• Energy research with a freedom dividend

The Borderstep team is shocked by the situation in Ukraine and stands in solidarity with the people who have to endure unimaginable suffering. Putin’s war of aggression is in many respects a turning point and a fundamental attack on democracy, freedom (including freedom of science) and the principle of justice in our guiding concept of sustainability. These are values that we at Borderstep stand for and advocate with our research.

Our research on the energy transition and the transformation towards a climate-neutral and sustainable economy takes on a further significance these days: for more than 15 years, we have been investigating the conditions and success factors for a rapid transition to renewable energies and greater energy efficiency, e.g. in the area of building-related heat supply. Therefore, in these trou-bling days, we can present solutions and proposals on how to become independent from fossil fuels and gas or oil imports. Three examples:

• Our long-term studies on decentralized energy management in the building sector show that intel-ligent heating control, building automation and smart room climate management can save around 20 percent of total energy consumption in buildings within a short time (5 years) and with manageable investments. Avoiding the consumption of energy is the most effec-tive way to create independence from energy imports in the short term. Intelligent energy saving with a freedom dividend!
• We contribute our know-how for the heat transition to the work of Scientists for Future. This currently includes a position paper on rapid heat transition in times of war, which will be available here on March 14, 2022.
• With the just published Green Startup Monitor (GSM) 2022 we can show that the startup scene is an important driver for climate protection and energy independence. In the energy sector, more than two-thirds of startups are green, meaning that their innovative products and services make an important contribution to the rapid transformation of energy supply. Green energy startups such as Tado (European market leader for smart indoor climate management) or the Hamburg-based startup Vilisto (offering digital heat management for non-residential buildings) are examples. The GSM makes it clear that these transformation-oriented startups need to be supported and promoted even more effectively in the future. Green energy startups thus have a triple dividend: An economic one (e.g. jobs), an ecological one (e.g. climate protection), and one that can be described as a freedom dividend with the aim to creating independence from fossil energy imports.