English

The EnergyAgency.NRW works on behalf of the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia as an operative platform with broad expertise in the field of energy: from energy research, technical development, demonstration, market launch and energy consultancy to continuous vocational training. Many of its activities focus on energy efficiency and climate protection. In times of high energy prices it is more important than ever to forge ahead with the development of innovative energy technologies in NRW and to highlight from an impartial point of view how companies, local authorities and private individuals can handle energy more economically or make appropriate use of renewables.

The EnergyAgency.NRW operates with around 140 employees mainly from its locations in Düsseldorf, Gelsenkirchen and Wuppertal. It receives funding from, among others, the European Union's ERDF (European Regional Development Fund).

The focal areas covered by EnergyAgency.NRW

Acting on behalf of the NRW government, the EnergyAgency.NRW manages the Cluster EnergyRegion.NRW and is responsible for high-powered networks for climate protection in a total of 27 individual assignments. These encompass, for example, the subjects of system transformation, energy infrastructure, energy market design, business and financing models and knowledge management, as well as the networks Foreign Trade, Biomass, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen, Energy Efficiency in Municipalities, Energy Efficiency in Companies, Geothermal Energy, CHP/Local and District Heating, Mobility, Photovoltaics, Heat/Buildings, Hydropower and Wind Energy. On behalf of the NRW Economics Ministry the EnergyAgency.NRW also organises the networks "Energy Economy" and "Mining Economy". The network operations focus on highly competitive co-operative ventures to initiate innovative projects and products, to speed up their market readiness and to exhaust all economic potentials.

Cluster "EnergyResearch.NRW"

The EnergyAgency.NRW is also the home for the cluster EnergyResearch.NRW  (CEF.NRW) – on behalf of the NRW Science Ministry.  CEF.NRW acts as the contact body for all matters relating to energy research in NRW. It works to ensure that new technological and socio-economic knowledge is applied in practice more speedily than hitherto. For this purpose the cluster initiates research and development projects as part of a collaborative effort between research institutions and industry. CEF.NRW highlights the complex energy supply system as a whole in its interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary activities. The cluster's work focuses on centralised energy generation, decentralised energy generation, conversion technologies, energy grids and storage systems, and transformation research.

In its interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary activities CEF.NRW focuses on the complex energy supply system as a whole. The Cluster focusses on the following issues: Centralized energy generation, Decentralized energy generation, Biomass conversion technologies, Energy networks and storage and Transformation research. In addition to the purely technological transformation, the energy turnaround represents a new kind of challenge when it comes to shaping the process of public participation. Accompanying scientific support is required and specific problem-solving strategies have to be developed. The Cluster also sees a need for action here.

CEF.NRW aims at ensuring new technological and socioeconomic knowledge is applied in practice more quickly than has been the case to date. For this purpose the Cluster initiates research and development projects in a coordinated collaboration between research institutions, industry and civil society. Furthermore CEF.NRW acts as a transfer point to the energy-related activities on the part of the EU and the Federal Government as well as to society-based Initiatives.

Cluster "EnergyRegion.NRW"

North Rhine Westphalia has intensified its cluster activities in the energy economy domain. With its unique blend of global players, medium-sized enterprises and small think tanks, not to mention the excellent research institutions, North Rhine-Westphalia provides an ideal location to cultivate forward-looking developments in the energy economy. EnergyRegion.NRW stands for innovative power, tradition, neutrality and an openness to technology. With this strong brand the outstanding achievements of the state in the energy field are given a higher profile both internally and externally. The aim is to enhance even further North Rhine-Westphalia's image Europe-wide as a forward-looking region.

The cluster manager of EnergyRegion.NRW is Dr. Frank-Michael Baumann, Director of EnergyAgency.NRW. With cross-network cluster management it is intended in future to tailor the cluster's products and services more closely to the needs of the individual actors in the energy field. And consultancy is also to the fore: "We wish to play the role of initiator even more vigorously and to launch innovative projects, which we will accompany up to market maturity", says Dr. Baumann.

According to a study by the management consultants McKinsey, the energy economy has enormous future potential worldwide, with growth rates sometimes reaching double figures. As an important lead market this sector offers great potential which North Rhine-Westphalia wishes to exploit. The job of the state government in this area is to create reasonable framework conditions in order to facilitate a close collaboration between all the actors involved along the energy economy value chain, also extending into other sectors.

"We know the state's energy companies and institutions very well. And so we can pass on enquiries directly and promptly to the right recipients", is how cluster manager Dr. Frank-Michael Baumann explains the benefit EnergyRegion.NRW provides to its partners. These appreciate the cluster in particular as a set of neutral information and communication platforms in the energy field.

The energy economy is one of North Rhine-Westphalia's most powerful sectors. The EnergyAgency.NRW was delegated by the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia to take responsibility for and manage the cluster to promote innovations and growth and to secure the settlement of new companies in EnergyRegion.NRW. More than 3,000 companies and institutions have joined the state's energy economy cluster. Three quarters of the companies involved are small and medium-sized enterprises. More than 150 universities, institutes and associations are members.

The cluster's work concentrates on nine areas of the energy economy: Biomass, geothermics, the topic of energy-efficient and solar construction, fuels and engines of the future, the topic of fuel cells and hydrogen, photovoltaics, power plant engineering, power storage and transmission and wind power.

Energy consultancy

Engineers from the EnergyAgency.NRW supply information on energy weak spots – from technical systems in buildings to production processes in companies. This ranges from the heating system and heat recovery through to insulation as a protection against heat and cold in large production shops, from leak detection to the drawing up of energy concepts. The experts give advice on possible sources of funding, they help companies to cut energy costs and thus to enhance their competitiveness.

Knowledge management

The EnergyAgency.NRW offers a range of continuous training seminars – including some for end consumers. The seminars offered can be used by continuous training institutions, energy supply utilities, corporate associations and federations, institutes of higher education, municipalities and companies in NRW, and also via the internet. Within the programme, user motivation projects such as "aktion Efit" and “mission E” are also offered to company workforces. In addition the EnergyAgency.NRW provides an online platform on the internet for vocational initial and continuous training: www.energieagentur.nrw/wissen

In addition the EnergyAgency.NRW co-ordinates state-wide market initiatives and joint actions. “OldBuildingNew”, "Building Check Energy", "Solar Check NRW", the projects "50 Solar Housing Estates in NRW“ and "100 Climate Protection Estates in NRW“, the "Wood Pellets Campaign" or the "Heat Pumps Marketplace NRW"  and "CHP.NRW – Power Meets Heating“ supply the general public in NRW with information on environmentally friendly and innovative heating technologies and give tips on energy conservation.

EnergyAgency.NRW on the Internet: 

• www.energieagentur.nrw  
• www.energieregion.nrw.de
• www.cef.nrw.de

EnergyAgency.NRW in the networks:

• www.energieagentur.nrw/newsletter
• www.facebook.com/EnergieAgenturNRW
• www.twitter.com/eanrw
• www.youtube.com/EnergieAgenturNRW