Energy Partnership with Japan and Korea

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) maintains bilateral energy partnerships and dialogues with partner countries around the world that facilitate trust-based international energy policy cooperation at government level and aim to make a decisive contribution to a successful global energy transition. Japan and South Korea (hereafter: Korea) are important partners for Germany in this regard. Based on previous successful cooperation within the framework of less formalised energy dialogues, energy policy relations with both countries have been consolidated in recent years and institutionalised with the establishment of the Energy Partnerships in 2019. Both partner countries are striving to decarbonise their economies and societies by 2050. Japan and Korea are confronted with challenges comparable to those of Germany, such as a high dependence on energy imports and a broad industrial base that is both energy-intensive and export-oriented. At the same time, they have complementary competencies to overcome them, which provides a promising starting point for a fruitful exchange and joint development of solutions.

adelphi advises and supports the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in implementing the energy partnerships it maintains with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and further intensifies the partnerships by involving the private sector, civil society and academia. Energy policy events and expert workshops as well as study tours and high-level delegation trips enable regular exchanges between governments and other relevant stakeholders on key issues and solutions for a successful energy transition. Scientific assessments in the form of short reports, background studies and analyses also support the Energy Partnership in terms of content.

Thematic working groups (WGs) structure the operation of the energy partnerships. The Japanese-German Energy Partnership focuses primarily on the two overarching areas of energy transition (WG1) and hydrogen (WG2). WG1 primarily addresses topics related to energy efficiency, digitalisation and the expansion of renewable energies, especially offshore wind. WG2 focuses on the market ramp-up of green hydrogen production, the expansion of international hydrogen supply chains, the use of green hydrogen to decarbonise various sectors, and a joint exchange on international standards and certification systems.

The work of the Korean-German Energy Partnership is divided into two WGs: WG1 (energy transition) is primarily dedicated to the topics of energy efficiency in industry and in the building sector and the expansion and grid integration of renewable energies. Here, too, the focus is currently on offshore wind, also with a focus on promoting the corresponding acceptance. The coal phase-out and the associated structural change are also the subject of WG1. WG2 (new green energy technologies) focuses primarily on the production and application of green hydrogen as well as the use of innovative technologies for decarbonisation. A WG3 (nuclear decommissioning) was focused on regulatory and technical issues related to the decommissioning of nuclear power plants as well as safety issues. It was terminated in 2023 due to a shift of responsibilities in the ministries.

adelphi is entrusted with the project management and provides the energy cooperation team based in Berlin. As project partners, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan and the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) are each locally represented with a secretariat. The East Asian Association (OAV), the Wuppertal Institute (WI) and the Institute for Energy Economics and the Rational Use of Energy (IER) of the University of Stuttgart are further cooperation partners that support the energy partnerships on a project-related basis with valuable technical and country expertise.

A consortium led by adelphi also supports the BMWK's Energy Cooperations with Australia and New Zealand as well as with the USA and Canada.