The energy mix required for a carbon free future

As climate change fuels more extreme weather events, and environmental disasters threaten wildlife and human health, more people are banking on clean, carbon-free energy to speed the world’s transition away from fossil fuels and slow global warming, at a time when energy demand is constantly growing. As the move is made to decarbonise the whole energy sector, and several countries have the target to produce net zero emissions by 2050, emphasis has been growing on energy efficiency and switching all energy.

For our panel discussion, we can therefore only pick out a few points as examples. On one hand, it will consider how fusion could be the ultimate clean power solution, representing a low carbon, safe, continuous and effectively unlimited energy source with Europe, Germany and the UK being widely recognised as world-leaders in the most promising fusion technologies. On the other hand, while Germany has been phasing out nuclear power, speakers will discuss how renewable energies have strengthened their position in the German energy mix and how innovations can shape future energy systems.

This discussion will set out the central role that physics innovation and physicists have played in the development of key technologies in the green economy, the equally key part they will need to play in scaling up a sustainable energy system and consider how different energy sources can work together effectively.

With Sir Ian Chapman as the CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Dr. Melanie Windridge as the CEO of Fusion Energy Insights, Dr. Claudia Brunner as a Max Planck Research Group Leader dealing with Turbulence and Wind Energy, and Professor Dr. Thomas Hamacher holding a professorship for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems, we will learn from subject experts from both Germany and the United Kingdom, who will give us an insight into these exciting topic and answer questions. The discussion will be moderated by Professor Robert Wolf, member energy working group of the DPG and director at the Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, who will also contribute with his broad experience to the discussion.