Prof. Dr. Claudia Kemfert – Head of the Department of Energy, Transportation, Environment, German Institute of Economic Research (DIW Berlin)

Prof. Dr. Claudia Kemfert is Professor of Energy Economics and Sustainability at the Hertie School of Governance, in Berlin and Head of the Department of Energy, Transportation, Environment at the German Institute of Economic Research (DIW Berlin) since April 2004. Her research activities concentrate on the evaluation of climate and energy policy strategies. She has been awarded by the most prestigious prize from the German Science Foundation (“Elf der Wissenschaft 2006″).

Claudia Kemfert advises EU president José Manuel Barroso in a “High Level Group on Energy”. Claudia Kemfert is member of the advisory group on energy of the European Commission (DG Research) and is member of the expert commission of Niedersachsen, of the sustainability advisory councils of the state Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and Brandenburg (Germany). Besides this, she acts as scientific advisor of the Austrian Institute of Economics (WIFO), the EUREF Institute and of the Energy Institute at University of Linz.

“Climate protection is the economic driver of the future. The opportunities for growth are immense. Increasing gains will lead to employment. These effects can be observed at many trade and industry shows and exhibitions, in the finance and property markets, as well as in many company brochures and reports. This change has already brought forth its first winners: energy efficient companies protect the climate and increase their profits with innovative, CO2-free energy technologies. Leading technology companies are winners today and will be in the future, as we can see in the markets for wind and solar power, recycling or power plant technologies. The markets belong to those who are aware of them.”

Claudia Kemfert studied economics at Oldenburg, Bielefeld (Germany) and Stanford University (USA). Claudia Kemfert worked for the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM) (Italy) and Stuttgart University (Institute for Rational Energy Use). She gave lectures at the universities of St. Petersburg (2003/04), Moscow (2000/01) und Siena (1998, 2002/03). Claudia Kemfert was Associate Professor and headed a PhD research group at Oldenburg University.  She is project manager of diverse research projects about environmental and energy policy strategies, and she is engaged in different networks like the Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) at Stanford University.

DIW Berlin