Sixth Energy Research Programme

The German governments 6th Energy Research Programme entitled "Research for an environmentally sound, reliable and affordable energy supply" is a joint project of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The programme sets out the guiding principles and priorities of the German governments support policy in the field of innovative energy technologies for the coming years, thus laying the groundwork for an environmentally sound, secure and economical restructuring of Germanys energy supply. With its 6th Energy Research Programme, the German government is adding a new strategic approach to its energy and climate policy. This approach places emphasis on enhanced assistance for research and development of forward looking energy technologies. The German governments budget for energy research clearly reflects its commitment in this regard as it is making around EUR 3.4 billion available for energy research for the period from 2011 to 2014. The remarkable increase in funding of around 75 percent compared to the period from 2006 to 2009 will mainly be used for the newly established "Energy and Climate Fund". The funds will be employed for strategic priority areas that are vital for a speedy transformation of Germanys energy supply: renewable energies, energy efficiency, energy storage, grid technologies and the integration of renewable energies into the energy supply system.