The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI, President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg) in cooperation with the Korea Energy Economic Institute (KEEI), Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), German policy consultancy think tank adelphi held the 8th Korean-German Energy Day (KGED) conference on June 25 at the Visitor Centre of the German Federal Press Office (Bundespresseamt Besucherzentrum) in Berlin, Germany. The high-level conference attracted more than 100 participants from the Korean and German energy sector, government, industry, and research community.
Held under the theme “Building Resilient and Low-Carbon Electricity Systems: Korean-German Perspectives on Capacity Mechanisms, Battery Storage and Battery Recycling,” this year’s edition tackled some of the most critical and timely challenges facing both economies as they accelerate their respective clean energy transitions.
The KGED is the flagship annual event of the Korean-German Energy Partnership, co-hosted by German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and Korean Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE). The Energy Partnership was founded in 2019 when a Joint Declaration of Intent was signed by the two countries on extended cooperation in energy transition.
The conference opened with keynote speeches by Michael Hackethal, Head of Division, Multilateral Energy Cooperation at BMWE, and Jeeyoung Kim, Director General, International Cooperation Bureau at MCEE, followed by welcome remarks from Seungjin Ko, Commercial Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Berlin; Dr. Sebastian Muschter, CEO of adelphi; and Jihee Jeong, Deputy Director of KGCCI. The opening segment set a clear tone: both Korea and Germany are at an inflection point in their energy transition, and international cooperation is not optional — it is essential.
Keynote presentations addressed overarching energy policy directions in both countries: Jeeyoung Kim, Director General, International Cooperation Bureau at MCEE and Michael Hackethal, Head of Division, Multilateral Energy Cooperation at BMWE.
Jeeyoung Kim, Director General, International Cooperation Bureau at MCEE, said, “In a low-carbon electricity system, the ability to supply power precisely when it is needed becomes a critical value in itself. Sharing the experiences of Korea and Germany with a range of institutional mechanisms—including capacity mechanisms, strategic reserves, and flexibility markets—can provide valuable insights for the design of electricity markets that are both reliable and efficient.”
Michael Hackethal, Head of Division, Multilateral Energy Cooperation at BMWE, emphasized, “The Korean-German Energy Day is the main annual event of our Energy Partnership — a partnership between governments, but also between industries, research institutions, and the many individuals who turn our collaboration into real action. This platform creates the space where these complementary strengths meet, and where we discuss joint responses to shared challenges.”
The conference was conducted into three sessions: △ Security of Supply in the Electricity Sector: Providing Flexibility via Capacity Mechanisms, Strategic Reserves and Other Options △ Integration of Large-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems in the Electricity Grid △Battery Cell Recycling. The first focus session examined how Korea and Germany can safeguard security of electricity supply while advancing the transition to low-carbon power systems. Presentations by Dr. Anton Burger, Vice President of Compass Lexecon; Dr. Martin Kittel, Researcher at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW); and Dr. Kyuhyeong Kwag, Associate Research Fellow at the Korea Energy Economics Institute (KEEI) highlighted global best practices and recent policy developments related to capacity mechanisms, strategic reserves, and other flexibility instruments. A panel discussion featuring experts from DIW, KEEI, and Compass Lexecon, as well as Prof. Dr. Junghwa Lee from Berliner Hochschule für Technik (BHT), explored the role of these mechanisms in maintaining grid reliability and ensuring a secure and resilient electricity supply amid growing shares of renewable energy.
The second focus session addressed the growing strategic importance of Battery Energy Storage Systems in both countries. Presentations by Dr. Sangwon Kim, Research Coordinator at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST Europe), and Laura Leypoldt, Head of Communications at Bundesverband Energiespeicher Systeme (BVES) outlined the current state of grid-scale BESS deployment in Korea and Germany. Kihyun Kim, Director of Standard Energy Inc. provided investor perspectives on market realities, financing barriers, and emerging opportunities. A panel discussion examined the structural, regulatory, and financial conditions necessary to make large-scale BESS a fully bankable and grid-ready solution in both markets.
The third focus session explored battery cell recycling as a critical pillar of a resilient and competitive battery value chain. Max Fuhr, Head of Commercial Management at Chemiepark Bitterfeld-Wolfen, and Prof. Keeyoung Jung, Associate Professor at Sunchon National University mapped the industrial landscape for battery production and recycling in both countries, while Andrea Mirandola, Sales Director of Duesenfeld GmbH and Yutack Kim, CEO of ABR showcased best practices in advanced battery cell recycling technology. A panel discussion titled “From Waste to Resource: The Role of Recycling in a Resilient Battery Value Chain” assessed how both countries can leverage regulatory frameworks and industrial expertise to build closed-loop battery ecosystems that strengthen energy security and industrial competitiveness.
The conference concluded with a bilateral high-level closing interview, moderated by Gunnar Will, Senior Manager at adelphi. Marius Strotjohann, Deputy Head of the Energy Partnership Division at BMWE, alongside Jihee Lee, Senior Researcher at the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) and Dr. Yeonbin Yang, Associate Research Fellow at KEEI, drew together the day’s key insights and reaffirmed both governments’ commitment to continued joint action on capacity mechanisms, battery storage, recycling, and the path to net zero.
Jihee Jeong, Deputy Director of the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), emphasized, “Korea and Germany are important partners in jointly advancing an energy transition that is both secure and industrially competitive, building on each other’s experiences and strengths while reducing unnecessary trial and error.”
Designated as the official secretariat of the Korean-German Energy Partnership in 2021, KGCCI with adelphi together underpins cooperation between the two countries in various areas, facilitating interactions between policymakers and energy experts in close cooperation with stakeholders from both countries. In specific, KGCCI co-organizes and executes Korean-German Energy Partnership Working Group Meetings, energy workshops, expert meetings, delegation trips, and is also the co-organizer of the Korean-German Energy Day.
