Education and transferring Kopernikus knowledge

How long will it take until today‘s research becomes study material? Too long for the energy transition. The Kopernikus projects don't want to wait. Their declared aim is ultimately to push ahead with the energy transition. However, this is a highly complex task involving many different disciplines and stakeholders. Getting it right is a bit like asking strangers to completely rebuild a train whilst travelling at full speed and lay new tracks for it but without stopping. After all, the reliability of supply must be always guaranteed.

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How does it affect the teaching materials? The train in question - the energy system - is in motion, but must change without coming to a standstill or derailing. This is why science and industry collaborate very closely at Kopernikus in order to keep the path from theory to practice short and at the same time to test how well the theory works in practice. Yet, the knowledge generated by research is initially only available to those who are involved. Rightly so, since the obtained results are new, volatile and need to be reviewed thoroughly. However, this is not enough for the Kopernikus projects, which is why capacity building plays a major role in the final project phase in the context of transfer. To ensure that in the near future, when the energy system gradually changes tracks, future specialists already know what they are dealing with, the Kopernikus project P2X is in charge of designing educational materials and programmes. Of course, knowledge from the sister projects is also incorporated in many places.

P2X Summer School 2025: a resounding success

Following previous runs in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the P2X Summer School 2025 took place for the fourth time. Once again, P2X partner WWF took the lead in organising the event. This multi-day intensive workshop provided participants with the opportunity to engage deeply with one of the key technologies of the energy transition: Power-to-X.

If you would like to learn more about how participants experienced the P2X Summer School, you can read a retrospective from their perspective here (in German).

Another run of the P2X Summer School is planned for 2026, as part of the Kopernikus’ final year. Dates and further details will be published here in good time.

P2X Lecture Series: Second Round Ready for Take-off

P2X partner Provadis is once again organising the digital ten-part P2X lecture series, which will be provided in the winter semester 2025/2026 for the second time following the previous year. The topics remain identical to last year’s, and most of the speakers are the same. What also stays the same: although the series is primarily aimed at students, interested people of all ages – with or without prior knowledge – are once again warmly invited to tune in free of charge and broaden their horizons.

There are, however, three small hurdles to overcome: first, participants must understand English, as this is the language of instruction. Second, they should be prepared for the academic depth of the content. And third, they need to register in advance for each session (or all). Further details on the registration process will be published shortly on this page. A note for participants who wish to join from outside Europe: Direct registration is not possible. Please contact P2Xlectureseries@provadis-hochschule.de by email.

The lectures take place every Thursday from 5:30 to 7:00 pm CET. Here is a concise overview of all dates for the current second P2X lecture series:

• 6 November 2025: Introduction to Power-to-X and Synthetic Fuels: the path to climate-neutral energy systems

• 13 November 2025: Power-to-X and electrolysis – Turning Steam into Rocket Fuel

• 20 November 2025: Are e-fuels a beneficial alternative to conventional fuels?

• 27 November 2025: Fire and Ice: Hydrogen and carbon dioxide as key components at the intersection of energy and chemistry

• 4 December 2025: Flexible Load Operation of industrial plants for the integration of renewable energies

• 11 December 2025: Infrastructure, networks and availability of resources

• 18 December 2025: The necessity of PtX in a sustainable German energy system – A system perspective and site analyses

• 15 January 2026: Towards a sustainable Power-to-X economy – the role of international trade and reliable frameworks

• 22 January 2026: Green electrons for complex molecules: organic electrosynthesis as an emerging P2X technology

• 29 January 2026: Power-to-X: Impact on society/acceptance

Recordings of the first P2X lecture series (winter semester 2024/2025) are available in the folders below. The recordings of the second round will also be uploaded there shortly after each respective event.

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