production overseas?
• Is Germany ready to tackle the “Energiewende paradox” – the paradox of record additions of wind and solar capacity while coal with its CO2 emissions still accounts for the largest share in the country’s power mix?
• Speaking of coal: What is the impact of the transition of the energy system on cities, municipalities and business and employment at the local level?

Our tour: An in-depth enquiry of policy-makers, experts and practitioners

During the workshop we will visit focal points of the energy transition in Germany, including solar farms, coal mines, factories, citizen cooperatives and energy market start-ups.

Who can take part?

The media workshop is open to journalists from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand with a background in energy, climate and environmental policy. We aim for a mix of participants representing the entire range of media from major newspapers, broadcasters, news agencies to online media.

What languages will be spoken?

Presentations during the workshop will be either in English or in German. English-German simultaneous translations will be provided.

How to apply

If you would like to participate, please sign up via our registration button and form (see the "sign up" button on the red bar above). Please apply by 3 June at the latest.

We will inform you by 10 June whether your application has been successful.

What are the costs?

Participation in the media workshop is free of charge. All expenses during the workshop including food, accommodation and transport will be covered by the organisers.

Please note: Participants must cover their own expenses for travel to and from Cologne - where the workshop will begin and end. In individual cases we can provide support for travel expenses (please see the "Organisational Details" PDF to the right).

What about travel arrangements?

Travel during the workshop will be organised by the Clean Energy Wire. Participants are kindly asked to organise their own travel to and back home from Cologne.

If you have any questions concerning the workshop please do not hesitate to contact us (see contact box at the right).

How does the programme look in detail?

Please check the full agenda, the itinerary and details of the programme in the PDF programme to the right.