IKEM International Summer Academy on Energy and the Environment

"The Summer Academy aims to act as an interdisciplinary and intergenerational forum for highly qualified young researchers and professionals working on energy and/or environment issues. By incorporating professionals from the business sector, the event creates a much-needed link between research and industry as both sides are able to learn from and influence each other in a mutually beneficial manner: ensuring the relevance of research carried out and employing practices based on the latest findings. After all, the value of scientific findings and policy solutions ultimately lies in their practical application.

Each year, the event addresses a topical issue in the field of energy and the environment. This year’s event ‘Energy Transition: Expansion and Integration of Renewable Energy Sources’ addresses the challenges surrounding the evolution of energy supply, moving from a traditional, fossil-fuel based energy system to a renewable-based one. Speakers and participants may submit an academic paper about their topic for publication in the annual Summer Academy proceedings, published by Lexxion. This Berlin publisher is known for its wide range of renowned international journals, such as the Carbon Climate Law Review (CCLR) and the Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review (RELP).

This year, the 9th International Summer Academy ‘Energy and the Environment’ is taking place in Greifswald and Berlin from 21 to 28 July 2012. The topic of the conference is ‘Energy Transition: Expansion and Integration of Renewable Energy Sources’. Participants from all over the world will gather in the charming coastal town of Greifswald on Saturday the 21st. The Academy will be hosted here for the weekend at the historical campus and conference rooms of its original academic home base: the University of Greifswald. Participants are free to arrive at a time of their convenience, and will get the chance to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and white beaches of Greifswald. In the evening the Academy invites participants to a welcome dinner.

Sunday will start with an introductory workshop. In the light of Germany’s radical move away from nuclear, the Academy has arranged an afternoon visit to the nuclear reactor Lubmin, before closure the largest nuclear plant in East Germany. After a joint dinner, participants can have a drink in the town centre, or gather their strength for the intense upcoming program in Berlin.

On Monday the 23rd the Academy will move to Berlin, where the applied research institute IKEM (Institute for Climate protection, Energy & Mobility) has set up a comprehensive 5-day program of seminars and lectures. In the heart of the Berlin, participants will accumulate and exchange knowledge on the multiple interdisciplinary challenges surrounding renewable energy integration in IKEM’s luxurious conference facilities" (IKEM 2012).