Energy Watch Group

The Energy Watch Group (EWG) is an international network of scientists and parliamentarians. The EWG conducts research and publishes studies on global energy developments concerning both fossil fuels and renewables. The organization states that it seeks to provide energy policy with objective information.^[1]

The EWG was founded in 2006 by the former German parliamentarian and Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany recipient Hans-Josef Fell and further parliamentarians from other countries to provide both experts and political decision makers as well as the public with information on energy issues. In 2023, the Energy Watch Group transitioned into a non-profit legal entity, now known as EWG Energy Watch UG.^[2]

The EWG conducts research on energy issues, including

• the shortage of fossil and atomic energy resources,
• development scenarios for regenerative energy sources as well as
• strategies deriving from these for a long-term secure energy supply at affordable prices^[3]

The EWG studies examines ecological, technological and economic connections in the energy sector to estimate developments in the availability and supply of different energy sources and production techniques. The results of the EWG studies are to be presented not only to experts but also to the politically interested public. All EWG studies are open access and are available on the website.

Next to topics covering the energy transition towards a system based on 100% renewable energy, the EWG is also monitoring and regularly informing about the latest developments in the global divestment movement on their website.^[4]

Studies of the EWG by and large come to the conclusion that the planet will run out of

Several other studies argue that a global shortage of fossil energy supply can only can be intercepted by a rigorous extension of the renewable energy system. The potential for this endeavour is greater than previously thought, according to the EWG. An EWG study posits that such arguments against wind power as fluctuations of wind, lack of grid connections and lack of reserve capacities do not hold due to improvements in planning, growing price incentives and technical improvements.^[11] In 2008, the EWG estimated that 17–29% of global energy demand can be covered by renewable energy depending on the willingness to invest. The report maintains that political will is the most crucial obstacle to a global energy transition.^[12]

In 2016/17, the main focus of EWG's studies based on model based approaches concerning how a transformation towards a 100% RE system can be achieved sustainably, e.g. for India, Iran and Nigeria.^[13] Also storage technologies are an important factor of a successful energy transition, thus this topic is covered in a paper about the transition of the energy system in Ukraine.^[14]

A collaborative study with the

Several statements made by the EWG are in stark contrast with those of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and other organizations in the field. The EWG even claims that the IEA is institutionally biased towards conventional energy sources and follows a 'hidden agenda' to keep up the belief of an abundant supply of fossil energy sources while downplaying the potential for renewable energy and publishing misleading data.^[15]

In 2013, the EWG predicted world natural gas production would peak in 2020.^[16]

The Energy Watch Group criticism of the IEA credibility has attracted a lot of attention in the international media.^[17] The EWG achieved a partial victory when the IEA confirmed the EWG's warnings of a shrinking global supply of fossil fuels in 2010.^[18]

Since then, the EWG has published a series of studies^[19] examining what it calls the biased and misleading scenarios of the IEA, including the study on the World Energy Outlook Reports from 1994 to 2004.^[20] the analysis of the/ IEA's Medium Term Renewable Energy Market Report 2016,^[21] and the analysis of the World Energy Outlook 2015^[22] and the World Energy Outlook 2016.^[23] The EWG findings were also revisited by specialist media.^[24]

The Energy Watch Group has also criticized the

• Energy Watch Group & Lappeenranta University of Technology (2016/ 2017) Global Energy System Based on 100% Renewables – A Feasible and Low Cost Solution for Electricity, Heat, Mobility and Industrial Demand
  • Prof. Herres, Potential global biofuel production and its implications on CO2 in air, water and soil, Presentation Archived 25 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine (part of the Study on 100% RE)

2017

• Child, M., Breyer, Ch., Bogdanov, D., Fell, H.J. (2017) The role of storage technologies for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Ukraine. 11th International Renewable Energy Storage Conference, Düsseldorf
• Fell, H.J. (01.2017) Energy Sector in Ukraine: Challenges and Chances. (Policy brief)
• EWG Press Release, 17 March 2017: India, Iran and Nigeria Can Switch To 100% Renewable Electricity by 2050

2016

• EWG Analysis of the World Energy Outlook (30 November 2016): The International Energy Agency undermines global climate protection and energy security in its latest World Energy Outlook Archived 25 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine
  • EWG Pressemitteilung, 30 November 2016: Die Internationale Energieagentur schadet erneut dem Klimaschutz und der globalen Energiesicherheit mit dem jüngsten World Energy Outlook
• EWG Analysis of the IEA’s Medium-Term Renewable Energy Market Report 2016 (27 October 2016): International Energy Agency’s Renewables Forecast: Old Wine in New Bottles
  • EWG Pressemitteilung, 28 October 2016: IEAs Erneuerbare Energien Projektionen: Alter Wein in neuen Schläuchen Archived 25 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine
• Schwarz, J., Fell, H.J. (2016) Deutsche Klimapolitik – vom Vorreiter zum Bremser. Archived 25 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine Energy Watch Group & ASPO Deutschland, Berlin.
• Breyer, Ch., Fell, H.J., Gulagi, A. (2016) Sustainable and Low-Cost Energy System for India without Nuclear and Coal Base Load Archived 25 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Energy Watch Group, Berlin

2015

• Breyer, Ch., Fell, H.J. Zittel, W. (2015) IEA creates misleading future scenarios for solar power generation Archived 25 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Energy Watch Group, Berlin
• Breyer, Ch., Fell, H.J. Zittel, W. (2015) Energy Watch Group calls on the IEA to release realistic scenarios. Energy Watch Group, Berlin
• Breyer, Ch., Fell, H.J. Zittel, W. (2015) IEA Keeps Assuming Linear Growth for Renewable Energy. Energy Watch Group, Berlin
• Breyer, Ch., Fell, H.J., Metayer, M. (2015) The projections for the future and quality in the past of the World Energy Outlook for solar PV and other renewable energy technologies. Energy Watch Group (Berlin) and Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland).
• Zittel, W. (2015) Fracking – Eine Zwischenbilanz. Energy Watch Group, Berlin (english executive summary Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine)

2014

• Zittel, W. (2014) The EU’s dependency on Russia for natural gas can only be reversed with a rapid expansion of renewable energy sources Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Energy Watch Group, Berlin

2013

• Zittel, W., Zerhusen, J., Zerta, M. (2013) Fossil and Nuclear Fuels – the Supply Outlook. Energy Watch Group, Berlin

2010

• Zittel, W. (2010) Worldwide Estimated Yearly Energy Costs. Energy Watch Group, Berlin

2009

• Rechsteiner, R. (2009) Wind Power in Context – A Clean Revolution in the Energy Sector. Energy Watch Group, Berlin

2008

• Schindler, J., Zittel, W. (2008) Crude Oil – The Supply Outlook. Energy Watch Group, Berlin
• Peter, S., Lehmann, H. (2008) Renewable Energy Outlook 2030: Energy Watch Group Global Renewable Energy Scenarios Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Energy Watch Group, Berlin

2007

• Schindler, J., Zittel, W. (2007) Coal: Resources and Future Production. Energy Watch Group, Berlin

2006

• Zittel, W., Schindler, J.(2006) Uranium Resources and Nuclear Energy. Energy Watch Group, Berlin