EnergyTransition\2012\2020\2050
A number of challenging questions emerging from energy and climate policy motivate this research project:
- What do the new targets of energy and climate policy for 2012, 2020 and 2050 mean for Austria?
- What restructuring strategies could be compatible with these targets?
- What technologies could be stimulated with the investments required and what macro economic impacts could be expected?
The proposed research project offers a number of novel suggestions as regards content and methodology for analyzing these questions. This approach is based on the concept of technology wedges by Pacala und Sokolow (Science, 2004).
- For the most important energy services – mobility, buildings and production – developments in demand as well as innovative technological options and their economic impacts are analyzed for application and transformation technologies.
- For primary energy the competing material use of energy resources is explicitly taken into account and in addition the innovative and efficiency potential of advanced materials like polymers is evaluated.
The methodology developed and the corresponding modeling tools are most adequate for providing better projections and monitoring of energy demand and emissions. In addition, new energy technologies can be evaluated as to their short- and long-term technological and eco-nomic impacts. For improving the research approach used and the acceptance of results it is intended to conduct this project in a close dialogue with relevant stakeholders.