Since 2004, Volker Quaschning has held a professorship in regenerative energy systems at the University of Applied Sciences HTW Berlin, where he also serves as the spokesperson for the Renewable Energies program and leads the research group focused on solar storage systems.
Volker Quaschning completed his doctorate specializing in photovoltaics and earned his habilitation in climate-friendly energy supply. He is recognized as one of Germany’s foremost experts on the energy transition. He has authored several influential specialist books on renewable energy and climate protection, which have been translated into multiple languages and are regarded as standard references. His most recent nonfiction work, Energierevolution JETZT, has appeared on the Spiegel bestseller lists. He manages a popular YouTube channel with millions of views, hosts a podcast, and operates a dedicated online portal about renewable energies and climate protection. He is frequently interviewed by newspapers, radio, and television, maintains a strong presence on social media, has received the German Solar Prize for his personal dedication, and is listed among LinkedIn’s Top Voices.
Volker Quaschning – Lecture topics:
- Energy transition and climate protection – Are we truly better than Trump?
- Why a genuine energy revolution is necessary instead of a half-hearted energy transition.
- Sector coupling through the energy transition – Essential expansion targets to meet the Paris climate goals.
- Electricity, heat, transport – What changes are required for effective climate protection?
- 100 percent electromobility – The key to environmentally friendly transportation.
- Requirements for the heating industry under the Paris climate protection agreement.
- The significance of wind power for the energy transition and climate protection.
- The role of photovoltaic self-consumption systems in Germany’s climate protection efforts.
Increasingly frequent heat records, drought summers, and natural disasters are stark reminders that unchecked climate change will have severe consequences for humanity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change strongly advises limiting global warming to no more than 1.5°C. To achieve this, Germany must establish an energy supply within the next 20 years that eliminates reliance on natural gas, oil, and coal. Under current German energy and climate policies, fulfilling the Paris climate agreement is unattainable.
Volker Quaschning outlines the consequences of missing climate targets and explains how these can be averted now. This requires not a timid energy transition but a true energy revolution. Renewable energy sources like photovoltaics and wind power, combined with modern storage solutions and smart grids, can rapidly, reliably, and climate-neutrally secure our energy supply. Beyond transforming energy supply, a genuine shift in transportation, heating, and agriculture is also necessary. Professor Quaschning’s lectures challenge audiences but do not leave them feeling hopeless; instead, he presents viable alternatives and inspires genuine optimism in an engaging manner.
