Day one: adelphi

Several students traveled with Prof. Goldthau on an early-morning ICE train from Erfurt (tickets arranged via the Brandt School) and met with their classmates upon arrival in Berlin. After lunch, the class convened at adelphi, where they met with Dr. Maria Apergi, senior advisor, and Daria Ivleva, senior advisor and co-lead on climate policy.

At adelphi, students had the chance to hear from their hosts on new energy-related research being done and were able to ask a number of questions. They were encouraged to discuss the research’s assumptions, methodology, and more – adelphi’s approach, as the class was told, is to value input over seniority, and the group discussion reflected that openness.

The students also got to exercise their policymaking skills via a mock stakeholder-engagement exercise. Their hosts led them through the steps used in designing a typical stakeholder engagement strategy and split the class into two groups. Each group was to devise a strategy on a specific topic – rural electrification or conservation agriculture – and then present their results to the other group (and take questions).

Day two: Agora Industry

At Agora Industry the next day, students were greeted by Director of Industry Frank Peter, as well as by Dr. Camilla Oliveira (project manager industry) and Zaffar Hussain (project lead PtX Africa). Director Peter gave a brief history of the organization and then turned things over to his colleagues, who led three discussions: one on industrial transformation in Southeast Asia, led by Kajol, Agora’s Project Manager Climate Neutral Industry SEA; a second on Brazil’s role in the clean energy transition, with additional thoughts on the enormous potential of the Global South for the transition (led by Dr. Oliveira); and a third on green hydrogen (led by Zaffar Hussain).

Green hydrogen is widely seen as a crucial tool to further the clean energy transition, replacing high-emitting fossil fuel sources such as natural gas while retaining the physical character (molecules rather than electrons) necessary to use in existing systems. The name “green” comes from the fact that it is produced using renewable energy. Students got to witness the unveiling of Agora Industry’s new green hydrogen production costs tool several days before its official release. They also took part in an exercise in which they analyzed their own countries’ likely potential to be contributors at various stages of the green hydrogen value chain. This could range from green hydrogen exporters to importers to producers of, for example, “green iron” (green hydrogen-produced iron) to so-called frontrunners (countries with hydrogen industries incorporated into their own value chains). Other aspects, such as political feasibility, were also discussed.

About the Author

Sabrina Zearott is a first-year MPP student at the Brandt School, as well as the Student Assistant Editor of the Bulletin blog and podcast. She specializes in International and Global Public Policy and Development and Socio-Economic Policy and is currently focusing on the clean energy transition. She has over a decade of communications experience (including an M.A. in communication), primarily as a freelance and staff writer, as well as design/editorial experience. She is originally from the United States.