Main Navigation
- 4.0: Home .
- 5.0: Research .
- 6.0: Publications .
- 7.0: Events .
- 8.0: Professional Training .
- 9.0: The ZEW .
- 10.0: Staff .
- 11.0: Career .
- 12.0: Contact .
- 14.0: Print page .
Gunter Grittmann
Head of Information and Communication
E-mail: grittmann@zew.de
Phone: +49 (0)621-1235-132
Fax: +49 (0)621-1235-255
Kathrin Böhmer
Public Relations Officer
E-mail: boehmer@zew.de
Phone: +49 (0)621-1235-103
Fax: +49 (0)621-1235-255
In Germany the exit from nuclear energy within ten years is possible. Due to the exit period chosen, there is no reason to fear power supply instabilities. However, the change in energy policy connected with the exit from nuclear energy is not possible without price increases in electricity. In the coming years, the crucial factors for the price development of electricity will presumably be the further development of renewable energy sources, the expansion of the power supply system, the exit from nuclear energy and the development of the gas prices. These are the findings of the current ZEW Energy Market Barometer, a survey conducted semi-annually by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim among around 200 energy experts. read more
Industrial energy consumers, especially energy-intensive companies – e.g. in the chemical industry or in steel production or aluminium production – larger business enterprises, local authorities and other final consumers with high energy needs should expect rising costs of electricity, natural gas, oil and coal. However, in the short-term, that is until around the end of 2011, customers can assume that prices for the energy sources listed above, except for electricity, will remain relatively stable. These are the findings of the ZEW Energy Market Barometer conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW)in Mannheim among around 200 energy market experts. They were interviewed about the short- and medium-term trends for energy prices for wholesale customers. read more
The European Commission makes a second attempt to introduce a new energy label for electric appliances. This label is to encourage the European consumers to buy energy-saving appliances. However, there are some signs that the second attempt will not be successful either. If an appliance carries the new energy label instead of the existing European Energy Label, low energy consumption does not have a great impact on the consumer decision. Consumers are not willing to pay more for an energy-saving appliance if it is labelled with the new energy label. These are the findings of a study by Stefanie Heinzle and Rolf Wüstenhagen (University of St. Gallen) within the research project seco@home that is coordinated by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) Mannheim. The study compares TV sets with the existing European Energy Label and the new energy label as well as the labels’ impacts on consumers. read more
In the face of climate change, power stations in Europe are likely to increasingly reduce their energy production in the future. On the basis of global warming, which also causes heat waves and droughts in Europe during the summer, especially atomic power plants will be forced to curb electricity production. At this point, however, the question whether the loss of production will impair the security of power supply cannot be clearly answered. This is the result of the latest ZEW Energy Market Barometer survey among around 200 energy market experts from science and industry, which is conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) on a biannual basis. read more
The dispute between Russia, a gas producer, and the Ukraine, a transit country for gas delivery, has had consequences in particular for Eastern European EU member states, and has shifted energy security to the forefront of political concern in Europe. The ZEW Energy Market Barometer is a survey of energy-market experts conducted on a biannual basis by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW). In November and December of 2008, the participating experts were asked to assess supply security with regard to various energy sources. "Over the mid-term a worsening of supply security for gas and oil is to be expected. Experts anticipate that the current dispute over natural gas supplies will not have a dramatic impact on Germany. The country should take heed of recent events, however, and boost energy security by increasing the use of liquefied natural gas and by investing in new pipelines and storage reservoirs", says Dr Andreas Löschel, head of the ZEW-research department "Environmental and Resource Economics, Environmental Management". read more