On September 18, 2018, around 80 participants from the energy industry, environmental protection and nature conservation, public institutions, and research and development came together for the 5th Energy Transition Forum of Grüner Strom Label e.V.. In the rooms of the Stadtwerke Bonn, there were lively discussions about current topics of the energy transition. The EnergyAgency.NRW with the umbrella brand Electromobility NRW was present as a further cooperation partner.

After introductory lectures on topics related to the energy transition in the morning, three parallel thematic forums were held in the afternoon. The focus of the conference this year was:

• E-mobility and transport transition (thematic forum 1)
  
• Smart energy supply and sector coupling (Topic Forum 2)
• Decentralized energy transition and post-2020 concepts (Topic Forum 3)

At Topic forum 1 was about the transport turnaround and the role of electromobility in this context. Georg Grothues from the EnergyAgency.NRW moderated the thematic forum and provided thematic input on e-mobility with batteries and fuel cells in NRW. After presentations by Norman Elmers (Polarstern GmbH) and Daniel Bargende (e.Go Mobile AG), the participants of the first thematic forum went to the garage of Stadtwerke Bonn, where three electric vehicles from MANN Naturenergie GmbH & Co. KG could be examined and tried out. Managing Director Markus Mann reported on his experiences in the use of e-mobility.

At 2. theme forum 'Smart energy supply and sector coupling', Rosa Hemmers, board member of EUROSOLAR and Grüner Strom Label e.V., and Tobias Jaletzky, managing director of EUROSOLAR e.V., introduced the topic with a short presentation. This was followed by presentations by Christian Remacly (RheinEnergie AG) and Tobias Struck (WEMAG AG). In the subsequent workshop, the participants spread out over three flipcharts and discussed the respective topics with the speakers. On the first flipchart, Tobias Jaletzky and Rosa Hemmers discussed with participants the role and relevance of smartness for the energy transition. In discussion, the participants noted that there are generally positive associations with the "smart world" that are hardly questioned. Christian Remcaly worked together with the participants* on questions around the concept of SmartCity. On the third flipchart, the participants were able to talk with Tobias Struck about the benefits and further steps in the use of battery storage.

At Topic forum 3 was about the decentralized energy transition and post-2020 concepts. Marcus Bollmann, deputy spokesman of the energy working group of BUND e.V. and board member of Grüner Strom Label e.V., gave a short input on market models of a regional energy transition, followed by presentations of Jan Broekmans (INEP Institute Oldenburg), Bernhard Strohmayer (Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energie e.V.) and Ramon Kempt (Energiegewinner eG). The presentations were followed by a world-café workshop in the third thematic form. The participants were divided into four thematic tables and discussed questions on the respective presentations together with the four speakers. Among other things, the participants discussed the question of how the costs for electricity and for the expansion of RE plants can be kept at an attractive level in the future. In the long run, tenant electricity models could be successful without subsidies and with free pricing.

At the end of the event, all participants of the Energy Transition Forum came together again and the respective moderators of the thematic forums presented the results of the discussions and workshops. After the Energy Transition Forum, the evening reception took place on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Grüner Strom Label e.V.. Here, as at the lunch and in the thematic forums, all participants had the opportunity to talk to each other and make new contacts.

We would like to thank Stadtwerke Bonn, Energieagentur.NRW and all participants, moderators and speakers for a successful Energy Transition Forum 2018.