University of Stuttgart

The University of Stuttgart is represented by the Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use and the Stuttgart Research Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies.

The Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use (IER) aims at providing solutions for energy- and ecology- related problems at the intersection of energy techniques, economy, environment, and society. Our research mainly focuses on analysing and evaluating energy technologies and energy systems by means of technology impact assessments, environmental analyses, and developing models and decision-supporting tools for energy economy and -policy, energy-economical systems analyses as well as rational use of energy.

A team of 45 engineers, natural scientists, agricultural scientists, economists, geologists and social scientists works together in the different research areas of energy and ecology. The IER cooperates both with national and international energy and ecology research institutions and is part of the research cooperation “Stuttgart Research Initiative for Systems Analysis on Energy” (STRise).

The Stuttgart Research Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies (ZIRIUS) is a cross-faculty research center at the University of Stuttgart. The central task of the Center is to stimulate, coordinate and conduct research projects in three main fields:

• Research on risk analysis, risk management and risk communication in the context of globalization and mutual interdependence with a focus on environmental, climate and health risks.
• Innovation research on the socio-economic and institutional conditions of (technological) innovation processes, as well as on the economic, political, social and cultural conditions, including risks and opportunities, of socio-technical transformation processes.
• Exploration and communication of the connections between ecological, economic, social and cultural expressions of future sustainable energy paths.