“Reliable Energy, Strong Economy – Pathways to Resilience in Baden-Württemberg”
Under this theme, 15 members of the state parliament and energy policy advisors met with scientists from KIT in December 2025 for a parliamentary working breakfast in Stuttgart.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Oliver Kraft, Vice President of KIT, made it clear: In times of upheaval in energy policy, the economy, and geopolitics, policymakers need close, ongoing dialogue with independent research – especially when it comes to setting long-term courses for security of supply, competitiveness, and (including societal) resilience.

The focus of the intensive discussion: How can the energy transition be structured so that it remains reliable, affordable, and resilient in the industrialized southwest? Topics discussed included dealing with periods of low wind and solar output and grid bottlenecks, the role of storage as well as flexible generation and consumption options, regional characteristics of Baden-Württemberg, and the importance of system intelligence and technological diversity.

In brief presentations, Dr. Armin Ardone (IIP) and Prof. Veit Hagenmeyer (IAI) demonstrated how systems analysis research and real-world laboratories such as the KIT Energy Lab can support political decision-making processes. These efforts are grounded in scientifically sound analyses, realistic scenarios, and clearly defined options for action that identify concrete decision-making spaces – including opportunities, risks, and systemic impacts.

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) sees itself as a reliable, scientifically grounded partner for policymakers – ready to contextualize complex interrelationships and provide actionable knowledge for the energy system of the future.

The parliamentary breakfast was organized by the KIT Center for Energy under the leadership of Dr. Anton Huber (KIT Public Affairs).
Many thanks to the members of parliament for the open and engaged discussion, as well as to the participating KIT colleagues Prof. Kraft, Prof. Wolf Fichtner, Prof. Hagenmeyer, Dr. Ardone, and Dr. Anton Huber for the great collaboration!