THE 3RD ENERGY RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF WEST-GERMANY

The new German energy research programme covers the first half of the 1990s. Its main task is to provide a broad spectrum of technical options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts to a level tolerable for the future. The largest financial share of the programme is still allocated to nuclear energy. In volume, however, it is considerably reduced compared to the past. The same holds for coal technologies. Both areas are ripe now for further development by private industry. Much attention is paid to renewables and fusion energy; with increasing budgets for both. Energy conservation is still regarded as very important, but its share in the programme could be reduced since there is a broad base of expertise now available due to past R & D efforts.