Korean-German Energy Partnership

About the Korean-German Energy Partnership

At the end of 2019, minister Peter Altmaier of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi, now: German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)) and Minister Yun-mo Sung of the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) signed a joint declaration of intent on the establishment of an Energy Partnership, representing a closer bilateral engagement in the field of energy. This aims to strengthen collaboration on energy policy between the two countries and enable them to face the future opportunities and challenges of energy transition together.

In May 2020, Thorsten Herdan, Director General for Energy Policy at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), and Young-joon Joo, Deputy Minister for Energy and Resources at the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), signed the roadmap outlining the structure and direction of the future collaboration within the partnership.

Korean-German Energy Dialogue

Prior to the establishment of the Korean-German Energy Partnership, both countries had been communicating bilaterally from 2016 to 2019 through the Energy Dialogues. KGCCI, in cooperation with its German partner adelphi, has served as the official implementing organization of the Energy Dialogue in Korea.

Organizational Structure

Structure of the Partnership

In line with the roadmap signed in 2020, Korea and Germany agreed to establish a high-level Cooperation Committee that meets annually to discuss energy policy matters and to evaluate the progress and outcomes of the partnership.

The Korean-German Energy Partnership operates two working groups focused on the “energy transition” and “new green energy technologies”.

Working Group on “Energy Transition” focuses on energy transition, including expansion and system integration of renewable energies, and on increasing social acceptance and citizen participation in energy transition and renewable energy. This working group also discusses policies and measures to improve energy efficiency and conservation in various sectors, including industry, buildings and transport.

Working Group on “New Green Energy Technologies” aims to assess and promote new technologies that can play a significant role in energy transition. These technologies include green hydrogen, power-to-x, smart grids, smart solutions, and Energy storage systems (ESS).

Activities

As the official secretariat of the Korean-German Energy Partnership in Korea, KGCCI supports the execution of Working Group Meetings, roundtables, bilateral conferences, expert workshops, delegation trips etc.

One of the key activities is the Korean-German Business Forum on Offshore Wind Energy, which will be held for the fourth time this year. This forum serves as a valuable platform for Korean and German stakeholders from politics and business to come together and discuss potential collaboration in the field of offshore wind energy.

Korean-German Energy Day

The Korean-German Energy Day is the annual public event of the Korean-German Energy Partnership, which brings together a diverse group of stakeholders from politics, industry and academia to exchange insights on policy, technology and industry trends related to the energy transition.

In 2024, the 6th Korean-German Energy Day was held in Berlin, Germany, on the topic “Sustainable Supply Chains for the Energy Transition”. This year, the event will take place in Seoul, South Korea, continuing the dialogue on advancing bilateral cooperation in the energy transition.

Website

More information can be found on the official website of the Korean-German Energy Partnership.

Newsletter

The Energy Newsletter, distributed on a monthly basis in Korean and English by the Korean-German Energy Partnership Team (KGCCI & adelphi), provides readers with a news clipping on energy policies and the energy industries of both countries. Keep yourself updated by subscribing to our newsletter using the link below! There is no subscription fee.

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