Tenant electricity systems generate solar power on apartment buildings and deliver it directly to the households in the building. In a new study, Katharina Umpfenbach and Ricarda Faber evaluate the effects of the existing tenant electricity systems in Berlin. The bottom line: Berlin's tenant electricity projects have positive ecological and socio-economic effects, but these remain low compared to the technically available potential. The government's goal of covering a quarter of the city's electricity needs with solar energy can only be achieved with massively accelerated expansion. Under the existing regime, such dynamism cannot unfold. The framework needs to fundamentally change so that the full potential can be exploited for all plant types and sizes.

The project "Circular City Berlin – from potential towards implementation (CiBER 1)" analyses and promotes innovative approaches to the circular economy in various sectors in Berlin. In view of the expected further growth, urban densification and increased economic prosperity of the metropolitan region Berlin, a long-term sustainable design of urban resource flows is increasingly coming into focus. The current corona situation complements the focus on resilient regional and local economic processes. Local and regional circular value creation is more sustainable, increases the resilience of societies in times of crisis and strengthens social justice and inclusiveness.

Berlin is increasingly developing as a dynamic innovation field of the circular economy – a circular, resource-saving economy. (Social) innovations are no longer generated only in the field of waste recycling, but increasingly in the design and manufacture of sustainable products or with new business models. The event provides insights into current research on the development of the circular economy and the commitment of Berlin's innovators in this field.

Im Rahmen von sechs interaktiven Online-Veranstaltungen auf der Berlin Science Week wollen wir Themen und Ansätze mit herausragender Bedeutung für die nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung Berlins zur Debatte stellen. Von einem sozial gerechten Umbau der Wärmeversorgung über die Realisierung von Mieterstrom zu Strategien für eine nachhhaltige Datengovernance, Kreislauf- und Alternativwirtschaft werden wichtige Fragestellungen für eine sozial-ökologische Transformation der Hauptstadt thematisiert und im Dialog zwischen WissenschaftlerInnen und PraktikerInnen erörtert. Ein durchgehender Fokus liegt dabei auf Beteiligungs- sowie Verteilungs- und Gerechtigkeitsfragen von sozial-ökologischen Transformationen.

Photovoltaic technology is a key lever for decarbonising Berlin's power consumption and for social participation in the transformation process, especially for tenants. Therefore, solar energy and projects on rental apartment blocks are key elements of the Berlin Senate's Energy and Climate Protection Programme. In the research project "ElectricityNeighbours", Ecologic Institute and IÖW evaluate the experience gained so far in implementing such prosumer projects in Berlin, outline innovation potentials for the field and develop ideas on how the regulatory framework can be further developed. In doing so, the team looks beyond pure tenant electricity projects to the potentials of sector coupling.